istanbul-iwtc1The Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water was the lead sponsor of the 16th International Water Technolgy Conference which was held this year at Fatih University in Istanbul Turkey from 7-10 May.

The conference is organized annually by the International Water Technology Association.

HRH prince Khaled Bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Prize Council, attended the conference in person and spoke about the need of translating research into practical policies ofr governments and decision makers to adopt.

 

Speech Delivered by
HRH Prince Khaled bin Abdulaziz
at the Sixteenth International Water Technology Conference
Istanbul, Turkey 7-10 May 2012


I begin by thanking God who has blessed us in so many ways. Water is among these blessings. It is He who sends down the rains and brings forth the rivers and springs through which He provides us with the produce and fruits of the Earth. We praise Him  for these blessings.

fatihI am pleased to be here with you today at this prestigious center of learning, Fatih University, to attend the Sixteenth International Water Technology Conference. This university was established only 16 years ago in 1996, but it has accomplished a lot in its short time on the academic scene. Ten thousand students, including 1000 from outside of Turkey, have benefited from a faculty of 1000 professors. It  is a university worthy of recognition.

I also wish to welcome the distinguished scientists and researchers who are presenting the 130 valuable research papers for this conference’s 27 sessions. If we live in a world where only those who possess power have respect, then know that there is no power without knowledge and no knowledge without research, and no successful research without creative thinking.

I had wished to be with you at the opening session and share your concerns about water, since right now the future of water looks bleak. The wars of the future will not be fought over oil territory, or political power, but over the control of water. We face the continued problem of mismanagement and poor conservation of this essential resource, upon which all life depends. Sound water management is the foundation of any solution to the impending water crisis.

Permit me, therefore, to make the following observations:

1. I would like the conference to shed light on one aspect of water, that is the way water is perceived as sacred and pure by virtually all cultural and faith traditions. Since the dawn of history, people have known the value of water. They have also appreciated its purifying qualities and regarded it as the primary source of cleanliness. God has graced water with unique qualities, like its melting and freezing points, the ways in which its molecules interact, and the way it behaves as a liquid that set it apart from other substances. I hope that the topic of how water is revered in the world’s various religious and cultural systems can receive the attention that it deserves.

2. One of the important concerns that we must face is that nations are not united in the effort to solve the water crisis. There is no unified body of law governing how nations must conduct themselves. The treaties that exist are insufficient to prevent the degradation of the water resources upon which all life depends. Each country acts strictly to protect its own interests, without giving any regard to the needs of other countries, and with disregard to the international agreements that have been made. I have previously called for holding a “Water Summit” similar to the financial summits that take place. If we are able to make the difficult decisions we need to get beyond our financial crises, we should be able to do the same with water, especially when faced with the danger of mass starvation. This is essential, since three things must be applied avert the impending water crisis: management, will, and power.

3. I have worked with commitment for the establishment of conferences, forums, organizations, and research programs to address water issues in their scientific aspects and practical implementation. Even if all of this is realized, we still need to ask ourselves what benefit we have derived from all of this research. Are we actively engaged in the implementation of what we are learning, or are we allowing all that research to gather dust on our library shelves? If we do not give this research the attention that it deserves , and we fail to heed the conclusions our researchers present us with, then we have squandered our time and effort. In my opinion, we can avoid this problem through a more creative approach in presenting research. Most research results are presented in a way that does not give decision-makers the ability or encouragement act upon them. What they need are the following: cost projections, work plans  giving specific procedures and timeframes, and implementation benefits. I hope this deficiency can be remedied, if not for past and current research efforts, then at east for future ones. I feel that these three aspects should, from the start, be made requirements of any research effort.

4. The problems we face with water are obvious to everyone. Their causes and symptoms are well-known and clearly defined. We all know the challenges that we face. We are confronted with a difficult equation. On one side of the equation are the challenges of water and food security, and on the other side are the rights that people have to potable water and sanitation.

As for the challenges of water security, they include scarcity, contamination, desertification, water-related conflicts, water piracy, wastage, abuse, mismanagement, the choice of some countries to adopt biofuels, and the use of water as rocket fuel, not to mention global warming and climate change.

As for the rights of the people that are connected with water, they are not only the to clean drinking water and decent sanitation. The right to sufficient nutrition, not to mention the right to clean energy, are both directly related to water, as well as the right for development and progress. All of these essential rights rely to a great extent upon water.

What we need is to satisfy both sides of this equation – between the challenges and rights, between supply and demand. The growing disparity in this equation warns us that the world’s water problems are going to become compounded in the days to come. Thirst leads to hunger which leads to extreme poverty and the cessation of economic development. Free thought and the power of the people to make decisions are inevitably lost.

We have high hopes in the scientists and researchers of all nationalities who are working to provide creative and insightful solutions for the water problems facing our planet – solutions which can be implemented on a global scale through the political will of the nations of the world, and if necessary enforced through military intervention against countries which choose to act aggressively  and transgress against article seven of the United Nations Convention. We need to act for the peace and security of all humanity.

In conclusion, I wish to salute Turkey as a friend in the person of its Prime Minister, His Eminence Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who deserves to be applauded for the realization of social justice and the impressive  economic development of his country, as well as his optimistic outlook for the future and his moderate and holistic Islamic outlook, and for making his country open to dialogue and a multiplicity of opinion. He has made his country more tolerant. He shows an astute understanding of his country’s priorities. We must not forget what he accomplished as Mayor of Istanbul by solving the city’s problems of water scarcity, pollution, and congestion. Those leadership qualities are reflected today in his astute steering of the Turkish ship of state, ensuring peace and justice for his people.

I also wish to thank the organizers of this Conference who have excelled in their efforts year after year. I look forward to the recommendations of this Conference and hope they will light the way for us to escape the impending crisis which is drawing nearer to our world day by day.