5th World Water Forum

In March 2006, the Board of Governors elected Turkey as the first candidate of choice to start the negotiations for hosting the 5th World Water Forum.

This Forum will take place in March 2009, around the UN-World Water Day (March 22nd) in Istanbul. It will thus be an important event of the 2005-2015 UN International Decade for Action, "Water for Life."

The Forum in Istanbul will be the 5th World Water Forum. It will follow the WWC Forums of Marrakech, The Hague, Kyoto and Mexico City. Since its first edition, the World Water Forum has developed a distinct format, ultimately set by the World Water Council who owns the brand name of the World Water Forum, but developed in close collaboration with the successive host countries, Morocco, the Netherlands, Japan and Mexico. Sound and constructive cooperation between the host country and the World Water Council is thus key to the preparation and to the success of the World Water Forum.