March is water month

Idea exchange
March 2003

Actions to stop war
March is water month

March is water month
The National Catholic Rural Life Commission reminds us that March is water month. All around the world, communities are planning activities to celebrate World Water Month in March to defend water as a common resource and protect affordable and safe water as a human right.

Following the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (Earth Summit), the UN General Assembly dedicated March 22nd each year to activities related to the conservation and development of water resources. The goal is to inspire political and community action and encourage greater global understanding of the need for more responsible water use and conservation.

A web site, www.waterday2003.org is being prepared on behalf of the UN system by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the lead agency for World Water Day 2003, to help governments, schools, civil society and religious organizations, communities and individuals worldwide to plan events that achieve this end. This year’s celebration is of special significance as 2003 has been named by the U.N. as International Year of Freshwater.

For more information about the more industry-oriented World Water Forum being held in Kyoto, Japan March 16-23, visit www.worldwaterforum.org.

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