Bangkok--20 Mar--UNISBKK
World Water Day Celebrated at the United Nations in Bangkok on 25 March
The United Nations in Bangkok will celebrate World Water Day on 25 March 2009 at the United Nations Conference Centre placing special attention on transboundary waters with the theme “Shared Water — Shared Opportunities.”
The event, organized by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) with support from other UN agencies and international organizations, features a panel discussion on: “Energy Crisis, Food Crisis, Financial Crisis and Climate Change in Transboundary Rivers: Opportunities and Challenges.” The panel will focus on the opportunities for transboundary water management during the current crises, and will include a cross section of UN representatives, government officials, and academics (See attached Agenda).
With many countries in the Asia-Pacific region currently facing a widening gap between the demand for and availability of freshwater, the problem will likely worsen due to climate change, increasing populations, and pollution of remaining water resources, according to the UN World Water Day Campaign. With every country seeking to satisfy its water needs from limited resources, some foresee a future filled with conflict, but history shows that cooperation is the most common response to transboundary water management issues.
ESCAP has a history of transboundary water management. It established the Mekong River Commission (MRC), formerly known as the Mekong Committee, and continues to provide advisory services to the MRC in various programmes such as on basin development planning and flood management and mitigation.
World Water Day 2009 observance will also include an exhibition featuring information on regional transboundary water development programmes, as well as the winning drawings from a World Water Day drawing competition at the AIT community school. The winning children will be presented with a symbolic UN award during the opening ceremony.
The World Water Day, which falls on 22 March, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 with the objective to increase public awareness on the value of water and to promote sustainable water resources use.
The Bangkok observance, which is open to the press, will begin at 8:30 on 25 March at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok.
For more information, please go to: www.unescap.org/esd/water or contact:
Ermina Sokou, Water Security Section, ESCAP, Tel: (66) 2 288 2078, Mobile: (66) 85 649 7970,
Email: [email protected]
Bentley Jenson, UN Information Services (UNIS), ESCAP, Tel: (66) 2 288 1869, Mobile: (66) 84 080 5025, Email: [email protected] and [email protected]