On the fourth Sunday of September, World Rivers Day commemorates the many values of our rivers and encourages river stewardship and conservation around the globe – this massive worldwide event involving more than 100 countries and millions of participants has its roots in British Columbia Rivers Day.

Burnaby, Canada September 10, 2026 –(PR.com)– Spanning the globe, millions of people, and thousands of events, both physical and virtual, will mark World Rivers Day 2026 on Sunday, September 27, in what has become one of the largest environmental celebrations on the planet. With many of the world’s rivers in a degraded state and facing increasing pressures associated with pollution, climate change, and industrial development, more than 100 countries will participate in this year’s activities.

The event’s theme is “waterways in our communities” with an emphasis on protecting rivers that remain in a healthy state, while also striving to restore those that have been damaged in past. Many events will also profile several sub-themes, ranging from the significant impact that climate change is having on many rivers to the all-important link between the state of our rivers and the state of our oceans.

“World Rivers Day is an opportunity for literally millions of people around the world to come together to commemorate the importance of healthy, vibrant waterways,” said Mark Angelo, founder and Chair of World Rivers Day.

Events this year will be both physical and virtual. Many physical events will focus on educational and public awareness activities, while others will include river cleanups, habitat restoration projects, streamside plantings, and community riverside celebrations. Activities of a digital nature include photo contests, the launching of new campaigns, online essays and poems, the announcement of new research projects, live-stream panels, and virtual film initiatives. Many schools around the world are also embracing Rivers Day through an assortment of school projects.

This year marks the 21st annual World Rivers Day, which has its roots in the great success of BC Rivers Day, which is celebrating its 46th anniversary in Canada’s westernmost province and which Angelo founded in conjunction with the Outdoor Recreation Council.

“World Rivers Day strives to increase public awareness of the importance of our waterways as well as the many threats confronting them”, said Angelo.

“Rivers are integral to all life,” added Angelo, who has paddled more than 1000 rivers in over 100 countries, perhaps more than any other. Endorsed in its inaugural year by agencies such as the United Nations University and the International Network on Water, Environment and Health, World Rivers Day is thankful for the support of lead sponsors such as the Pacific Salmon Foundation, the Sitka Foundation, as well as the assistance of the Watershed Security Fund and Real Estate Foundation of BC.

World Rivers Day events will take place across 6 continents in countries ranging from Canada to England, the United States to India, Australia to Bangladesh, New Zealand to Nigeria, and from Italy to the Caribbean nation of Dominica; the list goes on and on.

“More than 100 countries and numerous international organizations will be contributing to World Rivers Day,” says Angelo. “It provides a great opportunity for people to get out and enjoy our waterways. At the same time, the event strives to create a greater awareness of the urgent need to better care for our rivers and streams.”

Through its first decade, World Rivers Day complemented the UN’s Water for Life Decade and continues to do so as part of the UN’s current International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development.

Angelo, a recipient of the Order of Canada, Order of BC, and the inaugural United Nations Stewardship Award in recognition of his global river conservation efforts spanning more than five decades, initially founded BC Rivers Day in British Columbia in 1980 in conjunction with the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC. He then successfully lobbied numerous organizations and UN agencies to recognize World Rivers Day in 2005.

All countries are encouraged to participate. More information is available at http://worldriversday.com/

For more information, contact Dave Pinton at 778-808-5661 or Mark Angelo at 672-200-2375.

Contact Information:
World Rivers Day
Mark Angelo
604-294-3066
Contact via Email
worldriversday.com
Mark Angelo, World Rivers Day Chair, 778-865-2375

Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/977034

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