Water resources

Water for the environment

World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.

World Wetlands Day was first celebrated in 1997. Since then government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. These activities include seminars, nature walks, festivals, launches of new policies, announcement of new Ramsar sites, newspaper articles, radio interviews and wetland rehabilitation.

World Wetlands Day 2008

The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2008 is Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People. This is in recognition of the importance of the impacts of wetland-related diseases and poor sanitation on the quality of water and wetlands.

Wetlands have numerous functions:

World Wetlands Day materials

Previous World Wetlands Day activities

Key

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