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World Water Day - 22 March 2009 - "Shared Water - Shared Opportunities "  On March 22, World Water Day is held to highlight the importance of freshwater and how to manage water sustainably. In 2009, under the theme "Shared Water - Shared Opportunities ", transboundary water is in focus. Managing water across borders could promote trust and understanding, leading to a more peaceful and secure world, enabling sustainable economic growth. Lead agencies for World Water Day 2009 are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United Nations Day at Expo Zaragoza  During the visit of Mr. Ban Ki-Moon to the Expo Zaragoza on 01 September 2008 he commended the Government of Spain “for hosting this magnificent international exposition on “’Water and Sustainable Development’”. He also emphasised UN-Water’s role in strengthening the coherence of efforts to implement the global water and sanitation agenda, and encouraged attendees to visit the UN-Water pavilion at the Expo. Mr. Ban emphasised the work left to do and the challenges impeding progress to meet the Millennium Development Goals on water and sanitation. Full Speech of the United Nations Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Expo Zaragoza 2008  The Expo 2008 is an international exposition held from 14 June to 14 September 2008 in Zaragoza, Spain under the theme "Water and Sustainable Development". More than one hundred countries, dozens of companies and NGOs, as well as UN-Water have pavilions at the Expo 2008. The UN-Water pavilion hosts events during the Expo and features projected posters from international artists on the theme Water for Life. The Expo 2008 hosts performers and artists and features spectacular architecture with the 80 metre high transparent Water Tower, designed by Enrique de Teresa to evoke a drop of water, Zaha Hadid's Bridge Pavilion and the river aquarium. The Expo is hoping to attract 6.5 million visitors and draw the world's attention to one of the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st century. Photo: Expo Zaragoza 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CARIBSAN 2008  The Caribbean Workshop on Sanitation - “Integration of Sanitation Policies into National Development Plans in the Caribbean Region” was held in Kingston, Jamaica 28-29 April 2008. The workshop was organized by the Division for Sustainable Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and WSP/World Bank. Participants from 16 countries in the region included Ministers, professionals of institutions of the sector, scholars, members of civil society, non-governmental agencies, donor agencies, development agencies and the private sector. The objective of the workshop was to contribute to the improvement of the well-being of the population in the Caribbean region through the integration and development of sanitation policies. Please see the CARIBSAN Recommendations for more information on the results of the workshop. Caribsan Recommendations [pdf] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Water Day 2008 on Sanitation  World Water Day 2008 will be celebrated by the UN on Thursday, 20 March. In 2008 the day will highlight issues on sanitation in accordance with the International Year of Sanitation 2008. People around the world are encouraged to celebrate the day to draw attention to the world’s sanitation challenge. HRH the Prince of Orange will attend the celebrations in Geneva. UN Water officially launched the website for World Water Day 2008. The website features factsheets, videos and news on the upcoming World Water Day celebrations. Visit the World Water Day website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Launch of International Year of Sanitation (IYS 2008)  The United Nations officially launched the International Year of Sanitation to accelerate progress for 2.6 billion people world wide who are without proper sanitation facilities. Every year inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene contribute to the deaths of 1.5 million children. “Access to sanitation is deeply connected to virtually all the Millennium Development Goals, in particular those involving the environment, education, gender equality and the reduction of child mortality and poverty,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “An estimated 42,000 people die every week from diseases related to low water quality and an absence of adequate sanitation. This situation is unacceptable.” The International Year of Sanitation, 2008, is a theme year set by the UN General Assembly in December 2006 to help put this global crisis at the forefront of the international agenda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, urges greater efforts to tackle ‘silent crisis’ of safe water for all  On the occassion of unveiling a new exhibit at United Nations Headquarters, organized by the American Museum of Natural History linked to the 'Water for Life' Decade, Ban Ki-moon has called for greater efforts to ensure the most basic of human needs – safe water. “Safe drinking water and adequate sanitation are crucial for poverty reduction, crucial for sustainable development, and crucial for achieving any and every one of the Millennium Development Goals,” Mr. Ban stated, referring to the global targets to slash poverty, illiteracy, disease and other social ills by 2015 collectively known as the MDGs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UN opens office in Spain to support the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ 2005-2015  A United Nations office to support the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015 opened in Zaragoza, Spain, on 5 October 2007. The office will be managed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and will facilitate the coordinated implementation of UN-Water’s work on water and sanitation, especially in the areas of communication and advocacy to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities to solve global water and sanitation issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . International Year of Sanitation 2008 The international community agreed to take action to improve access to Sanitation, along with water and human settlements, at the 13th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in May 2005. The following year, the UN General Assembly decided to assign 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation (IYS), with the overall objective of accelerating progress on sanitation to help save lives and foster economic and social development. The IYS is expected to build on decisions taken by the CSD and help to keep the issue of sanitation at the forefront of the global agenda. It will raise the issue prominently to politicians, civil society, and the public in general focusing on the need to take effective action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Water Day 2007: ‘Coping with Water Scarcity’  This year’s theme for World Water Day, which is celebrated each year on 22 March, is 'Coping with Water Scarcity'. The theme highlights the significance of cooperation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management at both international and local levels. Equity and rights, cultural and ethical issues are essential to be addressed when dealing with limited water resources. Imbalances between availability and demand, the degradation of groundwater and surface water quality, intersectoral competition, interregional and international disputes, all center around the question of how to cope with scarce water resources. Visit the World Water Day 2007 Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The United Nations, MTV and Jay-Z team up to raise attention of the world water crisis: "The Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life"  In partnership with the United Nations and MTV, Jay-Z shares his experiences in the documentary "The Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life". The film will be aired worldwide, starting on November 24 at MTV USA and will be available at MTV’s website. It is a joint effort to get young people involved in the world's water crisis. Struck by the sight of children playing near open sewers in an Angolan slum, rap star Jay-Z thought back to life in the "hood" — the poor neighborhood where he grew up – exclaiming: "In my business, we like to say we're from the hood, we're not in the hood. By no means. Not even close." http://www.un.org/works/water/index.html . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Play the UNICEF 'Voices of Youth' online game Water Alert! to help solve the world water crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Human Development Report 2006: ‘Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis’  The Human Development Report 2006, launched on 9 November in Cape Town, South Africa, is subtitled ‘Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis’. The report highlights that clean water and sanitation are amongst the most powerful drivers for human development. Access to water and sanitation extends opportunities, enhances dignity and helps create a virtuous cycle of improving health and rising wealth. The report highlights poverty, unequal access, wars, migration and unsustainable consumption patterns as the main contributors of the water crisis. It puts forward the important message that we are in the midst of a crisis in water and sanitation that overwhelmingly affects the poor. A crisis, in which too many people do not have access to enough water under the right conditions to live. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meeting the MDG drinking-water and sanitation target: the urban and rural challenge of the decade  The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have set us on a common course to push back poverty, inequality, hunger and illness. The world has pledged to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Entering the International Decade for Action, Water for Life, 2005–2015, this report looks at the challenge of meeting the MDG target for drinking water and sanitation. Achieving the MDG drinking water and sanitation target poses two major challenges: a rapid pace of urbanization, which requires a major effort even to keep up the current coverage levels; a huge backlog of rural people unserved with basic sanitation and safe drinking water, which calls for an intensive mobilization of resources to reduce the vast coverage gap between urban and rural populations. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/jmpfinal.pdf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  The triennial UN World Water Development Report is a joint undertaking of 24 UN agencies comprising UN-Water in partnership with governments and other stakeholders, and coordinated by WWAP. It presents a comprehensive picture of freshwater resources in all regions and most countries of the world as it tracks progress towards the water-related targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals and examines a range of key issues including population growth and increasing urbanization, changing ecosystems, food production, health, industry and energy, as well as risk management, valuing and paying for water and increasing knowledge and capacity. Sixteen case studies look at typical water resource challenges and provide valuable insights into different facets of the water crisis and management responses. Finally, the report outlines a set of conclusions and recommendations to guide future action and encourage sustainable use, productivity and management of our increasingly scarce freshwater resources. WWDR2 is aimed at a wide audience, including all those interested or directly involved in the formulation and implementation of water-related policies, as well as managers, researchers, teachers, students and, of course, water users themselves. http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr2/index.shtml . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.uneca.org/awich/AWDR_2006.htm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Next month during his international concert tour, Jay-Z will travel to Turkey and South Africa, and several other areas affected by water crisis, while being documented for the MTV special, Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life. The series is part of MTV's ongoing initiatives to educate, empower and involve young people regarding global issues. The networks first-person biographical series, and will air on November 24, reaching 179 counties on 50 of MTV locally programmed channels. Educating young people on the devastating impact of the world's water crisis got a boost today as Secretary-General Kofi Annan joined Def Jam President and CEO Jay-Z and MTV President Christina Norman, along with representatives of key UN agencies, at United Nations Headquarters in New York to launch a joint initiative aimed at spotlighting the issue. Next month during his international concert tour, Jay-Z will travel to Turkey and South Africa, and several other areas affected by water crisis, while being documented for the MTV special, Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life . The series is part of MTV's ongoing initiatives to educate, empower and involve young people regarding global issues. The networks first-person biographical series, and will air on November 24, reaching 179 counties on 50 of MTV locally programmed channels. More... |
