A huge thank you to everyone who participated in Stand Up and Take Action from Friday 17 October to Sunday 19 October 2008. 202,186 Australians joined with 116, 993, 629 people around the globe who stood up to let their Governments know that they want them to meet their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals and people living in poverty.
In Australia, approximately
400 events were held including the Australian premiere of the film 'The End to Poverty'. If you missed the premiere, find out more about the film here (
http://www.theendofpoverty.com).
Find a STAND UP event near you
What is STAND UP?
Why STAND UP?
How to STAND UP?
STAND UP Video
What is STAND UP?
STAND UP Against Poverty is a worldwide call to take action against poverty and inequality and for the Millennium Development Goals.
STAND UP is led across the world by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC). In Australia and the Oceanic region, STAND UP is facilitated by the Australian MAKE POVERTY HISTORY coalition.
STAND UP is a unique global mobilisation which calls on civil society, schools, businesses and NGOs to band together with the same message - that we must MAKE POVERTY HISTORY.
People from all nations, all creeds, all races and all walks of life, join together by hosting or attending events in their local community. At each event, across the globe participants stand up together to symbolise their unity with millions of other STAND UP participants across the globe. Event and participant numbers are registered and tallied with all participant numbers and forwarded to Guinness World Records.
In 2007, 43.7 million people worldwide participated in STAND UP events, setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest single coordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Record. Over 107,000 Australians joined millions across the globe who participated in STAND UP events to show that they refuse to stay silent or seated in the face of poverty.
This year, STAND UP & TAKE ACTION world record attempt takes place over one week covering all global timezones. In Australia, STAND UP will be held from 6am Friday October 17 - 11pm Sunday October 19.
In the week leading up to Stand Up, Australians can access useful resources about poverty and get involved in various activities and as part of Anti-poverty week, 12-18 October.
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Why STAND UP?
In 2000, leaders of 189 countries signed up to the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), a global plan to halve poverty by 2015.
The STAND UP campaign strives to remind governments and policy makers of their promise. The promise to end poverty, inequality and hunger. The promise to stop children dying from preventable diseases. The promise to ensure basic education for all children, particularly girls. The promise to stop women dying during pregnancy and childbirth. The promise to provide water and sanitation and to protect the environment.
Together participants around the world STAND UP to make governments honour their commitments on more and better aid, debt cancellation, trade justice, climate action, gender equality and public accountability.
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How to STAND UP?
In 2008, you can take a stand. You can take action. You can MAKE POVERTY HISTORY.
On October 17,18 and 19 join thousands of Australians taking a stand against poverty, calling on our leaders to take action now.
Organise a morning tea, concert, film screening, or stand up at a meeting, assembly or church service.
For further details and resources
Download the Stand Up and Take Action toolkit here (PDF: 3.1 MB)
Download the Stand Up and Take Action SCHOOLS toolkit here (PDF: 3.1 MB)
Download How to Stand Up at your Church appendix here (PDF: 250 KB)
Download the media release template (DOC: 64 KB)
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STAND UP video
Watch this inspiring video clip and then use it to get others involved.
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