Stories from Southeast asia
Following the holiday end-of-year break, Mina and the Run Blue team kicked off 2023 and the final quarter of the campaign in Viet Nam. Mina ran six marathons in the Mekong River Delta, focusing on the importance of the Mekong to local people and communities, as well as some of the complex issues in the region. In Viet Nam,, Mina also ran her 150th marathon, reaching 75% of her 200-marathon goal.
We then arrived in Delhi for a busy week of marathons, storytelling, and engagement. The flagoff in Delhi with partner Bayer was attended by India’s G20 Sherpa. From Delhi, the team travelled to Varanasi to tell the story of the Ganga. The team then departed for Mumbai, where Mina participated in the Mumbai marathon to close out the India leg of Run Blue.
The Mekong River is the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, providing food, water, and energy for millions of people in Viet Nam and beyond. It is home to an abundance of fish and other wildlife and supports a rich culture and vibrant economy.
But the Mekong is under threat. Unsustainable industry practices, climate change, sand mining, and other environmental threats have put this great river at risk.
Mekong River Delta, Viet Nam
'Pavan Guru Pani Pita Mata Dharat Mahat' means the air is the teacher, the water is the father, and the earth is the great mother which provides. No words can describe what a catastrophe it would be not only for India but for the world if the River Ganga ceases to exist in the way it should, explained Ripudaman when Team Run Blue visited the Ganga.
The Ganges River, also known as the Ganga, is one of the most important and sacred rivers in India. The river is not only important for its religious significance but also for its ecological importance. But it is one of the most polluted rivers in the world, with industrial and agricultural waste, as well as human sewage, contaminating the water.