Editor’s message: Fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey—a short report and a comment on the representation of groundwater

Excerpt

The Fifth World Water Forum was held in Istanbul, Turkey on 16–22 March 2009. This gathering, which is the largest of its kind globally and the most important water-related event, is held once every three years. The previous ones took place in Mexico City (Mexico), Kyoto (Japan), Hague (Netherlands) and Marrakech (Morocco) in 2006, 2003, 2000 and 1997, respectively. The World Water Council (WWC) is the chief body responsible for organizing this forum, though intensive intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental collaboration, co-operation and involvement is needed to successfully execute such a large event. From the Turkish side, the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) was the organizer of the forum. The fifth forum was held in two separate locations in a beautiful suburb, a couple of hundred meters apart and connected by a bridge; boats were also available to commute between the two sites. Based on the official website of the forum (www.​worldwaterforum5​.​org), there were more than 35,000 participants. However, the author, who attended the first four days of the forum (due to the need to return home for the occasion of Iranian New Year on 21 March), heard that the number of participants ranged from 6,000 to 29,000. In addition to Turkey’s president, the President of Iraq attended the inaugural ceremony, as did a number of other dignitaries and high ranking officials. Media coverage of the event was high and newsletters were being published simultaneously to update interested parties. This editor’s message intends to briefly report on the forum, albeit from a hydrogeologist’s view point, and also to comment on the prominence of ‘groundwater’ at the forum. …