World Water Day

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 around the world. The holiday is a commemoration of water, the important natural resource that is essential for living things on earth. The total amount of water on the planet comes to around 1.4 billion km3, but only 2.5 percent of that amount is drinkable freshwater. Around 70 percent of freshwater is frozen in icecaps and snowy mountainous regions, while about 30 percent is ground water. Only about 0.3 percent of the Earth's freshwater supply comes from lakes and rivers.http://www.unwater.org/statistics_res.html

There are a number of water shortages around the world], but one of the most stricken areas is Africa. 14 countries in the continent have had water shortage problems and another 11 are expected to join that number by 2025..http://assets.panda.org/downloads/waterinafricaeng.pdf

World Water Day came from a United Nations General Assembly resolution drafted in 1992. The "Water Day for the World" resolution contained methods of observing the holiday appropriately with recommendations from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The holiday received the support of organizations such as IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.http://www.worldwaterday.org/page/135

The world celebrates World Water Day in a variety of ways. Arts contests, fundraisers, activism, festivals, celebrations are just a few of the events that are held in countries all over the world.http://www.worldwaterday.org/page/2097 The day highlights the spirit and importance of water, stressing how it is essential for the health and well-being of living things on Earth.