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Within the framework of the World Water Week 2012, UNESCO organizes a seminar to officially announce and inform about the activities foreseen for the UN International Year of Water Cooperation 2013 for which UNESCO has been assigned the role of lead Agency by UN Water.
The World Water Week, taking place every year in Stockholm, is the leading annual global meeting place for capacity-building, partnership-building and follow-up on the implementation of international processes and programmes in water and development.
The UN International Year 2013 and the World Water Day, 22 March 2013, will be dedicated water co-operation. The Seminar will officially launch and introduce the preparations for both, the Year and the Day and inform about the planned activities and initiatives; it will also offer the opportunity to gather inputs and commitments from stakeholders. Water co-operation has multiple dimensions including cultural, educational, scientific, religious, ethical, social, political, legal, institutional and economic aspects.

A multidisciplinary approach is essential to grasp the many facets implied in the concept and to blend such parts into a holistic vision. Moreover, in order to be successful and long-lasting, water co-operation needs a common understanding of what the needs and challenges are around water. Building a shared consensus on the appropriate responses to these questions will be the main focus of the International Year and the World Water Day in 2013. It is envisaged that the conclusions of the seminar will provide inspiring messages to feed the programme of the UN International Year as well as the campaign for the World Water Day 2013, both coordinated by UNESCO in co-operation with UNECE and with the support of UNDESA, UNW-DPAC, UNW-DPC, on behalf of UN-Water.

The global event for World Water Day 2013 will be hosted by the Government of the Netherlands.