5th World Water Forum

16 March – 22 March 2009 (Istanbul, Turkey)

 

Theme 6 of the World Water Forum on “Education, Knowledge and Capacity Development” included Topic 6.5 on “Water and Culture.” The main focus of this topic was to define the interdependencies between sustainable solutions to water problems and diverse water cultures that are flourished around similar environmental conditions and to discuss the inter-linkages between water and culture, considering the value of culture in creating diverse water cultures, in addressing challenges faced in managing and protecting water resources which meet human and environmental needs. The sessions below made part of the topic.

 

Panel on traditional water knowledge

UNU-IAS Traditional Knowledge Initiative, 21 March 2009

 

A panel on “Traditional Water Knowledge and Global Environmental Change: charting sustainable paths for the future” was organized by the UNU-IAS Traditional Knowledge Initiative. Panel presentations outlined the diverse regional experiences in linking traditional knowledge with mainstream water management and highlighted the important role that indigenous peoples can play in helping to develop sustainable water management alternatives. During the panel, an Indigenous Declaration on Water was launched, drafted by a group of indigenous experts during the “Indigenous Water Knowledge, Indigenous Water Interests” meeting, held in August 2008, in Australia. Read the UNU-IAS TKI news release … Download the Indigenous Declaration on Water [pdf] …

 

Session on socio-cultural perspectives in water sciences and management

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 20 March 2009

 

The panel on “Fostering Socio-cultural Perspectives in Water Sciences and Management: identifying bridges and barriers” highlighted the role of the Forum in building bridges across the natural and social sciences and called for water to be viewed as a human as well as a cultural right. Read IISD Reporting Services’ World Water Forum Bulletin …

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