- World Day for Water
In
1993 theUnited Nations General Assembly declaredMarch 22 as World Day for Water (also known as World Water Day)UN document |docid=A-RES-47-193 |type=Resolution |body=General Assembly |session=47 |resolution_number=193 |accessdate=2008-08-23|title=Observance of World Day for Water|date=22 December 1992 ]This day was first formally proposed in
Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED ) inRio de Janeiro ,Brazil . Observance began in1993 and has grown significantly ever since.The UN invited its member nations to devote this day to implementing UN recommendations and promoting concrete activities within their countries. Each year, one of various UN agencies involved in water issues takes the lead in promoting and coordinating international activities for World Day for Water.
With the
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs coordinating, World Day for Water 2005 also marked the start of the second 'UN International Decade for Action for Water', also referred to as theWater for Life Decade 2005 -2015 . [UN document |docid=A-RES-58-217 |type=Resolution |body=General Assembly |session=58 |resolution_number=217 |accessdate=2007-09-16| title=International Decade for Action, Water for Life, 2005-2015.|date=23 December 2003 ]In 2006, World Day for Water was coordinated by
UNESCO with the theme: 'Water and Culture'.In 2007, the theme is [http://www.fao.org/nr/water/issues/scarcity.html 'Coping with Water Scarcity'] , coordinated by [http://www.fao.org/nr/water FAO] .
In addition to the UN member states, a number of NGOs promoting clean
water and sustainable aquatic habitats have used World Day for Water as a time to focus public attention on the critical water issues of our era. Every three years since 1997, for instance, the [http://www.worldwatercouncil.org World Water Council] has drawn thousands to participate in its [http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/index.php?id=6 World Water Forum] during the week of World Day for Water. Participating agencies and NGOs have highlighted issues such as a billion people being without access to safe water for drinking and the role of gender in family access to safe water.On
March 21 ,2008 ,Guardian Weekly will publish a special feature on World Day for Water.Fact|date=August 2008References
External links
* [http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday World Water Day 2008 on Sanitation] - Official UN Water World Water Day site
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.