Gaza celebrates World Water Day under the slogan "Nature for Water" at the southern and Central desalination plants, supported by the Austrian Development Agency and UNICEF.
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"From Nature to Nature".. Gaza Celebrates World Water Day
Gaza - A central event was organized on Thursday on the occasion of World Water Day, at the seawater desalination plant south of Gaza and the site of the Central desalination plant on the Deir al-Balah coast, central Gaza Strip, in line with this year's slogan "Nature for Water," to shed light on the water situation in the Strip and discuss alternative water resources through seawater desalination and sewage water treatment.
Continuous preparations were made during the past few days to implement the event by the Water Authority and CMWU, with support from the Austrian Development Agency and UNICEF, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Islamic Relief, the Youth Future Rescue Association, and the University College of Applied Sciences, with the participation of hundreds of students, volunteers, artists, and representatives of partner and relevant institutions.
In his speech, CMWU's Director-General Eng. Monther Shoblaq pointed to the importance of partnership and cooperation in the water sector, and providing the best services to residents in various fields, particularly in this vital and important sector, which has suffered and continues to suffer as a result of the siege, closure, and the current economic and political conditions. He pointed to the challenges facing the Utility and all service providers in the Strip regarding providing, developing, and sustaining water and sanitation services.
Deputy Chairman of the Water Authority Eng. Rebhi Al-Sheikh also affirmed the importance of implementing such an event, which contributes to strengthening awareness and participation in water issues, as well as conveying important messages to the international community amid the continuing crisis in the Gaza Strip, and the need for continuous interventions in order to overcome the challenges and difficult humanitarian conditions faced by more than two million residents in the Strip, and achieving the water security requirements that the Water Authority is working on.
In turn, UNICEF's Gaza office Director Tania McBride stressed the principles of understanding and cooperation, which yield and will yield more achievements and projects in the Strip, pointing to the continuous partnership with the Water Authority and CMWU in order to provide safe, suitable water for current and future generations and secure their needs in this aspect, explaining that continuous work is underway to launch the expansion of this plant soon.
Director-General of School Health at the Ministry of Education Mahmoud Abu Sam'an also praised the work with various institutions in order to implement such events, which serve the interest of awareness and education that the Ministry works to strengthen among students, in addition to providing a greater space for students and children to learn more about the efforts made to solve the water crisis in the Strip.
In turn, Director of the Community Development Program at Islamic Relief Eng. Hossam Jouda spoke about the efforts currently being made to achieve sustainable development in the water and sanitation sector, noting that his institution continues its work in this field with partners at the Water Authority, CMWU, and all relevant institutions, to strengthen and develop these efforts, affirming the importance of such an event and similar partner initiatives, which would contribute to raising awareness of water issues.
The event included a stand by students, during which they raised banners carrying various humanitarian, social, and economic messages specialized in water and sanitation, and the need to provide safe and sound water for future generations, as well as intensifying efforts to lift the siege and restrictions on bringing in materials, as well as securing the electrical power needs of water and health facilities, given the negative repercussions of that on residents' lives and safety.
The event also included painting a mural with an area of twenty square meters bearing the event's name "From Nature to Nature," carried out by artists with the participation of the child students and volunteers participating in the event. A dabke troupe consisting of a number of children participated with a national folk performance, and a troupe of students presented a folk dahiya performance in which they spoke about the homeland, the environment, the land, and water.
