PURPOSE: It is annually celebrated on the fourth Sunday of every September. A World Rivers Day event was seen by the Specialized agencies of the United Nations as a good fit for the aims of the Water for Life Decade and the proposal was approved. River enthusiasts from around the world came together to organize the activities and events to raise awareness on the importance of rivers and their conservation. The first event in 2005 was a great success and Rivers Day was celebrated across dozens of countries. Since then, the event has continued to grow. Every year, several million people in up to 100 countries come to celebrate the many values of our waterways.
FORUM: “Maintaining our waterways clean.” World Rivers Day 2024. Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvement can we ensure their health in the years ahead. World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. The ecology of the river refers to the relationships that living organisms have with each other and with their environment – the ecosystem. An ecosystem is the sum of interactions between plants, animals and microorganisms and between them and non-living physical and chemical components in a particular natural environment. River ecosystems have: Flowing water that is mostly unidirectional; A state of continuous physical change; Many different (and changing) microhabitats; Variability in the flow rates of water; Plants and animals that have adapted to live within water flow conditions. During the day, we will highlight the many values of our rivers, we will strive to increase public awareness, and will encourage the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #sdg6, #22September, #worldriversDay, #rightsofriver, #Adoptariver, #healthyrivers, #habitatrestoration, #rivers.
EVENTS: On September 22nd, The African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO), The Latin-American Network of Basin Organizations (LANBO), The Central and Eastern European Network of Basin Organizations (CEENBO), The Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO), The Network of International Commissions and Transboundary Basin Organizations, The Group of European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (EURO-INBO), The North-American Network of Basin Organizations (NANBO), The Network of Russian-speaking Basin Organizations of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA-NBO) and the Global Water Partnerships (GWP) will held a high level event to mark the World Rivers Day 2024, As we observe also the United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, the participants will be engage in discussions about rivers ecosystem restoration. Other community service organizations interested in INBO, can apply to participate in its activities as permanent observers, provided that they are accepted by the General Assembly. Get update on INBO Upcoming events!
In North America, the BC Rivers Day will organize several activities. To riverside plantings and habitat restoration projects, to campaigns for the rights of river and the launch of ''Adopt a river" programs. Learn more about river initiatives, organizations and key supporters. To participate register to the events.
PODCASTS: Australia’s rivers are the lifeblood of communities, agriculture and trade, as well as vital environments for plants and wildlife. Of Australia’s 439 rivers, many are small tributaries with relatively low and variable flows. Some rivers run out to sea while those in the driest areas flow inland to Lake Eyre. Six of Australia’s seven main rivers belong to the Murray-Darling Basin river system, which traverses much of south-eastern Australia across Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and parts of Victoria and South Australia, and covers around one-seventh of the country. The importance of healthy rivers have never been more apparent. Listen to the audio-pocasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Engage in the World Rivers Day 2024 Campaign “Maintaining our waterways clean.” Explore the poster, the postcards, the stamps and other designed elements. Get the communication materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
In 2005, the United Nations launched the Water for Life Decade to help create a greater awareness of the need to better care for our water resources. Following this, the establishment of World Rivers Day was in response to a proposal initiated by internationally renowned river advocate, Mark Angelo.
The proposal for a global event to celebrate rivers was based on the success of BC Rivers Day, which Mark Angelo had founded and led in western Canada since 1980.
One of the best ways to gain local support and participation is to involve many groups and organizations from the community.
World Rivers Day is not only a celebration of local river heritage, but also a celebration of your community and its connection to rivers and the environment.
Take that day and celebrate local rivers
Avoid washing your car near storm drains and to avoid putting any kind of chemical, soap or other pollutant in the drains.
Work for the protection of rivers and waterways throughout the year.
Get involved with your local Waterkeeper organization, or streamkeeper group, to protect your stream or river.
If none are in your area, please consider starting your own group.
Look at ways you can clean up the river channel, plant vegetation to secure eroded banks, and work with local government to protect and preserve streams in your area.
Contacting and enlisting the help of a variety of groups will help your event to diversify.
The World Rivers Day is organized by the UN-Water, the World Meteorological Organizations (IMO), the United Nations Convention to combat Desertification (UNCCD), the UN-SPIDER, the UN Environment programme, the UNEP-DHI, the UNEP/CMS, the GRID-arendal, the UN-Oceans, the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), the UNESCO Institute for Water Education (IHE); Man and the Biosphere programme (MAB), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Ramsar Convention secretariat, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). With the collaboration of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), City of North Vancouver, the International Rivers, the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), The Australia’s Rivers, the Australian Rivers Institute. With the participation of local schools, government, hospital foundations, local businesses and interest groups such as birders, paddlers, daycares, art societies, music societies, heritage societies, recycling societies, and environmental groups.