World Water Council and Secretariat of the Third World Water Forum

The 3rd World Water Forum National Steering Committee was established on January 29, 2001 in Tokyo, and the basic conception for the Forum has been established. The proposal for the 3rd World Water Forum based upon this blueprint will be submitted to the board of governors of the World Water Council.

The Committee opened with greetings by Ms. Chikage Ohgi, Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This was followed by an election of officers. Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, the former Prime Minister of Japan, was elected as a chairperson of the Steering Committee, which will consist of 22 members (19 prominent citizens from all sectors of Japanese society and 3 members from the government administrative sector).

The plan for the 3rd World Water Forum was deliberated and the basic conceptualization was determined. It is anchored on three basic concepts: a forum open to all, moving from conference participation by all to conference creation by all, and moving from discussion to action. The Forum will be held in the Yodo River Basin, at venues in Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka from March 16 through 23 (8 days) in 2003. The Forum will encompass three major elements: the Forum itself, a ministerial conference and a water fair/festival consisted of a series of water-related events.

In particular this Forum will place emphasis on the point that Forum efforts should constitute stepping stones toward concrete action in order to respond to the crisis-proportion water issues of the world today. Even in the preparatory period prior to 2003, plans have been firmly laid for virtual conferences on the 3rd World Water Forum web site and for a series of regional conferences around the world. Also, a substantial document, the "Water Action Report", will be presented during the Forum.

The Forum will not be limited to the deepening of discussion in each technical field or geopolitical region; it will also offer a broad-reaching opportunity for discussion and submissions leading towards the improvement of world water situations, involving major stakeholders from various organizations including NGOs, CEOs, unions and international and governmental donor organization.

"List of Members of the National Steering Committee"(PDF format file) is attached to this Press Release.