The United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
the International Hydrological Program and the Panama Canal
are pleased to welcome the international community involved
in water issues to the HELP International Symposium 2011 “Building
Knowledge Bridges for a Sustainable Water Future”. This
is part of a series of global meetings that take place with
the leadership of the International Hydrological Programs’
crosscutting initiative Hydrology for the Environment, Life
and Policy (HELP).
The Organizing
Committee (UNESCO IHP, the Panama Canal Authority, the National
Environmental Authority, the Panamanian National Committee
for the International Hydrological Program, the International
Center for Sustainable Development, and the Interinstitutional
Commission for the Panama Canal Watershed) is committed to
make your participation in this symposium worthwhile and an
extraordinary experience at the heart of the Latin American
region.
MESSAGE FROM HELP GLOBAL COORDINATOR
On a regular basis, HELP brings together regional
and international experiences through major events, such as the
workshops and conferences in Portugal (2009), Australia (2009),
the United States (2010), and Malaysia (2010); but the HELP Global
Symposia take place every four years. The last global symposium
took place in South Africa in 2007. In accordance to the program’s
focus on integrated water resources management (IWRM), South Africa
presented the opportunity to take review of advances in sustainable
management of water resources, in real catchments, and finding real
solutions while building on earlier successes.
Since July 2010 having access to clean drinking
water and sanitation has become a human right ( General Assembly
Resolution 64/292 ). Yet, a growing
portion of the world’s population suffers from water shortages.
Water-related
challenges go on to issues such as climate, food and energy, quality
and human health, life support systems, governance and conflict,
education, etc. Reporting experiences of more than ten years, the
2011 Symposium at Panama offers the world community a great opportunity
to exchange and take a close look of ground-breaking, exceptional
lessons, putting forward wise and experienced worldwide knowledge
on water-related issues for the betterment of mankind.
We encourage you to actively participate
in this very important event and look forward to welcome you in
Panama!
Prof.
Dr. Shahbaz Khan Chief of Section on
Sustainable Water Resources Development
and Management and HELP Global Coordinator, UNESCO.
On
IHP - HELP
HELP is a cross-cutting
and transdisciplinary initiative of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) led by the International
Hydrological Programme (IHP).
HELP is creating
a new approach to integrated catchment management through
the creation of a framework and the provision of a platform
for water law and policy experts, water resource managers
and water scientist to work together on water-related problems.
The HELP initiative has established a global network of catchments
to improve the links between hydrology and the needs of society.
HNowadays, this
initiative connects 91 river basins from 67 countries; it
joins more than 600 organizations and involves many thousands
of individuals that influence a broad set of scientists, policy
makers, stakeholders and communities representatives all over
the world.
HELP is part
of the IHP, the only intergovernmental programme of the
UN system devoted to water research, water resources management,
and education and capacity building. The programme is tailored
to Member States’ needs and is implemented in phases
to adapt to a rapidly changing world.
Current priorities
of the IHP include continuing to promote and lead international
hydrological research, facilitate education and capacity
development and enhance governance in water resources management.
The aim of these efforts is to help meet the UN Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) on environmental sustainability,
water supply, sanitation, food security and poverty alleviation.
We
welcome interested parties in proposing a basin to join
the global HELP basins network. All you need to do is to
complete form B, which can be downloaded here.
THE
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA Panama’s geographic location is unique.
Often known as “The Bridge of the World,” its proximity
to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and North and South America
make Panama an ideal route for trade, travel and business. The country
is located in Central America, between Colombia and Costa Rica.
The Panama Isthmus is, no doubt, one of the planet’s environmental
treasures.
About the symposium
Water is vital for the survival, health and dignity of mankind.
It is a fundamental resource for development. Water is increasingly
becoming the single most precious and essential item that
sustains life, enabling all humanity as well as nature to
survive.
To ensure a sustainable water
future we need to improve our knowledge. Sharing research
results and lessons learnt from experience, new tools and
innovative practices, ways of implementing more effective
mechanisms of action for change and policy integration –these
provide us the right path to follow. Scientific knowledge
must be pertinent to issues on the ground and be
shared effectively and rapidly, so that everyone may make a difference in reducing
the impact of major water problems.At the Symposium, we
aim to exchange good practices as well as in-depth theoretical
analyses to help stimulate ideas and actions for better
stewardship of this most essential resource. The learning
and sharing of good practice experience amongst HELP basins
have greatly benefited the global community to improve the
sustainable management of water resources, through continuous
dialogue and involvement of stakeholders from the community
to government level.
