Istanbul was selected as the host of the 5th World Water Forum in March 2009. The 5th Forum will revolve around the overarching theme of “Bridging Divides for Water”, underlining not only the geographical crossroads between Europe and Asia, the Middle East and Africa, North and South, but also the conceptual barriers between developed and traditional water cultures, between rich and poor, between developed and developing regions of the world. The concept of “bridging divides” implies creating enhanced understanding and improved information exchange between and amongst water users, decision makers, and water practitioners, at local, regional and global levels, which is, indeed, key to solving water problems. Building bridges for exchange between these contrasting perspectives will provide an opportunity to rise above differences and bring various sectors and positions closer together. The 5th Forum also presents an important occasion to discuss and push for action to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals concerning water by 2015.

Kick-off Meeting - 19-20 March 2007

The Kick-Off Meeting came to an end on Tuesday, 20 March, after two days of exchanges, roundtables, workshops and brainstorming sessions. We can already state that it was a success and that it provided important indications for shaping the 5th World Water Forum.

The next step will be to set the thematic priorities and examine the various processes needed for implementing the proposed ideas. An agenda of important international events has also been established, in view of linking each of them to the 5th Forum’s preparatory process.

The Kick-Off also included roundtable discussions on regional components, where participants from each region gathered together to discuss ways of bringing important issues on the regional level to the Forum. Additionally, the meetings highlighted the importance of linking the 4th Forum to the 5th, through the involvement of our Mexican colleagues in the whole process. The results of these meetings will be synthesized and presented soon.

Visit the 5WWF website for more details and updates