Like every year, this March 22nd the world focuses on water. For more than 25 years, this date has
served as a reminder of the importance of this resource for health, development, well-being and,
ultimately, for life itself. That’s why we couldn’t do less than publish a post about the day on our blog.

In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly approved the creation of an international day dedicated to water: our survival depends on this resource, but unfortunately not everyone has adequate access to it.

Since then, the aim has been to make every 22nd March a platform for reminding people that water is an indispensable resource for life. However, in practice, problems such as environmental
degradation, climate change, population growth, conflicts, migratory flows and forced displacements mean that even today more than 2 billion people live in homes with no drinking water supply, forcing them to queue for hours or go to distant wells to get a few litres.

The theme of World Water Day 2019 is “Leave No One Behind”: it focuses on joining forces to enable access for the most vulnerable people (such women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples and nations, people with disabilities) who are more prone to discrimination and, consequently, to not having sufficient quantity and quality of this vital liquid to meet their needs. This is an adaptation of one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal Six (SDG 6) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. By definition, that means leaving no one behind.

On the occasion of this commemoration, and within the framework of this year’s theme, Canal de
Isabel II is organising the First Water Voices Meeting with the title “Water for all: Leave No One
Behind,” an event for debate and reflection about two main themes: environmental migrations and the challenge of ensuring supplies for populations. This first edition, with the collaboration of the Canal Foundation, which also hosts the event, will also be attended by members of Young Water Professionals, from Canal itself, and Gonzalo Fanjul, from the porCausa Foundation for Research, Journalism and Migration. It will take place on Friday 22nd at 10:15 am, and entry is free and subject to capacity.

The Canal Foundation also aims to act as a platform and draw attention to the importance of drinking water with a brief appaearance at its headquarters by the urban artist Leon Keer. The piece, based on humour about water and a clear allusion to the slogan of WWD 2019, refers to the different audiences that benefit from the Foundation’s activities.

The artist’s work will be on display over several months at the Foundation’s headquarters, the first of the events that the Canal Foundation has programmed to celebrate its 18th anniversary in 2019.
Throughout 2019, and under the slogan “More than Just Water” (Somos más que agua) the Foundation is organising different events to celebrate, bringing together the fields of art, culture, innovation and environmental awareness, running in parallel with the Foundation’s regular programming.