World Water Day was conceived during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Since then the goal of the annual celebration has been to draw international attention to the need for sustainable management of this vital resource. Each year World Water Day places attention on a different aspect of freshwater. The theme of this year’s observance is “be the change”. The goal is to encourage people to make changes in their own lives in an effort to accelerate solutions to the global water & sanitation crisis.

World Water Day 2023 provides teachers and students with excellent opportunities to explore the essential nature of water and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal #6.

Why Care about World Water Day? 

• Clean, freshwater is a basic requirement for all life

• While 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water, less than .003% of this water is potable.

• Billions of people &  countless schools, businesses, health centres, farms and factories don’t have the safe water and toilets they need. (worldwater.org 2023

• Human activities and climate change are causing serious depletion and pollution of the groundwater in many parts of the world

• Canada ranks second in the world in per capita use of water (Conference Board of Canada, 2018)

• For many of the 400,000 Canadians living on First Nations reserves, access to safe drinking water remains a major challenge

• Water is an integral part of the earth’s web of ecosystems, providing critical habitat for wildlife.

• Canadians depend on healthy aquatic ecosystems to provide essential economic and social services

• The earth’s fresh water resources are facing increasing threats related to climate change (UN Water, 2019)

Resources 4 Rethinking encourages students and teachers to participate in World Water Day. Top R4R Picks will connect you to some excellent resources to support these efforts. 

For more information and ideas be sure to check out World Water Day