CAWST's First Annual World Water Day Youth Summit

Centre for Affordable Water & Sanitation Technology (CAWST)
Calgary, Canada, 22 Mar 05

http://www.cawst.org

OPPORTUNITY

The United Nations designated March 22 as World Water Day. As a centre of expertise in water and sanitation for the poor, the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) will create a landmark event to stimulate dialogue and individual action.

Goal

Get Calgary’s young men and women to consider the global problem of water and ways they can work to address this issue.

YOUTH SUMMIT

The UN has chosen the theme “Water for Life” for the World Water Day 2005, marking the first day of the International Decade for Action. CAWST will organize a forum for youth to learn more about the role of water in community health, the role of local communities and the international community in addressing these needs, and what individual Calgarians can do to have a meaningful, long-term impact.

Participants

Various Calgary-based youth organizations – High Schools, Universities and Colleges – have taken a proactive approach to this issue and have sought CAWST out as a resource to learn more. CAWST plans to invite these groups to appoint delegates for the Youth Summit.

Format

Delegates will participate in interactive presentations, activities and group work:
• Questions: What kind of world do we want? What motivates people? How can we achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals? What can we do to have an impact?
• Presentations: Camille Dow Baker, President & CEO, CAWST and Dr. Aradhana Parmar, Professor, University of Calgary
• Group Work: Idea exchange, selection and action planning
At the end of the day, groups will present their action plan to invited guests, including provincial, civic and business leaders, community groups and Calgary-based peer organizations. The day will conclude with a wine and cheese reception with youth delegates and invited guests.

The Legacy

CAWST will host this forum each year, building on the original concept year after year. In 2006, CAWST will invite the 2005 delegates to present their progress on their action plan. Action plans and year-after-year results will be posted on the CAWST website.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Need for Water

Over 1.1 billion people have to walk more than one kilometre to get water, clean or dirty. Over 4,400 people die each day from water borne illness, 90% of them children. Clean drinking water is the first step in poverty alleviation.

A Possible Solution

The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) is a Canadian humanitarian organization that provides training in water, sanitation and hygiene to organizations working in some of the poorest communities around the world.

CAWST acts as a catalyst to build capacity of these organizations to meet their community’s needs for safe water.

CAWST is a unique organization, blending professional engineering services, training and network-building that we believe could be a sustainable solution to clean drinking water for the poorest of the poor in the developing world. CAWST is beginning to see the results of this approach in Pakistan, India, Nepal, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti and India. The components of

CAWST’s delivery model include:
• transferring the necessary knowledge in water, sanitation and hygiene,
• teaching appropriate and affordable household water technologies, and
• acting as the catalyst to widespread implementation through its ‘train the trainer’ approach that builds local capacity.

More Information on CAWST
Visit www.cawst.org

Contact: Rotchild Leor <lrotchild@cawst.org>