by Bernard Simon

"This is where you poo, and this is where you pee," explains Mayling Simpson-Herbert as she demonstrates a waterless, urine-diverting loo at a booth in the 3rd World Water Forum's Stakeholder Center. The loo is part of an eyecatching display by the Stockholm Environment Institute, one of several dozen exhibitors at the center, where, in the words of the organisers, "all stakeholders can show, share and discuss."

A random sampling of diverse exhibitors yesterday drew undiluted enthusiasm about the center. According to Chantal Schryer, chief of public affairs at Canada's International Development Research Centre, "We want more and more to get out there and tell people what we do with Canadian taxpayers' money. People stop here and talk to us. It's amazing."
Ian Smout, director of the UK's Institute of Development Engineering's Water, Engineering and Development Center says, "There's a lot of networking going on. We have people coming in and out. It's a meeting point". Mr. Smout is part of a team working at the Gender and Water Alliance booth in the Stakeholder Center.

There is certainly no shortage of variety at the center. On Monday evening, just a few meters away from a presentation on the pollution caused by mine tailing dams, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands dropped in for a Heineken beer at The Netherlands Water Partnership's stand. Not surprisingly, the Dutch presentation was more popular than the one on tailing dams. The beer is free from about 5:00 pm onwards; anyone showing up earlier will have to be content with coffee, tea or water.

Forpictures and fullarticle, see Water Forum Shimbun http://www.world.waterforum3.com/wwf/issue4.pdf , March 19 edition.

Stakeholder Center

Many participants realised instantly why the Stakeholder Center was to be the "core meeting and presentation space open to all participants." Upon your arrival at the Kyoto International Conference Hall there was no other way to enter the 3rd World Water Forum than through the Stakeholder Center. The registration took place in the adjoining tent, from where you were guided through the security checks. The security checks led to the inner center of the Stakeholder Center with its information desk manned by a brigade of helpful and friendly volunteers. From there participants still had to cross the small bridge over the Iwakura River that separates the Stakeholder Center and the main Conference Hall. Every morning and every evening the same procedure was repeated, so for many the Stakeholder Center was indeed the core meeting point, for others it was simply the running the gauntlet!

However, the Stakeholder Center had its true attractions and many participants enjoyed their discussions at the booths of the 79 national and international organizations that presented their work in the water sector. Poster presentations were given by 39 organizations. The Stakeholder Center also proved to be important for many to catch-up with activities at home, write up session reports, and do research by using the free-of-charge workstations. The stage of the Stakeholder Center also offered cultural entertainment from around the world such as dancing, video presentation, concerts, and film shows. Many people also took advantage of the "excursion desk" to book a trip visiting famous water-related sites and Japanese cultural sites, such as shrines, temples, gardens, etc. around Kyoto, Osaka and Shiga Prefectures.

An exhibition of posters and panels that introduced the activities of NGOs and other participating organizations was held in the adjoining tent. A part of the poster display space was allocated to the 100 finalist organizations of the Water Action Contest to present their activities during the Forum for the selection of the winner.

When the attack on Iraq started on March 20 the Stakeholder Center broadcasted TV news on large screens. Although the attack distracted a lot of attention from the Forum, the Secretariat decided to provide this information to participants during the duration of the event.

Citizens House of Water and its Agora

The Citizens House of Water and its Agora invited Forum participants of all walks of life to discuss integrated water management principles and practices as well as the UN Millennium Development Goals. Built in a Japanese tradition and set up as an agora or meeting place, the House was one of the most attractive features of the Stakeholder Center. The "Water Time-Flow Clock", designed by the French artist Bernard Gitton, at its center was to remind visitors to the Citizens House of the challenges that the Millennium Goals on water & sanitation represent for each of us. The Citizens House gathered civil society stakeholders, public service providers, parapublic and commercial sector participants, opinion leaders, financiers, representatives of local and national governments, as well as children and youths. Debated themes included inequalities in access to drinking and sanitation services; governance and ethics; private, public and associative partnerships; financial flows; management and responsibility; public participation; the role of women and children; and access to information. Other activities that took place at the Citizens House of Water were a children's dialogue hosted by UNICEF which invited Mrs. Nane Annan as a guest, the launchings of several publications, as well as the receptions organised by the European Union, UNDP, SUEZ, WWC, and the government of Morocco.

The Citizens House of Water was also the seat of the 1st World Assembly of Water Wisdom. The Assembly's members came from all water management sectors throughout the world to draft and adopt the Citizens Commitment to the Right to Water on March 19. The Commitment reaffirms the basic human right to water and the responsibility of national governments for its implementation. The Commitment also states that citizens and local communities have a right to information, participation in decision-making, access to financing mechanisms, and a right of appeal. To support this statement, the World Assembly of Water Wisdom suggested the signing of a global water convention, the implementation of international monitoring networks that will safeguard the interests of the poor and promote sustainable alternatives in development, and the creation of the function of water mediators or ombudspersons. The Assembly also decided to regularly publish a country-based report entitled "Clean Water, Working Water, and Sanitation Access Inequalities and the Role and Implication of Citizens in Decision-making." The World Assembly of Water Wisdom is an initiative of the International Secretariat for Water (ISW) in collaboration with GCI, ALMAE and the WSSCC. For more information, please visit http://www.i-s-w.org/assemble_en.htm.

The Citizens House of Water was made possible by the support of WSSCC, GCI, SUEZ, Switzerland's DDC, UNICEF, EBRD, EU, GWA, UNDP, WWC, CCFD and the governments of Quebec, Canada and the Netherlands. It was estimated to have drawn 3500 visitors.

Regional Days Exhibition:"Bringing Water to the World"

From March 16 to 21 each Forum day focused on water in one of the world's regions: Asia & Pacific, Americas, Africa, Europe and Middle East & Mediterranean. These five Regional days took place at the Kyoto Takaragaike Prince Hotel together with over 80 sessions.

Projects and initiatives at local, national, and regional level will be highlighted during the Regional Days not only through roundtables, workshops and case-study presentations but were displayed in a permanent exhibition from March 16-21.

The regional exhibition hosted the regional corners, a Japanese cultural workshop area, a Japanese space for exchange and discussion in a relaxing atmosphere, a large TV screen, a cafŽ and bar, computer terminals, a Forum information counter as well as several displays of Japanese handcrafts.

The exhibition was co-sponsored by the Secretariat of the 3rd World Water Forum and organizations from the regions: European Commission, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape.

The nightly "happy hour" was made possible with the support of Asahi Breweries, Ltd.