More than 700 political leaders, elected officials, diplomats, water experts and operators, researchers and representatives of civil society gather from today to 29 June to identify and prioritize the most pressing water issues, which require to be collectively and globally addressed.
Another output of this international collaboration is to define the Forum roadmap “Road to the 8th Forum” with the schedule of preparatory events around the world leading up to the event to be held 18-23 March 2018 in Brasília, at the Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center.
With the highest attendance a World Water Forum kickoff ever recorded, including strong political and diplomatic participation, this international collaboration witnesses not only stronger concerns for water but also recognition of shared responsibilities and need for cooperation among nations.
This event marks the beginning of two years of an open multi-stakeholder preparatory process converging towards the 2018 World Water Forum, the largest water event in the world. Its ambition is to catalyze changes in the face of threats as well as opportunities. To deliver high impact, five processes held by: the Political Commission, the Regional Commission, the Thematic Commission, a Sustainability Focus Group and a Citizens Forum – will work to design the global framework of the 8th World Water Forum.
“Water, irreplaceable resource, must be shared between many uses and users, each of whom wants security. We all have a shared responsibility in order to achieve security, sustainability, and resilience tomorrow.” highlights Benedito Braga, President of the World Water Council and Secretary of State for Sanitation and Water Resources for the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“Brasilia was born under the sign of the new and when you look at the future, the city needs to remain at the forefront. In this same sign, having the Forum here is a favorable opportunity so that the city reflects on its own needs and capabilities, but also register in an innovative global agenda with the understanding of water management as a safe path to sustainability.” Rodrigo Rollemberg – Governor of Brasilia
“Brazil will have the opportunity to share with the world water community the strength of our institutional framework, with a strong participation of the civil society, due to our decentralized and participative legislation. It is important to emphasize the opportunity that we will have to raise water to a new level, a higher level, calling all stakeholder to discuss water not only as a cross cutting element, but also as a fundamental element for our development” – Vicente Andreu, Director President of ANA.
Sharing Water
Sharing water is the overarching theme of 8th edition of the World Water Forum, organized by the World Water Council together with the Government of Brazil and of Brasilia, conveys the many faces of sharing water: sharing knowledge and experience, sharing transboundary duties, sharing responsibilities, sharing a common vision, sharing best practices, sharing lessons learned, especially when the resource is scarce or overwhelming, when infrastructures are misfit and the investments absent.
Sustainability as driving force
The sustainability Focus Group, cross-cutting the other commissions and the Citizens Forum, and all aspects of the organization – one week event, expo and fair –, is also an innovation of the 8th World Water Forum. Building on Brazil’s long experience in sustainable development, it is responsible for bringing reflections on several water themes from the different sectors of society (civil, business, government, students, etc.), considering the three pillars of sustainability – social, environmental, economic -, and the principles established by the main international agreements and broadly accepted concepts, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Its action goal is to contribute to the development and adoption of more sustainable water management models and practices by current and future generations.
World Water Forum
The World Water Forum is the largest global gathering on water. It is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together international stakeholders, including governments, scholars, research institutes, businesses, and civil society, to discuss water issues.
Each triennial World Water Forum is a stepping stone to long-term progress. In order to bring concrete positive change, the World Water Forum aims at fostering debate by providing a platform for all stakeholders to engage, exchange, learn together, and catalyze concrete ideas for improved water resources management and development; challenging conventional thinking by ensuring a diversity of perspectives and ideas on contemporary and critical water resource management issues; and mobilizing action by policy and decision-makers on commitments for improved water resources management and development.
Founded by the World Water Council, the World Water Forum is co-organized every three years by the Council together with a Host Country. With the oversight of a joint International Steering Committee, hundreds of organizations and volunteers also contribute to shaping its program.
World Water Council
The World Water Council is an international multi-stakeholder platform organization, the founder and co-organizer of the World Water Forum. The World Water Council’s mission is to mobilize action on critical water issues at all levels, including the highest decision-making level, by engaging people in debate and challenging conventional thinking.
The Council focuses on the political dimensions of water security, adaptation, and sustainability, and works to position water at the top of the global political agenda. Headquartered in Marseille, France, and created in 1996, the World Water Council brings together over 300 member organizations from more than 50 different countries.
