The day began with a session on "Transboundary Cooperation in the Guarani Aquifer System." This session highlighted the technical cooperative framework established for managing the Guarani Transboundary Aquifer System in South America and showcased the importance of international collaboration in water management. The session emphasized the significance of shared groundwater monitoring, hydrogeology, and equitable participation in managing the Guarani Transboundary Aquifer System in South America. Notable speakers such as Mr. Andrés Rodríguez from Argentina, Ms. Claudia Ferreira Lima from Brazil, Mr. Luis Carlos García from Paraguay, and Mr. Gerardo Amarilla from Uruguay provided valuable insights into the topic. The IW:LEARN Coordinator, Ms. Konstantina Toli provided some insights on the collaboration of this GEF funded project with IW:LEARN and emphasized the need for knowledge and experience sharing.

Following the insightful session on transboundary cooperation, the high-level opening ceremony set the tone for the day's discussions. Distinguished speakers from various UN agencies and high-level officials, including Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly, and Xing Qu, Deputy Director-General, UNESCO, gave critical perspectives on water management and peacebuilding.

The unveiling of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2024 by Michela Miletto, Director and Coordinator of World Water Assessment Programme at UNESCO, was an important moment during the celebration. This flagship report, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water and coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme, has been instrumental in shaping global policies and strategies related to water management since its first edition in 2003. The 2024 Report, entitled "Water for Prosperity and Peace", underlines the interlinked and complex relationships between water, prosperity and peace, describing how progress in one dimension can have positive repercussions on the others. The report is expected to provide valuable insights and recommendations for governments, policymakers, and stakeholders around the world to address the challenges related to water scarcity, quality, and access and to ensure sustainable development and peace.

In the afternoon session, there were technical discussions on water cooperation and peacebuilding, which delved into the complex dynamics of managing transboundary waters. Panel discussions further explored the relationship between water, peace, and human rights from scientific, youth, and stakeholder perspectives. A second panel discussion, moderated by  Konstantina Toli, IW:LEARN Coordinator, brought the voices and experiences from the on how transboundary water cooperation brings prosperity in a context of inclusivity and gender equality. Representatives from 6 transboundary water bodies spanning from Southeast Asia to Africa and Latin America, shared their insights on how transboundary cooperation, primarily funded through the GEF Trust Fund, has impacted livelihoods, and development. The discussion underscored the significance of stakeholder engagement and inclusive decision-making processes, and emphasized on the value of sharing knowledge and exchanging experiences to improve management of shared resources. A notable voice, Ms. Eunice Antunes Kerexu, the representative of the Mbya Guarani, an indigenous peoples spanning in over five countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), brough a loud message on stage: “Water is very sacred to us. Water is also in everything all the time. In the living beings.”

World Water Day 2024 reaffirmed the commitment to sustainable water management as a cornerstone for building peaceful and prosperous societies worldwide. Through collaboration and collective action, the journey toward a water-secure future continues, guided by the principles of peace, cooperation, and shared prosperity.