May 30, Friday
| 09:00-10:00
AM | |
| Building Better Futures: Harnessing Innovation for Efficiency, Equity and Inclusivity Plenary Auditorium 2-3 | Innovation promises to accelerate progress, but how can innovation support efficient, equitable and inclusive outcomes? This plenary session highlights cutting-edge innovations in water and urban development. A particular focus for the session is meaningful youth engagement: are we leveraging innovation to enhance, amplify and tap into the energy and creativity of Asia’s burgeoning youth population? Objectives of the session:
Speakers: Moderator: Vivek Raman, Principal Urban Development Specialist, Water and Urban Development Sector Office, Sector Department 2, ADB Opening remarks: F. Cleo Kawawaki, Director General, Sector Department 2, ADB Panelists:
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| 10:15-11:45 AM | |
| From Pilots to Progress: Closing the Housing Gap for 600 Million People with Private Sector Leadership Shark Tank Auditorium 2-3 | This session will explore how innovative pilots and private sector solutions can address the pressing need for affordable housing in developing Asia and the Pacific. The session will feature insights from policy makers, PPP Center, mortgage refinancing company, private sector, industry experts, who are engaged in the delivery of affordable housing solutions through the private sector. Additionally, Castalia, who has been advising ADB to develop actionable recommendations for engaging the private sector in delivering inclusive, affordable, and climate-resilient housing ecosystems in Central and West Asian countries, will present key findings, highlighting innovative housing solutions and the critical issues identified for each DMC country. This interactive session aims to foster peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, collaborative ideation to generate practical private sector-led housing solutions that can be implemented across the region. By the end of the session, participants will have learned: 1. Issues / challenges in developing I3ARCH housing projects in DMC countries 2. Options / solutions to address such issues / challenges, including roles of various stakeholders – government, private sponsors, lenders, multilateral agencies / development partners 3. Key criteria to encourage private sector participation in developing such projects Speakers:
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| Bringing the Water Learning Weeks to HQ Shark Tank Innovation Hub | For many years, a select group of ADB project teams participate in Water Learning Weeks—in 2025, the program took place in Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands—gaining firsthand experience with cutting-edge innovations in water resilience, digital transformation, and circular economy solutions. Previous Water Learning Weeks were also held in the Netherlands and Australia. To ensure these valuable insights benefit the broader ADB community, this Shark Tank-style session will explore ways to bring the Water Learning Week experience back to ADB Headquarters. In this dynamic session, participants will pitch their most transformative takeaways to a panel of "investors"—leading private sector companies from Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. The panel will assess each idea’s relevance, scalability, and potential impact in the Asia-Pacific region. This session fosters stronger public-private collaboration and helps translate European best practices into innovative, bankable solutions for ADB’s water and urban projects. By the end of the session, participants will have learned… 1. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the learning week concept, including its objectives, structure, and relevance for them. 2. Through interactive discussions and brainstorming sessions, participants will develop new ideas and innovative approaches to enhance the learning week concept: potential improvements and strategies to maximize the impact. 3. Engagement and creating awareness and interest of financing partners and companies/organisations to contribute to the learning week concept enhancing local capacities, fostering international cooperation and creating opportunities. Speakers:
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| The SWM Cookbook: Ingredients for Successful Solid Waste Management at Scale Project Lab Auditorium 1 | This session will analyze past and ongoing SWM projects supported by ADB to derive lessons learned and distil key successful and less successful factors. Practitioners from developing member countries and ADB staff will share their firsthand experience and engage with the audience in a lively conversation and debate. By the end of the session, participants will have learned… 1. Importance of integrated solid waste management - avoid piece meal approach Speakers:
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| Local Leadership in Action: Gender-Responsive and Climate-Resilient Cities in Asia Fireside Chat Multifunction Hall 3 | Cities in Asia and the Pacific are grappling with climate change and social inequality, often compounded by limited resources and gender-blind urban planning. This session highlights innovative, city-led strategies for gender-responsive and climate-resilient urban development. In a dynamic fireside chat, local leaders and experts will share practical approaches, tools, and solutions—from heritage-led revitalization and resilience to women-focused services—that support inclusive, scalable progress aligned with global goals. By the end of the session, participants will have learned… 1. How inclusive local governance advances climate goals 2. Replicable approaches and tools for resilient, gender-sensitive urban development 3. How to better align with ADB’s Strategy 2030 and the Paris Agreement objectives Speakers:
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| From Risk to Resilience: Strengthening Asia's River Basins Project Lab Auditorium 4 | This session explores climate impacts on Asia’s river basins, focusing on integrated water resources management. Participants will discuss regional challenges and how varied climate impacts require tailored responses. They’ll identify short-term “quick wins” and shape longer-term solutions to strengthen water security, protect livelihoods, and foster resilient growth, fostering sustainable development. Participants will collectively identify short-term “quick wins” to address urgent vulnerabilities—such as bridging gaps in knowledge, innovation, governance, financing, and human resources—that currently affect responses to water scarcity and extreme weather events. They will exchange insights, learn from best practices, and actively shape solutions adaptable across Asia. In parallel, the workshop will illuminate longer-term measures essential for sustained resilience, underscoring the importance of early strategic planning for long-term horizons. By showcasing successful examples of integrated river basin governance, climate adaptation, and coordinated investments, the session empowers participants both to contribute their expertise and to gain new knowledge, thus laying the groundwork for regional policy and investment roadmaps to bolster resilience in Asia’s river basins. Speakers:
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| Revolutionizing Water: Digital Innovations to Improve Performance and Efficiency of Water Companies Project Lab Multifunction Hall 2 | This session will explore how digital solutions, IT systems, effective data and asset information management are revolutionizing water company operations and efficiency. We will delve into the critical collaboration between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) in enabling data-driven decision-making and fostering a holistic business view for water utilities. The session will feature insights and experiences from water companies and experts in Central Asia, Europe, the USA, and Australia, highlighting successful implementations, challenges, and future opportunities in the digital transformation journey. By the end of the session, participants will have learned… This structured session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of digital transformation in the water sector, combining expert presentations with a dynamic panel discussion to share diverse experiences and foster valuable insights for all attendees.
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