Water Justice Movement Gearing up for the 5th World



Water Forum February 12, 2009 ·



The water justice movement is gearing up for the 5th World Water Forum to be held during World Water Week from March 17 – 22 in Istanbul, Turkey. They will host a Counter Forum during the event to educate people about the water justice movement, the problems with privatization of water supplies, and the importance of water as a human right. The Counter Forum will host the following events (from the Wash News International blog):
10-13 March: Water Tribunal - Four cases to be heard in a similar format to the Latin American Water Tribunal conducted during the 4th World Water Forum.
14-22 March: Global Week of Actions for Water Justice.
14 March: Demonstration in central Istanbul.
15 March: Demonstration in Kadikoy Square.
16 March: Official opening of the World Water Forum -activists organizing press conferences and protests against WWF.
17-18 March: Platform workshop event at TMMOB Taksim Square office.
17 March: Evening, Public Water Event organized by international activists - featuring UN representation and others - (unconfirmed).
19-20 March: Platform plenary events at MKM Congress Center.
19 March: Demonstration planned. 20-22 March: Campaign’s Alternative Water Forum - Bilgi University.
22 March: Closing of official WWF and World Water Day.
23 March: Solidarity delegation to Diyarbakir region of Turkey.
Please visit the Peoples Water Forum website for a list of updated events. Here is an excerpt from the Call to Action: This 5th World Water Forum, as with the previous 4 World Water Forums, is being organized by the World Water Council, a body created and controlled by the global private water industry and which continues to promote water privatization, destructive dams, commodification and commercialization, projects and policies proven to harm people and communities; local food systems, livelihoods and indigenous resource base. For more information on the water justice movement, check out this website created after the 4th World Water Forum in Mumbai or this webpage created by the Transnational Institute with a list of links and documents pertaining to water justice.