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SPLASH!! Issue 3, March 14 2003
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 Welcome to SPLASH! the newsletter of the International Year of Freshwater 2003!
Every few weeks throughout this special year 2003, SPLASH! will bring you news and information related to the International Year of Freshwater. But there's a catch (there always is): this is YOUR newsletter, not ours. To make the Year a success, to make a really big splash, we need your participation. So send us your ideas, pictures, events, news, no matter how modest. Remember, every little drop counts.
Contents: Issue 3, March 14 2003:
IN FOCUS: Water for our future: what are the trends?
 In a world experiencing great population growth and ever increasing water use, our concern about the future is very understandable. Global trends are not optimistic, and show increasing environmental, social, and economic difficulties as a result of the many competing pressures on our natural resources. The themes chosen this year for World Water Day and World Meteorological Day (22 and 23 March respectively) sound the alarm: both emphasize the future ('Water for the future', 'Our future climate'). This month's feature tries to respond to the issues we face. The Third World Water Forum will be held next week in Japan. It is the occasion to recall some of the pledges made by governments and to raise awareness and interests at the global level. Our efforts to ensure a sustainable future must continue.
For more information visit our IN FOCUS
Related publications:
World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP): UN/WWAP. 2003. UN World Water Development Report: Water for People, Water for Life.:
This major report will be launched officially on World Water Day at the 3WWF. It reports progress against water targets in several fields since the Rio Summit (1992), and features a variety of case studies. A summary is available online.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): UNEP/GRID-Arendal . 2002. Vital Water Graphics: an overview of the state of the world's fresh and marine waters:
A set of graphics, maps and other illustrations, of the state of the world's fresh and marine waters. Published on World Water Day. Available online.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO): WMO. 2003. Our future climate. :
Brochure published on the occasion of World Meteorological Day. Available online.
EVENTS OF THE MONTH
Three major international events will be held this month:
 Third World Water Forum (Kyoto, Shiga, Osaka, Japan, 16-23 March 2003)
Decision-makers and water professionals from all over the world will gather at this Forum to address a vast range of themes throughout the 300 sessions: Water supply, sanitation and hygiene, Water and food, Water and poverty, Floods, Dams, Water for peace, Water and cultural diversity, Water and education, and many others. Each day will be dedicated to the water situation in a particular continent.
 World Water Day, 22 March 2003
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the responsible UN agency for World Water Day this year, with the theme "Water for future".
 World Meteorological Day, 23 March 2003
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is the responsible UN agency for World Meteorological Day this year, with the theme "Our future climate".
Coming up:
Splash, 3rd European Youth Congress for Water (Geel, Belgium March 21-28 2003)
People's World Water Forum (Florence, Italy March 22-23 2003)
More events in the Events Calendar
WHAT IS YOUR CITY DOING FOR THE YEAR?
 Paris and the International Year of Freshwater!
The city of Paris has decided to put water front and centre for 2003. The celebrations are divided into three categories:
- a time to learn! Development of school material, free museum visits, drawing contest, exhibitions.
- a time to celebrate! Messages will be projected onto a wall of water in downtown Paris, photo exhibits on public streets, water tasting and rallies, street circuses and cultural events along the Seine river.
- a time to discuss! Debates will be organised around Paris to discuss the issues. Several exhibitions and events will be planned throughout the year around Paris.
For more information, click here or call 08 2000 75 75
More information on Water in Paris
Agence de L'Eau Seine Normandie
Société Anonyme de Gestion de L'eau de Paris
Centre D'Information sur L'Eau
TAKE ACTION!
All over the world, people are taking initiatives to raise people’s awareness of water issues. Here is a short selection of actions: Get with it! Get involved! Get inspired!
 GLOBAL - Schools share information online about water and create international newspaper
ENO-Environment Online is a global virtual school where environmental data is shared with participants. Each school has founded a local newspaper on water for their community. Around 30 schools from 25 countries will be releasing a global newspaper for the International Year of Freshwater on World Water Day on March 22,2003.
[For more information, contact Mika Vanhanen or visit their website]
CANADA - Students learn and teach about water while sailing a tall ship
During the Great Lakes Challenge Race this coming July, a selected group of high school students will crew a traditionally-rigged ship and stop in 12 Canadian and American ports. In port, the students will have the opportunity to educate the anticipated 5 million visitors visiting the fleet of ships about environmental issues specific to Great Lakes area. They will create and host an interactive educational display about water quality, more specifically focusing on household pesticides and other products, while providing the visitors with facts and alternatives.
[For more information, contact sailgreatlakes@hotmail.com]
INDIA - Bathing positively with HIV
Organising access to clean water for bathing has become a new rallying point for a group of people who are living with HIV/AIDS in India's capital city, Delhi. Access to bathing facilities is a priority for preventing a variety of internal and external infections. Infection control is of particular importance since over 40% of people living with HIV have weakened immune systems.
[For more information, contact Greg Manning]
NEW ZEALAND - International Youth Hostel Federation promotes Water
As part of an initiative to promote reusing and recycling, YHA intends to promote the usage of lasting YHA branded drink bottles. These bottles can be used and refilled with water, as opposed to the frequent purchasing of less lasting drink bottles sold by large companies which are thrown out after use. This will thus minimise water used in the plastic manufacturing and recycling processes. The drink bottles will be given away at New Zealand hostels and some Backpacker expos in Australia.
[For more information, contact pip@yha.org.nz or visit their website]
 SOUTH AFRICA - Children's roundabout solves the water problem in remote areas.
A group in South Africa has come up with The Play Pump. It is a playground roundabout (to see a picture, visit the site!) that drives conventional borehole pumps, keeping costs and maintenance to an absolute minimum, while entertaining the children. These play pumps have signs carrying HIV/AIDS messages. The pump can make children happy, reduce the workload for women, make a visible step forward in rural water development, and slow down the spread of HIV/AIDS.
[For more information, contact trevorf@roundabout.co.za]
SEYCHELLES - Monitoring local streams and rivers by adopting them
In the Seychelles there are over 146 rivers and streams meaning that just about everyone's school or home is within close walking distance of a river. The Wildlife Clubs of Seychelles are working to implement projects to help monitor the health of these local streams and rivers. The hope is that clubs will, as a result of the "Stream Team" exposure, eventually "adopt" these streams and rivers in their community so that they continue to be cared for.
[For more information, contact nature@seychelles.net or visit their website]
SPAIN - Non profit group works on collecting water Myths
A non-profit organization based in Barcelona, is organizing an activity to be realized in 2003-2004 in several schools of the city, using public funds, and with the task of working on the theme of "new water culture": theatre, education, anthropology. The project is called " Myths transmitted by water? (mites passats per aigua) and intends to develop a collective dramatic work made by several groups of children, using myths and tales about water from all the world.
[For more information, contact tjuv315@mail.telepac.pt or send your myths and stories to wateryear2003@unesco.org]
EDUCATION CORNER
 Center for Information on Water
Website with fact sheets and information on water and water in France. Also has a good selection of fun and educative games and activities.Available in French
Freshwarter Fury
With thanks to St Michael's College
The Freshwater Waterways of Australia have been captured by some of the world's most feared villains and your task is to free the waterways so they can again become the home of our native plants and animals.
 The Network Challenge
With thanks to Thames Water
The activity simulates a real engineering project in planning, buying, building and commissioning a water supply network. You must balance choices of routes, materials, customer needs cost and the environment and health and safety to successfully complete the project. Available in English
Young Scientists Platform
This EU project IMAGE-TRAIN is a platform especially for young Ph.D. student scientists working on innovative water management and remediation techniques, allowing the students and other young scientists to present their research work and to get easily into contact with others who have similar interests or work in related fields.
 Life Link Water Campaign for Schools
Campaign developed for schools with manual and activities to study how water is used in their school, make a plan for long-term water monitoring in your school, network with other schools in your area, and focus on water and culture. Campaign aimed at the 22nd of March 2003 but can be performed at any time during the year. All schools around the world are invited to participate.
Send us your educational material in any languages at wateryear2003@unesco.org
For more educational material visit the Education Corner.
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