Last Thursday (11/10/06) and on Sunday (15/10/06) I mentioned that there was going to be a world record attempt as a part of the Global Day of Action Against Poverty. Well, I can announce the result: Over 23 million people made their ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’!
On 15th-16th October there was a global attempt to set an official Guinness World record for the largest number of people ever to Stand Up Against Poverty in 24 hours.
23,542,614 people Stood Up Against Poverty… with Guinness World Records spokesperson Craig Glenday saying: “By the time we get all the figures in it will be the largest single coordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Records.”
At each Stand Up event, people stood up and pledged their solidarity with the world’s poorest people and demanded that governments take urgent action to end poverty and inequality and to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals.
In Johannesburg, Kumi Naidoo, spokesperson for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) said: “Ordinary people around the world have stood up to express their passion to end poverty. Together, we have sent a clear message to our political leaders that we are going to keep pushing them to deliver on aid, on debt cancellation, on trade justice and to provide good and accountable governments. The people’s voices are growing louder. We will not rest until poverty is ended”.
