For immediate release: March 22, 2012
Contact: Communications Manager, Project WET Foundation | 406-585-4115 | email
Bozeman, Montana—Following its commitment at the 6th World Water Forum to reach people around the world with water education, the Project WET Foundation is observing World Water Day around the globe. Focusing on watersheds, water footprints and other critical water topics, Project WET's World Water Day celebrations emphasize education that leads to local action.
"World Water Day is an opportunity to underscore the importance of water education as a solution to pressing water issues," said Dennis Nelson, Project WET's president and CEO. "Reaching people around the world with effective water education-especially children and youth-promotes responsible water stewardship now and in the future."
Nelson is leading a World Water Day training at Nestlé Waters Management and Technology (MT) today in Paris, France. Employees will be trained in Project WET's hands-on, interactive water education materials, a train-the-trainer process that will allow employees to participate in future water festivals with local participants. Nestlé Waters will also be hosting "We Care" water festivals featuring Project WET activities in 28 markets around the world.
In Beijing, China, Project WET Senior Vice President John Etgen signed a formal agreement at the Chinese Parliament to extend Project WET's pilot water education and conservation program with 121 schools in Shanghai to schools in Beijing. Supported by Nestlé Waters, the children's water education program in Beijing kicked off with Etgen leading a group of fourth graders from one of China's top schools, the Peking University Primary School, in science-based water education activities.
In the United States, Project WET has created an online training course for Project WET facilitators and Nestlé Waters North America employees to learn about watersheds and deliver a lesson on the topic in their own community. In addition, DiscoverWater.org, Project WET's online interactive learning experience for children, offers free lessons on nine different water themes, including the vitally important concept of "virtual water"—the water that is used to make the food and products everyone consumes. Understanding virtual water is key to understanding the theme of this year's World Water Day celebrations, Water and Food Security.
About the Project WET Foundation: Since 1984, Project WET, an award-winning U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has dedicated itself to the mission of reaching children, parents, teachers and community members of the world with water education. Winner of the 2012 U.S. Water Prize, Project WET is active in all 50 U.S. states and in more than 60 countries worldwide.