Yu Zhongbo chaired the 62nd session of the IHP Bureau Meeting and gave a special presentation

On February 27 and 28, 2023, the 62^nd session of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) Bureau Meeting was successfully held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. More than 30 member states and UNESCO water-related departments, relevant Category 2 Centres, IHP national committees, and key partners attended the meeting. Prof. Zhongbo Yu, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme of UNESCO and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering Science of Hohai University presided the meeting. Qu Xing, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, delivered a welcome speech.

The IHP Bureau meeting is a high-levelevent of the most important intergovernmental international organization in the field of hydrology, responsible for the planning of IHP, the setting of project priorities, and the monitoring of project implementation. The meeting introduced the development of UNESCO's Natural Sciences Sector and Water Science Division since the 41^st and 42^nd General Assembly and the 214^th and 215^th Sessions of the Executive Boardand the update on the implementation of the Working Group's operations on the 9^th phase of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme Strategic Plan (IHP-IX, 2022-2029). The meeting also reviewed the implementation of various IHP programs over the past year, the reports on the implementation of IHP-IX by various thematic working groups, the latest release of the main results of IHP-VIII, the implementation of resolutions passed at the 25^th meeting of the Intergovernmental Council, and recommendations from past bureau meeting simple mentation and cooperation with other UNESCO programmes.

During the meeting, the representatives of UNESCO's water-related departments and category 2 centers reported on the World Water Assessment Program and discussed the release of the World Water Development Report, which is the key report on water and sanitation issued by UN Water. The meeting also assessed the important role of IHP in major international events and agendas such as the UN Groundwater Summit in 2022 andthe upcoming UN Water Conference in March 2023. As a scientific and educational program, IHP promotes continued cooperation among all Member States and the UNESCO Water Family consisting of UNESCO Category 2 Centres, IHP National Committees and key partners to formulate sound and feasible science-based policies to address the complexities of water resource challenges in the changing environment.

At the noon on the 28^th, JinYang, the ambassadorial representative of China to UNESCO, chaired the seminar, and Prof. Zhongbo Yu gave a special presentation on water security and sustainability at the UNESCO headquarters. Prof. Yu introduced the Chinese water culture, especially the classic cases of the harmonious coexistence of human and water such as the Liangzhu Culture Water Conservancy Project, Dujiangyan Dam and the important role of the modern Three Gorges Dam and the South-to-North Water Diversion, and had exchanges with representatives from various departments of UNESCO and various countries participating in the meeting. Prof.Yu also introduced the specific actions of China in water science, water education, water management and water governance, integrated with UNESCO IHP-IX.He calls for strengthening water security and sustainability cooperation, concerted efforts to implement IHP-IX and other related actions, and accelerate the realization of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda water-related goals.