March to End Water Poverty
The huge knitted river being carried past
Downing Street.
Credit: Steve Bainbridge
On 12 May, hundreds of campaigners from all over the UK marched to Westminster with a huge knitted petition in support of the End Water Poverty campaign – demanding water and sanitation for all.
The river consists of approximately 100,000 squares and stretches approximately 250 metres long. It was knitted by supporters of UK-based NGO WaterAid in support of the billions of people worldwide who don't have safe water to drink or access to toilets.
In just three weeks time leaders of the world's eight richest nations will meet at the G8 summit in Germany. They will get together to discuss the most important matters affecting the world – yet the water and sanitation crisis claiming thousands of young lives every single day still fails to feature on the G8's agenda.
The march drew attention to the demands of End Water Poverty and asked the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to take this message to Germany where he can encourage other G8 leaders to tackle the global crisis in sanitation and water together.
Public pressure is mounting in support of the campaign to End Water Poverty. Along with the knitted squares, campaigners have so far sent 25,000 messages to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It’s not too late to send your message, so take action today.