VIDEO | Rome's candidacy for the World Water Forum has started

The proposed date to host the event is for the week of March 20-26, 2027

ROME – Prevention, maintenance, innovation, infrastructure and culture:these are the themes indicated by Francesco Vincenzi, president of ANBI and E.U.W.M.A.(European Union of Water Management Associations), at the opening of the 'kick off' to start the Italian and Rome's candidacy to host the World Water Forum 2027;the ceremony, attended by representatives of the business world and agricultural professional organisations, took place in the capital on the occasion of the inspection of the World Water Council, the forum that brings together politics, multilateral institutions, the academic world, civil society and the private sector.

The mission of the World Water Council (W.W.C.), as recalled by Vice President Eric Tardieu, is to bring together the international community to convince decision makers that water is a vital political priority for the sustainable and equitable development of the Planet ;Around 400 organizations from 60 countries on 5 continents participate.

The World Water Forum is the most important international event in the water sector and, every three years, it takes place in a different country, which is a candidate to host events, debates, exhibitions and business meetings.The Forum provides a unique platform, where the international community discusses programs, challenges, opportunities, which concern the world of water:from its use in agriculture to the issues of desertification, from the management of internal waters to the rise in sea levels, from access to water resources to its distribution in our cities up to the global issues of 'blue diplomacy'.

In 2024 the X Forum will be held in Bali, Indonesia with the theme 'Water for Shared Prosperity'.Italy filed on June 30, 2023, with the World Water Council, the candidacy to host the eleventh World Water Forum (March 2027) in the city of Rome, 'Regina Aquarum' and the first European municipality for agricultural extension, as highlighted by the president of the Capitoline Chamber of Commerce, Lorenzo Tagliavanti.The candidacy was presented by the Promoting Committee and supported by the letter of endorsement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, signed by the Minister, Antonio Tajani.The complete bid proposal (final bid document) was deposited with the Council on 31 December.

Evaluation of applications will end in spring 2024, with formal award in May 2024 during the X World Water Forum.Italy is the country of water:Italy is the nation with the highest rainfall in Europe.The capital was the first large city to be equipped with an aqueduct;hosts the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it is the city which hosts the most foreign diplomatic representations in the world and, last but not least, contains the Vatican City State, a spiritual reference for over one billion and 300 million Catholics in the world.
The 11th World Water Forum will be a particularly important edition, because it will be held between the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to accelerate the implementation of the sixth Sustainable Development Goal on water and the Conference of Nations Unite 2028, which will conclude the international decade of action 'Water for Sustainable Development'.The 2027 Forum will also take place thirty years after the first edition, held in Marrakesh (Morocco) in 1997 and will therefore be an opportunity to take stock of the process and its renewal.For this reason, Italy proposes to involve the organizers of the first ten editions within the International Steering Committee for Rome and to allocate an important part of the program to the balance of the previous Forums and their impact on the international agenda for waterfall.

The 11th World Water Forum will be essential to leave no one behind:Italy proposes to join forces with the presidency of the World Water Council and with the United Nations, so that the platform of the Rome Forum allows a comparison between governments and other actors, who will participate in the process under the aegis of the United Nations.

The National Organizing Committee will systematically propose the search for new partnerships, including between public and private, in the organization of the sessions, as well as the creation and strengthening of networks of actors, especially those who can do more for water, working both on supply and demand for water resources.Rome's candidacy, in fact, proposes to pay particular attention to some actors, who often participate less in United Nations processes:in particular, service providers, the private sector, financial institutions, as well as cities, regions and other local authorities.Gender equality, the participation of all generations and the organization of an event with a positive impact on the environment and climate are also key values ​​for the Italian candidacy.

Rome's candidacy is that of an entire country and an entire continent.As part of the European preparation process, the Italian Government aims to involve not only Rome, but each of the 100 cities, the 20 regions of Italy and each of the 27 States, starting from the three-year period preceding the event.The hope is that the perspective of the Forum will bring out new actions and produce emulation of the many excellences and good practices in Rome, Italy and Europe.

The ambition of the Rome Forum is to bring together the different economic sectors, the various levels of government and the many groups of actors who are interested in water.Not surprisingly, the proposed theme will be 'One Water', as underlined by Ornella Segnalini, Councilor for Public Works and Infrastructure of the Municipality of Rome.Each session will be organized in such a way as to bring together, for example, at least two sectors or two levels or even a group of actors and a level of government, which still struggle to dialogue, starting with the quantitative and qualitative management of water.

During the Forum, an exhibition and a fair will provide space, in which all interested organizations can showcase their contribution:the world water exhibition will give the opportunity to the Italian private sector, as well as the rest of the world, to present innovative products and services, while the World Water Fair will be a space open to non-profit organisations, including public bodies.

The program of conferences, B2B meetings, hackathons, expo and virtual villages will be integrated with numerous technical visits and cultural itineraries, distributed across the national territory with dedicated thematic events.The proposed dates for the Forum in Italy are 20 to 26 March 2027, with Monday 22 March World Water Day.

The 'venue' of the Forum will be the EUR conference centre:the opening event will be held in the sports hall;conferences, events, exhibitions and fairs will be held in the spaces of La Nuvola, Palazzo dei Congressi, Salone delle Fontane, Spazio Novecento and in other areas and structures.Furthermore, events, exhibitions and shows will be held throughout the city.

The Promotion Committee, chaired by Maria Spena, (vice presidents:Ornella Segnalini, Massimo Gargano and Marco Rago) is made up of delegates from six competent ministries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation;Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security;Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry;Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;Ministry of Civil Protection and Maritime Policies;Ministry of University and Research), Roma Capitale, Lazio Region, AICS, ANBI, EWA Foundation and Utilitalia.The Technical-Scientific Committee, which is continually expanding, is made up of bodies, government and research institutes, universities, representatives of civil society, businesses, consultancy firms, associations, public and private organisations.