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World Water Forum unites leaders and experts

São Paolo, Brazil – The 8th World Water Forum gathered more 10 heads of state, upwards of 100 ministers, parliamentarians, mayors and thousands of water and sustainable development experts and citizens in Brazil to commemorate World Water Day on 22 March. 

The forum was held March 18-23 to coincide with World Water Day on March 22, World Water Council, co-organizers with the Brazilian government, shared several significant statistics:

• By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas.
• Eighty per cent of countries report insufficient funding to meet national drinking water targets.
• More than 840 million people worldwide, or one in nine, do not have access to safe drinking water, and 2.3 billion, or one in three, lack access to a toilet.

“Around the world, more people have mobiles phone than toilets,” said Matt Damon, water activist and actor, in the release. In a global effort to avoid widespread water crises and to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation globally, the World Water Council organizes the 8^th edition of its World Water Forum, which is taking place in Brasilia from 18 – 23 March, coinciding with World Water Day.

More than 10 heads of state, including the president of Brazil, Michel Temer; president of Hungary, János Áder; president of Senegal, Macky Sall; prime minister of South Korea Lee Nak-yeon; and chief executive officers of Fortune 500 companies, among many others, participated in high-level panels and more than 200 sessions, to map out the future of water security for the next three years.