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More than 20 million Asians set to ' Stand Up and Speak Out against Poverty'

More than 20 million Asians are expected to join the actions and mobilizations around the globe tomorrow that will mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Philippines 2007-10-16

For 24 hours starting 9:00 pm GMT today, people around the world will gather for the various Stand Up and Speak Out against Poverty and Inequality events. In Asia, various events will be held in Afghanistan, Australia,  Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Sri Lanka.

Asians will call on people to express their frustration at the continuing extreme poverty in many parts of the region. They will also call on world leaders to honor their promise to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, end the cycle of indebtedness and lower maternal mortality ratios in Asia.

In Afghanistan, a kite flying event will be held on the hills of Kabul in the morning. There will be 500 kites set to fly and up to 10,000 youth expected to participate.  Thousands more are expected to be mobilized for rallies in Kabul, Mazare, Sharif, and Harat. The mobilizations will call on the government to be more transparent on how foreign aid is spent and to focus on job creation to end poverty.  Meetings are also lined up with between civil society representatives and government ministers to present these demands. There will be also a big gathering in three big cities -- Kabul, Kunduz and Takhar – that will tackle how to end poverty in Afghanistan.   Representatives from the parliament, government and members of GCAP-Afghanistan will deliver speeches. A short theater show on poverty and its effects will be demonstrated by the youth group from Sanayee Development Organization. Famous Afghan singer Mrs. Mahyash, who has been living abroad has come home after almost 25 years. She will perform at the gathering. After the end of the gathering, there will be a kite flying event in Maranjan hill in Kabul and also in the government stadium in Takhar province. Some 700 kites have been prepared, each carrying messages demanding an end to poverty.

In Australia, the key event will be held in Parliament House Canberra, Sydney. Make Poverty-Australia have mobilized youth groups, church groups, trade unions and businesses for the event. (Contact Leanne Minshull, +61 406 882367, lminshall@acfid.asn.au)

In Bangladesh, the Dhaka City Corporation will hold a rally in front of the Nagar Bhaban to be led by none other than the honorable mayor of Dhaka himself. A People's Concert of popular bands and organized by youth groups will be held. Several mobilizations will be held across the country. At least 20,000 people will be mobilized in Dhaka. Outside the capital, 40,000 women's groups and children from 35,000 learning centers are all going to stand up and speak out against poverty and inequality. (Contact Sayed-ul-Alam Kazal, PFM Bangladesh & Program Manager, CAMPE, gcap_southasia@yahoo.com) or Tasneem Athar, CAMPE/PFM, 0171 303 9518)

In India, more than 15,000 local events are being organized across 19 states calling for an end to poverty and for greater rights. In Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra alone, 12,500 'panchayats' (village governments) will organize local meetings, while a Long March Against Poverty which will involve over 20,000 Dalit activists. Schools & Colleges across ends the country will conduct the Poverty Requiem & organizer 'Banners Against Poverty', and women from across the most marginalized communities of India -- Dalits, Adivasis, Muslim Minorities, Nomadic Tribes, Single women and Women with Disabilities – will make a collective statement on their experiences and register their demands to the government. The President of India, Pratibha Patil is receiving a delegation of women from the tribunal on the same day to hear their demands on poverty eradication. (Contact - Wada Na Todo Abhiyan: Lysa John - Tel: 9818019763 / Pasang Lepcha - 011-46082371 to 74 ) His holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living Foundation will mobilize millions globally at his ashram in Bangalore (estimated 50,000), and renowned yoga guru Swami Ramdev is also leading millions of his followers. (Contact Vineet Joshi, UN Millennium Campaign, +91 98 1022 7197, vineet.joshi@undp.org)

In Indonesia, Stand Up events will be held in 25 cities. Mobilizations will be held in Dream Park Ancol, Ragunan Zoo, and National Monument in Jakarta. The peasant and migrant communities in Jember, East Java (near Bali) will organize an anti-poverty parade and mobilization. The community affected by the recent earthquakes (Klaten, Central Java) will celebrate with a traditional music concert (Campursari). A mobilization will be held also in the conflict area of Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. (Contact: Hartoyo, INFID, +62 813 76192516)

In Nepal, a drama on poverty and hunger will be staged on the streets of Kathmandu. Mobilizations will also take place nationwide.

In Pakistan, anti-poverty campaigners have arranged an unprecedented Stand Up and Speak Out event to unfurl the longest banner in the world, signed by one million people. The 10 km-long banner will be on display in Bahawalpur.  Pakistan is one of 25 countries across the world using giant banners to form a white band, the symbol of the global anti-poverty movement. (Contact Mahar Safdar Ali + 92 42 52 02 100 / + 92 300 84 86 562 msadar@insanpk.org)

In the Philippines, the Stand Up event will take place in Liwasang Aurora, Quezon Memorial Circle , Quezon City. Activities will start at 7:00 a.m. There will be an Anti-Poverty Fair, workshops and forums (on food security, on the status of the elderly in the Philippines), open mike performances, and a banner parade. At 7:00 p.m., there will be a Poverty Requiem during which several chorale groups, composed of more than 150 singers, will perform. (Contact May-i Fabros, GCAP Philippines, +63 917 206 69 803)

In Singapore, celebrities Vernetta Lopez, Gerald Chew and Randall Tan will host the Stand Up and Speak Out event in the M Hotel Singapore ballroom from 7.00 p.m. - 9.00 p.m.   Jazz singer Robert Fernando, who has been hailed as the James Ingram of Singapore, will perform.  Thousands of students are also expected to Stand Up in schools throughout the city, including Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Hwa Chung Institution, Raffles Girls School and the National University of Singapore. The focal point of the Singapore event is the Stand Up pledge - a declaration calling on world leaders to do the right thing to end poverty now.  "Beyond the Halfway Mark" a mini-documentary about the MDGs and Singaporean attitudes toward poverty will be launched. (Contact: Michael Switow, ONE ( SINGAPORE), +65 9070 1724)

In South Korea, a White Band campaign concert will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m . at Yeouido Park. Singers Kim Jang-Hun, Lee Min-Woo, Lee Soo-Young, Wui Seoung, Wondergirls, VOS, Yang Hee-Eun, and Lim Jung-Hee will perform. Model Byeon Jung Soo, actors Park Sang-Won, Choi Soo-Jong, Cho Min-Ki, Seo Tae-Wha, and Jeong Ae-Ri, comedians Park Kyung-Lim, Lee Hyuk-Jae and Kim Yong-Man, broadcaster Park Seong-Joo, child star Jeong Da-Bin, and mountaineer Um Hong-Kil will lend their support to the events as ambassadors of the campaign against poverty. (Contact Su Young Choi, CCEJ Korea, 82 2 765 6400 or 766 5623)

In Sri Lanka, public rallies are expected to draw up to 500,000 people. Of these, 100,000 will be   in Colombo. (Contact Dr. Deshapriya S. Wijetunge, + 94 714 233 822, gcapsl@sunfo.org)

Twenty-three and a half million people - more than 17 million of whom live in Asia - stood up against poverty last year to set a world record.  An even greater number are expected to participate this year.  Stand Up and Speak Out against Poverty 2007 is touted as the biggest mobilization against poverty ever, with millions of people around the world demanding a more urgent political response to the growing poverty crisis

#ENDS

 

CONTACT

Lani C. Villanueva

Communication Officer, GCAP -South East North Central Asia

(2) 436 6054 / Mobile: (63) 0918 544 29 74 / Email: villanueva.lani@gmail.com

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