Month of action ends with world record
-19/10/06
Month of action ends with world record
-19/10/06
Christians were among 23.5 million people who helped to set a new world record for the biggest ever global campaign action.
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.
Campaigners, all dressed in white, gathered in Londonís Trafalgar Square on October 17 to hear editor-in-chief of the Guinness World Record Craig Glenday reveal the final, remarkable number of people who symbolically “stood up” against poverty – 23,542,614.
Confirming a new world record, Mr Glenday said: “This is the largest event Guinness World Record has been involved in. Itís overwhelming for us to know that this many people have pulled together on a single day.
“Weíre still getting numbers in from around the world now, so this figure should increase. It shows amazing spirit.
“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.”
Campaigner from catholic aid agency CAFOD, Helen Cross, who took part in the Trafalgar Square event, said: “It was amazing to know I was standing in solidarity with the poor with so many people throughout the world and being part of a global movement.”
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.
People from over 80 countries from Japan to Zimbabwe took part in the world record breaking attempt.
An incredible 18,457 people took part in events in the United Arab Emirates, around 1,200 youths gathered in Senegal and more than 1,500 people from dozens of organisations, schools, churches, mosques as well as soccer players, culture groups, taxi drivers and wellwishers participated in Liberia.
Activists held rallies in Nairobi and Johannesburg while, in Asia, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Muhammad Yunus revealed the world record to campaigners dressed in red and green Shari and Punjab in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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”.
United by the international symbol of the white band, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) represents more than 150 million people globally.
The action marked the climax to a global month of action with campaigners demanding that world leaders tackle poverty, inequality and take the massive steps needed towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Month of action ends with world record
-19/10/06
Christians were among 23.5 million people who helped to set a new world record for the biggest ever global campaign action.
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.
Campaigners, all dressed in white, gathered in Londonís Trafalgar Square on October 17 to hear editor-in-chief of the Guinness World Record Craig Glenday reveal the final, remarkable number of people who symbolically “stood up” against poverty – 23,542,614.
Confirming a new world record, Mr Glenday said: “This is the largest event Guinness World Record has been involved in. Itís overwhelming for us to know that this many people have pulled together on a single day.
“Weíre still getting numbers in from around the world now, so this figure should increase. It shows amazing spirit.
“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.”
Campaigner from catholic aid agency CAFOD, Helen Cross, who took part in the Trafalgar Square event, said: “It was amazing to know I was standing in solidarity with the poor with so many people throughout the world and being part of a global movement.”
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.
People from over 80 countries from Japan to Zimbabwe took part in the world record breaking attempt.
An incredible 18,457 people took part in events in the United Arab Emirates, around 1,200 youths gathered in Senegal and more than 1,500 people from dozens of organisations, schools, churches, mosques as well as soccer players, culture groups, taxi drivers and wellwishers participated in Liberia.
Activists held rallies in Nairobi and Johannesburg while, in Asia, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Muhammad Yunus revealed the world record to campaigners dressed in red and green Shari and Punjab in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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”.
United by the international symbol of the white band, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) represents more than 150 million people globally.
The action marked the climax to a global month of action with campaigners demanding that world leaders tackle poverty, inequality and take the massive steps needed towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.