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Three cHeers to IWP on her third anniversary

By KESLS RAM


Three cHeers to the Institute of Water Policy on her third anniversary!

3Hs reflecting on the last three year journey of IWP

(excerpts of the speech at the Third Anniversary of IWP on 24 June 2011)

I have taken permission from my wife to say a few words on my reflection on this important day for the Institute of Water Policy. After the enlightening opening remarks by our Dean Professor Mahbubani, and Chairman of the International Advisory Panel Tan Gee Paw, I would like to use three "Hs". 
First, H is Heart. Dean Kishore, DG Xianbin Yao and Amb Tommy Koh and most importantly HRH crown Prince of Orange have been very gracious with their heartful and inspiring moral support, when we sowed the seeds for IWP in June 2008. I offer my special gratitude to them all for trusting me to serve as the founding director.

The second H, is Head. Eminent experts Chairman Tan Gee Paw, LKY School Chairman Wang gungwu, PUB CE Teng chye, Bhanoji Rao, Soon Guan;  several  laureates, including  Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom, Stockholm Laureates Tony Allan, Rita Colwell,  Asit Biswas, Bindeshwar Pathak, LKY Water Prize winners Gatze Lettinga; and leading academics Peter Rogers, Dale Whittington, and Toshio Koike, enthusiastically shared their intellectual insights to shape the vision and mission for IWP. I cherish the interactions with each one of them. With their  encouraging support, IWP launched several flagship products: AWGI, IDWA,  water governance case studies, and today, the inaugural IWP staff papers 2011.

The third but most important H, is Hands. Several committed staff and associates, inculding interns, have worked incessantly to produce the 70 plus research outputs in the last 3 years. I request you to give them a round of applause as I wish to call them  the A to Z at IWP, literally. Allow me to name a few, Adeeb, Andrea, Asanga, Bernard, Boyd, CK, Carol, Chrissy, Cecilia, Chopra, Denni, Dodo, Domenica,  Ed, Gopi, Huiling, Jiang yong, islam Shahnila, Judith, Kheng lian, Kang jet, Lin Heng, Luana, Lovleen, Melanie, May, Ora, Peng chen, Priyanka, Pragnya, Quang Vinh, Rita , Saichon, Siva, Thet, Vinh, Wu Xun, Xixi, Yugal. My sincere apologies if I missed anyone. 

Finally, the harmony of these three Hs (heart, head and hand) gives us the Hope that IWP can reach new Heights as a pre-eminent hub for thought leadership on water policy in the coming years.

After years of research, there is a global consensus that the problems relating to water have not much to do with the physical scarcity of water or even lack of funds: they are essentially due to lack of good governance. Knowledge put into action is key to governance.  We are located in the botanic garden campus, in which there are trees that will outlive all of us. Universities build capacity across generations and produce thought leaders who make lasting contributions to society.  Through the TF water leadership program launched today, the SEAW Ministerial Forum launched at SIWW 2011,  IWP is well positioned to make such lasting contribution in the future.

The IWP, being uniquely located in a global school of public policy has a noble goal at the individual, community, and national level. At the individual level, water is life. Drinking water determines life or death. In order to survive, potable water is more essential than food. Every individual requires to drink one to two liters of safe potable water a day, even if that person does not have access to adequate food.  At the community level,  water is Health. Water is necessary for sanitation and hygiene. 1.8 billion people in Asia do not have access to proper sanitation. Water-borne diseases, and vector diseases still account for the major illnesses and causes of death in the developing Asian countries. At the Nation level, water is security. Water is central to economical and human development. Developed and newly industrialised nations in Asia, such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong have demonstrated the political and economic wisdom of attributing higher priority to water. These countries multiplied their GDP per capital several times in the last 30 years.

Indeed, water is one of the most important gifts of nature. Let us work together to shape smart water policies that nurture water for a better future. I thank you all again for joining us on our third anniversary  and hope you enjoy the rest of the program and interact among others during the reception. 

Seetharam Kallidaikurichi
Visiting Professor and Director, Institute of Water Policy
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
(on secondment from the Asian Development Bank)



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Posted By Kes Ls Ram to Think Pieces of Lakshmi and Seetharam at 6/25/2011 11:57:00 AM

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