World Water Day has been recognized around the world since 1993. During the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the UN General Assembly announced that World Water Day would be celebrated annually on March 22. The day was created to bring awareness to the more than 2 billion people who live without access to safe water around the world.
Each year, a new theme is released for World Water Day and in 2021 the theme is Water and Climate Change. This year’s theme is raising awareness about how the water crisis and climate crisis are linked. The goal is to encourage people to take action to help reduce pollution, prevent water-related natural disasters like floods, and address the causes of climate change. The global pandemic has created even more urgency to meet the UN’s World Water Day inspired goal to deliver clean water access and sanitation to all people by 2030.
Hygiene is an important factor in stopping the spread of COVID-19 around the world. It’s an especially significant issue in locations where access to clean water and proper sanitation is limited or completely absent. This World Water Day, we are thinking of the 297,000 children under five years old who die every year from water related illness and disease and committed to doing all that we can to make these illnesses a thing of the past.
How We’re Marking World Water Day in Canada
World Water Day holds a special place in our hearts because of our continued work to provide clean water solutions to people worldwide.
This year, Water Ambassadors Canada is working with communities across the country to illuminate local landmarks to raise awareness about World Water Day. Some of these landmarks include: Charlottetown City Hall in Prince Edward Island; Haliburton village’s fountain, the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, and the TORONTO sign in Ontario; the Calgary Tower and Calgary Telus Spark Science Centre in Alberta; and BC Place, Vancouver City Hall, and Trinity Western University’s fountain in British Columbia.
Water Ambassadors Canada receives generous contributions from individuals, church groups, and businesses across Canada who share the charity’s mission to change lives with clean water. With their support, we are also marking World Water Day by working to raise $100,000 in a matching donation campaign to fund new water projects around the world in 2021.
How Can You Help
As Canadians, we’re proud of our waterways and the work we all do to keep them clean for generations to come. We also believe that every person in the world should have the same access to clean water that we already enjoy here.
If you would like to lend your own support to this important cause, you can make a special $25 donation in recognition of World Water Day by texting WATER to 45678 or click here to donate another amount online.
Your support matters. By 2050, nearly 6 billion people are projected to be living in areas with limited to no access to clean water. With your help, we can create a better future for everyone.
