24/03/2006 - Kathmandu,
Nepal - World Water Day 2006 was marked by a special
person-to-person awareness activity in Kathmandu
by WWF Nepal Program in partnership with Friends
of the Bagmati on 22 March 2006.
The international theme for
this World Water Day was “water and culture”,
which was interpreted by the organizers to focus
on usage among Kathmandu city dwellers. “Water
culture need not only be about history and heritage,”
said Neera Shrestha Pradhan, Freshwater Officer
at WWF Nepal Program to 50 student volunteers
from the School of Environmental Management and
Sustainable Development, College of Applied Sciences,
Amrit Science College and Tribhuwan University
Central College. “It can also mean something that
is as relevant as the way we use water – in a
sense, the way in which we use water wisely.”
As Kathmandu continues to face
water scarcity and a crunch on electricity, the
aim of this one-day awareness program was to target
city dwellers to reflect on their culture of water
utilization in day to day activities. A postcard
for the occasion was designed to act as a reality
check for people to be more conscious about their
drop of water. The volunteers, accompanied by
Miss Nepal 2005 Sugarika KC, the WWF Nepal Program
Conservation Ambassador, and WWF staff, shared
the ‘Save Water’ message to almost 5,000 people
in one day through a two-part program that began
with an inspiring speech by Dr Chandra Gurung,
Country Representative, at the WWF Nepal Program
office.
During the first of the program,
volunteers visited more than 30 key government
agencies, national and international organizations,
and media institutions like The Department of
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Department
of Forest, Kantipur Publications and Television,
VOITH, JICA, NTB and DFID . They met staff members
of these organizations, distributing the cards
and stressing an individual’s role in conserving
water. In the second phase, the volunteers gave
out cards at key areas of the city and shared
possible alternatives to tackle water problems
at the local level. This one day program concluded
with Sugarika KC handing out Certificates of Participation
to the volunteers.
The success of this initiative
shows that small actions can have a big impact.
We can make a difference if we are willing to
adjust our personal water-use culture. Start today!
