Water

World Water Week- Asia Day
Meeting Report

For the first time, Asia gets a day’s exposure at the annual Stockholm World Water Week. Asia Day gathered experts worldwide to discuss innovative approaches to secure the region's water future amid rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change. Read the results.

EVENT DETAILS Date 19 August 2008 Venue Stockholm, Sweden Contact Mai Flor Related Materials • Main Page • Program and Presentations • Session Highlights

The annual World Water Week is organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute. This year’s event, attended by about 2,500 participants from 140 countries, had over 80 seminars and side events convened by over 200 organizers. It carried the theme “Progress and Prospects on Water: For a Clean and Healthy World, with a Special Focus on Sanitation.”

Discussions at previous World Water Weeks focused on the global water situation, but with emphasis on the water needs of Africa.  For the first time ever, Asia was given special focus as ADB and its development partners organized “Asia Day.”

Asia Day was designed to bring to the attention of the international community the issues and challenges of water, sanitation, and climate change in the region. It was organized around 5 themes:

• Accelerating Sanitation Investments
• Expanding Water Supply Coverage
• Climate, Water, and Development: Asia’s Adaptation Strategies
• Ensuring Sufficient Water for Food
• Promoting Effective Basin Water Management

Top

• Asia Day began with a keynote address by ADB, which highlighted the role of inspired leadership in the process of change.
• The presentations included several case studies from Asian cities, river basins, and rural areas showcasing good practices and new approaches and two new video documentaries produced by ADB on sanitation and rural water supply.
• A high-level panel session, moderated by the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board Member and former Chair of the Global Water Partnership, Margaret Catley-Carlson, capped the day.  The discussion highlighted how water and weather are proving to be major factors affecting growth in the region.
• Majority of the presenters were Asian, which attracted positive feedback from the roughly 200 delegates who attended the different sessions throughout Asia Day. The large number of attendees indicates significant interest in Asian water and sanitation issues.
• Read the highlights for the individual sessions
  1. Morning session
     • Theme 1: Accelerating Sanitation Investments
     • Theme 2: Expanding Water Supply Coverage.
  2. Luncheon seminar: Climate, Water, and Development: Asia’s Adaptation Strategies
  3. Afternoon session
     • Theme 4: Ensuring Sufficient Water for Food
     • Theme 5: Promoting Effective Basin Water Management
  4. Evening Seminar: Asia’s Rapid Economic Growth and its Impact on Water Resources and Services

Top

Asia Day raised ADB's profile in this highly recognized international water event.  It also contributed to promoting a better understanding of the water and sanitation issues in the region and the efforts of governments and development agencies to address these issues.