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Safe drinking water, core of sustainable development

Aminul || risingbd.com

Published: 05:38, 23 August 2015   Update: 15:18, 26 July 2020
Safe drinking water, core of sustainable development

Aminul Islam: The World Water Week in Stockholm of Sweden is arranged and led by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and addresses a wide range of the world`s water, development and sustainability issues and related concerns of international development.


The World Water Week in Stockholm is a week-long global water conference held each year in August or September. This year the week starts on August 23 and will be ended on August 28.


This year, the SIWI is organising the 25th edition of the World Water Week in Stockholm, bringing together actors from all across the globe to discuss critical water challenges and form joint solutions in the Swedish capital.


Over 2,500 participants attend the conference each year, featuring experts and members from business, governments, water management and science sectors, intergovernmental and non governmental organisations, research and training organisations, and United Nations agencies.


The conference features plenary sessions and panel debates, scientific workshops, poster exhibitions, side events and seminars. More than 200 organisations from around 130 countries all over the world collaborate in the organisation of events.


The World Water Week has been the annual focal point for the globe`s water issues since 1991. While not all events during the week relate to the overall theme, the workshops driven by the Scientific Programme Committee and many seminars and side events do focus on various aspects of the theme.

 


Functioning as an open and dynamic platform, the World Water Week aims to help link practice, science, policy and decision making, and enables participants to exchange views and experiences, form partnerships and shape joint solutions to global water challenges. During the week, the Stockholm Water Prize, the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, and the Stockholm Industry Water Award are given out at their respective award ceremonies.


The programme of 2015 World Water Week consist of over 160 events and 8 workshops. During the 90-minute events, the most relevant topics relating to “Water for Development” will be discussed – Financing, SDGs, Integrity, Gender issues, Climate Change, Energy, Sanitation, Food, Conflict Resolution, Water Management.


2015 is the target year for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Although considerable progress has been made, the targets to achieve improved access to key basic services during the first 15 years of this century will not be fully reached. About one billion people will still lack access to safe water and even more lack access to basic sanitation. About one billion people will still be without electricity and will go to bed hungry – largely the same underprivileged poor.


The challenge remains for the world community in 2015, to formulate, commit to and to urgently pursue a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


Water is central to these challenges. Our lives and livelihoods, and that of all other living creatures, depend on water. Without it we cannot sustain a productive economy, live healthy lives or produce food, energy and other basic necessities and commodities.


World Water Week in Stockholm will continue to focus on these issues, and the vital role water plays in addressing them. From “water and food security” in 2012, “water cooperation” in 2013 and “water and energy” in 2014, the SIWI look forward to highlighting the importance of “water for development” this year. So, the theme of the 2015 World Water Week in Stockholm is ‘Water for Development’.


In 2015, World Water Week in Stockholm celebrates its 25th anniversary. The official opening ceremony will appreciate our common achievements and discuss how we best should address the challenges ahead, in the next 25 years.

 


2015 is a momentous year in terms of global policy, with several important UN processes and discussions taking place to set the strategy for our common future. Speakers will reflect upon the importance of water for sustainable development, what it implies, and demands, from the global community. They will also consider the way in which water is the thread linking the UN processes and explain the role sustainable water resources management will play in the achievement of coherent, efficient implementation of agreed solutions.


The Scientific Programme Committee (SPC) is comprised of a number of professors, scientists and experts from the water and development fields. The work of the SPC involves setting the overall theme and scope for World Water Week in Stockholm.


The Committee also determines the workshop topics, selects from submitted abstracts and develops the workshop programmes.  It is aided in its work by the Young Scientific Programme Committee.


risingbd/Aug 23, 2015/Aminul

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