Opening Comments

by Professor Kader Asmal
Chair of the Commission and Minister of Education for South Africa

…Association presidents. Government representatives. Environmental activists. Utility managers. Bilateral aid directors. Affected peoples leaders. Academics and researchers. Archaeologists. Foundation heads. Public policy analysts. Business executives. Social scientists. Peacefully assembled protesters. Multilateral aid agency chiefs. River basin authorities. Free-lance consultants. Engineering subcontractors. And our long-suffering, ever-faithful and endlessly patient spouses.

Let no one say the World Commission on Dams ever fails to be inclusive!

Our Global Launch, today, is an act of translation, from words into action. In one respect, our translation may be easier done than said. We spent two productive years agreeing on what to say with one voice, and thought that would be the hardest part.

But in recent weeks we found that our attempts to translate meaning from English to other languages almost as insurmountable. For example, there is no German word for dam "spillway" other than Hochwasserentlastungsanlage. Our extensive global "submissions" in Spanish mean 947 written "conquests." And of course the same symbol in Chinese means, intriguingly, either "opportunity" or "crisis." While some degree of ambiguity is always welcome -- our Report is, by design, adaptable -- you get a fairly good idea what we're up against.

I have no doubt that our main translators are up to the task, to explain, with their usual clarity and grace, what our work means as seen from their stature and perspective. Following the reception, a translation where all can speak directly with Commissioners and Secretariat in a workshop on the major findings in the Report.

Beyond that, we shall undertake a 16 week, 20 city translation of how all parties can act, adapt, adopt and implement those findings, with a climax of the WCD Forum deciding to what degree, and who, will carry on the work begun in this Report. I note that some have praised or condemned the Report without having seen it. I urge you: Don't rely exclusively on us, or even on others to translate it for you; I urge each one of you to translate the Report for yourselves.

Now, let us begin with my leader, President Nelson Mandela...

Followed by His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange...

Mr James D Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank...

Maritta Koch-Weser, Director-General IUCN/ World Conservation Union...

(for Human Rights High Commission Mary Robinson) Mr Ahmed Fawzi...