Stand Ups numbers Speak Out loud
Over 43.7 million people, in 127 countries have broken the Guinness World Record set last year at 23.5 million - for the largest number of people to STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY in 24 hours.
The challenge saw millions of people physically and intentionally standing up against poverty, inequality and in support of the Millennium Development Goals. The mass mobilisation provided a platform for global civil society seeking more active involvement in the current aid architecture debate, debt cancellation processes, trade negotiations and public accountability monitoring. The largest numbers of people who took part in this mobilisation came from developing countries. United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who led a stand up action at UN Headquarters in New York, said Today tens of millions of people are making their voices heard by standing up and speaking out against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals. They are sending messages that call on their leaders to keep their promises. They are calling for the actions of citizens to be matched by the actions of Governments, in developing and developed countries alike, to demonstrate the political will required to end the scourge of poverty once and for all." Kumi Naidoo, Chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty said: "The confirmation of the new Guinness record coupled with the political dimension to this years action, tells us we are a growing movement of people holding our leaders to account for tackling global poverty and inequality. The impressive efforts of our brothers and sisters in developing countries through new lobbying actions like delegations to politicians on this date, shows the poor are watching how resources are allocated and want to have a say how policies are made. It now falls on rich countries to fulfil their side of the bargain too. The UN Millennium Campaigns Executive Coordinator Eveline Herfkens said: The record we really want to break is the worlds record of breaking promises and ignoring the poor. We dont want to record numbers of people dying of poverty every year. This is the great issue of our times, let us become great by dealing with it decisively. Source: UNMC |
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