The Languedoc Research Institute on Water and Environment (ILEE) and the Association VERSeau Développement, together with Enjoy Montpellier under the auspices of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA), hosted the XIIIth World Water Congress in Montpellier, France from 1-4 September 2008.
The preparation of the Congress was filled with rich and fruitful exchanges; it was a result of close collaboration between the IWRA board chaired by Ali Shady, then by Cecilia Tortajada, the International Scientific Committee chaired by Olli Varis, and the National Organising Committee (NOC) co-chaired by Pierre Chevallier, Bernard Pouyaud and Eric Servat. The members of the NOC met every month during almost three years in order to work together to ensure a successful event. There were difficult moments, but never insurmountable obstacles or disagreement.
The impact of the event greatly exceeded the expectations of an international scientific congress. Undoubtedly this is related to the reality of societies’ universal interest in water, its availability and its management in a changing world where pressures on resources expand and diversify. This was the central theme of the Congress. Our Montpellier community wishes to extend this experience beyond the Congress in order to affirm its pertinence in constantly evolving national and international context.
Pierre Chevallier
Director Languedoc Research Institute
on Water and Environment, Chair of the National
Organising Committee
Bernard Pouyaud
President Association VERSeau Développement, Co-chair
of the National Organising Committee
Eric Servat
Director HydroSciences Montpellier Laboratory, Co-chair
of the National Organising Committee
IWRA 2008 Congress final report
