Water Connects: World Water Day Highlights Its Importance for People and Nature

World Water Day, declared annually by the United Nations, is observed on 22 March. It highlights the importance of water for life, health, and the sustainable development of our planet. In 2026, it is held under the theme “Water and Gender Equality,” which emphasizes that access to safe water and sanitation is essential for a dignified life for all people. The slogan “Where water flows, equality grows” reminds us that access to water helps reduce inequalities, supports education and health, and strengthens the position of women and girls in society.

Within the framework of the second Swiss contribution, the Swiss–Slovak Cooperation Programme, in the thematic area of environment and climate protection a support measure focused on sustainable tourism and strengthening biodiversity in protected areas is being implemented. This measure involves the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic together with the administrations of all nine national parks through the project “Tourists and Nature Together,” as well as six third-sector organisations and the National Forest Centre, which are implementing their own projects. These projects also include environmental education focused on the protection of natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity.

On the occasion of World Water Day, the administrations of Slovak Karst National Park and Poloniny National Park, within the project “Tourists and Nature Together,” as well as the civic association LES within the project “Preservation and Support of Biodiversity in the Buffer Zone of the Low Tatras National Park in the Kráľovská Ľubeľa area,” are organising educational activities for children in kindergartens and primary schools. Through lectures and interactive activities, they present the importance of water for both nature and people, highlight the need for its protection, and encourage children to adopt responsible behaviour towards the environment.

These activities also contribute to the development of environmental literacy and strengthen awareness of the interconnection between water protection, biodiversity, and quality of life.