São Paulo – Registrations are open for the King Hassan II Great World Water Prize, awarded by the Moroccan government and the World Water Council. The prize will be awarded to institutions, organizations, individuals or groups with innovative initiatives aimed at ensuring access to water, sanitation and technology, in the current scenario of global change that affects climate, populations and socioeconomic development.
The prize bears the name of deceased king Hassan II, father to the current king of Morocco, Mohamed VI. He reigned in the country from 1961 to 1999 and left the throne only upon dying of a heart attack. According to the prize’s website, the initiative honours the king’s memory and strategic vision of protecting and managing water resources in integrated, sustainable fashion.
The prize was created in March 2003, for the 3rd World Water Forum as a tool for encouraging reflection on the matter. It is awarded every three years at a special ceremony during the forum’s editions, and the winner receives US$ 100,000, a trophy and a certificate. The next prize will be delivered next year.
The contest is themed “Cooperation and sound management in the development and use of water resources,” and the 2015 edition will award “Innovation for access to water, energy and sanitation in the face of global changes.” Applications must be submitted by September 30th. Applicants must be nominated by at least two individuals and/or organizations. Nominators must be related to water resources.
Candidates from all countries are accepted. The latest winner, in 2012, was Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO), an international organization based in Tunis, Tunisia, which works to improve early warning and monitoring systems for agriculture. In the prior edition, in 2009, the winner was Abdulatif Youssef Al-Hamad, CEO of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. In 2006, the winner was Torklil Jonch Clausen, then the Development Director and Deputy CEO of DHI Water and Environment, in Denmark.
The 7th World Water Forum, during which the next prize will be delivered, will take place in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, South Korea, from April 12th to 17th, 2015. To apply, see additional information in the addresses below.
Secretariat of the King Hassan II Great World Water Prize
Espace Gaymard
2-4 place d’Arvieux
13002 Marseille – France
Tel: +33 4 91 99 41 00
Email: hassan2@worldwatercouncil.org
Website: http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/forum/water-prizes/king-hassan-ii-great-world-water-prize/
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
