Prof. Yu Zhongbo was invited to attend the UNESCO 2024 World Water Day Celebration

On the afternoon of 22 March, the celebration of 2024 World Water Day was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. Organised by UNESCO in cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and on behalf of UN-Water, the event was attended by Prof. Yu Zhongbo from the National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention.

At this official celebration, the UN World Water Development Report 2024 was released, and a number of distinguished speakers from UN agencies, Member States and the wider field of expertise shared their insights on the relationship between water management and peace-building. Furthermore, on the day of the celebration, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Lab at Arizona State University, in partnership with Columbia University, Rice University, and Science Water, launched a new water institute at ASU dedicated to addressing emerging water and climate issues. Prof. Zhongbo Yu was invited to record a video for the launch of the Institute, which was shown on display during the panel discussion session of the celebration.

In the video, Prof. Yu highlighted the significant challenges posed by natural and human-induced climate change to global water security and sustainability. He emphasised the importance of continuous strengthening of exchanges and cooperation between academia, government and industry, where experts from different institutions can be invited to exchange knowledge and experience, focusing on technical cooperation in water resources management, disaster prevention and mitigation, and climate change adaptation. Finally, Prof. Yu put forth the suggestion in the video that activities be undertaken to promote equality, diversity and integration within the hydrological sciences community and to provide a greater platform for young scientists.

Since its inception in 1993, World Water Day has been an important commemorative event of the United Nations, which has sought to emphasise the important role of water and advocate for the sustainable management of water resources. Each year, World Water Day provides an invaluable opportunity to address global water challenges and explore potential solutions. This year's theme, "Water for peace", presents a number of effective mechanisms and tools for strengthening cooperation and preventing water-related disputes. It also emphasises the importance of managing water resources to promote peace, prevent conflict and support sustainable development.