The EastWest Institute, the Water Friends Group and the Permanent Missions of Finland, Hungary, Tajikistan and Thailand are hosting “Ways to Integrate Efforts in Furthering Water Dialogue and Cooperation,” a U.N. side-event on Friday, February 22, at 10:00 a.m at the North Lawn Building of the UN Headquarters in New York City. This event underlines UNGA resolution 65/154 declaring 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation (IYWC).

History shows that the vital nature of freshwater is a powerful incentive for cooperation and dialogue, compelling stakeholders to reconcile even their most divergent views. Water more often unites than divides people and societies, yet there is still a great need for more effective and coordinated measures, coupled with a stronger political will at all levels. Governments, international and regional organizations, business communities, scholars, and civil society must effectively address current and emerging freshwater problems.

In this context, the International Year of Water Cooperation is intended to unify all efforts, both undertaken and planned by the UN system, other international and regional organizations, governments, civil society and entrepreneurs, in order to increase people's awareness of freshwater-related problems and ways to resolve them. This follows the 2012 UNGA adopted resolution (A/Res/67/204) on the implementation of the IYWC, through convening a series of global high-level events. 

Speakers:

H. E. Mr. Rahmat Bobokalonov
Minister of  Land Reclamation and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan; Office of the President of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (tbc)

Mr. Michael Jarraud
Chair to UN-Water

Mr. John Edwin Mroz
President and Chief Executive Officer of the EastWest Institute

Moderator:

Dr. Zafar Adeel
Director of the United Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and Health

Panelists:

Ms. Josefina Maestu
Coordinator of the UN-Water Decade Programme of Advocacy and Communication

Mr. Olcay Ünver
Coordinator of the United Nations World Water Assessment Programme of the UN-Water and Director of the UNESCO Programme Office on Global Water Assessment

Mr. Sanjay Pahuja
Senior Water Resources Specialist of the World Bank

Ms. Ursula Schaeffer-Preuss
Chair of the Global Water Partnership

To RSVP and secure your U.N. pass, please contact:

Mr. Raymond Karam, email: rkaram@ewi.info, mobile: +1 646-243-2319