Duyurular
2nd Announcement
The Event
The Istanbul International Water Forum is organized every three years, one year prior to the ensuing World Water Forum.
The experience we attained, the wisdom we gathered and the aptitude we developed before, during and after the 5th World Water Forum in 2009, paved the way for the organization of the Istanbul International Water Forum. The 5th World Water Forum proved to be a groundbreaking event across the global water community and reaffirmed Turkey's pivotal role amongst the world water community. The Istanbul International Water Forum (IIWF) is expected to be a means for Turkey to continue this synergy.
The Istanbul International Water Forum is a high-profile international water event aimed at bringing regional and international water experts, practitioners, scientists, businessmen, civil society, UN organizations and decision makers together to engage in a multi-stakeholder dialogue, exchange experiences, discuss ideas and seek common solutions to the regional water-related problems in question. The outcomes of the Istanbul International Water Forum are also expected to provide valuable technical and intellectual input to the following World Water Forum.
The first gathering of the Istanbul Water Forum was realized in February 14-15, 2009 as a preparatory meeting one month prior to the 5th World Water Forum, which was held in March 2009 in Istanbul. During the two-day event, the participants were informed about the Forum's thematic structure and how they could be more involved in it. Regional coordinators of the 5th Forum gave information regarding their preparations towards the Forum. Representatives of Turkish civil society organizations came together at the civil society meetings to discuss how to move forward to the 5th World Water Forum.
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum aims to be a stepping stone in becoming a high-profile international water event that will constitute an important platform during the preparation processes in between successive World Water Fora.
About 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum
Organizers
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum is hosted and organized by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works of Turkey (DSI), with the support of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) and the 5th World Water Forum Secretariat.
Date & Venue
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will take place from May 3rd to 5th, 2011, at the Haliç Congress Centre in Istanbul, Turkey, the same venue as the 5th World Water Forum.
Motto
The motto of the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum is "An Istanbul Perspective on Regional Water Challenges and Solutions".
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will provide a platform for greater coordination and collaboration amongst the key international and local water stakeholders In and Around Turkey, where regional water-related issues will be tackled in depth with an aim to find common sustainable solutions.
Programme
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will focus on the water-related issues of the Middle East, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Turkey.
The focal regions of the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum were selected in accordance with the framework of the 5th World Water Forum's In and Around Turkey sub-region. Through a number of preparatory meetings held in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Mediterranean and Turkey, the In and Around Turkey sub-region provided a platform for the regional stakeholders to address region-specific water challenges and enhanced the collaboration among the stakeholders in the region to maximize the regional contribution to the 5th World Water Forum. The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum aims to continue the momentum and widen the scope of the In and Around Turkey sub-region and ensure that the water-related issues of this region are better represented at the ensuing World Water Forum.
Instead of a conventional top-down approach, the programme of the Istanbul International Water Forum is shaped in accordance with the stakeholder recommendations collected through a series of Regional Focus Meetings held prior to the Forum.
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will also welcome a number of ministers of water and environment invited from countries around Turkey to attend the Ministerial Meeting, which will be held on May 3rd, 2011 at the Conrad Istanbul Hotel.
Forum Language
Presentations will be made in Turkish and English. Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Turkish, English and Russian.
After the 5th World Water Forum
With 111 thematic sessions, 5 high level panels, 7 regional processes and over 100 side events, the great success of the 5th World Water Forum made a remarkable impact across the global water community and reaffirmed Turkey's pivotal role amongst the greatest nations of water.
The 5th World Water Forum, held in Istanbul, Turkey on March 16-22, 2009, proved to be the largest water-related event ever organized with a record breaking participation of over 30,000 people. Ministers, parliamentarians, local authorities, NGOs and civil society representatives, experts and scientists, UN agencies and professional organizations gathered at the crossroads of continents to discuss and find solutions to water-related challenges of the 21st century.
Although the outcomes of the Forum may fail to satisfy those looking for more concrete solutions, the Forum strived to "bridge the divides for water" through facilitating open and all-inclusive dialogues, which demonstrated that there is in fact more that unites us than divides us.
Most important of all, the political outcome documents of the 5th World Water Forum are of great value for the international water community as they provide guidance to shape the global water strategies and actions. The Istanbul Ministerial Statement and the accompanying Istanbul Water Guide, which were circulated as a UN General Assembly document (A/63/852), include critical recommendations and commitments on global water issues and successfully reflect the Forum's thematic outcomes. The Istanbul Water Consensus, a new compact for local and regional authorities to prepare action plans to analyse and cope with the challenges asks signatory cities to commit to developing water management strategies suitable to work towards the Millennium Development Goals and to address urbanization, climate change and other global pressures at local level. The Consensus is still open to signature.
The political outcome documents of the 5th World Water Forum can be found within the "Global Water Framework" report, which also provides a compilation of the Forum's regional outcomes and thematic recommendations, as well as the Children's Declaration and the Youth Declaration. Please refer to http://www.worldwaterforum5.org/fileadmin/WWF5/Final_Report/GWF.pdf.
Following the Forum, the 5th World Water Forum Secretariat compiled a synthesis book, "An Istanbul Perspective on Bridging the Divides for Water". A collection of eight individual chapters that provide a cross-cutting analysis of the most prominent subjects addressed during the Forum, the book was compiled through careful studies on the Forum outcome documents and discussions executed in Forum sessions. An online copy of the book is available at http://www.worldwaterforum5.org/fileadmin/WWF5/Final_Report/An_Istanbul_Perspective_on_Bridging_Divides_for_Water.pdf.
The Final Report, regional reports and other publications of the 5th World Water Forum can be accessed online at http://www.worldwaterforum5.org/index.php?id=1904.
Thematic Scope
26 sessions will be organized under 6 main themes within the thematic scope of the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum. The theme titles, which were shaped according to the outcomes of the regional focus meetings that were held prior to the Forum, are listed below.
Themes:
1. Regional Technical Cooperation on Water
2. Water for Energy
3. Agricultural Water Management
4. Global Climate Change and Water
5. Urban Water Management
6. Water Resources Management and Water Culture
Theme 1 - Regional Technical Cooperation on Water
Keynote Speaker: Jean François DONZIER, International Office for Water
Water is strongly related to most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) directly or indirectly. Water availability and access to safe water and sanitation is a prerequisite for the achievement of many of the internationally-agreed development goals. Water is a must for reducing poverty and hunger. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is essential for ensuring environmental sustainability and the well-functioning of ecosystems. However, it is not appropriately implemented in many parts of the world.
In this context, what role governments, international organizations and NGOs can play to properly address the anticipated water crisis? How can we achieve technical cooperation on water? What are the challenges and opportunities? What are the obstacles for achieving MDGs related to water? What are the best practices? Are there any joint projects conducted by different states that can be followed as examples on this matter? Are there any case studies in this context? Can technical cooperation among states to prevent water-related disasters be used as a tool for confidence building?
The aim of the "Regional Technical Cooperation on Water" theme is to discuss the problems expressed above by covering available scientific data and various applications in different countries and tackling possible solutions.
Theme 2 - Water for Energy
Keynote Speaker: Luis BERGA, International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD).
Dwindling energy resources and rising costs lead countries to use clean and renewable resources. Hydropower is a preferable energy source in arid and semi-arid climates and across countries that face an increasing demand for energy.
Countries are seeking new sources to meet their needs for energy. It is important to manage the hydropower potential through balancing environmental protection and energy needs. This theme will discuss in detail the difficulties in studies carried out through public-private partnerships in many countries. Issues like hydropower potential development, investments and future demands in the hydropower sector, regulations and pricing policies, and bottlenecks and solutions in the planning, construction and operational stages of hydro energy will also be tackled.
Sessions:
• Development of Water Energy Potential: Legislation and Policies
• Interactions between Water, Energy and Environment
• Panel: Challenges & Solutions on Development of Water Energy
Theme 3 - Agricultural Water Management
Keynote Speakers: Prof. Ari M. MICHELSEN, AgriLife Research; Mokhtar BZIOUI, World Water Council (WWC); Prof. Bart SCHULTZ, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
This theme will discuss the situation of "public irrigation", which is generally out of consideration of the recognized water-related organizations. The control of agricultural water, effective use of land and water irrigated areas, legal, institutional and administrative regulations, technical and engineering issues, water reuse, virtual water, renovationrehabilitation, modern irrigation techniques, participatory irrigation management and other alternative financial and managerial models, and problems and solutions will be discussed in detail.
Sessions:
• Training and Regulatory Aspects
• Much, Less or Virtual Water?
• Irrigation Structures: Challenges & Solutions
• Is Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) a Dream?
Theme 4 - Global Climate Change and Water
Keynote Speakers: ll-Pyo HONG, Korea Institute of Construction Technology (KICT); Karin KRCHNAK, The Nature Conservancy (TNC); Prof. Maciej ZALEWSKI, Lodz University; Dr. Jonathan CHENOWETH, University of Surrey
The global reaction to climate change has reached an important level. Concerns about the impacts of climate change and the lack of progress in intergovernmental climate negotiations have stimulated experts, scientists, water community and governments. We all need to develop new perspectives on the understanding of climate change and negotiate how the global effect of climate change can be solved. What are the driving forces and pressures on the water resources, urban adaptation to climate change and hydrometeorological disasters?
Experts from international organizations, governmental institutions and universities will come together to discuss the urgency of implementing a new vision and a broader perspective to attain long-term water sustainability.
Sessions:
• Hydrometeorological Disasters
• Water Resources and Climate Change
• Urban Adaptation to Climate Change and Water Resources
• Water & Tourism
• Water & Health
Theme 5 - Urban Water Management
Keynote Speakers: Pierre LACONTE, Foundation for the Urban Environment; Prof. Karl Heinz ROSENWINKEL, Leibniz University
As the majority of the world's population today lives in urban areas, cities are becoming ever more important. Experiencing challenges of rapid urbanization and climate change, they appear to become more and more vulnerable. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) results, many components of urban life (health, infrastructure, economic and social components), and especially water and food, are expected to be negatively affected by the melting of glaciers and occurrence of extreme weather conditions triggered by a 2-5 °C increase in air temperature by 2100 as a result of climate change (IPCC, 2007, Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change).
Today, 2.8 billion people around the world lack adequate sewerage and wastewater treatment facilities and 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water.
This theme will discuss in detail issues like urbanization; water and the future; urban drinking water supply, treatment and distribution; wastewater removal and treatment; utilization of purified water and rain water and suggested solutions; cost of facilities and their economic and efficient operation; reuse of bathroom and kitchen waters (grey waters); measures to reduce toilet flushing water consumption and other urban water-related issues.
Sessions:
• Water Challenges around the World and in Turkey
• Solutions Related to Water and Wastewater
• Urban Water Management, Water Supply and Distribution
• Urban Wastewater Management
Theme 6 - Water Resources Management & Water Culture
Keynote Speakers: Jun XIA, International Water Resources Association (IWRA); Patrick LAVARDE, The French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments (ONEMA); Prof. Unal OZIS, 9 Eylul University; Prof. Sait OZTURK, Yildiz Technical University; Prof. Sakir SIMSEK, Hacettepe University; Prof. Zeki KARAGULLE, Istanbul University
Environment, social structure, economy and many other factors have to be taken into consideration in the context of sustainable Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This theme aims to address the current waterrelated issues such as water use strategies, water pollution and water and forest relationship, with the participation of different stakeholders.
This theme will also highlight geothermal resources and natural mineral waters. The challenges and opportunities for the development of geothermal resources and the effects of geothermal energy-producing plants constructed in and around Turkey on the economy and health will be addressed.
Throughout the history of humanity, human relationship with water and the water structures resulting from aquaculture constitutes an important component of the world's cultural heritage. Water culture, which is a crosscutting issue related to archaeology, tourism and water engineering, will be discussed at an international level.
Sessions:
• Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
- Surface Water Resources
- Groundwater Resources
• Geothermal Energy and Thermal Water Culture I & II
• Water & Culture I & II
• Water & Forest
High Level Panels
Two High Level Panels (HLP) will be organized under the titles of "Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)" and "Water-Food-Energy Nexus", which will aim to synthesize the Forum's regional and thematic points of view on related subjects. The first HLP on the subject of IWRM will be held on the second day of the Forum on May 4th and will handle the outcomes of the thematic sessions that were carried out in the previous day, namely "Regional Technical Cooperation on Water", "Global Climate Change and Water" and "Water Resources Management & Water Culture". Outcomes of the Central Asia Regional Focus Meeting will also be included in the scope of discussion. Similarly, the second HLP on May 5th, which is to be about the relationship between water, food and energy, will cover the outcomes of the thematic sessions under "Water for Energy", "Agricultural Water Management" and "Urban Water Management" themes and will incorporate the conclusions of the Middle East and Eastern Europe Regional Focus Meetings held the day before.
Regional Focus Meetings
A series of Regional Focus Meetings were held prior to the Forum for each of the Forum's focal regions to collect the recommendations of regional stakeholders in the process of shaping the Forum's thematic content. Another series of Regional Focus Meetings will be held during the Forum itself.
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will primarily focus on the water-related issues of the Middle East, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Turkey. These focal regions were selected in accordance with the framework of the 5th World Water Forum's "In and Around Turkey" sub-region. In this context, a series of Regional Focus Meetings were held for each of the Forum's focal regions that gathered a group of prominent international and regional water professionals and civil society representatives around the table. Pursuing a bottom-up approach for the thematic structure of the Forum, the Regional Focus Meetings were organized by the Forum Secretariat between January 26th and February 3rd, 2011. Regional water challenges and possible solutions for the Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe were discussed in detail by international and regional water experts from related regions.
The first Regional Focus Meeting was held on January 26th, 2011 to bring the Central Asian water challenges and solutions to the table. The issue of agricultural water use was strongly emphasized by the meeting participants. The topics of lack of infrastructure, technical know-how and education for water use were also discussed as the major water challenges of the region.
Another Regional Focus Meetings was held on February 2nd, 2011 to discuss the water-related challenges and solutions for the Eastern Europe Region. Issues like the deficiency of water network infrastructure and mismanagement of wastewater were highlighted by meeting participants. Possible solutions such as data sharing and regional cooperation between states were also presented.
The last meeting of the series was organized for the Middle East Region on February 3rd, 2011. The biggest emphasis was put on the need for regional trans-boundary cooperation. The necessity for technical cooperation on capacity building and rationalization of national water strategies were the most highlighted topics of discussion.
These meetings proved to be very fruitful and therefore another round of such meetings are planned to be held during the Forum itself, which will focus on the issues that were most highlighted in the first series of meetings. The Regional Focus Meetings that will be held during the Forum will only be open to a number of invited participants.
Side Events
A number of side events will be held by various organizations during the Forum in parallel with thematic sessions, panels and other events.
UN-HABITAT
Water Operators' Partnerships (WOPs) in South East Europe (WOP-SEE) Matchmaking Workshop
UN-HABITAT (WECF)
Sustainable and Cost-Efficient Wastewater Systems Workshop
UN-HABITAT
Water Operators' Partnerships (WOPs) in South East Europe (WOP-SEE) Steering Committee Meeting (Closed Meeting)
The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA)
Climate Change Impact on the Coastal and Marine Environment and PERSGA's Adaptation Strategy
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey
Water-Related Adaptation in Seyhan River Basin under Changing Climate
DG Environmental Management/Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Turkey
Water Framework Directive, Implementation in the EU and in Turkey
Earth Forever
Climate Change and Sanitation
National Productivity Center
Productivity of Water Consumption
Women and Water Platform
Women for Water and Security
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)
Istanbul Water Consensus
General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works of Turkey (DSI)
Floods & Landslides
Agriculture & Drought
Regional Technical Cooperation on Water
Istanbul Water Supply Project
The Korean Water Forum and the Strategic Foresight Group (SFG) are also expected to organize side events during the Forum.
Water Expo
A Water Expo will be organized within the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum venue, which will be a flexible and inclusive space for the participation of various organizations and firms related to the water sector that wish to present their services, products, activities and works. The Water Expo will bring together key decision-makers from a large number of water authorities and companies around the world and thus will constitute a perfect place to facilitate new business opportunities and provide an advantageous atmosphere for networking with potential new customers.
Applications for space should be submitted by April 5th, 2011. For more information, please visit the Forum website at http://www.iusf.org.tr.
Sponsorship proposal are also welcomed.
Artistic and Cultural Events
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will host a number of artistic and cultural events and exhibitions to complement the Forum discussions and debates. Forum participants will have the chance to experience Turkish music, dance and culture through various stage performances and attend different exhibitions of water-themed paintings, handcrafts, antiques and photographs, which will all demonstrate the importance of water in our lives.
We would like to cordially thank everyone in advance who will be a part of the artistic and cultural events of the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum.
Exhibitions
Various exhibitions of water-themed miniature paintings, mother-of-pearl works, ebru and tezhip artifacts, oil paintings, 3-D photographs and antiques will be organized throughout the Forum venue.
Programme
Concerts & Stage Performances
May 3rd, 2011 Tuesday
Morning Opening Ceremony
09:30 - 10:00
Instrumental Turkish Classical
Music by Varol Culture
and Arts Centre
Evening Opening Ceremony
19:00 - 20:00
Collage of Musical and
Visual Feast by Istanbul
Live Production
May 4th, 2011 Wednesday
13:25 - 14:00
Musical Performance by
Dostane Group
Tours & Field Visits
A number of cultural tours and technical field visits will be organized during the Forum. Please refer to the Forum website at http://www.iusf.org.tr for detailed information.
Logistical Information
Registration
Registration for the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum is carried out online through the Forum's registration page at http://registration.iusf.org.tr. The registration is free of charge for all participants. The registration process is designated to be quick and easy-to-use.
You may also apply to obtain an invitation letter for your visa application. Just follow to steps on the online Forum registration page.
Forum Venue
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will take place at the Haliç Congress Centre in Istanbul, Turkey, the same venue as the 5th World Water Forum.
The Haliç Congress Centre is the former Sütlüce slaughterhouse building dated 1923, renovated with additions to serve as a congress and performing arts center. After the slaughterhouse was moved to the city's periphery, the building was used as a storage facility until the 1990s. It is considered to be the historic landmark of Haliç (the Golden Horn).
For more information, please visit the Forum website http://www.iusf.org.tr.
Accommodation & Transportation
The Forum website provides a list of hotels in Istanbul. All participants are requested to make their own accommodation arrangements. For more information, please visit the Forum website at http://www.iusf.org.tr.
You can also refer to the Forum website to find your way to, from and within the Forum venue.
Forum Secratariat
14th Regional Directorate
of DSI (State Hydraulic Works)
Libadiye Caddesi No: 54
Kucukcamlica - Uskudar
34696 Istanbul/TURKEY
Tel.: +90 216 325 49 92
Fax: +90 216 428 09 92
Website: http://www.iusf.org.tr
1st Announcement
Dear water friends,
Mark your calendars for the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum!
We are happy to announce that the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum is to be held on May 3-5, 2011.
In March 2009, the international water community gathered in Istanbul, Turkey, to engage in a multi-stakeholder dialogue and interaction to discuss and find sustainable solutions for the water-related challenges of the 21st Century in the open and all-inclusive atmosphere of the 5th World Water Forum. The event, diverse and unifying, brought political figures, water experts, scientists, businessmen, UN organizations and the civil society around the table and produced very important political and thematic outcomes that all serve to "bridge the divides for water", in accordance with the Forum's overarching theme. The great success of the 5th World Water Forum made a remarkable impact across the global water community and reaffirmed Turkey's pivotal role amongst the greatest nations of water. Turkey is determined to continue this synergy and preparing to welcome the international water community once again this May to the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum, organized in collaboration with the 5th World Water Forum Secretariat.
The first gathering of the Istanbul International Water Forum was realized in February 2009 as a preparatory meeting one month prior to the 5th World Water Forum and it was then planned to be organized every three years. This time, the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum is promising a broader field of study and a more diverse range of subjects. The Forum will primarily focus on the water-related problems of Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The domestic water-related problems (drought, floods etc.) of Turkey will also be discussed in detail. At this point, the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will adopt a novel approach and shape the content of the Forum in accordance with the recommendations of the water experts in the focus regions. The Forum will provide a platform to bring together international organizations together with local experts with the aim to bring solutions to the water problems in question. The global water industry will also have a chance to present themselves at the Expo. The outcomes of the Forum will also provide valuable technical and intellectual input to the 6th World Water Forum, which will be held in 2012 in Marseille, France.
The political outcome documents of the 5th World Water Forum are of great value for the international water community as they provide guidance to shape the global water strategies and actions. The Istanbul Ministerial Statement and the accompanying Istanbul Water Guide, which were circulated as a UN General Assembly document (A/63/852), include critical recommendations and commitments on global water issues and successfully reflect the Forum's thematic outcomes. The Istanbul Water Consensus, a new compact for local and regional authorities to prepare action plans to analyse and cope with the challenges, asks signatory cities to commit to developing water management strategies suitable to work towards the Millennium Development Goals and to address urbanization, climate change and other global pressures at local level. The Consensus is still open to signature. These and other political outcome documents of the 5th World Water Forum are included in the Global Water Framework report, which can be accessed online at Global Water Framework report. The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will also be an opportunity to revisit the Istanbul Water Consensus and Istanbul Water Guide.
The 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum will be held at the Haliç Congress and Cultural Centre in Sütlüce, Istanbul. Registration is free of charge.
We encourage you to share this announcement with anyone you believe would be interested in attending the Forum.
Looking forward to meeting you in Istanbul this May!
Date: May 3-5, 2011
Place: Haliç Congress and Cultural Centre, Istanbul-Turkey
Topics: Water-related problems in the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Turkey
Follow-up of the political outcome documents of the 5th World Water Forum
(Istanbul Ministerial Statement, Istanbul Water Guide, Istanbul Water Consensus)
Registration: Free