NEW YORK, Sept. 25 NY-InMyName-GCAP
Major Global Action Planned - At UN Summit in New York
NEW YORK, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of an emergency UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals next week in New York, dignitaries, activists and celebrities including Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu , Annie Lennox, John Legend, Rahul Bose, Anqelique Kidjo, Scarlett Johansson, Missy Higgins, Emmanuel Jal, Wyclef Jean and Mischa Barton have come together for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) to challenge their leaders to keep their promise to halve poverty by 2015.
Front man of the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, has written a song titled in my name which calls on world citizens to exercise their power and demand their governments keep their promises to the world's poor. The song, which is to be released on 25 September, will be downloadable free of charge and will mark the launch of a global campaign action, in my name.
"We can be the generation that ends poverty," said will.i.am. "Politicians promised in 2000 to halve poverty in 15 years. They made this pledge in my name, now they must act to achieve it."
To whet the appetite of the global public, will.i.am also worked with more than thirty other celebrities and activists to create an inspiring short film titled 'Be the Generation' which explains how we can end poverty in our lifetime if leaders are held accountable to their promises. (See 7 minute film on www.inmyname.com).
"The time for action has never been more urgent -- rising food prices have plunged 100 million more people into poverty, and the economic slowdown risks eroding political support for development," said Queen Rania, who has advocated achieving the MDGs.
"We're half way there, and thanks to people's efforts and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, there has been real progress. There are more children in school. More people are getting essential medicines. But 30,000 children still die every day because of poverty," said Kristin Davis, actor and Oxfam ambassador.
Angelique Kidjo, whose voice features on the track, said: "If I put my name to something it means I am committed to its outcome, I want to see this sort of response from leaders and others with power to effect change. People living in poverty have waited too long and want to see tangible changes in their lives immediately."
To drive the message home, Kidjo and will.i.am will perform 'In My Name' live outside the UN buildings in New York on 25 September. They will be joined by Queen Rania of Jordan, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Ela Bhatt, Mary Robinson, Kristin Davis, Rahul Bose and activists from Africa, Asia and Latin America who will be amongst the first to sign their names to the "in my name" pledge wall.
"While some progress has been made, many governments have fallen disgracefully behind schedule. Rich countries are back-tracking on their aid promises and poor countries are not investing enough in education and health care which is undermining people's fundamental rights. We can still meet the 2015 deadline, but this is a marathon not a sprint and what we need is immediate and sustained action by nations, both rich and poor together," said Kumi Naidoo, Co-Chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
'In My Name' is organized by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) with support from Oxfam International, Save the Children and Comic Relief.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For further information, please visit the campaign website (www.inmyname.com)
For photographs, please go to inmyname.com/media.
B roll of the celebrities involved in inmyname is available on request.
Oxfam, Save the Children and Comic Relief have joined up with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) to launch a major new campaign action called in my name. The new campaigning website site will provide innovative ways for citizens to join the campaign against poverty, will connect activists around the world and will showcase the extraordinary work being done by ordinary people, in rich and poor countries, to be the generation that ends poverty. See www.inmyname.com.
The in my name campaign action and the website will build from its launch in September to a powerful climax in 2010, when citizens will again challenge world leaders to take concrete action in a final push to achieve the millennium development goals.
Over the course of the months and years ahead, GCAP will take the interactive campaign action to national coalitions in over 100 countries to build their campaigning capacity and help give a stronger voice to people living in the global South.
The next big moment for global action on poverty and the MDGs after New York will take place from October 17-19 around International Day for the Eradication of poverty when millions of people are expected to Stand up and Take Action as part of GCAP's annual call to hold their leaders to account. From small community events to massive concerts, sporting fixtures, faith events and marches there is something happening in most countries calling for the Millennium Goals to be met. Details and registrations on www.standagainstpoverty.org.
Well known supporters of in my name, who have made their pledges and called on their governments to take action, include Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson, Ela Bhatt, Jeffrey Sachs, Emmanuel Jal, Kristin Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Mischa Barton, Angelique Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Sergio Mendes, Wyclef Jean and many more. Some of them will be outside the UN on the 25th September signing their names alongside Ban Ki-moon.
in my name is a direct follow on from the hugely powerful popular campaigning that took place under the 'Make Poverty History' banner, which made so much impact on the public and decision makers in 2005. We hope and believe that these activities in New York will help to build the enthusiasm of the tens of millions who are part of the growing movement against poverty.
Some facts and figures:
- Extraordinary change is happening. Since 2000:
- 40 million more children are in school
- Nearly 3 million people are getting aids treatment
- 3 million more children are saved through immunization
And yet:
- Around 2/3rds of the people in the world (2.8 billion) live on less than $2 a day.
- With the increase in food prices, some 290 million people are at risk and need life-saving help today.
- 30,000 children under the age of five die each day due to causes related to extreme poverty.
- The world currently spends $1.2 trillion each year on the military: more than 11 times the overseas aid budget.
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