The U.S. Department of State will host the second Annual 6k Walk for Water at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, as part of the Department’s Earth Day celebrations. Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, will kick off the event by delivering remarks outside the Department’s 21^st Street entrance near the corner of Virginia Avenue, NW.

The Annual 6k Walk for Water is organized to acknowledge the millions of people in the developing world, most often women and girls, who walk an average of six kilometers to collect water for their families. The task of collecting water keeps children out of school and prevents women from engaging in other, more productive economic activities. The event also recognizes that clean water resources are essential for a healthy planet and have widespread implications for the global environment, health, economy, food security, and gender equity.

The event is open to the public. Interested participants can register for the walk by emailing: EarthDay@state.gov.

Water will be provided free of charge at the halfway point by the Embassy of Sweden.

Media are invited to attend the event, which will begin at 11:30 a.m. For more information, please contact: Molly Lynn Westrate, Bureau of Public Affairs, at 202-647-2492.