Start Date : 3 Dec 09   End Date : 4 Dec 09 Location: Zaragoza, Spain

The event is co-organized by the United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015 (UNO-IDfA) and the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance, hosted by UN-Habitat, with the support of the regional platforms of Water Operators Partnerships and the water operators from 5 continents (Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Middle East and Europe), the Municipality of the City of Zaragoza, the Government of Aragon, the Spanish Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, and the Ebro River Basin Authority.

The conference will provide a platform to enhance Water Operators’ Platforms and Partnerships through the involvement of supporting mechanisms and water operators from different regions and to establish specific partnerships in relation to a) raising awareness and enhancing public communication of water utilities b) promoting the role of water utilities as communication agents on the urgency to act to improve water and sanitation.

• To identify and explore the modalities of different legal and financial mechanisms that exist to support south-south and north-south Water Operators’ Partnerships, and to enhance access to them.
• To discuss the use of Water Operators Partnerships as a corporate social responsibility and communications tool.
• To identify and establish specific opportunities for collaboration on good practices of communication between water operators and the general public.
• To promote the role of water utilities as communication agents on the urgency to act to improve water and sanitation.
• To make recommendations on the effective use of identified good practices for improving communication strategies of water utilities, and especially of small water operators.
• To introduce and launch a communication campaign for Water Operators on the Urgency to Act and especially for the World Water Day 2010.
• To provide an opportunity for exchange of experience and ideas on these important issues between water operators of different regions of the world.