Day 1: What is the World Water Forum?

The week-long global gathering kicked off today. Photo via IISD Reporting Services Even journalists living in this year's host city of Istanbul are a bit perplexed about the event we've dubbed "waterpalooza." Local advertisements describe it as "A big water meeting in Istanbul!" and that seems about as specific of an explanation as most people can muster. The chief organizing body, the World Water Council, calls it "the main water-related event in the world, aimed at putting water firmly on the international agenda" and "a stepping s...