India's faith leaders pledge to save world's dwindling water resources

Over a hundred years after Swami Vivekananda made history at the Parliament of the World's Religions, the spiritual leaders of India travelled to Salt Lake City, USA for the world's sixth Parliament of the World's Religions, where they took a resounding stand for 'Swachh Bharat' and to help save the world's dwindling water resources.

Approximately 10,000 leaders from 50 religious traditions and 80 nations were present at the historic event taking place from the 15-19 October at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Globally, more people perish each year from lack of clean, safe, sufficient water, hygiene and sanitation than from all forms of violence combined.

Every day, some 1,800 children under the age of five die due to the lack of clean and healthy Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), with approximately1200-1600 deaths in India.

Much of this is due to the fact that some 600 million people in India still have no access to toilets, which results in the spread of disease as water resources and open spaces become contaminated.

Among the leaders present were H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati, president, Parmarth Niketan, Co-Chair, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, president, All-India Association of Imams, Madhavpriyadas Swami, head of Shri Swaminaryan Gurukul, Ahmedabad, Bhaisahib Sukhbir Singh, Bhaisahib Satpal Khalsa and others.