On the eve of World Water Day, a student research competition titled “Water, Nature and Me” was held at the Geological Museum of the Institute of Geological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, with the support of “Veolia Djur” CJSC. The event was dedicated to nature, water resources, and their preservation.
The aim of the initiative was clear: to raise environmental awareness among the younger generation and to highlight the importance of protecting drinking water and using it efficiently. To this end, it was decided to bring together outstanding students from various educational institutions, encourage their environmental responsibility, and reward the authors of the best projects.
Students from the following institutions presented their work to the jury: “Mkhitar Sebastatsi” Educational Complex, “Vardanank” Educational Complex, Shirakatsy Lyceum International Scientific-Educational Complex, the secondary school of Geghanist village, Yerevan School No. 66 named after Alexander Myasnikyan, and School No. 2 of Ayntap village.
During the event, the students spoke about water pollution problems in their communities or near their schools, presented posters, photos, and videos, shared the results of their research, and described clean-up efforts they had organized themselves. The conclusion was simple and logical: if we want clean drinking water, we must protect nature and use our natural resources with care.
Moreover, the projects were not only interesting but symbolic, considering their authors are schoolchildren—the future of our country. Today they are consumers; tomorrow, they will become subscribers. Hence, the water supplier’s interest in supporting events like this one, organized by the Geological Museum.
As all the teams were well-prepared and had conducted substantial research on water resource issues and solutions, the jury decided to take a “time-out” until April 22 – Earth Day to determine the winners.
Once again with the sponsorship of Veolia Djur, the students, accompanied by their parents, teachers, and representatives of NGOs, will visit one of the system’s water sources. There, they will learn about the technology behind water supply, deepen their knowledge of the water sector through a “Water Lesson,” observe the challenging work of water supply professionals, hear the message of mountain water, and receive awards in recognition of their love for nature and dedication to environmental work.
For your information: The idea of celebrating World Water Day was first proposed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, after which it gradually began to be observed worldwide. In Armenia, World Water Day has been celebrated since 2005. To highlight the multifaceted nature of water resources, each year’s events focus on a new theme. The theme for 2018 is: “Nature for Water.”
