U.N. Designates Aug. 27 as World Lake Day

New York, Dec. 12 (Jiji Press)--The United Nations on Thursday designated Aug. 27 as World Lake Day to promote environmental conservation and sustainable development of lakes and reservoirs.

The day was chosen to mark the first World Lake Conference, which opened in the western Japan prefecture of Shiga on Aug. 27, 1984.

The prefectural government of Shiga, which has Lake Biwa, the biggest lake in Japan, and other organizations had called for the designation.

A U.N. resolution for the designation said there are many problems related to lakes around the world, such as deterioration in water quality and decrease in biodiversity, that need to be addressed urgently.

The United Nations aims to enhance measures to tackle those issues by celebrating the day every year.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]