38.7 Million in 110 Countries!
In India all over the country people of all ages were standing up. In Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India, five million people participated. DAV Schools, the largest public school system of the country, reported 500,000 voices against poverty and at Kashmir University, 35,000 students stood up. Also in Delhi, one of four Women’s Tribunals on Poverty gathered 400 women from 20 states to debate how gender exclusion and discrimination impede development in poor countries.
In Bangladesh just under 850,000 people stood up with the main event held at Dhaka City office and led by the Mayor followed by a high profile concert. People called for cancellation of debt servicing to eradicate poverty and at the end 1000 candles were lit to express solidarity with the GCAP movement.
In South Africa, children in Pretoria stood up and the residents of the Big Brother Africa House joined the call lighting a bonfire against poverty which burned for the 24 hour period (see www.mnetafrica.com/bigbrother/videogallery.asp). In Malawi children were asked to bring a blade of grass to a local football match, the sum of which was their total of 15,584 participants.
In The Philippines, a massive 7+million people were mobilised at events involving faith groups and at the Anti Poverty fair. Campaigners called on the Arroyo government to change their position regarding the worsening condition of millions of Filipinos trapped in poverty.
Pakistani campaigners mobilised over 3.5 million including thousands who helped unfurl a 10km-long banner, In Bahawalpur carrying one million written messages. Pakistan was one of 25 countries across the world using giant banners to form a white band, the symbol of the global anti-poverty movement.
Palestinian children throughout the Occupied West Bank and Gaza spoke out saying no to poverty. The activities organized jointly with the Palestinian Ministry of Education took place for the first time in public and private schools, as well as UNWRA schools.
In Ramallah, a choir from the University performed a new musical work “The Poverty Requiem” as one of a global chain of 20 performances that took place on every continent. A high school choir also performed the piece at the UN Headquarters in New York.
In Egypt, Cairo the “Sailing the Nile” initiative saw over a million participants.
Civil Society delegations to government were organised in an unprecedented coordinated global lobby against poverty. Somalia was one of 35 countries where civil society representatives organised a group to present demands for pro-poor policy change directly to their politicians.
In The Hague, the national anti poverty campaign displayed 200 uniquely created life-size “Avatars” whilst in London the UN Deputy Secretary General stood up with key women leaders in front of city hall.
In Rwanda, youth groups organized a Stand Up soccer tournament with 20 primary schools and in Bangladesh 10,000 young people blocked a busy crossroads with a human chain.
Faith leaders Stand Up and Speak Out - At papal mass at The Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI sent a message of support urging increased efforts to eliminate poverty. Indian spiritual leader his holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar mobilized 30,000 people at his ashram in Bangalore and millions more across the globe to raise their voices through the Art of Living Foundation. Micah Challenge, the global Christian campaign took part and In the US, Canada and Europe Episcopal and Lutheran churches made the MDGs their top social justice priority by appointing an MDG-focused organizer in every diocese.
Visit http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/ for full list of events from around the world
