President Mohamed Waheed Endorses The WHOLE WORLD Water Campaign

- Maldives Aims to Become the First Country to Eliminate Plastic Bottled Water

NEW YORK, March 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- WHOLE WORLD Water announced today that Dr. Mohamed Waheed, President of the Republic of the Maldives, will celebrate World Water Day by signing the WHOLE WORLD Water Referendum for Clean and Safe Water. The Referendum encourages the hospitality and tourism industry to replace branded bottled water with filtered water sold in recycled, reusable glass bottles, and to donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the WHOLE WORLD Water Fund. The Referendum will be signed during an on-air Google+ Hangout, today, March 22, at 11am GMT.

The WHOLE WORLD Water Google+ Hangout will highlight how governments can work with the private sector to drive positive, sustainable change. Participants in the Hangout will include President Waheed; Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group and Virgin Unite; Sonu Shivdasani, Chairman of Soneva Resorts & Spas and co-Founder and Trustee of WHOLE WORLD Water; Dinda Elliott, Global Affairs Editor at Conde Nast Traveler; Mike Bettes, Meteorologist at the Weather Channel; Michael d'Estries, co-founder of Ecorazzi.com; Jenifer Willig and Karena Albers, co-founders of WHOLE WORLD Water.

Considered a top tourism destination by many, the Maldives is among the most vulnerable of the small island states to the consequences of climate change, and faces acute development challenges such as a shortage of potable water. With 28 percent of the GDP coming from tourism, this industry has a significant role to play in helping to mitigate these challenges.

"What our world urgently needs to achieve sustained development will require significant changes in what we produce, and how we consume our resources," said President Waheed. "It is my hope that by endorsing this initiative, all hotels and resorts in the Maldives will join WHOLE WORLD Water and that the Maldives will serve as a global example of how governments can work with the private sector to drive positive, sustainable change for all."

"We are honored to have our campaign endorsed by President Waheed," said Karena Albers, co-founder of WHOLE WORLD Water. "This is an extraordinary story of a small island state taking an astounding leadership position – setting a global example of how governments and the private sector can work together. It is important to note that funds raised by local resorts will be invested back into clean water initiatives here in the Maldives."

"Solving our world's great challenges requires screwing business as usual," said Sir Richard Branson, Founder at Virgin Group and advisor to WHOLE WORLD Water. "Through the cooperation of government and the private and social sectors through projects such as WHOLE WORLD Water, we can develop lasting business and humanitarian solutions."

Industry members and travelers everywhere are invited to tune into the WHOLE WORLD Water Google+ Hangout, today, March 22, at 11:00am GMT. For more information about WHOLE WORLD Water, please visit www.wholeworldwater.co.

About WHOLE WORLD Water:
Developed to end the global water and sanitation crisis, WHOLE WORLD Water works to engage the hospitality and tourism industry to filter, bottle, and sell its own water, and contribute 10% of the proceeds to the WHOLE WORLD Water Fund. Founded in 2012 by award winning documentary filmmaker Karena Albers, and Jenifer Willig, former CEO of the (RED) campaign, the core belief of WHOLE WORLD Water is that if it is not good for business, it is simply not sustainable. For more information, please visit www.wholeworldwater.co, and join the conversation on Twitter @WHOLEWORLDWater.

WHOLE WORLD Water Members:
To date, current members include: Soneva, Six Senses Resorts & Spas, Virgin Limited Edition, Virgin Hotels, Banyan Tree, Auberge du Soleil, TAO Restaurant Group, The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Dusit Hotels and Resorts, JetWing Hotels, The Ranch at Live Oak Malibu, Yoo Hotels, and Tsogo Sun.