Water is Life forum to explore water equity across the world

The Water is Life forum with bring together community organizers and nonprofit leaders to discuss water equity across various world regions on Sept. 23 at the new Pitt Global Hub.

According to the organizers, “As the global population grows, there is an increasing need to address structural inequalities that empower certain communities at the expense of others and privilege the growing commercial demand on water resources over social inclusion.”

To explore regional and global challenges to water equity, the forum will connect Pitt faculty and students with Amizade community organizers from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and Brazil’s Amazon region along with nonprofit leaders at the World Aral Region Charity, which works in Uzbekistan’s Khorezm Region, and the EcoSoap Bank, which focuses on improving sanitation and hygiene education in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

John Stoner, University Center for International Studies executive director for academic affairs, will moderate the event, which is also hosted by the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, the Center for Latin American Studies and the Asian Studies Center.

Speakers include:

  • Keller Allen: assistant director, Pine Ridge Agricultural Initiative, and site director, Amizade, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

  • James Cross: council representative, Oglala Sioux Government, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

  • John Matthias Brown: site director, Amizade, Brazil; founder, Petersfield Sports & Community Club; and co-founder, Association of Community Based Organizations

  • Robert Denovish Willard: president, World Aral Region Charity

  • Samir Lakhani: founder and executive director, Eco-Soap Bank

The event is from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall.