World Rivers Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of September, which in 2023 falls on September 24th. It is a day to celebrate the importance of rivers and to raise awareness about the need to protect them.

• The annual global event also promotes the conservation and sustainable management of these vital natural resources.
• Rivers are essential to life on Earth. They provide us with drinking water, irrigation for agriculture, and transportation routes. They also support a diverse range of plants and animals. 
• The first World Rivers Day was observed in 2005, following the launch that year of the Water for Life Decade by the United Nations. The proposal for such a celebration was initiated by renowned Canadian river advocate Mark Angelo.
• This year’s celebration is the 18th edition with the main theme as: “the incredible natural, cultural and re-creational values of rivers, lakes and streams in our communities” and sub-theme ‘Rights of Rivers’ to give attention to the protection of rivers that are in healthy states while consciously striving to restore those that have been negatively impacted in the past.