News & Activities

NNWWW 2016

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.

The national and local level initiatives which encourage the water policy, water resources management and scientific communities to work together are essential for sustainable water resources management. Virtually, every socio-economic sectors and human activities are influenced by weather, climate and water. Actions are needed from all communities to respond to risks associated with water quality, water scarcity and water induced disasters.

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 2016 World Water Day was celebrated under the theme “Water and Job“. As water plays vital role in different kinds of entrepreneurship such as agriculture, tourism, energy. This year, World Water Day advocated the importance of water in sustainable livelihood.

It is obvious that water has been a key factor in many entrepreneurial activities like agriculture, energy generation, transportation and tourism. In Nepal, where the source of water is ample, people have been utilizing this natural resource in many different ways and from the time unknown. Water Mills, Hydropower, river water irrigation, rafts and boats as means of transportation are common practices in Nepal. These days with the exponential growth of tourism in Nepal, the water sports such as rafting, canoeing have been growing as part of adventure tourism.

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 (WMO) and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day (WMD) 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 Nations System. The theme as designated by WMO for this year was “Hotter, Drier and Wetter, Face the Future”.

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 2016 under the title “Nepal National Water and Weather Week – 2016 (NNWWW-2016)” was carried out to celebrate these global important days in Nepal.

  • Activities before Water and Weather Week
Date Program/Activities Responsibility Remarks
February 10 onwards Photography, Video and Photo Story  competition on ‘Water for Livelihood’ SEN Winners of each category will be awarded
First week of March Water quality mapping at some definite spots alongside the Bagmati river as a continuous program since 2007, 2011  SEN The findings will be shared in the closing ceremony, either through poster presentation or via a 5-minutes presentation
March 15 Press Meet and Press Release NNWWW 2016 At WECS meeting hall
  1. Activities on Water and Weather Week
Date Programs/Activities Responsibility Remarks
17 March Inauguration of NNWWW 2016 by bicycle rally with symbolic blue gears such as blue cap, T shirts or cycle band with few speeches NNWWW-2016/CCNN

 

 

Jawalakhel (7:30 AM) to NTB (8:30 AM)  Premises
17 March Walkathon (Bhadrakali-Shahidgate-Sundhara- RB Complex-Dharmapath-Bhugol park-New Road gate- Ratnapark-NEA-NTB) DHM/SOHAM/CDHM/DOM/SOM Bhadrakali (7:30 AM) to NTB (8:30 AM) Premises [Around 3 km (35 mins)]
17 March Formal Inauguration Program NNWWW-2016 Inauguration program at the NTB Hall at 9-11 AM
18 March Educational visit to Kakani to observe the fish farming as an emerging water based entrepreneurship WECS/SEN

 

 

 

 

 

18 March Rally, Documentary Show /Talk programs

 

DOM/SOM/SOHAM Tri-chandra Collegefrom 09:30 AM – 5PM
19 March Participation in Bagmati Cleanup Campaign WECS/ NNWWW 2016 NNWWW 2016 banner will be kept at the cleanup site
20 March 7th  National Symposium on Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Management of Groundwater Resources of the Nepal CREEW/SEN/ ENPHO Hotel Radisson
20 March Exhibition/counseling, Documentary, Show /Talk programs

 

DOM/SOM/SOHAM Tri-chandra Collegefrom 10 AM- 5 PM
20 March Meteorological Station and Forecasting Center Visit (Media persons or Students)  DHM/SOHAM Tribhuvan International Airport
20 March Dissemination of New Year  greetings with leaflet Via social media (without printing)
20 March Motivational Training on Rainwater Harvesting for schools and colleges principals SEN/ Smart Panni At Smart Paani Office building
21 March Awareness programs on importance of wetland for the social science students through a field visit to one of the ponds within Kathmandu valley. SEN/NTNC

 

 

 

Nagdaha

 

 

 

21 March Interaction programme with stakeholders with video screening – Women, Water and Jobs·         Presentations from women from different arenas

·         Video documentary

Panel discussions on how to integrate WASH and gender equality – SDG Goals

 

WaterAid Nepal WaterAid Nepal LeadWith support from partners
21 March Media Interaction DHM/SOHAM/CDHM/DOM Reporters Club
21 March Program  with DWSS and SOPHEN Key involvement of WAN 21 March 2016
22 March Awareness programs among the eco clubs of schools and local communities of Dudhkoshi and Indrabati Sub Basin

 

WWF Nepal/ WECS A joint program of WWF Nepal and WECS under the Koshi River Basin Management Project
22 March #Blue for Water Holi – Public HolidaySocial Media Campaign 22 March 2016
23 March a.       Thematic Workshop on Water and Job with special focus on hydropower and similar burning issues

b.       National Workshop on the occasion of World Water Day and World Meteorological Day

c.       Formal closing session

 

 

 

NNWWW 2016

DHM/SOHAM/SEN

 

 

 

First half day for World Water Day

and

 

Second half day

for World Meteorological Day

with dinner

  1. Post Water Week
March 17 to 23 ENPHO’s week long program on various issues of water coinciding with NNWWW 2016 as a part of the organization’s silver jubilee celebration ENPHO Find more information about the programs at www.enpho.org
29-31 March 2016  NAST Conference: Science Technology and Innovation for Nepal’s Graduation to Developing Country Status  NAST Knowledge Forum discussions – Water Security with Meta meta/Cocoon research update can be shared

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