The Australia-Netherlands water professionals knowledge sharing webinar: Engage stakeholders using visualization, games, or other techniques, was held on 22nd June 2023. Supported by Deltares, this online event aimed at how to engage non-institutional stakeholders using Water Modeling, Serious Games & Visualization, and other techniques. Throughout the webinar, six speakers from various organizations presented their work in this domain.
The event begins with Gregor van Essen, Director of The Water Agency, introducing Asia Raincraft, the serious game The Water Agency developed to engage with community about climate and water. In 2020, The Water Agency first tested Asia Raincraft as part of a climate adaptation project with the community in Yangon, Myanmar. Because of the covid 19 pandemic, with the restriction on gathering and to reduce human interaction in real life, a digital model like Asia Raincraft is utilized to mobilize the communities, share knowledge with them and co-design interventions in the Minecraft.
Asia Raincraft comprises a series of interactive gaming modules specifically designed to educate communities about climate change and water-related challenges in their locality. By leveraging the popular game Minecraft, Raincraft enables participants to imagine, create, and design real-life scale solutions within the virtual environment. This unique approach offers an immersive and engaging platform that encourages active participation from stakeholders. Through gameplay, participants gain valuable insights into climate adaptation and the potential impact of their actions on water resources.
Watch Asia Raincraft Sharing session below.
The presentation by Gregor van Essen on Asia Raincraft highlighted the potential of serious gaming as a means to educate and empower communities in addressing climate and water-related challenges. As we navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world, innovative approaches like serious gaming can play a pivotal role in fostering meaningful engagement and sustainable solutions for a better future.
Watch The Whole Webinar below.