Celebrating World Rivers Day 2011, the Ramsar Secretariat shared photos of riverine wetlands in Hungary, Indonesia and Italy, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recorded a video message calling for the protection of rivers from pollution.
22 September 2011: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) celebrated 2011 World Rivers Day, a global celebration of the world’s waterways marked the last Sunday of every September.
The purpose of World Rivers Day is to highlight the importance of rivers, increase public awareness and encourage improved stewardship of rivers around the world. To celebrate the Day, the Ramsar Secretariat shared four photos of riverine wetlands in Hungary, Indonesia and Italy, as well as a video message about rivers recorded from IUCN’s Pangani project site in Tanzania. In the video message, which was filmed at the Kikuletwa tributary, Irene Chikira calls for the protection of rivers from pollution, highlighting the importance of rivers to lives and livelihoods.
In addition, the IUCN Water Programme launched its Water and Nature Initiative (WANI) website, providing knowledge on Integrated Water Resource Management and solutions for people and ecosystems. [Ramsar Secretariat News Release] [IUCN News Release] [IUCN Video Message] [WANI Website]