By Bairavi Pathmarajah
Schoolchildren, water experts and policymakers, among others, removed waste, planted trees and cleaned up shorelines to mark World Rivers Day 2024. They participated in a campaign organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to raise awareness about the critical need for river conservation through collective action. From the Bagmati River in Nepal to the Nile in Egypt, the campaign encouraged communities to actively participate and develop a sense of ownership in protecting local water resources.
In Lao PDR, local villagers led a tree-planting campaign along the shores of Nong Lom Lake. The riparian buffers established by the villagers will act as a natural barrier to soil erosion, enhance water quality, lower nitrogen levels, protect biodiversity and provide shade all while adding to the natural beauty of the landscape.
In Sri Lanka, Pay Drechsel, Senior Fellow at IWMI and co-founder of Wetland Watch, has impressed many with his hands-on approach to preserving urban wetlands. Through regular cleanup efforts, Dreschel and his team of volunteers have cleaned up many kilometers of the Talangama wetland and its environs. Wetlands absorb up to 90% of rainwater, act as natural flood barriers and support a diverse range of wildlife. With urbanization threatening these ecosystems, Drechsel’s message is that we must act now to safeguard these ecosystems.
A “Riverside Green Classroom,” engaged school children near the Ghupshi estuary in West Bengal, India. The classroom session explored river ecosystems and the role they play in maintaining biodiversity, fostering early environmental stewardship and generating long-term positive impacts on conservation.
Manohara Khadka, the IWMI Country Representative for Nepal, and a member of parliament joined the cleanup of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu. They worked alongside school children, local community members and other volunteers to improve the river’s natural flow. In Egypt, the Arab Office for Youth and Environment and the Egypt National Discourse Forum organized clean-up activities along the Nile in Giza, Fayoum, Luxor and Asyout with the involvement of 100 youth.
Mina Guli has completed hundreds of marathons to raise awareness of and inspire action for water. Guli joined the campaign to also highlight IWMI’s impactful research and outreach initiatives, advocating for consistent action for cleaner, healthier rivers.
