Palestine: World Water Day

In conformity with the UN General Assembly  resolution (A/RES/47/193 of 22 February 1993) at its Forty-Seventh Session  that designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water. and

Recalling the relevant provisions of chapter 18 of Agenda 21, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and

Considering that the extent to which water resource development contributes to economic productivity and social well-being is not widely appreciated, although all social and economic activities rely heavily on the supply and quality of fresh water,

Considering also that, as populations and economic activities grow, many countries are rapidly reaching conditions of water scarcity or facing limits to economic development,

Considering further that the promotion of water conservation and sustainable management requires public awareness at local, national, regional and international levels, therefore and since in one of its recommendations Invites States to devote the Day, as appropriate in the national context, to concrete activities such as the promotion of public awareness through the publication and diffusion of documentaries and the organization of conferences, round tables, seminars and expositions related to the conservation and development of water resources and the implementation of the recommendations of Agenda 21;

Thereof: PWA in cooperation with UNICEF and UNDP decided to celebrate the occasion by organizing an official ceremony that to be held in the 26th of March 2008, inviting all donor agencies and states representatives in Palestine to give a brief official statements focusing on their contribution and commitments to achieve agenda 21 goals, mainly what is indicated in article 18

and as this year was declared by the UN general assembly to be Year for Sanitation, therefore PWA is calling the international donors, water programs and NGOs to focus on the impact of their efforts and contribution to alleviate the burden over national authorities to achieve MDGs goals that to half people without access to safe water and sanitation facilities by 2015