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access
to
water
and
sanitation
for
all
Asia Pacific Youth Parliament for Water (APYPW) is one of
the vanguards of water education, attracting more than 500
youths globally in 2017, among which 60 were chosen as repre-
sentatives. Selection is always very competitive and the efforts
made throughout the programme motivate participants to
rigorously engage in the programme over four days in Korea,
where they experience the parliamentary decision making
process. The programme’s chair and vice chair are elected to
adopt a declaration pledging practical and political actions by
all participants for resolving Asia-Pacific regional water chal-
lenges. Importantly, youth from more than 25 countries bring
together different values and perspectives in understanding
the primary water issues of diverse regions and peoples.
Since after the KIWW was launched in 2016, the KWF
as the programme’s host, along with the ME, has created a
bridge between the youth delegations’ contribution and their
active engagement in the KIWW. In 2017, previous partici-
pants of the APYPWwere involved in the KIWW preparation
process, bringing different perspectives in the understanding
of water. This was highly valued due to its depth of analysis
and the strength of future-oriented innovative ideas.
In addition, more than five water education sessions
were organised for children, youth and citizens during the
KIWW 2017. Every session was held in a different format
with creative participatory ideas such as demonstrating
innovative technologies in real time, sharing information
through a competitive quiz, and Q&A sessions with well
known experts. These sessions were supported not only by
the ministries but by the private sector implementing their
corporate social responsibilities.
Dissemination of the results and procedures is included in
the KIWW process. As an organizer, the KWF plays a role as
a science and technology topic coordinator under the theme of
‘Capacity’ while also acting as the sub-regional coordinator of
the regional process. The KWF also coordinates the national
participation of NGOs and citizens in the citizen’s forum.
Throughout the entire processes, the KWF exchanges
dialogue and information via the KIWW and the World Water
Forum (WWF). The outcomes of the KIWW are collected to
contribute to the next WWF and the best examples are reflected
in the follow-up action called the implementation roadmap. The
KIWW holds annual review meetings where the implementa-
tion roadmap annual report is created by the coordinators of the
WWF thematic process. Through the 8th World Water Forum
committee, every theme dealt with in the 7th World Water
Forum is linked to the those of the 8th World Water Forum.
Building a sustainable partnership based on the empathy
of multiple stakeholders
With its objective to build a bridge between fields of exper-
tise, levels of influence, race, gender and age, the KWF has
pledged to communicate with those both in and outside of
the water industries and coordinate its efforts among govern-
ments, international organisations, corporations, academia,
and citizens. The building of partnerships, leadership of
decision makers, performance of practitioners and experts,
combination of private and public forces, and the perspectives
of civil society, need to be well managed and coordinated.
Among the diverse activities carried out by the Korean
government and the KWF along with global partners, the
planning and organizing of the KIWW is paramount in creat-
ing a comprehensive channel of communication among the
right partners and offering a timely arena for the exchange
and sharing of practical information and technologies that
will eventually lead to the raising of the social, economic,
and environmental status of the global water community.
Through the entire processes of development and planning,
ideas from diverse stakeholders are welcomed as the essential
basis for a collective voice and a call to action based on well-
balanced and comprehensive perspectives.
Water education at the Citizens’ Forum
A session of the Biz Matchmaker initiative
Raising citizens’ awareness of global water issues
Image: KWF
Image: KWF
Image: KWF