Mandela calls on crowds to make poverty history
-3/02/05
Nelson Mandela will rally the public to the cause of making poverty history today.
The Make Poverty History campaign hopes 10,000 people will turn out to watch the former South African president support its rally.
The former South African president is to speak in Trafalgar Square at the invitation of the MakePovertyHistory coalition, and will endorse the biggest anti-poverty campaign ever.
Mr Mandela has come to London on the eve of the G7 (Group of seven industrialised countries) finance ministers meeting in London where it is hoped that rich countries will make significant steps in cutting dropping the debts of developing countries – currently costing 39 billion dollars each year.
Chancellor Gordon Brown met Mr Mandela on Wednesday ahead of the rally, which is aimed at encouraging the public to commit to real action on debt, aid and trade.
Mr Brown is proposing an aid package which he has likened to the Marshall Plan – the American proposal aimed to reconstruct western Europe after World War II.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Mr Mandela backed the chancellor’s proposals when the pair met in South Africa last month.
Mandela is meeting with other ministers during his visit, and putting on the pressure to make good on their promises.
White bands, the symbol of the campaign, will adorn the square, Nelson’s Column, and will be worn by the huge crowd expected to attend.
Alison Fenney, director of advocacy and communications at catholic aid agency Cafod said: ìNelson Mandela ís visit to Britain to launch the MakePovertyHistory campaign, lends it the support of one of the worldís greatest statesmen, illustrating the importance of this campaign.
ìHe will add his voice to the rallying cry for everyone to get involved and for the richer nations to take action in those areas which perpetuate inequality.
ìThis means they should increase their aid budgets, reforming trade rules and bringing an end to the burden of debt on poor countries, so that people have a real chance to develop sustainable livelihoods and to climb out of poverty.î