British schoolgirl becomes youngest UN Goodwill
Ambassador as Water4Life campaign is launched in UK
A British schoolgirl became the world’s youngest UN
Goodwill Ambassador when she was appointed June 8 at the London launch of
Water4Life,
a UN University appeal to help address the world water crisis.
Laura Sweeting, 16, was given the role to help raise
awareness that thousands of children – one every eight seconds – die
daily due to unsafe water in developing countries.
Monies raised by the Water4Life campaign will be
channelled by the UN University’s
International
Network on Water, Environment and Health to on-the-ground projects
that reduce the threat of water-borne diseases and contaminated water
worldwide.
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Laura Sweeting -
raising
awareness about water |
As Goodwill Ambassador, Laura will spend part of her
summer holidays making personal appearances and giving press, radio &
TV interviews as part of a nation-wide UK fund-raising campaign for the
Water4Life appeal.
Laura’s school, Stanborough Secondary School in Watford,
Hertfordshire, has already formed its own UN Assembly and enrolled 36
pupils, all of different nationalities, as members.
From a converted classroom with Internet, e-mail and fax
facilities, pupils can contact other schools worldwide to raise awareness
of water problems and promote fund-raising initiatives for the Water4Life
Appeal.
Said Ralph Daley, Director of UNU / INWEH: "We chose
Stanborough School to launch and help promote our world-wide campaign
because of its unique international links, and because we believe the idea
of children helping children to improve the world water crisis is an
excellent, workable and worthwhile initiative."
According to
UN
statistics:
-
50 per cent of people in developing countries suffer
from one or more water-related diseases
-
80 per cent of the diseases in the developing world
are caused by contaminated water
-
50 per cent of people on earth lack adequate
sanitation
"Not only is the toll a human tragedy, but it means
that hundreds of millions of people are less able to carry on productive
lives, and this severely undermines social and economic development,"
said Dr. Daley. He warned that unless action is stepped up soon the number
of those who die from unsafe water is expected to escalate dramatically.
UK media coverage
of the launch was strong, including four national newspapers and four
newswires, as well as more than 30 national television and radio news
broadcasts.
A number of UK firms have expressed interest in supporting
the campaign, with commitments linked to product sales in excess of
US$150,000 received in the first week of the campaign.
Public fund-raising through major social and sporting
events will also occur over the summer.
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