Bridging Divides Among People and Nations

The ambitious triennial undertaking involves high stakes. Experts say two thirds of the world could face water stress and shortages by 2025 and thus result in the failure to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals for billions of poor. But the Forum rises to this challenge by bringing together seasoned expertise and inclusive participation

Attendees represent the full spectrum of the water world: hydrologists, village chiefs, multilateral agencies, environmental activists, business executives, bankers, scientists, engineers, elected officials and high United Nations officials. No one is excluded. Add to this gathering the political acumen of Mayors, Parliamentarians, Ministers and Heads of State - and the Forum's pragmatic outcomes carry unprecedented weight.

Global Water Agenda

The 5th World Water Forum catalyses the most comprehensive and dynamic political process of any Forum to date. It engages four levels of government to achieve security, solidarity and adaptability through water.

In the face of global challenges - financial collapse, mass migration, climate change, food prices, rapid urbanization, and energy price fluctuations - water resources and services are profoundly impacted. But demand for water also has the power to galvanize diverse interests to agree on a common platform. To that end, an unprecedented "trialogue" among local authorities, parliamentarians and ministers are collaborating to help shape a Global Water Agenda.

Inclusive Participation

The sheer volume of diverse participants converging on the World Water Forum is both a logistical challenge and a political necessity. The number and variety of stakeholders give the Global Water Agenda its unparalleled legitimacy and stature.

When one participant calls for a right to water, it is an interesting but marginal idea. But when the Forum encourages robust debate, gives form and content to the basic concept, clarifies legal obligations, and finally and endorses that same right, it represents a profound global paradigm shift that drives national legislation and engages the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. That is merely one example of how Forum participants will continue to shape outcomes through discussions in 109 narrowly focused sessions. Building Momentum on Real Progress.

Through ongoing interaction the Forum marks neither an end nor a beginning but rather a focused acceleration of progress year after year. Progress has come in three water arenas: financial, institutional and political.

The previous comment falsely claims to offer a one-stop panacea to water scarcity around the globe. Clever, but it is really just a poorly-worded advertisement. Eric - 22/03/2009 - 04:49

To find the water "lenses and Veins" including the reserves in the subsurfaces, For this research had been made numerous efforts by hydrogeologists in universities and Staten Authorities in the last decennials, with no success. But now had been discovered a new finding method, realicing new inland hydro maps to discover all the needed groundwater, drinking water. For all countries and also deserts. Pls. see under: http://hydromap.de/index11.html or write to: hydromap@o2online.de Hans Precht - 17/03/2009 - 16:17