Summit; 2nd Asia-Pacifc Water Summit
Background on the Asia-Pacific Water Forum and the 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit
In the face of the region’s pressing water problems, in March 2006 at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico, the Asia-Pacific Water Form (APWF) was created to help address the challenges of the Asia-Pacific region. The APWF is an independent, not-for-profit, non-partisan, non-political network dedicated to solving water problems in the Asia-Pacific region. The APWF organized the 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS) in Beppu, Japan in 2007, which focused on the theme “Water Security: Leadership and Commitment”. The Summit endorsed the Message from Beppu and launched a series of concrete initiatives for regional water resolutions.
The 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit (2nd APWS)
More than five years have passed since the 1st APWS and the Government of Thailand has the privilege of hosting the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit (2nd APWS) in collaboration with the APWF and supporting regional and international organizations.The 2nd APWS will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on the 19th and 20th of May 2013.
Water is a fundamental resource and as such its sustainable management is at the heart of human security and the social and economic development of nations. To this end, strong leadership and commitment from national leaders is essential. Continuing and building on the guiding theme of the 1st APWS, the 2nd APWS will be organized under the theme of "Water Security and Water-related Disaster Challenges: Leadership and Commitment" with three policy priority areas for commitment and change: Development, Shocks and Resilience, and Well-being.
Under this guiding theme seven thematic focus sessions will be held during the Summit: Household Water Security; Economic, Food and Water Security; Urban Water Security; Environmental Water Security; Water Risks and Resilience; IWRM Process for a Water Secure World, and Water-related Disasters in a Changing World: Thailand Experiences.
» Concept Note for the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit (PDF, 68KB)
Participants
Each APWS will target top-level policy and decision-makers beyond the water sector, such as heads of governments and ministers of finance and planning, as well as leaders from the private sector, local governments, civil society and media in the region. The APWS is an important opportunity to promote active dialogue among regional leaders and bring about more effective regional cooperation and coordination in water security in the Asia Pacific.
Registration
The 2nd APWS (19-20 May, 2013) is an invitation-only event. The invitation will be sent from the Government of Thailand to the regional leaders in public and private sectors, technical experts, academics and civil society.
Exhibitions, side-events and technical workshops
Exhibitions and side-events will be held between 14th and 20th of May, 2013. Technical workshops under the summit thematic focus will also be held between 16th and 18th of May. More details on these programs including registration will be notified on the official website of the 2nd APWS shortly.
