As countries around the world celebrated Earth Day on April 22, 2013, hundreds of people in Washington, D.C., joined together to highlight and recognize one of Earth’s most precious and essential resources: water.
As one walker noted:
“I grew up in Africa and understand firsthand and have experience what it is like to not have tap water. I have walked many times to the river to fetch water and firewood in my early life. It is my hope that someday in the future everyone will have easy access to clean water!”
Organized by the U.S. Department of State, the 3rd Annual 6K Walk for Water was also held to acknowledge the millions of people in the developing world, most often women and girls, who walk an average of six kilometers per day to collect water for their families.
Participants included students, volunteers, workers from local embassies and non-governmental organizations, as well as employees of the State Department.
Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy kicked off the event by delivering remarks outside the Department’s 21st Street entrance near the corner of Virginia Avenue NW in D.C.
Why else did people participate in the walk? Here’s what some of them said:
The human body is mostly water and without water there is know life. We need to preserve life hence water. That is one reason that I’m walking.
I want to show solidarity to the women and children that make huge efforts to survive and to help keep my own daily struggles in perspective.
I was born in Jamaica and I remember as child, My brothers, sister and I had to walk several miles early in the morning to retreive water for our family.
Why do you think it’s important to walk for water?