Bangkok--19 Oct--UNISBKK
Asia and the Pacific region leads with more than 18 Million people verified by Guinness World Records to Stand Up against poverty in multiple locations over 24 hours.
On 15-16 October, 23,542,614 people, in over eighty countries around the world set a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to "STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY". In Asia, 18,195,126 people took the pledge for poverty eradication. The Stand Up record attempt, an initiative of the United Nations Millennium Campaign in partnership with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) was set in time for the United Nations International Day for Poverty Eradication on 17 October.
Millions across the State of Madhya Pradesh, India; Tens of thousands of Cricket Fans across Jaipur, India and Rock Fans across Manila, Philippines; Millions of school children across Nepal and Pakistan; Hundreds of thousands across Bangladesh as well as a huge gathering at the largest mosque in Indonesia all joined together for the world record attempt.
At each 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.
The UN Millennium Campaign's Executive Coordinator Eveline Herfkens said: "Together we have set an incredible record for the largest number of people standing up to demand action on poverty. But the record we really want to break is the world's record of breaking promises and ignoring the poor. We don't want to record numbers of people dying of poverty every year. This is the great issue of our times, let us become great by dealing with it decisively."
"The remarkable turnout of people of Madhya Pradesh reflects their enormous interest and support for the MDGs," said UN Millennium Campaign Director Salil Shetty, at a press conference here with the Chief Minister. "They have every reason to be proud of this record."
Mr. Minar Pimple, Deputy Director Asia of the UN Millennium Campaign met with Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2006 to congratulate him, accompanied by the civil society leaders representing the Peoples' Forum on MDGs (GCAP coalition in Bangladesh). He informed Dr. Yunnus that over 23.5 Million globally, of that over 18 Million in Asia and the
Pacific region Stood Up Against Poverty and for the MDGs from 15-16 October, to which he responded "Great!"
Guinness Spokesman Craig Glenday quoted "By the time we get all the figures in it will be the largest single co-ordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Records."
Media Contacts:
Millennium Campaign: Ajit Sahi +91 00 1034 6464 [email protected]
Reshma Kishnani +668 6978 9696 [email protected]
For more information visit: www.standagainstpoverty.org OR www.whiteband.org