For WWD2013 we have joined
hands with UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme who have a lead
role for the International Year and they have partnered with us in the
production of our poster and leaflet. Our theme is Wetlands and water management,
an area of work that has been given considerable attention by our
Scientific and Technical Review Panel over many years and resulted in
much helpful guidance for our member countries.
Our slogan? Wetlands
take care of water, reflecting the interdependence between water and
wetlands and the key role that wetlands play. Wisely using our wetlands
is an essential component of the delivery of sustainable water
management. In our leaflet we will be painting the big picture, looking
at who manages water and the many challenges from governance to
transboundary, agricultural and urban water management issues, to water
storage issues and water diversion schemes. Finally we take a look at
what we can all do at the global, regional and local levels in ensuring
that wetland ecosystems and their water are well managed for the benefit
of people and wildlife.
What have we produced for WWD 2013? As
usual we have a poster, sticker and leaflet on the theme, as well as
something for children and a wetland cartoon for you to share and
customise.
2013 is the UN International Year for Water Cooperation and an ideal opportunity for Ramsar to look at the connection between water and wetlands.
The Secretary General's message for WWD 2013.
For billions of people around the world, faith is an essential foundation of life.
It provides strength in times of difficulty and an important sense of
community. The vast majority of people of faith live in harmony with
their neighbours, whatever their creed, but each religion also harbours
a strident minority prepared to assert fundamentalist doctrines
through bigotry and extreme violence.
These acts are an affront to the heritage and teachings of all
major religions. They also contravene the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, which affirms the right of all to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion. It is imperative that the moderate majority
is empowered to stand firm against the forces of extremism. But, this
can only be achieved through strong leadership.
Next month at its forum in Vienna, the Alliance of
Civilizations will continue its efforts to unite faiths and cultures.
Whether on the world stage or in their communities, religious and
cultural leaders have a responsibility to speak the language of
tolerance and respect. This is a central message of World Interfaith
Harmony Week. We must also reach out to young people with a message of hope.
Too often marginalized, jobless and facing a future of uncertainty,
youth can be easy prey for fanatics offering a sense of cause and
community. We need to expose the invalidity of this lure and offer a
compelling alternative. This cannot be achieved by words alone. Young people need jobs
and a meaningful stake in a future that they can believe in. The
United Nations is currently engaged in defining a post-2015 sustainable
development agenda. Our goal is to eradicate extreme poverty in our
lifetime and promote equitable economic opportunity for all while
protecting the environment. To do that, we need the engagement of all
actors – including young people and communities of faith.
We live in times of turmoil and transformation – economic,
environmental, demographic and political. These transitions bring both
hope and uncertainty. Our job is to ensure that hope wins, and our
task will be made easier if the followers of all faiths collaborate in
common cause. Let us never forget that what divides us is minuscule
compared with what unites us. Working together, we can achieve all
our goals for peace, prosperity and physical and spiritual well-being.
Secretary-General's video message on the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
It is a great pleasure to greet all the good friends of the United Nations who have gathered for this observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
I welcome in particular the Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans who have joined this solemn ceremony.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Courage is a rare and precious commodity.
Today, we celebrate those who had the courage to care.
Throughout the Second World War, Jews, Roma and Sinti, Soviet prisoners of war and others who failed to conform to Hitler’s perverted ideology of Aryan perfection were systematically murdered in death camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau.
But some were able to avoid the slaughter.
They escaped because a few brave souls risked their lives and their families to rescue Jews and other victims of persecution from almost certain death.
Some sheltered the intended victims in their homes; others helped families to obtain safe passage.
Some of the accounts of the rescuers have achieved iconic prominence. But many are known only to those whose lives were saved.
This year’s observance is meant to give those unsung heroes the regard they deserve.
I thank the Righteous Among the Nations Programme at Yad Vashem, which is celebrating its 50th year, for identifying and rewarding them.
The Holocaust and the United Nations programme has produced an education package on the rescuers that will be used in classrooms around the world.
I also congratulate another crucial partner, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, on its 20th anniversary.
Its theme of “Never Again: What You Do Matters” resonates deeply.
Acts of genocide illustrate the depths of evil to which individuals and whole societies can descend.
But the examples of the brave men and women we celebrate today also demonstrate the capacity of humankind for remarkable good, even during the darkest of days.
On this International Day, let us remember all the innocent people who lost their lives during the Holocaust.
And let us be inspired by those who had the courage to care – the ordinary people who took extraordinary steps to defend human dignity.
Their example is as relevant today as ever.
In a world where extremist acts of violence and hatred capture the headlines on an almost daily basis, we must remain ever vigilant.
Let us all have the courage to care, so we can build a safer, better world today.
The World Economic Forum is an independent international
organization committed to improving the state of the world. Best known
for its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the Forum brings together
business, political and thought leaders to discuss the most pressing
issues facing the world. Year round, this app provides fans of the Forum
with a news stream, videos, session details, speaker details, twitter
feeds, photos and publications from the Forum's current or most recent
event, from Davos, through regional meetings across the globe, "Summer
Davos" in China, and the annual Summit on the Global Agenda.
About
Davos-Klosters, Switzerland 23-27 January
Resilient Dynamism
For
over 40 years, the mission of the World Economic Forum – committed to
improving the state of the world – has driven the design and development
of the Annual Meeting programme. The Annual Meeting remains the
foremost creative force for engaging leaders in collaborative activities
focused on shaping the global, regional and industry agendas.
Today,
we live in the most complex, interdependent and interconnected era in
human history. We are increasingly confronted by major adaptive
challenges as well as profound transformational opportunities. This new
leadership context requires successful organizations to master strategic
agility and to build risk resilience.
The
inaugural International Water Summit will be hosted by Masdar and
co-located with the World Future Energy Summit at the Abu Dhabi National
Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), United Arab Emirates. The first
International Water Summit will gather the leading minds from the global
water community in policy, business and science to accelerate the
development of sustainable water solutions for arid regions. This
high-level platform offers you a unique opportunity to network with
global politicians, water experts and leaders from the public and private sectors over three possibility-laden days.
Summit Schedule
15th January – Global Leaders Summit
Joint Opening Ceremony with WFES Main theme: Bringing Water Energy Nexus to Life Main KN speakers: Heads of State, PM, Royalties
15th January - Ministerial High Level Panels
Joint sessions with ADIREC/WFES Main theme: TBA Main speakers: Ministers, NGOs
16th & 17th January - Expert Water Conference
Main focus: Business and Technology Main theme: Promoting Water Sustainability in Arid Regions: Turning talk into action Main speakers: CEO’s, Experts, Specialist, Academics
15th, 16th & 17th January – International Exhibition
Main focus: Water technologies and services for Municipal, Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural use. Water Energy Nexus section – joint with WFES Project Stream Water Food Nexus Village UAE SME Pavilion
The challenge to water security in arid regions lacking freshwater supplies is of the utmost urgency. Solutions are needed now in order to ensure a sustainable water future. But where will they come from?
