Sign: Interreligious Declaration on Water

Interreligious Declaration on Water as a Human Right and a Public Good.

On 22 March 2026, UN World Water Day, the Interreligious Declaration on Water as a Human Right and a Public Good was adopted in Bern, Switzerland. The declaration is the outcome of an interreligious conference that brought together representatives of different faith traditions (see here).

Water is the foundation of all life and is revered across many religious traditions as sacred and life-giving. At the same time, the global water crisis continues to intensify: billions of people still lack adequate access to safe and affordable water and basic sanitation, while ecosystems face increasing threats from climate change, pollution and overexploitation.

In this context, the declaration affirms water as a human right and a public good. It calls upon religious leaders and communities worldwide to assume shared responsibility in:
• advocating for equitable access to water and sanitation,
• protecting water and ecosystems,
• resisting the commodification of water,
• and promoting water as a source of peace, cooperation and justice.

Through its interreligious character, the declaration seeks to strengthen a shared ethic and spiritual voice in addressing one of the most urgent global challenges of our time. and to building a just and sustainable future.