International World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. The World Water Day (WWD) 2011 will be hosted on March 22 in Cape Town by the Government of South Africa, in collaboration with UNWater, the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW), The United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). World Water Week Theme Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. UN-Water has dedicated WWD 2011 to the theme Water and Urbanization. The objective of WWD 2011 is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems. It will encourage action by governments, organizations, communities, and individuals around the world to actively engage in addressing urban water management challenges. UN-HABITAT is coordinating the organization of the WWD 2011 on behalf of UN-Water.
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