World Water Day 2013
World Water Day 2013- Building Water Partnerships in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories
The Water & Sanitation Programme (WSP) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community alongside our partners in the region annually celebrate World Water Day (WWD), this is marked by events, competitions, and actions on the 22nd of March. Each year a global theme is released by UN Water and this year the global theme for 2013 is the International Year of Water Cooperation. The Pacific theme for this year is in the picture below and is linked to the unique relationships, partnerships and collaboration pacific people have with respect to Water.
Tonga Vava'u, Tonga and the GEF IWRM project
Initially a small committee was formed to ensured that the world theme of "Water Cooperation" was practised from the very beginning. Relevant Ministries, NGO's and private sectors successfully contributed to the planning and execution of Blue Ribbon week. A local theme was decided as "'Oku tau taha i he Vai'" which translates to "We are all one in Water".
Community and Household Water Safety Planning
Blue Ribbon week commenced with the Water Safety Planning (WSP) workshop with members from all the different districts and relevant Ministries participating. This was a continuation of a 3 day workshop conducted in October of 2012. The workshops covered WSP topics including WSP within the community, conducting water collection and storage surveys, simple water treatment methods, septic system awareness and surveys, water wise use and water quality testing. All the participants are now the "Water Champions" within the community. The participants of the WSP workshops also contributed to the development of a household water safety manual. The final edits are being completed on the manuals and will be distributed within the Neiafu districts in the coming weeks. The 'Water Champions" will run additional water safety planning meetings within the communities and distribute the water safety plans with assistance of the IWRM team.
Primary School Awareness Raising
All the primary schools within Neiafu were visited in the weeks leading up to Blue Ribbon Week by the IWRM team and participating NGO's. The schools were made aware of the purpose of Blue Ribbon Week and the importance of working together to look after our valuable water resources. The schools were then asked to create costumes and posters of sea animal to incorporate latest coastal project into integrated water management. Primary schools celebrated the theme through poetry and song about water.
World Water Day Celebrations
World Water Day started with a parade through the streets of Neiafu, Vava'u. The Parade was lead by a local high school marching band, followed by the primary school students dresses up as sea animals and holding their drawings and posters. This was followed by a IWRM float presenting Miss Water Vava'u and then by the Tonga Water Board float decorated by the local women's groups. The parade ended at the hall in which local NGO's, women's groups and ministries set up exhibitions and games and water awareness materials.
More details on this years celebrations can be found on WWD 2013
The WSP- Applied Geoscience & Technology division of SPC through its regional partners and collaborators are happy to showcase some of the regional events so far:
Federated States of Micronesia- Chuuk
The WWD 2013 parade saw ten Chuuk Public Utilities Company (CPUC) vehicles and a Chuuk Womens Council (CWC) float escorted with assistance from the police through the streets of Weno in Chuuk.Spot talks were conducted by the Chuuk Women's Council promoting various water and wastewater topics on the radio.The WWD 2013 was showcased outside the power plant and later hoisted on a truck for the parade. Posters received by SPC have been hung at various government agencies and schools throughout Weno.
Federated States of Micronesia- Chuuk
The WWD 2013 parade saw ten Chuuk Public Utilities Company (CPUC) vehicles and a Chuuk Womens Council (CWC) float escorted with assistance from the police through the streets of Weno in Chuuk.Spot talks were conducted by the Chuuk Women's Council promoting various water and wastewater topics on the radio.The WWD 2013 was showcased outside the power plant and later hoisted on a truck for the parade. Posters received by SPC have been hung at various government agencies and schools throughout Weno.
Tonga Vava'u, Tonga and the GEF IWRM project
Initially a small committee was formed to ensured that the world theme of "Water Cooperation" was practised from the very beginning. Relevant Ministries, NGO's and private sectors successfully contributed to the planning and execution of Blue Ribbon week. A local theme was decided as "'Oku tau taha i he Vai'" which translates to "We are all one in Water".
Community and Household Water Safety Planning
Blue Ribbon week commenced with the Water Safety Planning (WSP) workshop with members from all the different districts and relevant Ministries participating. This was a continuation of a 3 day workshop conducted in October of 2012. The workshops covered WSP topics including WSP within the community, conducting water collection and storage surveys, simple water treatment methods, septic system awareness and surveys, water wise use and water quality testing. All the participants are now the "Water Champions" within the community. The participants of the WSP workshops also contributed to the development of a household water safety manual. The final edits are being completed on the manuals and will be distributed within the Neiafu districts in the coming weeks. The 'Water Champions" will run additional water safety planning meetings within the communities and distribute the water safety plans with assistance of the IWRM team.
Primary School Awareness Raising
All the primary schools within Neiafu were visited in the weeks leading up to Blue Ribbon Week by the IWRM team and participating NGO's. The schools were made aware of the purpose of Blue Ribbon Week and the importance of working together to look after our valuable water resources. The schools were then asked to create costumes and posters of sea animal to incorporate latest coastal project into integrated water management. Primary schools celebrated the theme through poetry and song about water.
World Water Day Celebrations
World Water Day started with a parade through the streets of Neiafu, Vava'u. The Parade was lead by a local high school marching band, followed by the primary school students dresses up as sea animals and holding their drawings and posters. This was followed by a IWRM float presenting Miss Water Vava'u and then by the Tonga Water Board float decorated by the local women's groups. The parade ended at the hall in which local NGO's, women's groups and ministries set up exhibitions and games and water awareness materials.
More details on this years celebrations can be found on WWD 2013
