Source: CCTV.com

10-16-2006 11:07

People around the world are standing up for a chance to fight poverty and set a world record.

In the UN sponsored project that began Sunday night in Tokyo, the "stand up against poverty" campaign has more than 500 events scheduled in more than 50 countries worldwide.

The "Stand Up" campaign, an initiative of the United Nations Millennium Campaign, seeks to raise awareness about global poverty. In order to do this, people around the world stand up at organized event sometime within the 24-hour period, to show their support of the fight against poverty. If completed successfully, participants will set a world record for the largest number of people standing at multiple locations, for 24 hours.

Tatsuo Hayashi, Event Organizer said: "Starting with the event in Japan, people around the world will stand up for 24 hours."

And other people are supporting the campaign as well. Students at the Shati refugee camp elementary school in Gaza stood up for one minute on Sunday in support of the project. And in Nairobi, Kenya, thousands of people sang and danced for the eradication of poverty.

Sylvia Mwichuli, Africa Millennium Campaign said: "We are actually showing the world that Kenyans believe that poverty can be rooted out and we have shown by our numbers that we want our leaders to act on the issue of poverty and we will have no more time for excuses. They have to act now."

From campaigns in South Africa to musical performances in Zimbabwe, the event is certainly an international one.

The "Stand Up" initiative is designed to coincide with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty - a month of worldwide events centered around the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty--which comes on Tuesday.

 

Editor:Ge Ting