the global community to work together on this issue, the United Nations has declared 2013 the International Year of Water October 15, 2012 was Global Cooperation. Announced during Handwashing Day. Originally the 6th World Water Forum in geared toward children and March 2012, the International Year schools, it is now celebrated by of Water Cooperation will raise over 200 million people of all awareness about the challenges ages in more than 100 countries. facing the water sector and about Events on Global Handwashing the potential for different types Day stressed that washing of partnerships to address these hands with soap is a year-round challenges. In honor of this commitment and reinforced theme, World Water Day and campaigns like UNICEF’s A Call World Water Week 2013 will both to Action and A Promise Renewed. focus on water cooperation. These campaigns promote key hygiene behaviors including WORLD TOILET DAY handwashing with soap, safe disposal of waste, and safe storage and treatment of drinking water. World Toilet Day took place on Using the hashtag #iwashmyhands, November 19, 2012. The global John Pasch, director of the event, which has been observed USAID Water Office, answered every fall since 200l, works to questions about health and hygiene break down taboos surrounding on Twitter. toilets and bring attention to the global sanitation challenge. Today, more than 2.5 billion people lack THE UN access to improved sanitation, and INTERNATIONAL World Toilet Day sheds light on YEAR OF WATER their plight through events and COOPERATION 2013 social media outreach. This year, there were over 50 events in at least 20 countries, including the Water is necessary for survival, unveiling in London of a large but nearly 800 million people interactive multi-media sculpture lack improved access to water of a man squatting called The Public and about 2.5 billion people lack Toilet, public readings of books improved access to sanitation. about sanitation, and fundraisers to Recognizing the urgent need for benefit sanitation.
GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY
Photo Credit: Dave Pearce
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation December 19, 2012 World Wetlands Day: February 2, 2013 International Women’s Day March 8, 2013 World Water Day March 22, 2013 Photo Credit: FoEME
GLOB AL WATERS
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