On Monday (22/04/2019), UNESCO Jakarta, in collaboration with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI), held a seminar and public lecture in commemoration of World Water Day, which falls on March 22 each year.
Under the theme “Leaving No One Behind,” the event emphasized that everyone has the right to access clean water. Water availability is vital both for providing safe drinking water and sanitation for communities and for the preservation of the environment.
The Dean of FMIPA UI, Dr. rer. nat. Abdul Haris, in his speech, stated that FMIPA UI, in line with its mission to become a world-class Faculty of Science, fully supports this initiative as part of efforts to address water availability issues at the national level.
“We at FMIPA UI are ready to collaborate with UNESCO Jakarta to address the challenges of water resource management. These challenges, which are very real today, can only be tackled through our collective efforts across various roles and responsibilities,” said Haris.
Haris continued that through the Institute for Sustainable Earth and Resources (I-SER), which intensively collaborates with and supports FMIPA UI’s capacity to address science- and research-based sustainable development issues, FMIPA UI is ready to further develop partnerships for the benefit of the country, both at the national and international levels.
“This activity is part of our internationalization program, through which we strive to increase the number of our international partnerships,” Haris emphasized.
Haris considered this seminar to be a prestigious event that supports FMIPA UI’s strategic program to expand networks, providing a platform to discuss important topics aimed at advancing national and regional interests and strengthening capacities.
The Daily Chair of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO, Prof. Arief Rachman, emphasized the importance of not taking water for granted, as if it will always be available.
Prof. Arief, who is also an education expert, emphasized the importance of improving water management for future generations and educating school-aged children on proper water use to prevent wastage.
“We celebrate this as an awareness that water is essential for human life, and therefore there must be collaboration among scientists, youth, and the business sector to preserve water so that it lasts for future generations,” said Prof. Arief Rachman.
