World Water Day 2023 celebrated by COM, UNICEF and PDOE with support from the Australian Government DFAT

Gina A. Segal and Mercedes Olter College of Micronesia

On March 22, 2023, the COMFSM Interns, in partnership with UNICEF and the Pohnpei Department of Education (PDOE), and with support from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) hosted an event in celebration of World Water Day at the College of Micronesia’s Practice Gym with the theme of “Accelerating Change to Solve the Water and Sanitation Crisis”. There were approximately 300 guests in attendance of the event, 173 of them female and 127 of them male.

The event started off with a warm welcoming from the College’s President, Dr. Theresa Koroivulaono who expressed her enthusiasm in the engagement among the students in advocating the importance of access to safe and clean drinking water. This allowed the program to segue to the next part of the agenda, an inspiring World Water Day video, courtesy of Micronesian Productions. The MP team interviewed a number of students from the 11 pilot schools WASH club members to gauge their views and hopes for the changes they would like to see in FSM’s future water care.

At the event, students from Pohnpei’s school WASH and Environmental clubs, teachers, principals, parents, and members of the Australian Embassy, Japan Embassy, US Embassy, PDOE, DECEM, UNICEF, IOM and UNRCO. The Australian Ambassador Her Excellency Jo Cowley captured the audience’s attention with one of Australia’s Indigenous Dreaming Stories, the tale of Tiddalik which describes the water-holding frog from Australia.

During the event, everyone was able to witness and engage in relevant negotiations and presentations based on the importance of appropriate water care and distribution. Students from the schools presented the results of their school and community water testing and called the government and relevant authorities to take action to keep their drinking water safe from contamination.

Additionally, the guests were able to play different games and join the students in creating artful presentations such as drawings and Commitment Origami based around the event’s theme. The purpose of the Commitment Origami Activity was to spark up the interest and encourage the children to brainstorm ways they can bring about change to their water dilemma either within their communities or for the whole of the country. Esmirelda Aldis, one of the interns, shares “The focus is not on the size of the fire, but the intention of your efforts to put the fire out that brings about the necessary changes in your surroundings.”

With so much positive feedback, the interns hope to see more of these meaningful events from the groups involved in the organization of this World Water Day event.