Relationship to the 4th World Water Forum

The theme of the first edition of the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize was in line with the general theme for the 4th World Water Forum, "Local Actions for a Global Challenge." The Forum is a step to achieving the water-related Millennium Development Goals, giving the opportunity to the international water community and decision-makers to connect, debate and attempt to find solutions to achieve water security. 4th World Water Forum Website.

It has been widely recognized that local action is a prerequisite to reaching the water-related MDG's. The main objective of the 4th Forum was to contribute to strengthening and increasing on-site actions. As such, candidates for the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize were identified throughout the Forum's preparatory process. The submitted activities were compiled in a database of Local Actions of the World, from which some were selected by the Thematic Beacons and Regional Committees of the Forum to be presented at the topic sessions of the Forum.

The activity presented was meant to fit into the thematic context of the Forum, illustrating well one or several of the framework themes (1 through 5) and cross-cutting perspectives (A through E) of the Forum, namely:


1. Water for Growth and Development
2. Implementing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
3. Water Supply and Sanitation for All
4. Water Management for Food and the Environment
5. Risk Management

A. New Models for Financing Local Water Initiatives
B. Institutional Development and Political Processes
C. Capacity-building and Social Learning
D. Application of Science, Technology and Knowledge
E. Targeting, Monitoring and Implementation Assessment