World Water Day is observed on 22 March every year since 1993, focusing on the importance of freshwater. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living around the world without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and sanitation for all by 2030.
On World Water Day, 22 March 2021, emphasis was placed on what water means to people, its true value and how we can better protect this vital resource. The growing global population, rapid economic development, agriculture and industries are getting thirstier and more water-intensive energy generation is rising to meet their demands. Additionally, pressures from climate change and pollution are making freshwater more scarce. As societies balance increased industrial development and the demand for water resources, the livelihood of many people are not being taken into account. Thus, how we value water determines how it is managed and shared. The value of water is much more than its price; water has enormous and complex value for our households, culture, health, education, economy, and to maintain the integrity of our natural environment.
Events celebrated to mark this environmental observance included the development and publication of a World Water Day Booklet for students ages 7 to 15, a documentary on the effects of water pollution, a public engagement on the effects of water pollution in collaboration with the Guyana Water Inc.
Ms. Samara Mustafa, Ms. Rachel Davis, and Ms. Melia Henry emerged as winners in our 2021 World Water Day Cross Word Competition. Events were executed to raise awareness about the importance of water through the effects of water pollution. It has shown that the attitudes of people change when they have an understanding of the effects caused by their actions.
