22 March - World Water Day 2010

"Clean Water for a Healthy World"

World Water Day 2010 activities will aim to communicate messages on water quality, ecosystems and human well-being.

The World Water Day 2010 and its campaign is envisaged to:

• Raise awareness about sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being through addressing the increasing water quality challenges in water management and
• Raise the profile of water quality by encouraging governments, organizations, communities, and individuals around the world to actively engage in proactively addressing water quality e.g. in pollution prevention, clean up and restoration.

World Water Day 2010 activities will aim to communicate messages on water quality, ecosystems and human well-being.

These include: the World Water Day 2010 website and communication and outreach materials, key publications and flagship initiatives around water quality; a global event on water quality around 22 March 2010; a policy dialogue for global commitment to address water quality, ecosystems, and human well-being challenges at key global political events; and outreach for action to address water quality challenges at other key conferences and campaigns.

Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO’s states and urges:

“As the lead UN agency for water sciences and education, UNESCO is moving ahead with an array of programmes to further this know-how. UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme is actively engaged in fostering science and knowledge for protecting the quality of surface waters and groundwater systems.

Likewise, UNESCO is an active contributor to the monitoring of the state of the world’s freshwater resources in the World Water Development Report coordinated by the World Water Assessment Programme, whose secretariat is hosted and led by UNESCO. Since 2003, UNESCO has overseen the training of dozens of water scientists and engineers from developing countries at the Netherlands based UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, a world-ranking establishment. UNESCO promotes capacity building for better management of water resources through its water centres and chairs operating under the auspices of UNESCO in many parts of the world.

Much remains to be done if we are to make a difference to the lives of millions of people. On this World Water Day, I urge Governments, civil society, the private sector and all stakeholders to put the goal of “Clean Water for a Healthy World” at the forefront of their priorities”.

Related links:
::  UNESCO Water Portal (More)
::  World Water Day 2010 official website (More)
::  UNESCOPress (More)
::  Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy "World Water Day Message" (HELP)

• Source:UNESCO SC
• 21-03-2010