On World Water Day, March 22, 2022, Thirst Foundation founder and CEO, Mina Guli launched RUN BLUE from Uluru, Australia, by running the first of 200 marathons in one year to draw attention to the global water crisis.
RUN BLUE is an audacious global campaign uniting and empowering businesses, organizations, governments and people to drive awareness, create urgency and take action on water.
A self-confessed non-runner, Guli says water-related challenges are worsening and becoming more urgent, “Everyone is affected by water. Together, we all have a responsibility to help solve the global water crisis.”
“The gap between the supply of water and our ever-growing demand is a huge global challenge. Climate change is exacerbating the water crisis as we have experienced with our recent fires, floods and droughts in Australia,” said Guli.
“Water is our most precious resource and yet we treat it as if it is nothing. I have seen this firsthand and I want the world to see it too. This is why I’m running 200 marathons – to inspire a new generation of water advocates amongst companies, governments and people everywhere.”
“The world is dramatically off track to reach the targets set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 to ensure everyone has access to water and sanitation. It’s time to change that. Individually, each of us can make an impact, but together we can change the world,” said Guli.
The RUN BLUE Australian leg will include 25 marathons over seven weeks through the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. The campaign will see Guli complete another 175 marathons across Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, India, Latin America, South East Asia, Mexico and America.
The final run will take place on World Water Day 2023 in New York City ahead of the 2023 UN Water Conference (their first conference on water in almost 50 years).
Throughout the RUN BLUE campaign, Guli will meet with locals, government, industry and business representatives to ensure urgent action on water issues are on the agenda at key events, including UN preparatory meetings and COP27.
Thirst Foundation is asking 200 global companies to commit to take critical action on water before World Water Day 2023 by using a framework called Six for 6 that provides best practice pathways to manage and track water commitments.
During the 12 months of RUN BLUE, there will be six free global running and walking activations to help amplify awareness to encourage collective action and education on water sustainability.
“We can all use water more wisely and we must demand urgent change. No matter what you run in your life – your household, your company, your daily decisions – we want everyone to RUN ‘it’ BLUE,” said Guli.
Put water front-of-mind in all your daily choices and join the RUN BLUE movement.
