DEFIS SUD international forum
An international forum dedicated to development and employment in TIME FOR SOLUTIONS
The Local Process Commission on Roots and Citizens, headed by Martine Vassal, president, and Hachmi Kennou, vice-president, has officially stamped the international Defis Sud Forum with the WORLD WATER FORUM 6 Label.
This 8th label, first one to target an event organized by and for young professionals, answers to the principles of the WWF label charter: mobilizing numerous actors of the water sector and promoting citizen participation, knowledge sharing and commitments for solutions.
To learn more about the 6th World World Forum label, click here
Leo Giordano, Project officer at the Thematic Process Commission, tells us why this event is part of TIMES FOR SOLUTIONS
1. “First, this event is based on one of our key conditions to success which is training and knowledge sharing, may it be between juniors and seniors or between North and South.
2. Then because it targets the new generation. It is essential to mobilize the youth as they are the ones who will bring and implement tomorrow’s solutions.
3. Last but not least, beyond existing solutions, these young or soon-to-become professionals bring innovative and fresh ideas, out of the institutional frames, precious food for thoughts to our politicians and decisions makers .”
A label for a sustainable partnership
The WWF team and the Projection network will continue to collaborate till and beyond 2012, in a consultative spirit, within the framework of the Local Commission of Roots and Citizens. The goals being:
- Take part in the 6th WWF preparatory process
- Create links with the youth worldwide
- Mobilize the new professional generation
- Promote awareness of what is at stakes with all, with the public at large.
Guided by this spirit of public consultation and implication, the WWF communication team has organized on March 25th three workshops at the international Défis Sud forum, in order to listen and exchange with this specific public. The goals being to capture the positions, concerns, fears or desire for solutions from these young professionals, as well as to invite them to mobilize and participate in the commitments for solutions.
WWF collaborative preparation process: the young professionals and the students speak out
“It is important to show the reality, the real life experience by those who are concerned by water issues but do not seat at global conferences…
“It is time to open up the technical discussions and financial investments to consider and include the public at large, the water consumers …
Many wonderful ideas have been expressed, many of which will be used in the framework of the 6th World Water Forum, says Jean-Baptiste Geissler, Project Officer at the Regional Processus Commission.
“When young professionals stand up to express their desire and commitments, we must support them.”
Loïc Fauchon, World Water Council president, Key speaker at the Défis Sud forum in Paris.
About the International DEFIS SUD Forum 2011
Initiated by young professionals from the North and from the South of the PROJECTION international network, this first forum had for missions to trigger discussions, promote exchanges and the research of concrete solutions in order to improve access to the essentials human services – water access, sanitization and waste management – indeed essential to local community development and to the fight against poverty. Besides, these services, working in technical, geographical, economic and social networks, need specific governance.
This first edition has allowed to gather the different actors from the urban essentials services in the emerging countries: volunteers, associations, NGOs, authorities, foundations, research institutes, international institutions, industries, schools and trainers.
Défis Sud – Reserved Rights
A forum dedicated to young professionals (2-10 years of experience) and students interested in essentials services in the emerging countries.
The International Défis Sud Forum in facts and figures:
400 visitors / day
100 exhibitors
45 guest speakers
25 booths
22 conferences, sessions and debates
15 young professionals
14 from the South
Défis Sud contact: 00 33 9 50 05 21 44
The Projection board of directors is composed of :
- Célia de Lavergne, President
- Marie Borni, secretary
- Jean-Hughes Hermant-Lagrange, general deputy
- Lionel Goujon, board member
The International Défis Sud Forum (Paris, March 25 & 26 2011), which gathers all water actors around debates and professional exchanges, has received the 6TH WORLD WATER FORUM label.
Category: Grassroots & citizenship Process, Thematic ProcessBulle En
