Schools around Ireland celebrate World Water Day at An Taisce Green-Schools and Irish Water 'Walk for Water' event

Over 200 primary school students participated

Over 200 students from primary schools around the country participated in Green-Schools/Irish Water ‘Walk for Water’ events in Cork, Sligo and Wicklow yesterday to mark World Water Day 2019. The students walked six kilometres carrying six litres of water to highlight water scarcity and experience the journey travelled every day, mostly by women and children, to access clean water in affected countries.

The Walk for Water is a key part of the Water theme of the Green-Schools programme, which is supported by Irish Water. Students taking part learned the actions they can take to help ensure a clean water supply is available globally.

Clean water is a precious resource and that we all need to take action to conserve it

Kate Gannon, Corporate Affairs Manager in Irish Water said “Helping the next generation to understand the importance of conserving water is a key part of our role in safeguarding Ireland’s water supply, so we are delighted to be partnering with An Taisce's Green-Schools Water Theme for the sixth year running. The Walk for Water is a creative way for the students to understand that clean water is a precious resource and that we all need to take action to conserve it.” 

UN World Water Day takes place on 22 March each year

UN World Water Day takes place on 22 March each year to highlight the billions of people around the world who do not have access to safe, clean water. The theme for 2019 is ‘leaving no one behind’. This is an adaptation of the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: as sustainable development progresses, everyone must benefit.

Green-Schools Manager, Cathy Baxter, explained the importance of the event: “This is our seventh year holding Walk for Water events to celebrate World Water Day. Each year we can see the difference the experience makes for the attending students; they go home with a greater awareness of what water scarcity is and how important conservation and sustainable development has become.”