Musicians and Actors Meet with Blumenauer to Discuss International Water Crisis PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 19:00

Washington, DC – Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) met with musicians and actors who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about the global water crisis. Actor Emile Hirsch and musicians Kenna, Santigold, and Lupe Fiasco met with Blumenauer, author of the Water for the Poor Act, which was enacted in 2005 and has provided millions with access to clean water for the first time.

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Left to right: Alex Mundt, Emile Hirsch, Lupe Fiasco, Santigold, Wold Zemedkun, Elizabeth Gore, Dr. Greg Allgood, Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Kenna pose on the Capitol steps on Tuesday.

Blumenauer and the artists discussed his Water for the World Act , H.R. 2030, legislation he introduced last year to provide 100 million of the world’s poorest with first-time access to drinking water and sanitation by 2015.

“Lack of access to clean water is a matter of life or death for one-sixth of the world’s population,” said Congressman Blumenauer. “Global warming will exacerbate droughts and the availability of drinking water, making what is currently the greatest health challenge even worse. The work of Kenna, Emile Hirsch, Lupe Fiasco, Jessica Biel and Santigold, among others, will bring needed attention to this crisis. The Summit on the Summit documentary will engage young people and, I hope, galvanize Americans and Washington to take action.”

“Summit On The Summit: Kilimanjaro was 3 years in the ideation and creation, but the Global Clean Water Crisis is a lifelong commitment for me,” said Kenna. “I am honored to be here with Representative Blumenauer, a long standing water advocate, and my climb team to discuss the serious need for focused appropriations for clean water.”

“When I was asked to climb a mountain to raise awareness for global water issues, I could not say no. With every step I took toward the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, all I could think of was the girl who walks up to six hours a day to carry 80 pounds of water,” said Elizabeth McKee Gore, United Nations Foundation’s Executive Director of Global Partnerships. “Access to clean water is the essential lifeblood of growing sustainable, healthy and educated communities worldwide. We’re grateful for the opportunity to talk about this critical issue that affects over a billion people around the world every day, and I hope that the Summit on the Summit will inspire people like it inspired me to make global clean water a priority.”unwater
 
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