World Rivers Day 2026 Focuses on River Conservation and Restoration
News related to:World Rivers Day · 2 min read
On the fourth Sunday of September, September 27, 2026, the world will once again come together to celebrate World Rivers Day. This global event, now in its 21st year, aims to highlight the importance of rivers and promote their conservation and stewardship.
World Rivers Day, founded by Mark Angelo in 1980 in British Columbia, has grown into a massive international celebration involving over 100 countries and millions of participants. This year, the event focuses on the theme "waterways in our communities," with a dual mission to protect healthy rivers and restore those that have been damaged. Sub-themes include the impact of climate change on rivers and the critical link between river health and ocean health.
Mark Angelo, the founder and Chair of World Rivers Day, emphasized the significance of the event. "World Rivers Day provides an opportunity for millions of people to come together and recognize the importance of healthy, vibrant waterways," he said. "Rivers are integral to all life."
This year, events will be both physical and virtual, offering a diverse array of activities. Physical events will include educational activities, river cleanups, habitat restoration projects, streamside plantings, and community celebrations. Virtual events will include photo contests, the launch of new campaigns, online essays and poems, the announcement of new research projects, live-stream panels, and virtual film initiatives. Schools around the world are also expected to participate through various projects.
"World Rivers Day is a fantastic opportunity for people to get out and enjoy our waterways," Angelo continued. "At the same time, it highlights the urgent need to better care for our rivers and streams."
The event has the support of numerous organizations and international bodies. Lead sponsors include the Pacific Salmon Foundation, the Sitka Foundation, and the Watershed Security Fund, as well as the assistance of the Real Estate Foundation of BC. The United Nations University and the International Network on Water, Environment and Health have also endorsed the event.
World Rivers Day will take place across six continents, including countries such as Canada, England, the United States, India, Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Nigeria, Italy, and the Caribbean nation of Dominica. The event aims to raise public awareness of the importance of rivers and the many threats they face.
Angelo, a recipient of the Order of Canada, Order of BC, and the inaugural United Nations Stewardship Award, has dedicated over five decades to global river conservation. "World Rivers Day complements the UN's Water for Life Decade and continues to do so as part of the current International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development," he said.