Are you involved in an international water management project? Then this is your chance to compete for the NWB Award 2026. Capture in a compelling video what ‘reciprocity’ means for your project and contend for the NWB Fund’s prize. The winner receives 5,000 euros for the winning project, a place on the Wall of Fame at the office of the Dutch Water Authorities in The Hague, and a feature in Waterkracht magazine.
International work in the spotlight
The NWB Award is the NWB Fund’s prize for the most compelling video on international water management work. After all, water authorities do valuable work, not only in the Netherlands but far beyond, and that work deserves wider recognition. With the award, we put those stories in the spotlight, so that colleagues and partners across the sector know what is happening around the world.
The theme: reciprocity, an equal exchange
Those who go abroad to share knowledge often learn just as much in return. It is precisely in the encounter with another country, another culture and another way of working that both sides stand to gain. That is reciprocity: international collaboration is never a one-way street.
It is as much about what water professionals bring abroad as about what they take home. Think of fresh insights for their own water authority, or personal growth. And it is about equality: working together from the conviction that both partners have just as much to give as to gain. Show in your video how that comes to life in your project.
What the jury looks for
A panel of experts selects a shortlist from all the entries. The panel is made up of representatives of the NWB Fund and the Blue Deal programme office, together with a professional filmmaker. It is mostly about the story: a video that keeps you watching and that you share easily and enthusiastically, with a meaningful message about reciprocity that sticks. We are looking for amateur videos of no more than 2 minutes. So no professional productions, though a little help with editing, for example, is fine.
You help decide who wins
After the shortlist, it is up to the audience. The winner is chosen through a combination of worldwide digital voting in advance – open to all water authority employees and international partners – and the final choice made by the audience in the room during the ceremony on 8th October. Together, these decide who takes home the NWB Award 2026.
A tradition every other year
The NWB Fund has presented the award since 2022, and by now it has become a fine tradition that, from now on, takes places every other year. A brief look back at the previous winners:
- 2022 – ‘Proud of Water’: a video about combating the water hyacinth in Blesbokspruit, South Africa (Blue Deal South Africa)
- 2023 – ‘Smart Collaboration with Stakeholders’: a video about improving water supply for rice farming (Blue Deal Peru)
- 2024 – ‘Climate Adaptation’: a video about sustainable water management in Morogoro, Tanzania (WaterWorx Tanzania in collaboration with Dutch Water Authorities)
The award ceremony
The award ceremony takes place on the afternoon of Thursday 8th October 2026 in Amersfoort, during the celebration of the NWB Fund’s 20th anniversary.
Take part!
Submit your video no later than 1st September 2026 via the link below.
Questions? Get in touch with the NWB Fund’s programme office, via programme manager Marion Wierda (mwierda@uvw.nl).
The NWB Fund looks forward to receiving all your entries!