This coming Sunday (15th October) is a day of global action against world poverty. As a part of the action there’ll be a 24 hour world record attempt. Between 11am on Sunday and 11am on Monday 16th October, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world will be Standing Up Against Poverty. They will rise from sitting or kneeling to a standing position for one minute, affirming together the Stand Up pledge:
This weekend the white band is back, as around the world the national movements that began last year together plan to demonstrate that the issue of global poverty still matters, and that urgent action is still needed.
“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.”
If you would like to take part and try to be a record breaker, email stephen@jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk before 5pm on Monday 16 October, telling him your full contact details, where and when the Stand Up moment happened and how many stood. Stephen will make sure your contribution is counted.
Stephen Rand tells us why Christians should do this:
“Because global poverty is still the major cause of untimely death in our world today.
Because if God cares, his people should care.
Because when Christians represent God’s values in and to the world, we honour his name.
Because we always care about what is on God’s heart, not just when it is fashionable.
Stand Up Against Poverty is the final weekend of a global month of action around the world which has united more than 150 million people in more than a hundred countries, a unity represented by the white band, a shared symbol of solidarity against poverty.
Jubilee Debt Campaign is continuing to press the UK government to make greater efforts to ensure that debt relief is not used as a weapon of economic and political control of poor countries by the rich. The JDC campaign to Cut the Strings has already seen the UK government withhold $50 million from its support of the World Bank pending progress – but more needs to be done.
The picture since the Gleneagles G8 is not great. There has been some progress, many people’s lives have benefited from debt cancellation – but the collapse of the trade negotiations because of the unwillingness of the wealthy nations to make concessions demonstrates just how much needs to be done, and how important public opinion is on these issues.”
For further information jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk or whiteband.org
