The Conference "Water Right against Poverty" (WRAP 2006)

In the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the flood which shocked the city of Florence, the Municipality Administration wants to put forward a deep reflection on water management at global level, both in terms of availability and accessibility to the resource. Population growth and fast and strong urban sprawl, changing lifestyles and economic development, as well as natural disasters due to badly managed human-nature interactions, have led to consider water management issues a major challenge in order to assure equal, pacific and sustainable development of all human communities.
In this framework and as stated in the Final Declaration of the "World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty", held last march in Valencia (Spain), the major of Florence and the Water Right Foundation promote the Initiative "Water Right Against Poverty", in partnership with UNDP, the Province of Florence, University of Florence, Forum of Local Authorities for social inclusion and United Cities & Local Governments. The final goal of this meeting is to involve North and South local authorities and civil society actors into a discussion on feasible concrete actions to be implemented in order to reach the MDGs set for 2015. In particular, the main focus will be on local financial mechanisms for international development cooperation set throughout Europe and especially linked to public utility supplies. Replication possibilities of these experiences into wider regional contexts will be explored.