The 5th World Water Forum will be held in Istanbul (Turkey) from 16 - 22 March 2009. The Forum is organised every three years as a joint venture between the World Water Council and the government of the host country. The Forum is an open, all-inclusive, multi-stakeholder process, which is the culmination of over two years of preparatory activities. The World Water Forum is a process which aims to raise the importance, awareness and understanding of water issues and propose concrete solutions to address global challenges. The Forum’s overarching theme is "Bridging Divides for Water".
Themes
The 5th World Water Forum (WWF5) is structured around six major themes. These themes have been selected by the Forum’s organisers, spread out over 24 sessions. The themes include:
- Global change and risk management
- Advancing human development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
- Managing and protecting water resources
- Governance and management
- Finance
- Education, knowledge and capacity development
Local government representation
ICLEI Africa, in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), will represent local and regional governments at the Forum. The Forum will see a number of local and regional government-oriented events, including thematic sessions (18 March) and an assembly of local and regional authorities for the adoption of the “Istanbul Water Consensus” (19 March).
Events bringing local governments into discussion with national governments include a high-level dialogue with ministers and members of parliament (20 March) and a ministerial roundtable (21 March). In order to facilitate and coordinate the activities and positioning of local authorities, ICLEI Africa and UCLGA encourage all of its members who are interested, to participate at the Forum. To register, visit the WWF5 website.
Participant Aid Programme (PAID)
To enable the participation of less financially capable stakeholders, the Forum’s registration fees have been adjusted for low-income countries via the PAID Programme of the WWF5 Secretariat. This offers financial support for participants from least developed and developing countries. The deadline for applications is 23 January 2009.
Website
www.worldwaterforum5.org
Related article (ICLEI Africa)
Preparatory meeting for the 5th World Water Forum 2009
