During the Forum, GWP China co-hosted three thematic sessions under the Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) on IWRM, Water and Food Security as well as Water and Cities.
The GWP China Delegation of 9 members in total, headed by Rugang Zheng, Coordinator and Secretary General of GWP China Region, participated in the sessions and events during the 6-day conference. Our representatives finished the forum with highlights and lessons learnt after participating seven-day water event.
- Highlights
- Engaged in the World Water Forum. It is the sixth time that GWP China had representatives to participate in the WWF. Yet, before this one, GWP China only sent participants to the forum. This time GWP China Delegation was more involved in the sessions by means of delivering case studies of China by the participants under themes. With the coordination and support of GWPO, NARBO, FAO, ADB and other partners, GWP China sent specialists to bring cases and presentations to the forum to disseminate our experiences that were valued with positive feedbacks from other delegates.
- Participated in the discussion on development of inter-regional cooperation. Back to June 2014, by the coordination of GWPO, our region started preparation for contributing cases, jointly with GWP SA, SEA and CACENA to form the Asia-Pacific platform. Under the Asia-Pacific framework, the voice turned more hearable with the efforts from different regions during the forum. GWP employed its network at the forum to highlight an integrated image to the world. GWP China had more chance to communicate with other regional partnerships to exchange ideas and develop further inter-regional communication and cooperation.
- Strengthened GWP China’s regional network. All cases presented at the forum were contributed by GWP China partners, including two universities and a research institute. GWP China acted as a bridge between the Chinese professionals and the WWF to bring more domestic cases and talents to the international stage. Meanwhile, the invited experts are all from GWP China’s network. In the whole process, from preparation to participation, GWP China had involved regional and local partners as many as possible to collect their experiences, cases and talents and recommended to the forum. The process helped GWP China to strengthen network and also made our region more reliable and accessible to partners.
- Lessons Learnt
The WWF 7 was a vast stage for all water related people. None of the participants, from governmental organizations, NGOs, universities, research institutes to corporations, would expect little from this stage. It was obvious from exhibitions, sessions, side-events and even warm-ups that all were fully engaged to grasp eyes of the public. In comparison, any single voice was too weak to be heard by the public, but a team could make outstanding expression. It’s adverted that all teams at the WWF, from entertainment performance, international promotions in the exhibition center, youth forum to sessions and side-events, were more expressed to the public since they did not act alone. GWP achieved its progress as it was presented as a team rather than a single regional partnership although a region could be seemed as a team as well. At the forum, GWP convened its four Asian regions into a group to work together at the stage. It formed a power that could hardly be ignored definitely. In this case, it’s convinced that more reliable and powerful image could be gradually set up by the joint efforts, from all regions.
The more to promote inter-regional cooperation, the better international image would be set up. Thus, the network will work not only within a region/country, but also beyond the regions.