The theme for this year's World Water Day on 22 March, 'Protecting Glaciers', draws the attention of the global community to the fact that glaciers are melting faster than ever before. As the planet gets hotter, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable. For billions of people around the world, melting glaciers are disastrous, causing floods, droughts, landslides and rising sea levels. Countless communities and ecosystems are at risk of devastation.

Glaciers store approximately 70% of the world's fresh water, making them the largest freshwater reservoir on Earth. Nearly 2 billion people rely on water from glaciers, snowmelt and mountain runoff for drinking, agriculture and energy production. Increased glacier melt is contributing significantly to global sea level rise, with today's sea level about 20 cm higher than in 1900.

A UN General Assembly resolution has declared 2025 the International Year of Glacier Conservation and 21 March World Glacier Day, starting this year.

On the eve of 22 March, tens of thousands of people and organisations around the world are hosting World Water Day events and participating in the global public campaign. The regional offices of the Ministry of Environment and Water throughout the country are joining the campaign with a variety of World Water Day initiatives in partnership with educational institutions and NGOs in the individual regions. I BGNES