World Water Day 2023

March 17, 2023
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UN World Water Day Graphic show a clean water and sanitation logo and a background using the hummingbird theme from 2023

World Water Day (WWD) is an international call to action to solve the global water and sanitation crisis, observed each year on March 22. Organized by the United Nations, WWD has been coordinated by UN-Water each year since 1993. The theme for 2023 is “Accelerating Change.” This theme recognizes the tremendous work still needed to achieve the goals set out in the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda. Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) is a worldwide commitment to achieving universal access to safely managed water and sanitation by 2030. According to UN WWD 2023 resources, the latest estimates show that “governments must work on average four times faster” to meet SDG 6 on schedule. On WWD 2023, everyone (including you!) is called to take action and commit to changing how water is used and managed in their lives and in their communities.

This year, the UN will also release the 2023 World Water Development Report, coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme. This annual report, released on World Water Day, provides updates on global water and sanitation issues. The 2022 Report is available to read on the UN Water website. On March 22–24, the United Nations will hold the second-ever UN Water Conference, which will bring together over 6,500 people from across the globe. WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal and several other delegates from UArizona will be involved in multiple sessions. The WRRC co-organized with the Water & Tribes Initiative | Colorado River Basin a side event on “The Role of Indigenous People in Governing Shared Waters.” The WRRC is also a partner for “Elevating Critical Voices in Water Diplomacy,” hosted by the Women in Water Diplomacy Network and Red Dot Foundation, and “Groundwater: An Invisible Cross-Sectoral Fundament for Implementation of the Water Action Agenda,” organized by Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa in partnership with UNESCO. Director Megdal will also facilitate a panel for the latter event. The day before the conference begins, several of UArizona’s delegation will participate in an all-day Water Diplomacy Symposium. On Tuesday, March 28, the WRRC will hold a special event reflecting on the UN 2023 Water Conference. Join UArizona delegates Professor Andrea K. Gerlak, WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal, and graduate student Wilzave Quiles Guzmán for this special webinar discussion.

World Water Day resources and related events: