UNESCO, WMO and the IYGP Community will celebrate the World Day for Glaciers and the World Water Day at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris on 18-19 March 2026, closing the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 and launching the new Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences with dedicated sessions and side events highlighting the vital links between cryosphere, water and gender equality.
The Side-Event 6, “Stories from the Cryosphere: Glaciers on the Edge,” will showcase the winning films from the 2026 Short Film Competition. The screening will take place on 19 March 2026, from 09:00 to 10:30 AM (CET), in the Cinema Room at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, organized by Let’s Talk About Water in collaboration with UNESCO-IHP.
The competition was part of global efforts supporting the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 and the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences. It invited filmmakers to explore the vital role glaciers play in sustaining ecosystems, water resources, and communities worldwide.
As essential freshwater reserves and key indicators of climate change, glaciers are rapidly retreating—threatening water security, ecosystems, and the cultural heritage of mountain and Indigenous communities. Through storytelling, the selected films highlight these impacts and the urgent need to protect cryosphere regions, while fostering dialogue and awareness on glacier preservation.
