World Water Day

World Water Day aims to increase people's awareness on water's importance in life. ©iStockphoto.com/Selahattin BAYRAM

What do people do?

Many events are held worldwide during World Water Day. These include:

• Visual art, theatrical and musical celebrations of water.
• Symposia for local, national and international leaders on water management and security.
• Educational events on the importance of clean water and protecting water resources.
• Campaigns and events to raise money for access to clean and affordable water.
• Excursions to local rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
• Special broadcasts on television and radio and the Internet.
• Walks, runs and swimming other sports competitions.

Some events are held on actual World Water Day date, while others are held on convenient dates close to March 22.

Public life

World Water Day is not a public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Background

Agenda 21 is a worldwide action plan for areas where human activities may affect the environment. It was adopted at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. Agenda 21 recommended various measures, including creating World Water Day.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 22, 1992, declaring March 22 to be the World Day for Water each year. Countries were encouraged to develop activities to highlight local needs for water. The first World Day for Water was observed in 1993.

The Water for Life Decade was launched on World Water Day in 2005. This decade will run from 2005 to 2015 and give a high profile to women's participation and the UN's water-related programs.

Symbols

World Water Day's main symbol is the shape of a water drop in the UN's color blue. Photographs of water being used or in rivers, reservoirs, lakes or seas are widely displayed on this occasion.

Themes

Recent World Water Day themes include:

• Shared Waters, Shared Opportunities (2009).
• Sanitation (2008).
• Coping with Water Scarcity (2007).
• Water and Culture (2006).
• Water for Life (2005).
• Water and Disasters (2004).
• Water for the Future (2003).
• Water for Development (2002).
• Water for Health (2001).
• Water for the 21st Century (2000).
• Everyone Lives Downstream (1999).
• Groundwater: the Invisible Resource (1998).
• The World's Water: Is There Enough? (1997).
• Water for Thirsty Cities (1996).
• Women and Water (1995).

A new theme is allocated to each different year for World Water Day.

World Water Day Observances

Related holidays

• International Mountain Day–Friday, December 11, 2009
• World Food Day–Friday, October 16, 2009
• International Day for Biological Diversity–Friday, May 22, 2009
• World Environment Day–Friday, June 5, 2009
• World Habitat Day–Monday, October 5, 2009

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