Jay-Z, United Nations and MTV Partner to Highlight the World Water Crisis
Water for Life
By United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, MTV President Christina Norman and President and CEO of Def Jam Records Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter have joined forces to address the world water crisis.

“Nearly two million children die every year because of unclean water and poor sanitation.”

Most of us take water for granted: we turn on the tap and there’s plenty of it. Or, if we prefer, we can buy hundreds of different brands of it in supermarkets.

But for more than a billion members of the human family, who lack access to safe drinking water, this is an inconceivable dream. And some 2.6 billion people have no access to proper sanitation. The consequences are devastating.

Nearly 2 million children die every year because of unclean water and poor sanitation—far more than the casualties from violent conflicts.
All over the world, pollution, over-consumption and poor water management are decreasing the quality and quantity of water.

Competition among nations for freshwater is already a factor in many conflicts, and has the potential to cause many more in the future. In fact, nearly a half-century ago John F. Kennedy said that “Anyone who can solve the problems of water will be worthy of two Nobel Prizes — one for peace and one for science.”

The water crisis — like so many issues confronting our world — can only be fully addressed with the active participation of young people everywhere.

I am very pleased to announce a groundbreaking collaboration between the United Nations, MTV and Jay-Z to raise awareness about the world’s water crisis.

All of us at the United Nations are excited about this initiative. Working with MTV and Jay-Z, we hope this campaign will motivate youth to take action both in their own lives, and in support of broad eco-friendly initiatives.

MTV’s global reach and credibility can play an important role in educating and empowering its audience.

Jay-Z, through his enormous influence, will inspire young people to care, conserve and join in the search for solutions to our water crisis.

Together, we may yet inspire a young viewer to take up President Kennedy’s challenge, and claim both those Nobel Prizes.