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The global water crisis does not impact everyone equally. centres women and girls in water solutions, ensuring their voices are included and recognized in shaping the future of these solutions. 

Celebrated on March 22, World Water Day has been observed since 1993. This year, the United Nations has set the theme as water and gender, “where water flows, equality grows.” 

This theme, led by UNICEF and UN Women, emphasizes safe water and sanitation in terms of human rights and gender equality, inspiring support for the 6 and 5: “To ensure safe water and sanitation for all,” and, “To achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”

, PhD, professor in the University of Calgary's , is hosting a  for World Water Day, and emphasizes that, while water issues are scientific, they are also social. 

“Around the world, women and girls are disproportionately responsible for securing water for households and communities, and they are frequently the most affected when water systems fail or become unreliable,” Nicholls says.

“When more voices are included — especially those who are most directly affected by water challenges — we tend to develop more effective and resilient solutions.”

Co-ordinated by the UNU Hub at UCalgary

The  is the world’s first UNU Hub, established in partnership with the (UNU/INWEH) to advance scientific understanding, solutions, and training that help communities adapt to environmental change, especially relating to water and climate. 

The Hub brings together interdisciplinary research, policy-relevant outreach, and educational opportunities to prepare researchers and students to contribute to sustainable, global-scale impact. 

“Science must guide how we value, manage, and protect water,” says , PhD, co-director of the UNU Hub at UCalgary and professor in the . “At the UNU Hub, we believe that evidence-based solutions and global co-operation are essential to ensuring water security for present and future generations.” 

Join us on March 22

The UNU Hub, along with , are excited to invite you to learn more about global water issues and how they affect us. 

"Science centres, like TELUS Spark, play an important role in sharing research about global challenges like water and climate change in ways that are engaging and accessible," says Maddie Bemrose, manager of Interpretive Science Connections at TELUS Spark. "By connecting our audience at Spark with scientists and real-world research, we help Calgarians and other communities better understand why these issues matter and how science informs solutions. We are grateful for this collaboration with UCalgary to celebrate World Water Day!” 

The event will include hands-on learning activities facilitated by leading water researchers, students, and partner organizations. Drop by TELUS Spark to dive into learning about our most precious resource — water! 

Date: Sunday, March 22, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. 
Location: TELUS Spark Science Centre, 220 St. Georges Dr. N.E.

General admission to TELUS Spark is required.

Programming includes six activities/booths and a session with Nicholls, whose research focuses on how water moves through cold, mountain environments and how those systems are responding to climate change. 

“We will provide an overview of a few of the long-term hydrological research sites in the Canadian Rockies and Yukon where I work, including Marmot Creek Research Basin in Kananaskis and Wolf Creek Research Basin near Whitehorse, both part of the Global Water Futures Observatories network," Nicholls says. "I will highlight some of the key hydrological changes we are observing in these catchments in the face of climate change, and why maintaining long-term measurements is so important.”

Attendees can participate in the following activities throughout the day, learning about the importance of water security:

1. Carrying water and water use around the world. Carry an amount of water representing a country's average water usage and learn about water research at the UNU Hub at UCalgary.
2. Household water use in Calgary. Test your knowledge on how much water common household appliances and activities use.
3. What’s living in your water? Get a closer look at some aquatic bugs that live in rivers and lakes and learn about what they can tell us about water quality.
4. Learn about Nicholls’ research on water cycling in the Yukon and the hydrometric instruments she uses. Watch a groundwater demonstration and see how water moves underground.
5. Watershed demonstration. Learn what a watershed is and how land use and pollution impact freshwater.
6. Water-quality testing and river rafting. Learn about what water quality means to the ecosystem and take a picture in a river raft to enter a giveaway for a chance to win a free spot in a RiverWatch summer camp.
7. Water conservation. Learn ways you can conserve water in your home. 

Programming is supported by the , The , and .

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