It’s been 100 years since the lucky folk of Dresden have had access to a municipal water supply, something for which most of the world's population are still waiting! To mark this happy event, the Sanitation is Dignity exhibition hit the streets of central Dresden to remind people that not everybody in the world shares their good fortune. The event was a tremendouse success with yet more people "lending" their voices to the cause.
The Sanitation is Dignity exhibition took to the road and made an appearance in Potsdam's railway station as part of Africa Day. This was the first time that the exhibition had been shown in a shopping centre
We'd like to thank the numerous vistors who visited the exhibition and had a photo taken or made a statement to express their outrage at the worldwide sanitation crisis. We would also like to thank the organisers of Africa Day.
The GTO took the "Where Would You Hide?" exhibition to the Unite-the-Nation Peace Festival.
The Unite-the-Nation peace Festival took place last Saturday (25. July 2009) in front of the Brandenburg Gate, and once again the GTO was there to join the party. With folklore and music the festival created an excellent atmosphere that brought together people from all strata of society, and despite the terrible weather the many visitors testified to its success. And that was before Nina Hagen had even showed up!
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the many visitors who demonstrated their interest in our work.
From the 30th of March until the 3rd of April we presented information on sanitation at our public exhibition WASsERLEBEN at the international trade fair and congress for water and wastewater: WASSER BERLIN.
In cooperation with AG Water from the NGO network "Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung" (Forum on Environment and Development) the German Toilet Organization provided information on the critical interrelation between sustainable sanitation and health, poverty reduction, economic growth, social development and environmental protection.
We were able to welcome an amazing array of people to our stand; teachers, students and many more. It really provided us with an excellent opportunity to present our school programme "Klobalisierte Welt" (toiletised world) which we will launch in 2009 as part of Global Learning in Germany.
Download of the abstract of "Klobalisierte Welt". Please note that the abstract is in German only.
- Die Schüler zeigten großes Interesse an unserer Ausstellung
- Unser Fragebogen zu den Schultoiletten fand reißenden Absatz
Thanks very much to all our visitors and supporters at the fair. We really appreciated the positive feedback and interest that we received! And special thanks go to the inumerable students that brought the event to life though their curiosity and attention.
If you have questions concerning our presentation at the fair please contact us via mail with the subject line "wasserleben". For questions concerning the school programme please use the same email address, but the subject line “Klobalisierte Welt".
The ISH, which was held between the 10th and the 14th of March 2009 in Frankfurt, is the world's largest trade fair focused on the bathroom experience, building, energy, air-conditioning technology, and renewable energies.
The German Toilet Organization was invited to be a featured exhibitor with its exhibition “Where Would You Hide?" and presented its "Sanitation is Dignity" Campaign to an appreciative audience.
We were overwhelmed by the high level of attendance at our exhibition during the ISH.
Thanks to all those, who supported our work by having their picture taken at our supporter point. Your participation in our "Sanitation is Dignity" Campaign helps to break the toilet taboo and to raise awareness for the oft neglected sanitation topic.
If you like to support our work, please click here.
The 19th of November was World Toilet Day and 2008 was the International Year of Sanitation.
The German Toilet Organization organised a press conference in the name of the Action Group Water* (AG Water) of the German NGO network "Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung" (Forum for Environment and Development). The conference took place in front of Berlin's central station.
- Photo: GTO. left to right: Thilo Panzerbieter - GTO, Jürgen Maier - FUE; Michael Bender - Grüne Liga; Claudia Wendland - WECF; Susanne Laudach - SODI; Stefan Reuter - BORDA; Erich Stather - State Secretary BMZ
With this press conference the AG Water drew attention to the world wide emergency in sanitation and to alternative waste water disposal systems.
Under the slogan "100,000 sustainable toilets as a model for the future" the AG Water handed over a policy paper to the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Mr. Erich Stather.
Toilets were the focus of the day, and since over 50 toilet bowls served as seats for this "Public Session", this was quite literally the case! The toilets represented sustainable sanitary concepts and this tied in with the sustainable toilet models that were presented.
- Erich Stather, State Secretary, BMZ
- Michael Bender, GRÜNE LIGA/Forum Umwelt & Entwicklung
- Thilo Panzerbieter, German Toilet Organization
- Claudia Wendland, Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF)
- Stefan Reuter, BORDA
- Susanne Laudahn, SODI
- GTO – German Toilet Organization
- Berliner Wassertisch
- BORDA – Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association
- GRÜNE LIGA
- SODI – Solidaritätsdienst International
- WECF – Women in Europe for a Common Future
On the 21st of November 2007, the UN launched the "International Year of
Santation" at its Headquarters in New York. The GTO had the honour of presenting
some of their campaign materials for 2008 at the event.
Check out the UNICEF-video to get an impression.
© UNICEF