Rio+20 Portal

The objective of the Alternative World Water Forum (AWWF) – in French, the Forum Alternatif Mondial de l’Eau (FAME) – is to create a concrete alternative to the sixth World Water Forum (WWF) which is organized by the World Water Council. This Council is a mouthpiece for transnational companies and the World Bank and they falsely claim to head the global governance of water.

For several years, different civil society movements have fought side by side for water conservation and citizen management of water. Activists have created platforms, propositions and campaigns at events such as the 2003 Alternative Forum in Florence, the 2005 Alternative Forum in Geneva, the 2006 Alternative Forum in Mexico or the 2009 Alternative Forum in Istanbul and within international Social Forums such as those in Porto Alegre, Caracas, Nairobi, and Belem. These gatherings helped solidify the movement to reappropriate water, a communal resource which belongs to all of humanity.

The world water movement, in its many forms, has given birth to national water rights networks (such as in Italy), continental networks (in Africa), and has led to the decline of water privatization in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and notably, in France. France, home to the main multinational water companies, yet has had water came back to public management in Paris.

The water movement has participated in the fight to have the access to water recognized as a fundamental human right. Water was declared a human right by the United Nations on 29 July 2010.

The AWWF will pursue and amplify the water movement by creating and promoting an alternative vision of water management which is based on ecological and democratic values continuing research to find solutions to the worldwide water crisis making the water movement structure sustainable.

Programme of FAME

On 9th and 10th March 2012 there will be the conference “Water, Planet and People, for a global citizenship” organized by the France Libertés Foundation at the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur (PACA) Regional Council.

On 10th March there will be an International Meeting of Public authorities in the management of water and sanitation organized by the M.N.L.E. at Martigues.

On 13th March there will be a Forum of local authorities around the world on the policy issues related to water as a common good at Aubagne.

The heart of the Alternative World Water Forum will take place at the Dock des Suds, at rue Urbain V in Marseille from 14th to 17th March 2012.

The workshop themes:

• Women and Water
• Water and Agriculture
• The Right to Water
• Climate Change and the Financialisation of Nature
• Public and community water management and partnerships
• Resistance against neo-liberal reforms
• Water and Health
• Research
• Water and Extractivism
• Conflicts and Water sharing

Outside the workshops:

• MSP General Assembly (Municipal Services Project)
• Preparations for a Water Tribunal
• A Youth Forum
• A session on controversies

Many activities will take place in the month of March, notably the documentary screenings of struggles and victories from the water movement:

• an IN Docks programme of documentaries in relation to the workshops. The screening room will be open from 10H to 18H
• an OFF Festival in alternative cinemas in Marseille
• Water films at cinemas in Martigues.

Finally in the month of February, support concerts will be organized in different places around Marseille to begin mobilization with music! And FAME will end in a concert on March 17 of 18h00 to 24h00 at the Dock of Suds.