Water - A Sacred Gift, not a Commodity
- Details
- Category: Background
- Published: 27 March 2013
"A Fundamental Shift in Mindset - Water, from a Commercial Commodity to a Sacred Gift" is the title of a joint statement of religious leaders participating in the Wings for Water Dialogue and the World Water Day Celebrations that took place in The Hague on March 21 and 22. The statement has been formulated as a unique contribution from the world's faith to the "Wake Up Call on Water Cooperation" that was formulated during the Wings for Water Multistakeholder Dialogue.
In their joint statement, the religious and spiritual leaders call for a fundamental paradigm shift concerning water - Water should not to be traded and exploited as a commercial commodity but rather be seen as a sacred gift. This paradigm change should trigger a change of behaviour: every time we use water we shall do so with moderation, awe, reverence and gratitude.
The new water ethos needs also to be backed by a change of policy: Water needs to be seen as a public good that is to be preserved and shared, meeting the basic water needs for the poor should receive the highest political priority, and the human right to water and sanitation has to be universally fulfilled. For reaching these goals, we need to create an enduring global partnership.
Please watch these video interviews with some of the spiritual leaders attending the World Water Day Celebrations below:
Rabbi Soetendorp, Sadhvi Adityananda Saraswati and Imam Umer Ahmad Ilyasi sharing their experiences:
Maori Elder Pauline Tangiora sharing her concerns about the human rights of indigenous people relating to water:
Dinesh Suna, Coordinator of the Ecumenical Water Network of the World Council of Churches: