18 December 2012: Brazil officially announced the launch of its Campaign for the International Year of Water Cooperation (IYWC) during a ceremony held on 17 December 2012, in Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais state, to induct the management board of the HidroEx Foundation.

The ceremony was attended by Blanca Jiménez-Cisneros, director of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Division of Water Sciences and Secretary of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP).

Jiménez-Cisneros also met with staff from the UNESCO office in Brasilia on 18 December 2012, to go over planed IYWC-related activities in Brazil during 2013. Among the activities planned are: a policy agenda with governmental and non-governmental institutions active in protecting and managing water resources; implementation of UNESCO’s Water and Education Programme to train teachers on water resources within UNESCO’s Associated Schools Network (ASPnet); and the launch of a commemorative stamp by the national postal service (“Correios”).

The IYWC was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 65/154 in December 2010, and subsequently UNESCO was appointed by the member agencies of the UN-Water group to lead preparations for IYWC and for World Water Day 2013. During IYWC, UNESCO will focus on: awareness raising regarding the importance, benefits and challenges of water cooperation; building capacity and catalyzing action around water as a top priority; promoting partnerships and dialogue for water cooperation; and strengthening international water-related cooperation to pave the way for developing related sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The HidroEx Foundation is a Category II UNESCO Center based in Frutal, Minas Gerais, which provides education, research and training in sustainable management of water resources. [UNESCO Press Release] [HidroEx Foundation Website]