World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
The United Nations General Assembly designated March 22, 1993 as the first World Water Day.
Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation,(http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/en/) World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water.
Water Cooperation
The fulfillment of basic human needs, our environment, socio-economic development and poverty reduction are all heavily dependent on water. Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its unique characteristics: it is unevenly distributed in time and space, the hydrological cycle is highly complex, and perturbations have multiple effects. Rapid urbanization, pollution and climate change threaten the resource while demands for water are increasing in order to satisfy the needs of a growing world population, now at over seven billion people, for food production, energy, industrial and domestic uses. Water is a shared resource and its management needs to take into account a wide variety of conflicting interests. This provides opportunities for cooperation among users.
How to Get Involved
Here’s how UNESCO says you can get involved.
- Promote the International Year of Water Cooperation and the World Water Day: use the logo, our web banners and other campaign materials http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/get-involved/campaign-materials/en/;
- Raise awareness of the benefits of water cooperation: use the brochure http://www.unwater.org/fileadmin/user_upload/watercooperation2013/doc/YWC2013_Brochure_web.pdf, the messages, case studies and success stories; http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/messages/en/
- Share your knowledge with people around you;
- Develop the capacities of stakeholders by organizing a seminar, a workshop or a training;
- Foster partnerships, dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders;
- Take action towards water cooperation;
- Send your success stories; http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/contact-us/en/
- Send your pictures, artwork, videos and other creations, and we’ll share them with the world; http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/contact-us/en/
- Contribute to the formulation of Sustainable Development Goals where water is properly addressed: have your voice heard! http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/get-involved/en/#c191640
Read more: http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/home/en/
