The 6th World Water Forum to support three new citizen projects
The Roots and Citizen’s Commission of the 6th World Water Forum presents the new labellisations
In keeping on with its labeling action, the Roots and Citizen’s Commission of the 6th World Water Forum is introducing three new federative projects. Represented by the “International Secretariat for Water, (ISW)” these citizen projects fully embrace the Forum’s philosophy, of which the aim is to offer to all members of the sector, including the users, places for meeting and engaging in dialogue with the participants and general public.
The Citizen’s House of Water
The spirit behind the Citizen’s House for Water, since its creation at the World Water Forum in the Hague in 2000, is to create a multifunctional space that hosts open and participatory discussions with the aim to overcome divisions and to find practical solutions among all parties. The Desired effect is the clash of ideas. The House will act as a bridge between the Forum participants and the general public with the aim that the debate takes place both inside and outside the Forum. The Citizen’s House for Water in Marseille, which will live broadcast its activities over the Web, will also be a place for exhibition, screening of audiovisual works, art performances and serve as cultural showcase.
The International “Water and Film” Events
The International “Water and Film” Events (IWFE), which first appeared on the scene in Mexico in 2006, are a set of activities which, using images, film and other forms of artistic expression, prompt meetings among the general public, people from the world of movies and media and the water sector. The IWFE therefore propose to the organisers of the next World Water Forum in Marseille 2012 to use this initiative to create added value in the debates within the Forum and in other venues. The IWFE also propose that the meetings with the general public be “decentralised” in order to reach as many people as possible, by organising film-related events throughout the region and in other towns in France and abroad.
Sails of Solidarity: sharing our solutions
With the ‘Solidarity Sailboat, sharing our solutions” ISW and its partners aim to build and defend values of solidarity and the urgent need to share responsibilities, as well as implicating all generations and reinforcing the role that youth has to play in the future of water. From Morocco to Marseille, using a system of shifts, young people will board between stopovers with their solutions and recommendations pertaining to water. In this way, the participants will be able not only to work together and discuss their propositions and viewpoints but also share important moments of discovery and participate in life on the ship with the crew. The whole trip will be filmed, both on board and during stopovers, and having a ship’s log on the Internet and the presence of the ship for more than 2 weeks in the Marseille region and in Marseille, means at least 20 000 people will be reached.
The ketch “Notre Dame des Flots”, which has sailed around the world several times, will therefore be the vessel of these experiences, recommendations, and creations of young people who are committed to their country and region. It will be one of the symbols of a youth on the move who wish to get involved and find solutions.
« Sharing, open-mindedness, gathering, listening, etc. are part of the many terms that describe these three labeled projects that give the youth the power to make changes » reveals Mr. Raymond Jost, General Secretary of The International Secretariat for Water, a passionate man of action who aims to blend «bottom up» and «top down» approaches.
Many water related events meeting the qualification criteria (to download the labeling charter, click here) will be supported by the 6th World Water Forum towards 2012.
Organised by the French Government, the World Water Council, and the City of Marseille, the 6th World Water Forum, to be hosted in Marseille between 12-17 March 2012, will be the « Forum of Solutions and engagements ». The Forum is an open and prolific space. Neither congress, nor fair, not even a cultural event, the Forum is all these things at one and the same time. Multifaceted, it promotes communication and awareness in the general public. Original and in perpetual motion, it provides an opportunity for the development of novel and consensual solutions, solutions which often reappear in the context of international negotiations.
For more information or to set up an interview, please contact :
Aurore Sun, Media Officer : +33 (0)6 19 80 42 67 // a.sun@worldwaterforum6.org Claudine Chilinski, Marketing & Communication PR Director : +33 (0)6 38 13 16 51 // c.chilinski@worldwaterforum6.org
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