As we participate in the #WorldRiverRun a virtual run spanning over five days hosted by Mina Guli and The Thirst Foundation. We’d also like to expand our community beyond the runners and walkers to include those who are actively working to protect rivers; our River Champions. 

The #WorldRiverRun aims to highlight the importance of preserving and restoring our rivers. We would also like to celebrate rivers and display how important they are to the planet’s biodiversity and ecosystems during these five days. 

 As a team, we recognise the River Champions who dedicate their lives to conserving our waterways. Who eagerly promote awareness for rivers via social media and who are a part of or head organisations that do daily what we intend to do over the next five days.

 We would like to celebrate those individuals and what they do to champion our rivers here. 

  • Makasa Looking Horse

    Makasa works towards trying to save the aquifer from big water bottling companies that steal from her Reserve of Six Nations.

  • Peter Gleick - @petergleick

    A scientist, a communicator, and a human who works tirelessly to solve global water challenges and toward building a more sustainable future for all.

  • Mohammad Azaz

    From the River and Delta Research Centre where his organisation campaigns for the rights of rivers, and riverine communities.

  • Robert Brears - @Robert_Brears

    Robert advocates for water education, builds bridges across communities, and generates and disseminates knowledge.

  • Sabine Stuiver - @Hydraloop

    Sabine is a thought & change leader, an advocate of UN Global Goals and a keynote speaker.

  • Machiel van Dooren

    Machiel is part of Made Blue where the mission is, Clean Water for All. They invest in water projects in countries with severe water scarcity.

  • Sani Ayouba

    Sani is part of a campaign launched with International Rivers, for compliance with social and environmental safeguard policies. Sani works with the Kandadji Dam Project in Niger.

  • Muhammad Ibrahim - @dheenylkhair

    Break-Free From Plastic Awareness Initiative (BFFPAI) is an impact driven network of youths that works with local communities, organisations and youth leaders in Nigeria for a just, equitable and sustainable world.

  • Seyifunmi Adebote - @adebotes

    Through his youth led and primarily youth focused podcast, Climate Talk Podcast, Seyifunmi educates thousands of people about climate change and inspires them to take climate action.

  • Saya Pierce-Jones - @saya_pj

    Journalist in Cape Town, with a passion for environmental conservation.

  • Natasha Wiseman - @makewaterfamous

    Natasha wants to make Water Famous by sharing only the good news about water. Thousands of amazing initiatives are making a difference to our rivers and the whole water environment and Natasha and @makewatferfamous want everyone to hear about it.

  • Nathaniel Popkin - @NathanielPopkin

    Author of To Reach The Spring. Nathaniel is part of Cerdan Art and Nature, an emergent artist residency and ecological regeneration project in the eastern Pyrenees of France, near the Spanish Border. Catalunya.

  • Clive Donnley - @DonnleyClive

    Clive has been operating as a human rights educator and a climate activist raising global awareness in conservation and mitigation of the climate crisis.

  • David Loyd Owen - @Daviddwr

    David runs, Envisager, a consultancy advising a variety of organisations from multilaterals to finance houses about water policy, especially in delivering universal access to safe, affordable and sustainable access to drinking water and sanitation.

  • Jeffrey Kightlinger

    Head of Pasadena Water & Power, a public utility that provides water and power to the residents of Pasadena, a city in Southern California.

  • Jim McClelland - @SustMeme

    Journalist and Founder & Brand Ambassador for SustMeme who covers water issues in terms of economics, environment and social equity.

  • Erin O'Donnell Erin - @ezzyod

    The voice of the Birrarung (Yarra) in Naarm (Melbourne), on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country. Erin is a member of the Birrarung Council, the voice of the Birrarung (Yarra) in Naarm (Melbourne), on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country. She works closely with Indigenous people on water justice, and the growing recognition of rivers as living entities.

  • Fredrick Mugira - @mugira

    A Bertha Fellow, National Geographic explorer, and a Pulitzer Center Grantee, Fredrick is an award-winning water journalist. He founded Water Journalists Africa organisation and cofounded its flagship project InfoNile focused on Nile River.

  • Dustin Garrick

    Dustin is from the University of Waterloo, he studies how people share rivers and identifies pathways to more sustainable water management.

  • Dr Masood Arshad

    Manages Freshwater, Climate and Energy, Food and Markets, and Governance and Policy Teams at WWF-Pakistan.

  • Remmy Kinna - @remykinna

    Work for the secretariat of the Water Convention - a United Nations global legal instrument and intergovernmental platform - which aims to ensure the sustainable use and protection of transboundary water resources by facilitating cooperation.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHAMPION OUR RIVERS?

These heroes are speaking up for rivers! Their passion is to protect and restore river ecosystems and help these freshwater bodies thrive.


If their work inspires you, please follow the links to connect with them.
The more you celebrate them, the more support their work will get.


Use the hashtag #WorldRiverRun on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and share this article.
And finally, please let us know if there is someone we should add to the list!

Nominate a River Champion