[D9640general] [eFlash_Rotary] Digest Number 571

[Garry & Anne Krischock]

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

   1.  1165: UNESCO discusses 'Action for Water' at Rotary Day    
         From: "Sunil K Zachariah" sunilkzach at yahoo.co.uk

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Message 1 
    From: "Sunil K Zachariah" sunilkzach at yahoo.co.uk
    Date: Tue May 23, 2006 4:39pm(PDT) 
Subject: 1165: UNESCO discusses 'Action for Water' at Rotary Day

UNESCO discusses 'Action for Water' at Rotary Day

Story by Jane Lawicki
Rotary International News

"The world is facing a water crisis," said James Michael Kulikowski, 
a representative of UNESCO's director-general at the first UNESCO 
Rotary Day. 

"Action for Water" was the theme for the event, held 12 May at UNESCO 
headquarters in Paris. More than 200 Rotary members and guests from 
approximately 20 countries attended. 

"We have the scientific knowledge and action. We need to bring the 
solutions to the people who need them, particularly at the local 
level," said Kulikowski. 

Providing an overview of today's water challenges, Andras Szollosi-
Nagy, deputy assistant director-general for the natural sciences of 
UNESCO, explained that 97 percent of the earth's water supply is salt 
water. Of what remains, 90 percent is held in ice, glaciers, or 
underground. Only .007 percent is available for human consumption — 
based mostly in nine countries that hold 60 percent of the earth's 
water supply. Access to water will increasingly bring power struggles 
similar to those for oil or nuclear energy. 

Rotarians should be concerned about water "because Rotary is leading 
the struggle to alleviate suffering and bring hope," said RI Vice-
President Serge Gouteyron. 

One of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals is by 2015 to 
reduce by 50 percent the number of people without access to safe 
water and sanitation. The challenge is formidable because in rural 
areas of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, about 88 
percent of the population lacks access to safe water. 

"In developing countries, the search for water puts young women at 
risk of assault by humans or animals," said Ron Denham, Rotary's 
Health, Hunger and Water Task Force general coordinator. 

"They have to walk 6-12 kilometers daily when they could be in 
school, or the women could be teaching their children," Denham said. 
He added that nearly one-third of Rotary clubs participate in water 
distribution and sanitation system projects worldwide, which include 
drilling and rehabilitating wells, rainwater harvesting, purifying 
water through bio-sand filters, solar disinfecting, installing mini-
water pipelines, and integrating water management. 

"Rotary has more than 20 years of experience working with the United 
Nations, and our joint efforts to eradicate polio have worked for one 
and all," said RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar. While confirming 
that Rotary will not accept another corporate program until polio 
eradication is complete, he added that meetings such as Rotary Day at 
UNESCO were vital to explore new project possibilities. 

For more information about the water crisis, visit UNESCO-IHE 
Institute for Water Education @
http://www.unesco-ihe.org/vmp/articles/contentsHomePage.html

Source: R I Website
Courtesy: eFlash_Rotary

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_______________________eFlash is an electronic newsflash on Rotary edited by PDG Sunil K Zachariah, D 3200, India.

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