Beautiful Days for Make Poverty History

With a little help from their most well-known campaigner, Make Poverty History Aotearoa collected over 11,000 signatures and a further 20,000 text petitions at this weekend’s U2 concerts.

The group of 32 volunteers came close to meeting the challenge set out by Bono when he met campaigners before the gig on Friday night.

“He told us that we needed to get 15,000 signatures to top Sydney, where the most signatures had been collected on this leg of their tour,” says campaign coordinator Chloe Powell. “I think we beat them though – they had three concerts – we almost got there in two.”

Ardent activists against poverty, U2 invited Make Poverty History to have a presence at the Auckland concerts. While campaigners rallied amongst fans before the band begun, Bono did his bit from onstage calling on the crowd to text their support, resulting in over 10,000 texts on each night.

“There’s no mistaking that there are a large group of New Zealanders who are passionate about ensuring that we bring an end to extreme poverty,” says Make Poverty History co-chair Sharon Clair. “The signatures gathered over the weekend are a great addition to those we already have, and will make a powerful statement to our government when we hand them over at the beginning of next year.”

Notes

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY is a coalition of over 60 organisations from across New Zealand, joined together by the belief that we can eradicate extreme poverty.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY Aotearoa New Zealand is calling for:

• Drop the Debt 
• More and Better Aid
• Trade Justice 
• End Child Poverty in New Zealand 

Last year thousands of New Zealanders joined with millions around the world to take part in the Global Call to Action against Poverty, the largest movement against poverty that the world has ever seen. Our voices were heard, and key governments and organisations have started to place poverty at the top of their political agendas. We have seen that when voices unite and make themselves heard, people will stand up and listen.

In 2006, this struggle continues. While small steps have been made, poverty still exists. Developing countries are still making crippling debt repayments. Rich countries are still promoting unfair trade and not meeting their promises on aid.

Every day 30,000 children die as a result of extreme poverty, that’s one child every 3 seconds. We now have the resources and knowledge to end this shocking situation.

Our government can make political decisions that will help deliver justice to the world's poorest people. They will only do so if we continue to keep up the pressure, and our commitment to that must extend through until we have won our fight.

As Bono stated: “What will our generation be remembered for? The internet, yes, the war against terror, yes . . . wouldn’t it be great if we were also remembered for being the ones who set about Making Poverty History!”

"If everyone who wants to see an end to poverty, hunger and suffering speaks out, then the noise will be deafening. Politicians will have to listen." Desmond Tutu

Chloe Powell
+64 21 525 464
Campaign Coordinator
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY
The Aotearoa-New Zealand Mobilisation of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty www.makepovertyhistory.org.nz