Plumbing Africa March 2019 | Page 14

12 INTERNATIONAL NEWS World Plumbing Day — 11 March What are you doing this World Plumbing Day? Tell Plumbing Africa what you did, send us some photos, and we will publish this in an upcoming issue, online, or through social media channels. By World Plumbing Council The international plumbing community, as represented by the WPC, has a vital role in promoting the link between good quality plumbing, health, environmental sustainability and, increasingly, economic prosperity. March 11 is marked by celebrations, competitions, seminars, and activities all around the world. People from within and outside the plumbing fraternity come together to learn, share knowledge, build connections, and find opportunities to collaborate to improve the quality of, and access to, fresh water and safe sanitation. There are now hundreds of annual World Plumbing Day events, promoting the link between good plumbing sanitation and human and environmental health. SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES Press releases One of the simplest ways of promoting your message is communication with the media by sending them information, which includes what work the organisation does within the industry. Feature articles in plumbing industry publications Where an organisation publishes its own magazine or contributes to an industry publication, then any issue published in or around March should be a special World Plumbing Day edition or contain an article about World Plumbing Day. The article can be about what your organisation is doing to mark World Plumbing Day, what World Plumbing Day is about and the importance of plumbing to the community, or an overview of World Plumbing Day celebrations that are held all over the world. Motions in state or national legislatures In many countries, it is common practice for elected politicians to propose motions highlighting a particular cause. Where plumbing organisations have links with politicians in their state and national legislatures, it is suggested that they be contacted with a view to proposing a motion celebrating World Plumbing Day on 11 March. It is suggested that each organisation arranging for such a motion to be proposed, to amend the suggested text by making appropriate references to the work that their organisation does within the industry in their country. This is a date that has been fixed on the calendars of the world plumbing community since its establishment by the World Plumbing Council (WPC) in 2010 and is now a fixture on the calendars of political and social institutions around the globe. In 2018, World Plumbing Council member Oresanya Shakiru organised a march through Allen Avenue in Lagos, where the office of the Lagos State Government sits, supported by the Universal Learn Direct Academia Nigeria. An article also appeared in Nigeria’s The Nation Online news on World Plumbing Day. March 2019 Volume 25 I Number 1 www.plumbingafrica.co.za