For immediate release: March 15, 2007

Media Contact:    Stephanie Kaleva

Bozeman, Mont., March 15, 2007 – Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) and UNESCO-IHP (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization-Hydrological Programme (IHP) signed a memo of understanding in March, 2006 that called for collaboration between the two organizations to strengthen water education in Latin America and the Caribbean.  One of the first goals of this joint initiative was publishing a Spanish curriculum and activity guide.  

On March 22, 2007 (World Water Day) Project WET and UNESCO-IHP will publish a Spanish curriculum and activity guide, Water and Education: General Guide for Teachers of the Americas and the Caribbean, which was adapted from the English Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, and translated into Spanish.  

As with all Project WET publications, Water and Education: General Guide for Teachers of the Americas and the Caribbean was developed and adapted by educators and water resource managers from throughout the region. Project WET coordinators from IMTA (Mexico), the Asociación de Amigos de la Patagonia (Argentina), the Asociación Terra Nostra (Costa Rica), and La Universidad Agroforestal Fernando Arturo de Merioño (Dominican Republic) were instrumental in the development of the guide. Representatives from UNESCO National Committees from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Israel, Mexico, and the United States also participated. 

The publication’s launching ceremony will be held at the Mexican Institute of Water Technology (where Project WET Mexico is based) on March 23, 2007, in association with a week of activities planned around World Water Day. Project WET and UNESCO partners involved with the joint initiative are also organizing events in Argentina, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

Both Project WET and UNESCO have a long history in water education and have active programs in selected countries throughout the region. Publication of Water and Education: General Guide for Teachers of the Americas and the Caribbean will increase the educational material available to local programs.

About Project WET

Since 1984, Project WET, an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has dedicated itself to the mission of reaching children, parents, teachers and community members of the world with water education.  Project WET achieves its mission of worldwide water education by:

• publishing water resource materials in several languages.
  
• providing training workshops on diverse water topics (i.e., watersheds, water quality, water conservation).
  
• organizing community water events, such as Make a Splash with Project WET water festivals and the Global Water Education Village™.
  
• building a worldwide network of educators, water resource professionals and scientists.

On the web at www.projectwet.org.

About UNESCO-IHP

UNESCO-IHP works as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. The Organization also serves as a clearinghouse that disseminates and shares information and knowledge while helping member states to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields. Online at www.unesco.org.