Ankara  - The 5th World Water Forum got under way in Istanbul on Monday morning, with Turkish President Abdullah Gul playing host to various world leaders who plan to discuss water issues in the 21st century.

Some 20,000 people from more than 130 countries were in Istanbul for the forum, which is held every three years. The forum aims to bring together people from both within and outside the water sector in order to find sustainable solutions to the world's water challenges.

"The forum offers the water community and policy and decision makers from all over the world the unique opportunity to come together to create links, debate and attempts to find solutions to achieve water security," according to the World Water Council, which organizes the event. (dpa)