Workshop 9 (synthesis): how to increase the status of water issues in governance and in public perception

Despite its crucial importance, water receives undesirably low prominence on the political agenda and is often too little featured in the media. The workshop discussed means of boosting awareness and understanding of the issues. Understanding the "unwritten rules" of media and building active relationships will help; a well elaborated strategy for reaching a specific target group is essential, using the most appropriate media. Other channels of communication, e.g. education and marketing campaigns, can be extremely valuable.