World Water Week 2025 – August 24 to 28

World Water Week (WWW), the leading global conference on the water crisis, is observed annually during the last week of August. The event focuses on addressing critical water-related challenges such as access to clean water, sanitation, waste management, and sustainability.

• The 35th edition of WWW is observed from August 24 to 28.
• The day is observed with an aim to integrate the entire water cycle, from freshwater to oceans, emphasizing ecosystem protection, equity, and climate justice, to ensure the vulnerable communities are not left behind.

Theme: The 2025 theme of the WWW is “Water for Climate Action”, focusing on the interlinked crises of climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss, and emphasizing the role of water for mitigation and adaptation strategies.

WWW Conference:

Organizer: The annual event is organized by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), a Not-For-Profit (NFP), at Waterfront Congress Centre in Stockholm, Sweden.

Sessions: The conference encompasses various sessions organized by Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF), Northern Water Network (NoWNET), Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) and others.

Chair: The WWW 2025 conference is chaired by Henk Ovink, Executive Director(ED) and Founding Commissioner for the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW).

Topics: The sessions will be conducted on topics such as Hygiene and sanitation in diverse climates, sanitation systems and climate adaptation, Gender equality and WATER (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Financing Climate-Resilient water systems, and Climate resilience in schools and sanitation workers.

Significance: WWW serves as a crucial arena for connecting international processes and linking to the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). It also offers an opportunity to implement the commitments made at the United Nations (UN) 2023 Water Conference from 2023 to 2027.

Background:

First observance: WWW has been organized every year since 1991 by SIWI. Stockholm celebrated its clean waters with a public festival, which included the 1st Stockholm Water Symposium, gathering the world’s leading water scientists.

Renaming: In 2001, the Stockholm Water Symposium was renamed to World Water Week in Stockholm, the premium annual meeting place for discussing freshwater issues.

Stockholm Water Prize:

Established: The Stockholm Water Prize, inspired by the Stockholm Water Symposium, was established in 1991, and is considered the “Nobel Prize of Water”.

Presentation: It is a global award presented annually by the SIWI to an individual, organization, or institution for outstanding water-related achievements.

• It is presented by His Majesty (HM) King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, the patron of the prize.
• Professor David W. Schindler from Canada was the first winner in 1991, recognized for his pioneering research on pollution and the impacts of climate change on lakes.

Cooperation: The prize, initially founded by the Stockholm Water Foundation, is awarded in cooperation with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (RSAS).

• It is also supported by the International Water Association (IWA), The Water Environment Federation (WEF), and the City of Stockholm.

Winner: The 2025 Stockholm Water Prize for 2025 was awarded to Professor Gunter Bloschl, a distinguished hydrologist from the Vienna University of Technology

• Recognized for revolutionizing flood risk assessment and developing observation-based climate-flood connections.

About Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP):

• The Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was established in 1997 as part of World Water Week (WWW).It is an international competition for students aged 15 to 20 years.
• The competition encourages students to develop innovative projects addressing major global water challenges.Finalists are chosen from the winners of national-level competitions held in participating countries.
• The prize is presented by its Patron, Her Royal Highness (HRH) Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
• Since 2020, the event also includes the People’s Choice Award, selected through public voting.

Note: World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance, held on March 22, to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) – water and sanitation for all by 2030.

• It is coordinated by UN-Water and involves focusing attention on the global water crisis and advocating for sustainable water management.

About the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI):
Executive Director – Helena Thybell
Headquarters – Stockholm, Sweden
Established – 1988