Flowing steadily down the stream of time, World Water Day has trickled its way into the glossy halls of ISB. In 1992, The United Nations on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro extrapolated the pressing need for clean water. By December 1992, an official date was elected to raise awareness and cause re-action amidst a climate crisis.
The 22nd of March is the day we attribute every year to celebrating peace and fostering harmony between communities all over the world, a quality encompassed by this year’s theme, “Water for prosperity and peace”. Water is one the most important elements we all share the use of. Therefore with the rapid increase in the impacts of climate change and population growth, protecting this valuable asset is a necessity. We all need to unite in the attempt to protect and conserve it, even if it's just one day in which we raise awareness and remind ourselves, as well as others around us, of its importance.
How it’s celebrated around the world
Every country has its own traditions. Their own voice. And their own interpretations. Yet whether you lie with the stars and feel the mountain breeze or enjoy the natural luxuries of the Mediterranean lifestyle, the essential qualities are still the same. Educational initiatives and awareness campaigns spread like the plague around the globe since the 1990s, with organizations, governments, and communities actively involved in organizing workshops and seminars to inform people about water scarcity, pollution, and the importance of water conservation.
Furthermore, volunteers gather in an attempt to clean their surrounding environment, achieving this through restoration projects, removing litter and pollutants, restoring ecosystems, and improving the overall quality of water in their areas. Fundraising events such as marathons, charity auctions, and donation drives help finance the construction of wells, installation of water purification systems, and implementation of sanitation programs in areas lacking access to clean water.
The entire point of creating a shift in the way we address this transgenerational issue is to finally foster a sense of environmental stewardship and encourage collective action to preserve water resources for future generations, and a create brighter, healthier world that we aspire to live in.
How it’s celebrated in ISB
Meeting after meeting, eco representatives prepared their speeches and their images, shooting students with information like ricocheting bullets from a gun that aims to cure the issues our society faces today. Slides encompassing the salient nature of today’s topic, presentations given like handouts; there is nothing more important than raising awareness.
These presentations also served as a call to action in the pursuit of protecting our community's water resources and understanding how lucky we are to dispose of clean water every day to fulfill our basic human needs. The celebration went beyond simple classroom presentations. Dressed in various shades of blue, ISB students painted the crowded classrooms by contributing to the Eco Communities initiative to raise money which will be ultimately donated to the eco program. A non-uniform day was announced, and we encouraged students to donate 10RON for their participation in adopting a more leisurely attire and through this enabling future projects tackling various environmental topics.
So remember, the world is in your hands!
