The IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition is a high-profile event that attracts 5,000 water professionals, companies and institutions from across the globe. It is a biennial event organised by the International Water Association (IWA) that has been held in previous years in the cities of Montreal, Vienna, Beijing, Marrakech, Melbourne, Berlin and Paris. In 2012 the event will be held in Busan, Korea, a thriving coastal metropolis that is home to 3.6 million people and a city that is becoming one of Asia’s top convention cities thanks to its superb beaches and world-class hotels.
The event is a valuable and unique opportunity for the community of world-leading water professionals to meet, exchange ideas, explore the state of the art and debate the key issues underlying the science and practice of water. It is also where the entire water community congregates once every two years and where IWA specialist groups showcase their work and plan for future activities.
Presentations at the congress relate to all aspects of the water cycle and are organised around these key themes:
- Science and application of water treatment and management
- Water, climate and energy
- Cities of the future
- Managing utilities and their assets
- Securing new and traditional water resources for the future.
- Water, ecosystems and catchments
- Water and health – microbiological and chemical
As well as these traditional subjects, there is a strong focus on water in the developing world and a special program for young water professionals (YWPs).
The congress proceedings are supported by a world-leading exhibition of 200 water and sanitation products and services providers and a number of national pavilions.
There is also a full programme of business networking and social events and tours. The highlight is the gala dinner, which is normally attended by 2,000 people.