PHA-Exchange> PHM at world water forum : updates and information

[hesperian Pop Acct.]

Dear PHM friends, colleagues and comrades –
	The 4th World Water Forum will take place in Mexico City March 16 – 22, and I wanted to let you all know that I will be in Mexico City helping to organize alternative events and popular meetings,  representing the PHM Right to Water Campaign. 
	According to its organizers, “The World Water Forum is an initiative of the World Water Council that has the aim of raising the awareness on water issues all over the world. As the main international event on water, it seeks to enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialogue to influence water policy making at a global level, thus assuring better living standards for people all over the world and a more responsible social behavior towards water issues in-line with the pursuit of sustainable development. The World Water Fora are built on the knowledge, experience and input of different types of organizations active in the global water polity. It is a venture founded on the principles of collaboration, partnership and innovation.”

        In fact, the WWF is a corporate-sponsored event, and one of the main venues where corporations, multilaterals and governments have met over the last several years to establish the ground rules for water privatization and “public-private partnerships.” While the World Water Council announces its intention to foster “stakeholder participation” and open discussion at the forum, the registration fee of $600, and a difficult process for registering workshops, will make this a serious challenge. 

        In response to the forum, NGO’s and grassroots groups from Mexico and around the world are organizing an “International Forum in the Defense of Water” in Mexico City from March 17-20. The event is being coordinated by many groups, among them COMDA (the Coalition of Mexican Organizations for the Right to Water Mexican) and the Friends of the Right to Water, of which PHM is a member group. 
         Aside from my other activitites there I will be posting updates on the web every two days or so. If you are interested in following the events, please see: 
         www.lipmagazine.org/conant
        If you would like to be notified when these updates go out, send me your email address and I will try to add you to the list -- but there is no guarentee that I will be able to overcome technical difficulties to ensure that this happens...
        And finally, if any PHM colleagues will be in Mexico for the fora, please put us in touch.
        Onward!
         -- Jeff Conant
              Hesperian Foundation/PHM US