About

One Water is a collaborative project at the University of Miami aimed at engaging the media to bring awareness to the global water challenge.  This project is made possible by major funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and enables journalists, communities and media makers from around the world to address the world’s water challenge from their unique perspectives allowing local voices to join the global conversation about water.  One Water has created an international network of journalists and media makers with the purpose of generating the most compelling journalism relating to water, human life and the environment.

The challenges facing the planet with regard to the provisioning of safe potable water are many.  Filmed in 15 countries, the movie One Water highlights a world where water is exquisitely abundant in some places and dangerously lacking in others.  It celebrates the ways water has touched human lives around the globe and leaves audiences with a fundamental question, is water a human right or a commodity?  Through a starkly emotional journey, spectators are invited to witness and are encouraged to recognize this global crisis as their very own as watching scenes from all over the world reveal how water is inspiring innovation, compassion and hope.  The film began as a non-verbal visual story that allowed audiences all over the world to understand its visual message without the hindrance of a language barrier.  Over time, One Water has evolved, and screenings now include along with the non-verbal film, a feature film narrated by Donna E. Shalala, and a television version narrated by Martin Sheen which debuted on Planet Green.

It is essential that we find multiple ways to spread awareness of the preciousness of water in various aspects of our lives.  While it is critical that we begin and continue to highlight the importance of water to policy makers, organizations and individuals with a sense of immediacy; as educators we cannot forget the importance of addressing the next generation of leaders and decision makers. There is no doubt that we will only be able to meet this global challenge through efforts that will span generations.

The idea of developing an elementary and secondary level school curriculum around the topic of water conservation and use is a continuation of the motion picture One Water. The film was completed as a partnership among the School of Communication, College of Engineering and the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, the Knowater curriculum, which conforms to Sunshine State Standards, has been created by the Knight Center for International Media at the School of Communication and authored by professors Eugene Provenzo, Jr. and Cory Buxton of the School of Education at the University of Miami.  This curriculum has been generously supported by a grant from the South Florida Water Management District and is being adapted for use in schools internationally.