THE DROP OF HOPE

The Drop of Hope is a hot air balloon in the shape of a water droplet that is 24 metres high. It is a tool to raise public awareness and understanding of water issues.

The project was made possible by a wide-reaching movement of international solidarity on the part of all water management partners who contributed funds. Thus, NGOs, governments, people and private and public companies of the North and South bought shares of $50, corresponding to 1 square metre of the balloon. The Drop of Hope is not about commercial flag-flying, it is a demonstration of water management stakeholders' willingness to participate in the sustainable development of the planet.

The Drop of Hope, ambassador of the voice of citizens from around the world, first took flight in Rio in 1992. Since then, it has landed in the gardens of the United Nations (New York), in Warsaw, Montreal, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez, at the UNESCO in Paris, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, in Quebec, Espalion, The Hague, Bonn, Ouagadougou, Budapest, Edmonton and in Besse.

THE WATER CLOCK (CLEPSYDRA)

The clock, also called a clepsydra, is 4 metres high. It was designed and manufactured by the Bernard Gitton Workshop in France.

In the context of the Millennium Development Goals, adopted in 2000, the worlds' governments have undertaken to halve the proportion of people without access to water and sanitation by 2015.

The Water Clock constitutes a visual reminder of these goals. The digital display presents the challenges to be met. The constantly changing figures on the digital display show the increasing gap between the current situation and the progress we have to make to be able to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

THE GIANT CHESS BOARD

The giant chess board is an original idea that emerged from one of the Youth Parliaments for Water. It was presented for the first time in Johannesburg during the World Summit on Sustainable Development. It was also presented in Kyoto during the 3rd World Water Forum.

Half the pieces are made in Africa (summit in Johannesburg), the other half in Japan.

 RITA THE LIFE-SIZED PUPPET

Rita is a 3 metre-tall puppet, which represents women, world citizenship and female civil society players. She represents female citizens of all ages, all origins and all cultures.

She carries a message of hope and solidarity while underlining the central role of women in water and sustainable development issues.

She can be used as a communications tool in events or be presented in the context of a play using giant puppets.

Rita, Marilu, Indiram, Thuaong, Leilatou, Miyuki...         

''I am Rita, Marliu, Indiram, Thuaong, Leilatou, Miyuki and many others.... Citizen of all ages, all origins, all cultures and civil society player.''

Rita has been present at:

• The social summit in Copenhagen (1995),
• The 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995),
• The FAO symposium in Quebec in October 1995,
• The national meeting of the Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development (France) (1995).

 AFRICA'S INVISIBLE WATER

The 3D model representing Africa's underground waters was presented at the conference of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in December 2003.

The conference of Addis Ababa was entitled "Pan-African conference on implementing initiatives and partnerships around water resources". This conference highlighted the fact that the numerous objectives set by the international community to achieve access to water and sanitation will be difficult to reach. The following reasons were given: lack of financing and unsuitable financing mechanisms.

JEWELLERY FOR THE RIGHT TO WATER

Cufflinks, broaches and necklace made by the artist José de la Flor

THE WATERING CAN VISITS THE UNITED NATIONS

THE WATERING CAN COLLECTION

THE TREE OF TRANSPARENCY

 



The tree of Transparency was presented at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002