Climate, human health, conflict and cooperation take focus at 2009 World Water Week in Stockholm

Stockholm, Sweden, August 7, 2009 - The 2009 World Water Week in Stockholm will open here on August 16 with a weeklong agenda focused on the converging challenges that characterise the world's growing water crisis. More than 2000 experts and leaders from all major sectors will join United Nations executives and national ministers from around the world to address a range of topics and issues centered on the theme of Responding to Global Changes: Accessing Water for the Common Good.

Organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the 2009 World Water Week will feature more than 100 sessions, with a special focus on the issue of transboundary waters. A series of seminars, workshops and side events will explore the complex factors that lead to conflict or cooperation over such shared waters. The themes covered during the week include:

• Agriculture
• Climate
• Energy
• Corporate water footprint
• Disaster, conflict, and peace
• Environment
• Finance
• Regional focus on Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin-America and Middle East
• Sanitation and health
• Transboundary waters
• Urban issues
• Water quality
• Water resource management
• Water supply

Keeping to tradition, the 2009 World Water Week will feature: a Royal Banquet and Award Ceremony honoring the 2009 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak of India; the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition, which this year includes young scientists, ages 15-20, competing from 29 nations; and the award ceremony for Trojan Technologies of Canada, the winner of the Stockholm Industry Water Award, which marks its tenth anniversary this year. The winner of the Swedish Baltic Sea Water Award will be announced during the week as well.

In addition, the European Commission and MTV have chosen to launch the first "Play to Stop -- Europe for Climate" concert series in Stockholm during World Water Week. The concert will feature pop-star Moby as part of the EU campaign to engage young people in climate change issues.

About The World Water Week in Stockholm
Organised and directed by The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), The World Water Week in Stockholm is the premier meeting place for exchanging water-related views, knowledge, and experience between scientific, business, policy and civic sectors from around the globe. By harnessing and linking best practices, scientific understanding, policy insight and decision-making, the program aims to transcend rhetoric and provide real answers to the global water crisis.

Full details and resources are available at www.worldwaterweek.org.
Media information and registration: www.worldwaterweek.org/media