Live Earth Fun Run/Walk gets Melbourne buzzing

Sunday 18 April, 2010

The Dow Live Earth Fun Run/Walk for Water went off with a bang as nearly 200 competitors raced 6 kilometres around Melbourne's CBD in recognition of the average distance travelled by women and children across the world to access clean, safe drinking water.

Riverfoundation secured the valued position of charity beneficiary of the Australian event - receiving a portion of registration fees to help continue their important work with communities around the world.

Background

International Riverfoundation has been named the Australian NGO partner for the ‘Dow Live Earth Run for Water' in Melbourne on 18 April 2010.

The Dow Live Earth Run for Water will inspire the world's citizens to come together on one day to help solve the world's water crisis. Melbourne has been awarded a Live Earth ‘Showcase Event', as part of a global series of 6km run/walks (the average distance women and children in the developing world can walk everyday to secure water).

Taking place in hundreds of countries around the world, over the course of 24 hours, the event features a participation run or walk, followed by a concert and water education activities, igniting a massive global movement - all aimed at helping solve local and global water issues.

The Melbourne Run for Water will encourage people to START solving the problem today, addressing the water crisis in Victoria, GIVE money to support water projects, and learn how to SAVE water in homes and communities throughout Melbourne and Victoria.

All donations raised by the Dow Live Earth Run for Water will fund sustainable water programmes and support a global network of NGO partners. The NGO partner for the Melbourne event is International Riverfoundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting the sustainable management of rivers by providing access to the technical knowledge, practical expertise and equipment required to improve the health of rivers and their communities from the ground up.

Through Riverfoundation's innovative Twinning program, groups who have demonstrated excellence in restoring and sustainably managing their rivers and waterways work with others to build capacity, transfer skills and improve community health, water quality and availability, on a global scale.

Donations received from the Dow Live Run for Water in Melbourne will be used to support Riverfoundation's active and emerging Twinning projects, including the established Tweed-Kenya Mentoring Program and the emerging Merri Creek-Merri River partnership in Victoria, Australia. In Kenya, the Tweed-Kenya Mentoring Project delivers education and advocacy at a grass-roots level regarding water, sanitation and hygiene; training in catchment management practices; activation of youth environment clubs, and the establishment of safe water filtration units in rural communities. In Victoria, the Merri Creek are mentoring the Merri River community to improve the health of the river and biodiversity within the catchment, and to manage their water resources in a more sustainable way.

"To have been chosen as the sole Australian beneficiary and partner of Live Earth 2010 is an absolute honour and an initiative that we're 100% committed to since our aim is for all rivers and waterways to be healthy and sustainably managed for the future of the populations that depend on them" says Peter Krause from International Riverfoundation.  "We're also really excited about being involved in such a fantastic event and looking forward to hearing about the acts that will be representing the cause in Melbourne."