PRESS RELEASE
President of the UN General Assembly addressed SIWI World Water Week in Stockholm
UNITED NATIONS, New York, 28 August 2017 — The President of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, visited Stockholm, Sweden today where he delivered a keynote address at the plenary of World Water Week. World Water Week, one of the pre-eminent global meetings of water and sanitation professionals, is organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and is in its 27th year.
President Thomson’s address centered upon the relationship of fresh water resources and the Ocean. His address stressed the interconnectedness of terrestrial, fresh water, climate and Ocean issues and the need for an integrated, inclusive approach to be taken by all relevant actors when working to protect the planet’s ecosystem.
Citing the example of the Ocean Conference held at the United Nations in New York in June 2017, he stressed that the success of the conference lay in its inclusiveness of a broad range of human interests including governments, civil society, scientists and businesses. President Thomson said it was vital that all available resources, skills and energies be directed in a universal and inclusive manner towards correcting the woes that accumulated human activity has brought upon the environment.
During his address, President Thomson stressed the importance of not falling back into the silos of past status quos and that going forward the international community should take an integrated approach to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation and Sustainable Development Goal 14, the Ocean’s goal.
While in Stockholm today, President Thomson met with H.R.H Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, who is a United Nations Global Advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals. He also met with Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin and Minister of Environment Karolina Skog to discuss follow up action on The Ocean Conference and the meeting of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14.
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FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:
Daniel Thomas, Communications Director & Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, T: + 1 917 225 1913| E: daniel.thomas@un.org
Naomi Parekh, Communications Adviser for the President of the General Assembly, T: + 1 917 436 0214| E: parekh1@un.org