Still more from the Stand Up event from two weeks ago. While I was able to participate online in the event, I was not able to follow up in a timely manner due to real life/day job demands. Part of me simply wants to move on to other issues, but some review needs to be made to make sense of things.
This also came from the Stand Up End Poverty organization giving a wrap up of the events impact. They put a nice spin on the outcome, which is to be understood. There is however the concern that this campaign is beginning to plateau. A basically 50% increase is impressive, but there were exponential increases in past years. There is mention of North America sharing in the largest percentage increase, but if the number starts small that is not a high hurdle to get over. My point is not to cease the efforts, but rather start concentrating on increasing overall numbers work on strengthen the connections that have been made.
GUINNESS WORLD RECORD SHATTERED BY CITIZENS ACROSS GLOBE DEMANDING THAT THEIR LEADERS END POVERTY
More than 173 Million People Gather at "Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!" events, setting new world record for largest mobilization in history
A Guinness World Record shattered [this weekend] when 173,045,325 citizens gathered at over 3,000 events in more than 120 countries, demanding that their governments eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). "Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!", now in its fourth year, has been certified by Guinness World Records as the largest mobilization of human beings in recorded history, an increase of about 57 million people over last year.
"The more than 173 million people who mobilized this weekend sent a clear message to world leaders that there is massive, universal, global demand for eradicating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals," said Salil Shetty, Director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign. "In particular, we have seen citizens determined to show their governments that they will hold them accountable for keeping their promises to end hunger, improve maternal health and abolish trade-distorting agricultural subsidies. They will not accept excuses for breaking promises to the world's poorest and most vulnerable people, who have already been hardest hit by the global food, economic and climate crises they had no role in causing."
The numbers from around the world:
- Asia 101,106,845
- Africa 37,848,412
- Arab region 31,394,459
- Europe 2,102,121
- Latin America 229,371
- North America 191,535
- Oceania 172,582
The mobilization was organized globally by the United Nations Millennium Campaign, in partnership with a range of organizations including the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).
Asia and Africa, which is where the largest numbers of poor people reside, continue to be the two regions where the maximum number of people Stand Up for the MDGs. Asia saw the biggest increase in absolute numbers and Europe, the Arab Region, North America and Africa saw the biggest increase in percentage growth.
The top two countries in terms of numbers mobilised this year are Philippines and Bangladesh, with Philippines continuing to mobilise in force despite the typhoons and devastating floods.
India and Nepal showed big jumps in spite of the dates clashing with Diwali and 3 million Indonesians joined the Stand Up mobilization even as the country was reeling from a major earthquake.
The mobilization in Africa this year was simply spectacular, Nigeria is still numero uno with huge increases in Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya and several other countries.
And in the Arab region, Egypt saw a massive jump again, Yemen entered the mobilization in a big way.
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