March 22 is World Water Day. world water day

Celebrating them with friends and relatives (and even making it a tradition), you can learn a lot of new things, feel like a part of the universe and get another reason to communicate, which, as you know, is the greatest luxury in our world. The spring seasons of the CIS countries fall at the end of March. At this time, the active snowmelt begins. Cheerful talkative streams run along the streets and forest paths, the sun seems to be washed and smart…

It is during this period - March 22 - that many countries of the world celebrate a wonderful holiday - World Water Day. In fact, in Russian it is called World Water Day. But, you see, the literal translation from English of the phrase "World Day for Water" - World Water Day - sounds much more interesting, more romantic, or something.

This holiday was initiated by the United Nations with rather serious goals: to draw public attention to the importance of fresh water, the state of water bodies and the need to protect them.

Two-thirds of the surface of our blue planet is covered with water, but the vast majority of it is the salty reserves of the seas and oceans. Only about 2.5% is accounted for. Moreover, a third of them are hidden underground, and two-thirds rest in the ice captivity of icebergs. It is hard to believe, but if you add up the water of all rivers, streams, lakes and swamps, you get no more than one hundredth of a percent of the world's reserves of life-giving fresh water.

In addition, like all natural resources, this one is extremely unevenly distributed over the Earth's territory. Desert and semi-desert regions account for the smallest portion of the world's water supply. Thus, in Egypt, beloved by the residents of the CIS, according to local residents, it rains once every 4 years. If you happened to see him in this African country, this is a happy omen.

Interestingly, in the last century, the population of our planet has tripled, but water consumption has increased 7 times! Meanwhile, today, more than 2 billion people suffer from and by 2025, according to scientists, this number will increase to 3.2 billion.

As you can see, the problem is extremely acute. That is why World Water Day has been celebrated in many countries since 1993. Every year the holiday is dedicated to some specific aspect. Thus, in 1995 the theme "Water and women" was considered, in 2004 natural disasters related to water were analyzed, and in 2011 they reflected on the role it plays in the life of cities.

World Water Day 2013 was dedicated to international cooperation in this area. Indeed, the planet has long understood that the only way to cope with the problem is through joint efforts. What events are typical for the holiday of water resources? Scientific conferences are held, films are screened, important documents are accepted, exhibitions of thematic posters and drawings are organized in schools, excursions to specialized enterprises (water utilities, treatment facilities, and so on).

In the Netherlands, for example, in 2013, schoolchildren went on a hike (6 kilometers) with 6 liters of water in their backpack. And in Britain, residents were asked to collect change in plastic bottles. The proceeds go to charitable causes related to the existing problem.

Organize a Water Day for your friends, relatives and children. You can come up with a lot of entertainment. Go to the pool, conduct experiments with various liquids, prepare a thematic quiz and "wet" contests. Don't forget to remind each other of the need to conserve water resources. A lot depends on each of us!

Our house was called the blue planet for a reason, because about 70% of the surface of the globe is water. We remember this from school. There is water all around, there is a lot of it, what other shortage? Therefore, World Water Day, declared by the UN Assembly in 1993, primarily serves as a beacon to attract public attention.

Every year, a special committee selects a topic that the organizers are encouraged to focus on. The main events take place on March 22, but the official part lasts for several days. Ordinary citizens of 30 countries participate in marches and parades, charity events and auctions, attend open conferences. Responsible persons discuss the main issues regarding the theme of the year, the meeting is broadcast online and on television. Major cities are decorated with emblems of the current year, the media publish enlightening interviews and articles.

This mass event is celebrated not as a carefree and cheerful holiday. The organizers are facing serious tasks, the failure of which literally threatens with a world catastrophe.

Most people are unaware of how acute the shortage of fresh water is at the global level. Over the past century, consumption has increased 6 times, the planet is overpopulated, and water supplies are rapidly declining. Fresh water makes up only 2% of the total, with most of it coming from hard-to-reach deep reservoirs and glaciers. On International Water Day, organizers are calling on the public to conserve this valuable resource whenever possible. Scientists and environmentalists are constantly looking for ways to help conserve water at the industrial and household level. Everyone can contribute by turning off the faucet in time and preventing digging due to a failed valve.

According to 2011 data, each person wastes about 45 liters of water every day (leaks when we brush our teeth while we look in the mirror in the morning). About 200 liters of water are spent on a shower, about 30 liters per person daily for tea and cooking. Whereas residents of dry and disadvantaged regions have to limit themselves to only 2 liters per day!

The photo below shows depressing everyday pictures. These are not staged shots: the inhabitants of the Congo, Sudan, Afghanistan and many other countries have to daily hard work to provide their families with water.

For Russians, the meaning of educational events is of particular importance. Russia occupies the obligatory first place in terms of available fresh water reserves: over 2 million rivers and more than 2.5 million lakes! Baikal alone holds about 20% of the world's fresh water, including snowfields and eternal glaciers! This is a huge responsibility, because water is a universal, global asset that knows no political boundaries. But most Russians not only do not know the date of the celebration - many do not even know that there is a Water Day. This is partly the fault of politicians who do not want to spend the budget on public education and focus on the deplorable situation in the country.

And there are really many problems. In Russia, enterprises still use outdated inefficient filters, and sometimes, for a small fee to control authorities, they generally dump industrial waste directly into rivers. People do not appreciate clean water, polluting coastal areas every minute, using cheap household chemicals and spending an unacceptably large amount of water. These facts are of little concern to politicians, despite the terrible forecasts of environmentalists - in 30 years the number of people who do not have access to clean drinking water will increase tenfold! According to the most unfavorable forecasts, in a century, 50% of the world's population will experience a shortage of drinking water.

Water and energy

This aspect was highlighted when World Water Day was held in Japan (2014). The organizers attracted thousands of volunteers in advance, who disseminated information about the date and theme of the event through the media and the Internet. According to rough estimates, more than 700 million announcement messages have been published!

At the open forum, representatives of the UN University told the audience about the relationship between water consumption and energy resources. Few people know that about 10% of the world's energy is spent on the purification and delivery of drinking water, and 70% of industrial water is used in various enterprises of various kinds. Therefore, while taking care of water, it is important not to forget about frugality in relation to energy: even turning off the lights in time and using energy-saving lamps is already a help.

Water and the future

In Russia, it is not customary to burden children with "adult" problems. But what is the point of celebrating Water Day if yesterday's children treat this most valuable resource as casually as today's adults? Therefore, every year the organizers of the holiday pay special attention to the younger generation. In the end, all efforts are for them - our future and the future of all mankind. Children attend entertaining conferences where they learn a lot about water and its role in human life, take part in environmental surveys, go to thematic courses and master classes.

Unfortunately, Russians financially and geographically do not always have access to such education in children of consciousness and respect for the planet. But parents themselves can interest and usefully entertain the kids. For example, on March 22, draw together a picture or a symbol of clean water as the child imagines it, and give a homemade card to a grandmother or friend. In addition to the educational aspect, it is also a warm-up for fantasy.

In a kindergarten, school or in a friendly company of neighborhood kids, you can arrange a real holiday with contests, competitions and gifts:

• look for treasure in nature - paper drops of water hidden here and there. Who will find more sources?

• remember poems, proverbs, sayings and tales about water or related to water;

• Tell the children what World Water Day means and why such a holiday is needed. In their own words, accessible, without deepening into serious problems;

• invite the children to provide water for a village in the desert. Make-believe, of course. The guys string cardboard drops on a string stretched from the start (your city) to the finish line (desert). You can divide the kids into teams, but friendship must win (the unfortunate desert inhabitants will not be left without water if someone is late?);

• organize sports competitions. For each stage, the winner receives a reward - a big "secret". On colorful cards, write facts about water that will be of interest to kids;

• play questions and answers. Examples: what kind of water is, why do people use water, what are the reservoirs, what date is Water Day celebrated, why you can’t drink sea water, etc. Of course, for the smallest - the simplest questions.

Summarize at the end. Once again, remind the children that water must be conserved, because only at first glance it seems that there is a lot of it. Reward all participants with bright certificates or medals "For the love of Nature". And with older children, you can go on a community work day, ennobling the coast of a local reservoir.

Every year the world celebrates (World Day for Water or World Water Day). The idea of ​​holding it was first voiced at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which took place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro.

Water is essential for humanity. A drop of water has power, a drop of water is necessary for everyone. While 70% of the earth's surface is covered by water, 97.5% is salt water. Of the remaining 2.5% fresh water, nearly 68.7% is frozen water from ice caps and glaciers. Only one percent of the planet's total water resources is available for human use. In the 20th century, water use has increased 6 times and is more than 2 times the rate of population growth. In developed countries, up to 30% of fresh water supplies are lost due to leaks, and in some large cities, losses can reach 70%.

But water is necessary not only to quench thirst and help in preserving life and health. Water resources are also of great importance in all areas of economic, social and human development.

The United Nations General Assembly, by adopting resolution 47/193 of 1993, declared 22 March World Water Day. In accordance with the recommendations of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, this day has been celebrated since 1993.

States were called upon to dedicate Water Day to the implementation of UN recommendations and concrete actions at the national level.

Each year, a UN agency is designated as World Water Day Coordinator and is responsible for promoting a new theme under the guidance of the Administrative Committee on Coordination.

The main objectives of the World Water Day:

• To promote the adoption of appropriate measures to solve the problem of supplying the population with drinking water;
• Inform the public about the importance of protecting and conserving fresh water resources and water resources in general;
• Involve governments, international agencies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector in World Water Day celebrations.

In addition, every year the events held within the framework of the Day are dedicated to a specific theme. So, in different years, the mottos of the Day were the words: “Caring for our water resources is everyone’s business”, “Water and women”, “Is there enough water in the world?”, “Ground water is an invisible resource”, “Water resources for health” , Water and Disasters, Water and Culture, Solving Water Scarcity, Clean Water for World Health, Water for Cities, Water and Energy, Water and Sustainable Development, "Water resources and employment" and others.

March 22 is a unique opportunity to remind humanity of the extreme importance of water resources for the environment and the development of society. Practical efforts can help deepen public understanding of both the problems and solutions in this area. To achieve positive results, it is necessary to turn words into commitments and actions within a common theme.

Rivers, lakes, seas, oceans,
Streams, springs and swamps ponds -
Runs from the ground and flows from the tap.
After all, life is impossible, alas, without water.

The resources of the planet are not at all bottomless,
And we will protect the water resource,
Use water wisely and legally.
Use in a way that does not poison.

So that in clean, mirror, cool water
The kids splashed to their own delight.
Smile and happiness to be on the faces,
So that the sky sparkles in crystal water!

As you know, water is the source of life, and it has its own holiday. Every year on March 22, the planet celebrates World Water Day or, designed to draw public attention to the problems associated with the protection of water resources. But there are problems.

Thus, in 2006, about 1.1 billion people did not have normal and safe drinking water, and more people died from floods and droughts than from other natural disasters.

Mindlessly pouring drinking water in the kitchen and bathroom? These photos will make you think.

1. Let's see where people get water. This is how they draw water from a well in Zimbabwe. Compared to the options below, this is still pretty clean water.

3. According to the World Health Organization, infections caused by a lack of clean water result in the death of one person every minute somewhere in the world.

7. Designer from Caracas, Venezuela. Rainwater collection plant.

8. Water from a reservoir in Dhaka seems to be quite clean. Against the background of the next option ...

9. Collection of drinking water from a puddle in Somalia.

10. Let's take a closer look at the process.

Many scientists believe that the problem is not the lack of water, but its irrational use. One of the most pressing issues of our time is the excessive consumption of water in food production.

So, a person drinks 2-3 liters of water per day, while 2000-5000 liters of water is required to produce food for one person.

11. Sea in Karachi, Pakistan. Slightly dirty.

13. Fresh water resources on our planet are distributed extremely unevenly. The arid or semi-arid regions of the world, which make up 40% of the land, use only 2% of the world's water supply.

The main source of all fresh water is the oceans, from which approximately 500 thousand square kilometers evaporate annually. water. 80% of all precipitation goes back into the oceans and falls out.

The largest reserves of fresh water are found in polar ice. The ratio of the amount of the world's fresh water to the volume of all water on Earth is only 3%.

15. Trip for water in Tacloban, Philippines. It is difficult to drive through the mountains of garbage.

21. Bridge over a polluted canal in East Bangalore, India. It is difficult to pass here without plugging the nose.

26. Drinking water from a pit in the Baghdad area. Well, it smells really strong.

According to international experts, the problem of fresh water shortage will become one of the most acute by the middle of the 21st century. So, by 2025, 3.2 billion people on our planet will suffer from a lack of water.

36. We don't need to worry yet. Russia leads the world in terms of fresh water reserves - we have more than 20% of the world's resources.

On the territory of Russia there are 2.5 million rivers and 2.7 million lakes. One contains 20% of the world's fresh water. In addition, 2,290 large and medium-sized reservoirs have been created in Russia.

No, this is not Baikal, this is an oil spill near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat, Israel.

37. Could not. Sea of ​​dead fish in the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico.

World Water Day, the date of which falls on March 22, is celebrated by the whole planet. According to the organizers, the main task of this day is to remind every inhabitant of the planet about the great importance of water resources for sustaining life on Earth. As we know, man and all animal beings cannot exist without water. Without the presence of water resources, life would not have arisen on our planet.

Since 1993, in many countries of the world, on the initiative of the International Water Association and UNESCO, March 22 is celebrated as World Water Day. It has been held on the territory of the Russian Federation since 1995 under the motto "Water is life".
Water is the basis of human life (and the person himself is 2/3 water) and one of the most valuable natural resources. Without water, human existence would be impossible, and human health largely depends on its quality. Without water there would be no civilization. In connection with the constant growth of the population and the development of production, the importance of water and the need for its environmental protection is increasing dramatically.
Many countries are already experiencing increasing water scarcity. In some regions, the availability of good quality fresh water has been reduced by pollution from human, industrial and agricultural waste. Due to the fact that each country seeks to meet its water needs from limited water resources. Over the past 60 years, more than 300 international water agreements have been signed. In 37 reported cases, there were conflicts between states over water.

History of Water Day

The idea of ​​holding such a holiday was first voiced at the UN conference, which was dedicated to development and environmental protection. This event took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
Already in 1993, the UN General Assembly officially decided to hold March 22 as World Water Day, which will begin to remind all people on the planet of the importance of water for the continuation of life on Earth.
So, since 1993, the International Water Day has been officially celebrated. The Environmental Protection Organization begins to appeal to all countries with a request to pay more attention to the protection of water resources and to carry out specific work at the national level.

Water Day - Events

This organization, in its resolution, recommends that all countries hold special events on March 22 aimed at the development and conservation of water resources. In addition, it was proposed to dedicate this holiday to a specific theme every year. Thus, the period from 2005 to 2015 has been declared the decade of "Water for Life".
The Water Day holiday is held, first of all, to attract public attention to this problem. This makes it possible to involve a large number of countries in its solution and take appropriate measures to provide drinking water to residents of countries that need it.
Every year, the UN selects a specific unit of its organization, which should monitor compliance with the rules for this holiday. Every year they raise a new problem related to water pollution and call for its solution. However, the main goals of the event remain unchanged, including:
1. Provide real assistance to countries experiencing a shortage of drinking water.
2. Spread the word about the importance of protecting water resources.
3. To involve at the official level as many countries as possible in the celebration of the World Water Day.

Water scarcity problems

The International Committee on Climate Change warns that the future of our planet is expected to change the distribution of rainfall. Climatic contrasts will intensify - droughts and floods will become even more intense and frequent. All this will greatly complicate the regular supply of water to the planet.
At the moment, about 700 million people in 43 countries of the world are experiencing water shortages. By 2025, more than 3 billion people will face a similar problem, due to the fact that water supplies continue to be depleted at a very rapid pace. All this is due to environmental pollution, high population growth, poor water management efficiency, lack of sustainable consumption patterns, low water use efficiency and insufficient investment in infrastructure.

Due to water shortages, interstate conflicts have already arisen, primarily in the Near and Middle East (zones with a predominantly desert climate, with little rainfall and a declining groundwater level).
According to many scientists, all the problems of water shortages come down to its irrational use. The amount of government subsidies is so large that if this money were directed to the creation of water-saving technologies, many problems would have been solved long ago. The greatest progress in the development of economical systems for the use of water resources has been made in the West. Europe has long been committed to saving water.

Water is not only a source of life that feeds us with energy. Her power is almost limitless, and people are so careless in relation to this gift of nature. On March 22, it is worth thinking about how to preserve the environment for future generations. The huge investments of rich people who donate their money to save the environment cannot save water. This requires most of us to simply behave properly. Every year on March 22, UNESCO organizes special events during which it is planned to promote the idea of ​​​​keeping the environment clean around the world.
The number of people on the planet is growing, so we need more and more water, but it is not infinite. A simple upbringing will help us learn to live in harmony with nature. March 22 is the day to remember the power of water.

World Water Day Goals:

Draw attention to the importance of providing access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, which certainly separates people who live healthy and productive lives from those who live in poverty and who are more vulnerable to various life-threatening diseases.
promote the adoption of appropriate measures to solve the problem of supplying the population with drinking water
inform the public about the importance of protecting and conserving freshwater resources and water resources in general
involve governments, international agencies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector in the celebration of World Water Day.

Interesting Facts

70% of the Earth's surface is occupied by the oceans. Together with continental surface, groundwater, it constitutes the hydrosphere.
The depths of the earth's mantle contain large reserves of water. This hypothesis was put forward by scientists after the analysis of diamond impurities.
3% of life-giving moisture on the planet is fresh. Of it, 70% is frozen, in the form of glaciers. Only 1% is available for human use.
River pollution is measured by 15 indicators. One of them is biochemical oxygen demand. The parameter estimates the amount of gas deficiency in living organisms.
River trout are extremely sensitive to pollution. It is used to test wastewater filtration systems. The fish are launched into the purified liquid. When toxic substances appear, they die.
According to the World Health Organization, 80% of illnesses are caused by poor water quality.

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