World Wetlands Day 2025 served as an occasion to showcase the Parvati Arga Ramsar Site in Gonda Uttar Pradesh where people focused on wetlands as significant elements of biodiversity alongside environmental preservation and sustainable livelihood activities. Wetland protection received strong Indian backing when four new sites became part of the Ramsar Sites system raising the total to 89. The major announcements at this event covered two parts: first the designing of a nature-culture tourism corridor and second the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Amazon to provide support for women business owners.
About World Wetlands Day 2025
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Date: February 2, 2025
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Location: Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh
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Theme: On February 2nd, 2025, World Wetlands Day received commemoration at Gonda's Parvati Arga Ramsar Site through celebrations organized under the theme ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’.
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Inauguration: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath together with MoEFCC Union Minister Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh launched the inaugural ceremony of the event.
Key Highlights:
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CM Yogi Adityanath stressed during his appearance that Parvati Arga was gaining popularity globally because of its diverse wildlife and migrating bird populations.
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A nature-culture tourism corridor linking Ayodhya with Devi Patan will be developed according to Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh to advance eco-tourism and job creation.
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The Ramsar Sites in India have grown to 89 through the addition of Udhwa Lake (Jharkhand), Theerthangal and Sakkarakottai (Tamil Nadu), and Khecheopalri (Sikkim) according to Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav during the event.
Publications and MoUs:
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The union minister initiated two substantial publications including ‘Integrated Management Plan of Parvati Arga Ramsar Site’ and ‘Factbook of India’s 85 Ramsar Sites’.
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Gonda district women entrepreneurs received support under Amazon’s Saheli program through an agreement between the district and Amazon.
Amrit Dharohar Initiative:
Amrit Dharohar's initiative included four key areas of Species and Habitat Conservation, Nature Tourism, Wetlands Livelihood, and Wetlands Carbon to provide support for local communities while promoting wetland conservation practices.
Conclusion
The World Wetlands Day 2025 celebrations at Parvati Arga Ramsar Site provided an opportunity to understand that wetlands contribute fundamentally to biodiversity preservation and sustainable development progress. Uttar Pradesh and the Union Government actively support the preservation of these special ecosystems through programs that strengthen both eco-tourism routes and local community influence to protect these habitats for future generations.
