7th World Water Forum Kick-off Meeting

Date: 14-15 May 2013
Place: EXCO, Daegu, Korea
Organizers: Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Daegu Metropolitan City, Gyeongbux Province, Korean Water Forum

This Kick-off Meeting served as the official launch of the 7th World Water Forum. As an initial multi-stakeholder platform event, the Kick-off Meeting sought to propose a roadmap for the preparation of the Forum and to gather inputs from a wide range of stakeholders through facilitated discussion. The Forum aims to contribute to creating a new path for human co-existence by addressing water challenges around the globe, discovering how to implement discussed solutions together and sharing knowledge and expertise. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting on the 15 May with a presentation on the theme "Communication on water in today's world".

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"Invisible water". Launch of a documentary series on groundwater

Date: Monday, 25 April 2013
Time: 6:30pm
Place: Salón de Actos del MAGRAMA, Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz s/n, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Fundación Española del Agua Subterránea

"Invisible water" is an outreach project based on the production of thirteen documentaries covering all aspects of groundwater: scientific, technical, environmental, development and use, management, cooperation, etc.

Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the presentation of Chapter 1 of the documentary series "Invisible water. A reality beneath our feet" with a presentation on the importance of cooperation in the management and use of groundwater. This documentary series will be broadcasted as part of the advocacy and communication campaign of the "Water for Life" Decade.

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Closing ceremony of the Master on Water Resources and the Environment from the University of Malaga, Spain.

Date: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Place: Malaga, Spain

The Master on Water Resources and the Environment, which is coordinated by the Centre of Hydrology of the University of Malaga, closed its academic year on 24 April.

During the closing ceremony, Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, lectured on the Role of economic instruments in global water concerns based on the conclusions of the Chapter on Valuing Water of the 4th World Water Development Report.

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Meeting of the Permanent Commission of Alianza por el Agua

Date: 10 April 2013
Place: AECID headquarters, Avda. Reyes Católicos nº 4, Madrid, Spain
Organizer: Alianza por el Agua

Alianza por el Agua is a network of public administrations, water suppliers, research and public opinion centres, and social organizations of Spain and Central America which works towards the human right to water and sanitation. UNW-DPAC was invited to become part of the Permanent Commission of the Alliance. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting where different issues were covered, including the partnership agreement for the water-nexus project with the collaboration of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

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Workshop: Economic sustainability of dams and reservoirs

Date: 4 April 2013
Place: Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: SPANCOLD

The Spanish Committee on Large Dams (SPANCOLD) is conducting a series of meetings to raise awareness on major issues related to the economic, social, environmental and technical role of dams in water planning. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting representing international institutions with a presentation on Economic and Financial Sustainability of Water Infrastructures.

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1st Meeting of the OECD Water Governance Initiative

Date: 27-28 March 2013
Place: OECD Headquarters, Paris, France
Organizers: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

The OECD Water Governance Initiative aims to provide a multi-stakeholder policy platform to advance on the global water governance agenda. The platform will encompass the establishment of a Policy Forum, the creation of an International Observatory on Water governance, and a Web Portal aimed at stimulating discussions across a wide range of public, private and not-for-profit actors at different levels, within and outside the water community. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting with a presentation on the UN Documentation Centre on Water and Sanitation.

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Public participation in water and rivers management: cooperation in the Cidacos River.

Date: 25 March 2013
Time: 5:30pm – 8:00pm
Place: Hotel Beratxa. Calle de las Escuelas Pías, 7. Tafalla
Organizers: CRANA Foundation/p>

On the occasion of International Year of Water Cooperation and World Water Day, the CRANA Foundation organized a conference aimed at highlighting the value of cooperation between stakeholders as a model to improve water and rivers management. The purpose was also to encourage participation and involvement in the Sud'eau2 project and in water-related issues. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this conference with a presentation on "The importance of cooperation in water management".

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UNW-DPAC participated in the roundtable 'Formulas to make water cooperation a reality'

Date: 20 March 2013
Place: Roca Barcelona Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
Organizers: We are Water Foundation

In the framework of World Water Day, the We are Water Foundation organized a public roundtable where five specialists will shared their personal and professional knowledge on water and international cooperation to achieve fair water resources development. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the roundtable.

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UNW-DPAC participated in CEO Water Mandate Conference

Date: 4-7 March 2013
Place: Mumbai, India
Organizers: United Nations Global Compact, Pacific Institute

The 'Corporate Water Stewardship and the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Drawing from the India Experience' conference convened companies, government agencies, civil society groups, academia and others to explore critical and complex corporate water management issues and sought to advance effective and equitable solutions. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the conference with a presentation on 'What we have learned from the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals'.
>> Conference agenda

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XVIII Meeting on water law: Water use. Concessions, authorizations and water markets

Date: 28 February – 1 March 2013
Place: Zaragoza, Spain
Organizers: University of Zaragoza, Spain

This meeting focused on the issue of water use, especially in the concessions and authorizations system and water markets related questions. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the closing of the meeting, where main conclusions were summarized.

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Official launch of International Year of Water Cooperation

Date: 11 February 2013
Place: UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France

Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the official launch of International Year of Water Cooperation in Paris. She presented the conclusions of the International Annual UN-Water Zaragoza Conference 2012/2013 'Preparing for the 2013 International Year. Water Cooperation: Making it Happen!'