The Preliminary Thematic Program of the IDRA World Congress 2026 brings together a comprehensive and high-level agenda designed to address the most urgent challenges and transformative opportunities in global water. The program opens with the Opening Plenary – Setting the Global Water Agenda, followed by focused sessions including The Water Story of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mobilizing Private Capital & Expertise for Universal Access, Powering the Future of Water: Integrating Desalination with Next-Gen Energy, Circular Water Economy: Scaling Water Reuse – The Industry’s Biggest Growth Story, and Stewardship, Policy, and the Road to the UN.

The program further features the Global Water Thought Leadership Summit, exploring themes such as leadership in water transformation, high-level policy dialogue, sport and human endurance as a lens on water resilience, the role of influencers and communicators in reshaping narratives, youth engagement in designing the water future, and the launch of the Water Leadership Pledge.

Complementing these sessions are in-depth Technical Deep-Dives & Workshops, including curated panels on water reuse (in partnership with the Water Reuse Association), financing water infrastructure in the MENA region (with the World Bank and Arab Fund), digital innovation in water operations, brine valorisation and resource recovery, and the water–food–energy nexus, culminating in recognition, legacy, and closing reflections.