Micah Challenge UK, a coalition of evagelical churches, organisations and leaders, is gearing up to put more pressure on world leaders with a‘The World Can’t Wait’ rally in London this coming weekend.
The rally will be held on Saturday 2 June 2007 on the banks of the River Thames, and is seeking to highlight promises made to the world’s poorest countries.
It takes place the weekend before the G8 leaders meet in Germany to discuss issues including the fulfilment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed in 2000. These aimed to make a significant inroad into eliminating global poverty.
The ‘World Can’t Wait’ event aims to call on world leaders, not least incoming British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to take decisive action against poverty and climate catastrophe ahead of the G8 summit.
Micah Challenge UK is part of the international Micah Challenge movement of evangelical Christians lobbying their governments to do more to ensure the fulfilment of the MDGs to alleviate extreme poverty by 2015.
World leaders signed up to the MDGs in 2000 and to mark the half-way point, Micah Challenge UK has launched the ‘Blow the Whistle’ campaign to check the ‘half-time scores’ and keep the UK Government moving on its promises to the poor.
The UK football season may be over, but the meatphor is very much alive, say organisers.
Events on 2 June 2007 will kick off with a Blow the Whistle Worship Service at the Methodist Central Hall in central London, where the acclaimed Tim Hughes will lead worship.
Special guests will include representatives of some of the world’s poorest nations as well as the head of Tearfund, Matthew Frost, and the chief executive of World Vision, Charles Badenoch and other church figures.