The World Walks for Water 2011

On World Water Day 2011, over 350,000 people in more than 75 different countries walked together to demand an end to the water and sanitation crisis. The 2011 World Walks for Water event built on the success of the World's Longest Toilet Queue in 2010, and demanded that politicians in the North and the South keep their promises and step up their efforts to protect the right to water and sanitation for all people.

The voices of these activists strengthened End Water Poverty's calls for change at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in May 2011. This directly resulted in an ambitious water and sanitation target being included in the Istanbul Programme of Action. More information on the conference can be found at: http://www.endwaterpoverty.org/LDC Hundreds of walks took place across the globe. Hover over the pictures to reveal some of the highlights!

26,000 school children from 165 schools in the Flanders and Brussels regions of Belgium walked for water, walking a combined total of almost four times around the world. They were addressed by the Mayor of Zele who supported the event.
In The Philippines 2000 people including school students, teachers and administrators attended a walk organised by the Philippine Water Partnership. They were addressed by the country's President Benigno Aquino Jr who declared that the government is working towards resolving the water crisis.
Campaigners in Uganda met their Minister for Water and the Environment, presenting her with a Civil Society Manifesto demanding that the government make water and sanitation a political and funding priority. Elsewhere in Uganda, over 50,000 people walked for water.
1000 people marched through Monrovia, the capital of Liberia - a country where only 25% of people have access to water, and only 14% have access to basic sanitation.
In the UK, Tearfund and WaterAid organised a Walk for Water outside the Westminster parliament. Campaigners lobbied high profile government ministers such as the Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell whilst walking.