PURPOSE : Held on 22 March every year since 1993, World Water Day focuses on the importance of freshwater, celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. Water can be a tool for peace when communities and countries cooperate over this precious shared resource. But, water can also spark and intensify conflict when access is denied and usage unfairly shared.
FORUM: "Glacier Preservation." World Water Day 2025. Glaciers are melting faster than ever. As the planet gets hotter due to climate change, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme. • Glacial retreat threatens devastation. For billions of people, meltwater flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise, and damaging ecosystems. • Glacier preservation is a survival strategy. We must work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage meltwater more sustainably for people and the planet. The campaign this year aim to increase global awareness about the vital role of glaciers, snow, and ice in the climate system and water cycle, and to highlight the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the changes in the Earth’s cryosphere. Participants will also promote sharing best practices and knowledge on addressing the accelerated melting of glaciers and its consequences. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #WWDR, #Glacierpreservation, #WorldWaterDay, #22March., #Acceleratingchange.
EVENTS: On and around March 22nd, several webinar will be held. This year World Water Day, on the theme of “Glacier Preservation”, will be marked with an event at United Nations Headquarters in New York which will also celebrate the inaugural World Day for Glaciers The UNESCO and WMO are co-coordinators of the World Water Day 2025 Task Force, the World Day for Glaciers, and the 2025 as International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, which initiates the start of the Decade of Action on Cryospheric Science (2025–2034). To maximize attention on the critical issue of rapidly melting glaciers and their impact on billions of people’s lives, the World Water Day 2025 theme - “Glacier Preservation” - is in support of the first-ever World Day for Glaciers. A joint celebration event will take place on Friday 21 March, on the eve of World Water Day (March 22nd), at UN Headquarters, hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Tajikistan to the United Nations, and supported by the Permanent UN Missions of Canada, Republic of Peru, Republic of Singapore, Swiss Confederation, and United Arab Emirates, UNESCO, WMO, UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). At the event, high-level speakers and panel discussions will focus on key issues around glacier preservation, and the agenda will include the presentation of the “United Nations World Water Development Report 2025: Mountains and Glaciers – Water Towers”, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, with its production coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme.
21 March 2025, 10:00 to 13:00 (EST) - World Day for Glaciers & World Water Day 2025 Celebration in New York
UNHQ, Trusteeship Council Chamber, New York, USA; Get the Tentative agenda!
There will be a range of global events to mark World Water Day 2025, including:
20-21 March 2025 - World Day for Glaciers & World Water Day 2025 Celebration in Paris.
Brainstorming session on the decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (20th) followed by high-level talks and discussions and presentation of the “United Nations World Water Development Report 2025: Mountains and Glaciers – Water Towers”
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. Register here. and get the Tentative agenda.
20 March 2025, 13:30 to 15:00 CET - “World Water Day 2025: Water and Glaciers – From Science to Policy” - webinar.
Bringing together experts to discuss the latest scientific findings, policy responses, social initiatives, and innovative solutions for glacier conservation. Register here and get More information.
21 March 2025, 15:00 to 16:30 CET - Bridging Gender Gaps in Water Governance - webinar.
This World Water Day side-event highlights the critical need for gender equity in water security. Register here.
21 March 2025, 14:00 to 15:30 CET - “Glaciers and Groundwater Interactions: Challenges in a Changing Climate” - webinar.
Expert overviews and case studies on the importance of groundwater in storing glacial meltwater. Panel discussions on future solutions and research needed. Join webinar.
24 March 2025, 14:00 CET - World Water Day Webinar: Preserving Glaciers and Water Towers | Celebrating 200 Years of Relations between Chile and the Netherlands. Marking World Water Day 2025, this event will bring together experts and policymakers to discuss glacier and water tower preservation, highlighting their role in climate resilience and sustainable development. Register here.
24 March 2025, 12:00-13:00 GMT - Water and Climate Issues in Central Asia: The Role of Remote Sensing – webinar.
This event explores how remote sensing helps people cope with the risk of glacial lake outbursts and other impacts of rapid glacier melting in Central Asia. Register here.
25 March 2025, 13:00 CET - Climate Change and Water Security: A Global, Regional and Local Approach to Resilience - webinar.
Commemorating World Water Day 2025, this event will discuss the challenges and solutions related to water security in the context of climate change adaptation. Register here and get More information.
On 20-21 March; At the high-level event, to be held. The 2025 edition of the UN World Water Development Report will be released, focusing on the same topic as the campaign and recommending policy direction to decision makers. This flagship report is published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, with its production coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). Mountains are the 'Water towers' of our world: providing billions of fresh water. The report calls for action to protect these vital "water towers" from the impacts of unsustainable human activities. Register to participate!
UPCOMING EVENTS: Saudi Arabia and Riyadh's plan to host the 11th World Water Forum in 2027 on the theme "Action for a Better Future" was elected during the 86th meeting of the Board of Governors of the World Water Council, in Istanbul, on February 17, 2024.
PUBLICATIONS: The 2025 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report entitled ''Mountains and glaciers - Water towers.'' highlighted the importance of mountain waters, including alpine glaciers, which are vital for meeting basic human needs such as water supply and sanitation. They are also essential to ensuring food and energy security to billions of people living in and around mountain regions and areas downstream. They also support economic growth through various water-reliant industries. As the ‘water towers’ of the world, mountains are an essential source of fresh water. They store water in the form of ice and snow during cold seasons, releasing it during warmer seasons as a major source of fresh water for users downstream. Mountains play a unique and critical role in the global water cycle, and they affect atmospheric circulation, which drives weather and precipitation patterns. Speaking to reporters at the launch of the report on (March 21st) Bhanu Neupane, Process Coordinator for the UNESCO World Water Development Report said, “The facts are clear. We are not just approaching a global water crisis. We are already living it.” “Solutions do exist,” the UNESCO official said, reiterating that “we must invest in better water monitoring and management. We must strengthen international cooperation, primarily to bring a new era of multilateral and multi-stakeholder collaboration. We must act now, because climate change is accelerating, water crisis and delays will cost lives.” Neupane also said, “mountains are not just landscape. They are the lifeline of our planet. The water sustains billions of people.” He concluded, “the water security is not a future problem but it exists now; and mountains are dramatically changing. The question is whether or not we will change with the mountains.” Watch the United Nations World Water Development Report - Press Conference!
Read the full The United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 "Mountains and Glaciers - Water towers" in French and Italian. The Executive summary and the Facts, figures and action examples.
Explore more facts on mountains and climate change and some facts on the cryosphere.
STATEMENTS:
PODCASTS: Let's talk about #glaciers! Between 2000-2023, our world's glaciers collectively lost 6, 542 trillion tonnes of ice; This corresponds to an equivalent of 30 years of water consumption of the entire global population. Join the conversation in the SDG Media Zone on the transformation and solutions needed to achieve SDG 6 and hear how the global community are accelerating progress towards this goal. Check out the programme and watch live here. Listen the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Be part of the "Glacier Preservation."Campaign! Help secure essential water resources and earn a certificate for your advocacy. Stand with us to make a lasting impact, because every glacier counts. We need everyone – from individuals and families to companies and governments – to do what they can to cooperate on water and pave the way for a more harmonious society. To be part of the global campaign; Explore Fact sheet, the action toolkit and Download resources.
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS:
World Water Day is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. Leading up to 22 March, UN-Water runs a public campaign and people all over the world hold events. The United Nations World Water Development Report is launched on World Water Day itself, focusing on the same theme.
This UN World Water Day is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unite around water and accelerate progress together. The UN-Water coordinates the global thematic campaigns for the annual United Nations international observances on freshwater and sanitation: World Water Day and World Toilet Day. The agency also contribute to other engagement initiatives on key water-related issues, and communicate with audiences via UN-Water’s social media channels.
Back in 2015, the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 as part of the 2030 Agenda – the promise that everyone would have safely managed water and sanitation by 2030.
Right now, we are seriously off-track. Billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centres, farms and factories are being held back because their human rights to water and sanitation have not yet been fulfilled. Play your part by doing what you can.
The UN World Water Day is Co-organized by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs (UN DESA), the U.N.Water, the U.N. Member States. Coordinated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), AquaFed; The International Federation of Private Water Operators, the World Youth Parliament for Water for World Water Day, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Toilet Organization,, the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW), the CDP Worldwide, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Green Climate Fund, the Global Water Partnership (GWP), the Human Right 2 Water, the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Public Services International (PSI), the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), the Toilet Board Coalition, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Global Compact, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Women for Water Partnership (WfWP) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). With the participation of governments, companies, organizations, institutions and coalitions.
We have created a resource of simple actions and activities you can take to help accelerate change and raise awareness of the water and sanitation crisis. Try these two in the run-up to World Water Day 2023:
The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving Water: as the title suggests, this is a set of suggestions for action that people can take with minimal effort, although there are also ideas for the more energetic among us!
Test your water knowledge: Play Kahoot, a quiz based on the water and sanitation crisis, helping you focus your mind on the key issues and share interesting facts with your contacts.
Explore the 2025 campaign materials.
ACTIVATION KIT and CERTIFICATE.
CAMPAIGN TRELLO with social media resources in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
FACTSHEET in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
POSTER in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
SOCIAL MEDIA assets in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
VISUAL IDENTIFIER in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Make a donation.
Groundwater will play a critical role in adapting to climate change. We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. Our team carry out water testing and set up local committees to manage water projects after they are completed, ensuring our interventions are sustainable and directly managed by the people we are helping. Help communities construct water wells.