Background

Water is a crucial need of all life, ecosystems and human activity. Amongst the natural resources, water is the most critical. It can and should be used to promote the economic and social advancement of all peoples of the globe. Healthy ecosystems are sustained by good water quality, which leads to human well-being. Water resources management issues must be addressed at the local, national and at appropriate regional and international levels. All stakeholders, including those in government, international organizations, the private sector, civil society and academia, should be engaged, paying special attention to the livelihoods of the poor and most vulnerable people. Water management choices must also be consistent with other government policies and vice-versa. All the while, social, political and economic decisions must be made in a way that seeks to balance and fairly distribute the allocation of natural resources while keeping in mind the biophysical limits of the environment. World Water Day (WWD) is celebrated on 22nd March every year, as the day to mark the importance of freshwater and advocating for sustainable management of freshwater resources. United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 recommended celebrating the day as an international day for freshwater and 22 March 1993 was designated as the first World Water Day. Each year WWD emphasizes a specific aspect of freshwater. On 22 March 2013 World Water Day will be celebrated under the theme “Water Cooperation” with slogan water water everywhere, only if we share. The Day is organized as part of the International Year of Water Cooperation. The aim of the celebrations is to raise awareness on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources with a special focus on water cooperation, its challenges and benefits.

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation (Resolution A/RES/65/154). In reflection of this declaration,the 2013 World Water Day, which will take place on 22 March 2013, also will be dedicated to water cooperation. Therefore, UN-Water has called upon UNESCO to lead the 2013 United Nations International Year on Water Cooperation, in particular because of the Organization‟s unique multidisciplinary approach which blends the natural and social sciences, education, culture and communication. Given the intrinsic nature of water as a transversal and universal element, the United
Nations International Year on Water Cooperation naturally would embrace and touch upon all these aspects.

Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nat ions System. To commemorate these two days in Nepal, different organizations including governmental agencies have been organizing a week long programs since 2008 under an umbrella network of Nepal National Water Week with the chairmanship of Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS), Government of Nepal. With this context, a week long program from 17 to 23 March 2013 under the title “Nepal
National Water Week – 2013 (NNWW-2013)” has been proposed to celebrate these global important days in Nepal.

1. Activities before Water Week

1. Activities on Water Week

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