from Tim Gee of BOND, the UK coalition of development agencies and other humanitarian groups, co-ordinating UK contributions

For further information, see also the Stand Against Poverty web:
www.standagainstpoverty.org

You can see the very good Stand Up Against Poverty 2008 video
at www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUxTFSFBCF8

Return to Main
Schools Stand Up
home page

In UK City/Town Centres including Glasgow, Birmingham, Leicester, Bristol and Derby, people will gather to Stand Up and Take Action against poverty.
In London, a new film ‘The End of Poverty?’ will premiere in London at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre (6.30pm, Friday 17 October). This will be followed by a party organised by Pants to Poverty.
In Oxford, ‘The Oak Tree Foundation’ will be launched in the UK.
In Schools, over 5000 students and staff will stand up in assemblies or classes.
In places of worship, faith communities will discuss poverty issues, pray, and pledge to take action.
On the internet people will sign an e-action calling for a fairer way of dealing with debt.  Plus: Stand Ups at universities, a parent and toddler group and a local council regulatory committee!

In Lagos, Nigeria, 100,000 people are expected to gather on October 17-19 for a concert by Femi Kuti to commemorate the life of renowned Nigerian Musician Fela Kuti and demand that the government pay closer attention to the country’s poor people by investing more petro dollars in education, healthcare and other pro-poor development programs.

In Pretoria, South Africa on October 17, an expected 5,000 campaigners led by the workers’ trade union COSATU and the South Africa Council of Churches will march to Union Buildings, the official seat of government in South Africa, to demand guaranteed state social security schemes covering all children under eighteen. They will also call for the abolition of the value added tax on basic foodstuffs, the abolition of user fees on water, and the ratification of the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 

In Harare, Zimbabwe, 5,000 people are expected to gather when Pastor G and Victor Kunonga perform at “Do the Right Thing” on October 18 to call on the government to improve service delivery in health, water and sanitation. Using the case of Chitungwiza, a heavily populated dormitory town of Harare with an estimated population of 1 million, the groups participating in the campaign are arguing that years of neglect of the water system and the government’s failure to provide safe drinking water has led to outbreaks of cholera and other related diseases.

In Togo, caravans will travel around the country to towns and villages, with each visit focusing on a specific MDG. The tour will culminate at a beach where 5,000 people are expected to gather to Stand Up together on October 19.

In Nairobi, Kenya on October 18, several top artists including Sarah Mitaru, Jua Kali and Jaky Malley Ringtone will join hands to host a concert aimed at protesting rising costs and reminding world leaders that Africans will not accept a new slavery through retrogressive trade policies such as the Economic Partnership Agreements.

In Delhi, India, members of the National Conference of Dalit Organizations and Amnesty International, India will meet with Parliamentarians on October 17 to demand resources for the most vulnerable and socially excluded groups. Also in Delhi, celebrities and more than 10,000 people are expected to gather for a mass mobilization on Parliament Street.

In Daltonganj, Jharkhand, India more than 30,000 people from 600 villages and 18 districts are expected to gather on October 17 and 18 at a mass mobilization to demand poverty alleviation measures from the government and the achievement of the MDGs. The gathering, called Mahapanchayat, will be addressed by the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.

In Indonesia on October 17, Muslims will Stand Against Poverty at more than 400 mosques in a statement of solidarity to encourage the government to commit to more pro-poor policies.

In the Philippines, the National Anti-Poverty Commission and other civil society actors are expected to mobilize more than 10 million people at events including a National People’s Day on October 18, which will offer medical services and a job fair.  Also in the Philippines there will be a “Stand Up and Take Action” Rap Contest for community youth groups in metro Manila on October 17 and a bike run on October 19.

In Thailand, at least 180,000 people living below the national poverty line are expected to participate in poverty reduction clinics organized by the Ministry of Interior, which will encourage domestic and individual savings, health promotion, and empowerment of the poor. 

In China, a Poverty and Migration Forum hosted in Beijing will include large numbers of people Standing Up.

In Singapore, bands including Vertical Rush and Jack and Rai will play at Youth Park on October 18 to express their demands to end world poverty and a new 2015 Countdown Clock will be launched to show leaders how much time -- person by person, second by second - is left to achieve the MDGs.

In Italy, 80,000 people are expected to take part in 10 simultaneous Stand Up events in 9 cities including Venice, Bologna, Florence, Milan and Rome on October 18. Nine huge chairs without seats will be installed simultaneously in 9 squares to signify that people will not remain seated until their government delivers more and better aid. On October 19, 300,000 supporters are expected to Stand at the Italian Premier League football match.

In Armenia, anti-poverty-campaigners will organise a competition in a minimum of four Armenian regions, among children coming from different parts of Armenia. The thematic scope will be articulated around poverty and inequality.

In Belgium the United Nations Regional Information Centre  (UNRIC) in  collaboration with 11.11.11 and CNCD (GCAP Belgium platforms) organises a Stand Up and Take Action activity with the  Belgian Professional Football League to take place during the weekend of October 17-19 all over Belgium. Banners will be shown at the start of each game with the logo ''Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty''.

In Malta, SKOP  (Solidarjeta’uKoperazzjoni)  in  collaboration with  STOPoverty, Kopin  and Global Action Schools, is inviting all organisations/institutions, social groups and schools to perform a one-minute STAND  UP  on  October 17 as  a  sign  of  urgency  to  eliminate  the  violations of Human Rights and Extreme Poverty around  the World.

In Luxembourg, the Whiteband Coalition will organise the event: « Ta voix contre la pauvreté » (your voice against poverty) a sociocultural activity combined with a solidarity march in Luxembourg-city. Participants will Stand Up Against Poverty. The activity is co-organized by a coalition of North-South NGOs as well as NGOs from the social sector.

In Slovakia, campaigners are organising a press conference and a "Development Day" event in the centre of Bratislava. Louis Michel (European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid) will  attend as speaker of one round table that will also gather NGOs  representatives, southern partners and officials from the Slovakian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance.

In Spain, thousands of people are expected to gather to march against poverty in Madrid on October 17 under the “Rebélate contra la Pobreza” initiative. Simultaneous anti-poverty mobilizations will occur on October 17 and 18 in more than 20 cities, including Palma de Mallorca, Sevilla, Zaragoza, Donosti, Bilbao, A Coruña, Badajoz, Cuenca and Valencia.

In Germany, Bianca Jagger will host an event at the Sony Center in Berlin on October 17 presenting 8 video messages from members of the World Future Council who received alternative Nobel prizes, to demand more and better aid.  At the end, the pop group Chulca Candela will lead the Stand Up moment.

In the United States and Canada, students will join campus programs and challenges to build political will to end extreme poverty by hosting teach-ins, Stand Up rallies, and other campus events.

Throughout the United States and Canada, faith groups are organizing Sabbaths, Sevas, and Sadaqas to rally believers of all faiths --Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and others -- to learn about and take action on behalf of people living in extreme poverty and dying from preventable diseases. 


In Palestine, 50,000 pupils are expected to Stand Up in schools. Students in 15 university branches will organize media debates to demand a lending fund for poor students.

In Santiago, Chile there will be a walk between Arms Square and Constitution Square on October 17 featuring a moving wall on which people can take action by writing messages. At the event, citizens will ask municipal candidates to sign a commitment against poverty.

In El Salvador, citizens will Stand Up at a Presidential Candidates Forum on October 17

Provided by Hugh Gibbons
CAFOD Portsmouth Media & Schools Volunteer
Tel 01344 451847
E-mail hughgibbons@just1.org.uk