[Image via: UN Water]
Since its inception in 1993, the United Nations has celebrated March 22 as the annual day to reflect upon the many issues surrounding our global freshwater supply. Along with numerous locations live-broadcasting across the world, Washington D.C. joined in the campaign by hosting a collaborative event in the atrium of the World Bank today at 1 P.M., when both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and World Bank President Bob Zoellick presented a unified front on the continuing battle for sanitation and sustainable development.
"None of this work can be done alone," Clinton said, referencing the agreement between the U.S. Government and World Bank the she and Zoellick signed just a couple hours ago. "It must be done in partnership."
As I sat typing this update, I stopped momentarily to consider my current H20 situation: this morning, I woke up thirsty and grabbed a glass of Britta-filtered water from the fridge, followed by tap water to brush my teeth, a quick refill at the kitchen sink on my way out the door, then a cupful at the work water cooler, and just now, enough water to rinse off my apple.
But the rest of the world?
Over 1.1 billion people worldwide don't have access to clean drinking water.
By the time you've read up to this part of the blog post, at least one child will have died, due to a water-related disease.
2.2 billion people lack adequate sanitation in their cities.
These and more harrowing statistics are the reason Zoellick and the World Bank are rallying their support to eradicate the destruction and death caused by insufficient and unsanitary water sources. "If you think about almost any poverty and development issue, you will find water at the center of it," Zoellick stated.
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