This day is celebrated worldwide to draw attention to the importance of drinking water and to promote the sustainable management of water resources, both globally and in the Republic of Croatia.

World Water Day is an international day celebrated on 22 March. On this day, water is celebrated and awareness is raised for the two billion people who currently live without access to clean water.

Each year, activities related to World Water Day are grouped under a common theme, and this year’s theme is “Accelerate Change”.

The idea for this international day was born on 22 December 1992 in Rio de Janeiro at the suggestion of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution and the first World Water Day was celebrated in 1993. Since then, UN-Water, the body that coordinates the work of the United Nations in the field of water supply and sanitation, has determined the theme of World Water Day every year in response to current or future challenges.

The main focus of World Water Day is to support the sixth goal of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG 6), which calls for ensuring access to safe drinking water for all, sustainable water management and ensuring sanitation by 2030. According to the UN, around 2.2 billion people worldwide still do not have access to clean drinking water. It is therefore important to raise public awareness and take steps to tackle this global crisis.

Through various educational activities, the value of water is emphasised and awareness of the global water crisis is raised. This year, Croatian Waters, together with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, organised a water festival for children to celebrate World Water Day. The day before World Water Day, children of primary and pre-school age visited the Main Water Laboratory of the Josip Juraj Strossmayer Water Institute.