The Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters, an initiative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, is the first high-level UN event dedicated to the issue of water and disasters. The session aims to raise awareness, share best practices and experiences, and discuss future global actions on water and disasters. Event sessions include: an opening session with an address by Ban; a high level session on water and disasters, including deliberations by experts; a panel session on “Experience and Lessons of Water and Disasters;” and a panel session on “Regional and Global Cooperation to Address Mega-Water Disasters.” Panelists and speakers include high-level government ministers and officials, the President and Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Director General and Assistant Director General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the President of the World Water Council, and the Chair of the Global Water Partnership.  

date: 6 March 2013   venue: ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters   location: New York, US   contact: Seiji Ito, Secretariat of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation   phone: +1 212 963 8590   fax: +1 212-963-4340   e-mail: hlep.unsgab@gmail.com   www: http://www.unsgab.org/news/130306.htm