FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Millions join a global stand against poverty in world record setting attempt

For Immediate Release

In the countdown to World Poverty Day on Tuesday 17 October, millions of people around the world are setting a World Record for the most number of people to stand united against poverty in a 24 hour period.

From 10am on Sunday 15 October, millions of people from Asia to Africa and Latin America to Europe will literally “Stand Up Against Poverty” and pledge their solidarity to alleviate poverty and suffering around the world.

“Last year over 30 million people called for urgent government action to help the world’s poorest people. This attempt to set a World Record is part of a growing global movement of ordinary people united against poverty and inequality. We will not give up until poverty is ended”, said Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of CIVICUS and spokesperson for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).

• In Jaipur, India 38000 cricket fans will mark the India vs England match with a Stand Up event. 
• The Islamic cleric, Aa’Gym will lead an event at Islamic boarding schools across Indonesia.  
• In Japan a gigantic white band will be unravelled before thousands in Hiroba Square, Tokyo.  
• Gigantic ‘Make Poverty History’ men will be floated above Australian skies, while crowds gather in stand up events in Sydney. 
• Malawian President, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika will lead a rally against poverty. Church congregations across Africa will be dedicated to the ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ theme.
• In Tanzania, thousands of slum dwellers will join a rally and attend an anti-poverty concert.

Zimbabwe will kick off activities in 80 countries worldwide with ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ events in churches and football matches across the country, culminating in an anti-poverty music concert in Mbare slums in the capital, Harare.

“Poverty is increasing daily in Zimbabwe, yet our voices go unheard. This weekend, our people will stand united with the poor around the world sending a message to our leaders that we can no longer tolerate the injustice of poverty”, said Fambai Ngirande, National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations in Zimbabwe.

United by the international symbol of the white band, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) is the world’s largest anti-poverty coalition, whose organisations together represent more than 150 million people globally. In collaboration with the UN Millennium Campaign, millions will ‘stand up’ together and pledge to keep the pressure on governments to end world poverty, inequality and meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals.

Ends

Contact:
Sarah Jenkinson at GCAP,                                         +44 7810 180237 or                                  
media@whiteband.org

For more information visit:                            
www.whiteband.org or
www.standagainstpoverty.org
 
Notes to Editors and Producers:

1. Broadcast footage and photographs from “Stand Up Against Poverty” events around the world will be available free of charge on FTP sites at 00.01 (GMT) on World Poverty Day (17 Oct).
For footage: ftp address: ftp.whitebandmedia.org username: gcapftpdownload password: dyrzx8gZ

2. “Stand Up Against Poverty” will take place in over 80 countries in a 24-hour period which starts at 10am (GMT) on Sunday, October 15 and finishes at 10pm (GMT) on Monday, 16 October 2006.          

3. Monitored by the Guinness Book of Records, the official number of people participating in the Stand Up events will be announced on World Poverty Day, 17 October.

4. ‘Stand Up’ Event Highlights:

• The whole stadium at the ICC’s India v England cricket match in Jaipur, India will ‘stand up’ in solidarity with estimated figures of 4 million people across India. This will be broadcast live on TV around the world.
• In Malawi, congregations of up to 3 million people are expected to ‘Stand Up’ during church services across the country including a rally with Malawi President Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika.
• In Tanzania, thousands of people living in slum areas will stand united at a rally and music concert.
• Over half a million young people from across 64 districts in Bangladesh will stand together in white human chains.
• Giant white inflatable ‘Make Poverty History’ men will float high above a mass ‘stand up’ in Sydney, Australia supported by approximately 20,000 people standing up in over 100 locations around Australia.
• A march of 5,000 young people dressed in white in Togliatti, Western Russia plus in the central park of Vladimir, families will ‘Stand Up’ at a music concert filled with white balloons.
• In Japan a gigantic white band will be unravelled with hundreds stood united in Hiroba Square, Tokyo.
• Islamic Cleric, Aa’Gym will lead ‘stand up’ events at Islamic boarding schools across Indonesia.
• In the US, the ONE Campaign will take a stand against poverty by hosting hundreds of house parties to spread the message about extreme poverty and global AIDS.

For full details of all 80 countries and contact details: Sarah Jenkinson on 07810 180237 or email: media@whiteband.org or go to www.whiteband.org

5. The ‘Stand Up’ pledge:
 “As part of the generation that demands an end to poverty, I stand up:

- for the 30,000 children killed by poverty today
- to insist that governments keep their promises to the poor
- to reach the Millennium Development Goals and aim even higher
- for action, not excuses
- for justice and equality
I stand up against poverty.”

6.  The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) is a coalition of anti-poverty and economic justice campaigns. GCAP brings together a diverse group of organisations united in the knowledge that we will be more effective when we work together.

We want to pressurise governments to eradicate poverty, dramatically lessen inequality, and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We are demanding:

• Public accountability, just governance and the fulfilment of human rights
• Trade justice
• A major increase in the quantity and quality of aid and financing for development
• Debt cancellation

Since it launched at the World Social Forum in January 2005 GCAP has mobilised more than 38 million citizens. Faith groups, women’s groups, trade unions, youth organisations, international NGOs, grassroots movements and numerous other civil society groups for the backbone of the national campaigns whose symbol is the is the white band.

7. To find out more about Stand Up Against Poverty visit www.whiteband.org and www.standagainstpoverty.org

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