The Petén Water Quality Roundtable, an inter-institutional effort that seeks to implement programs to preserve water quality, with support from the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, held the symposium Situación actual y perspectivas de la cuenca del Lago Petén Itzá (Current situation and perspectives for the lake of Petén Itzá), on May 22^nd and 23^rd in Flores, Petén, Guatemala. The symposium was aimed at mayors, NGOs, students, government organizations and professionals in environmental conservation. The topics addressed were biodiversity, water quality, governance, sanitation and exchange of experiences regarding other lakes in Guatemala.

In addition to scientific presentations, the panel/forum “What kind of future do we want for Lake Petén Itzá?” was held, with the participation of several institutions such as EMAPET, AMPI, INGUAT, INCIDE and CONAP; with the objective of identifying immediate actions for the adequate management of the basin, striving for the well-being of the regional population.

At the end of the meeting, a press release was agreed on, so that everyone, particularly decision-makers, have an understanding of the basin’s problems and that, if immediate action is not taken, the degradation and pollution of the lake will reach a very difficult point of return.