© DR

The side event, organized in the framework of the UN-Water Day at Rio+20, aims at raising awareness about the UN IYWC and the opportunities that this year-long event will bring along for Member States and other stakeholders

In December 2010 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the year 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation (A/RES/65/154) based on a proposal from a group of countries initiated by Tajikistan. UN-Water members agreed that World Water Day on 22 March 2013 will be dedicated to the same theme. In August 2011 UNESCO was officially appointed by UN-Water to lead the preparations for this International Year and the World Water Day in 2013.