Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic – On 22 March 2023, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) worked with the Vientiane International School (VIS) to bring up the young generation to better visualize and understand the value of water on the World Water Day. 

“Water is life” and every human being should be able to access to water as part of their basic rights. Yet, billions of people are being held back as a result of the unfulfillment of this basic need. 

Currently, it is reported that the promise committed by the world in 2015 to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 to ensure safely managed water and sanitation for all by 2030 is seriously off-track. The failure in water (cycle) management, as a result, hinders the progress on all major aspects from health to hunger, equality to jobs, education to industry, and disasters to peace.

“Accelerate Change” is the theme promoted in 2023 to help encourage each individual to make changes from the comfort of their own. This is because water affects everybody on the planet; thus, everyone must take action to get involved in easing the crisis. With every small contribution, it is anticipated that water and sanitation crisis could be gradually solved. 

Mr. Nasar Hayat, FAO Representative to Lao People’s Democratic Republic, noted during the event participated by thousands of young secondary students that “FAO always values our water. We always appreciate the scarce water resource we have. We always know that water gives lives. Ultimately, we always recognize that water provides us with food and nutrition. How much do you know the value of water?” “To ensure water and sanitation crisis in the country and worldwide is gradually solved, every country must work on average four times faster to ensure SDG 6 is met on time. Yet, it demands for all small contribution from the young generation like yourselves to help learn, share and act, which is the main reason why FAO is here today”, he continued.

At VIS, “Women, Water, and Laos Day” was the theme adopted and exercised in 2023. The goal is to bring the secondary students out to the community to learn, share and act on various activities planned for their learning, outside of their comfort zones, while acknowledging the gender equality throughout the activities.

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Lao Media Contact Person/s:

Bounmee Maokhamphiou, Outreach Specialist - Bounmee.Maokhamphiou@]fao.org 

Vilaylack Khounvisith, National Communication Consultant - [email protected]

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Website: www.fao.org/laos