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The Make Poverty History campaign for 2005 is now four months old, and a lot has happened since it was launched. Time for us to give you an update of the campaign’s progress so far…
There are now more than 400 members of the Make Poverty History coalition, and more than 100,000 people have taken online action for the campaign (for example, no less than 80,000 of you have emailed Tony Blair - more than the entire population of Grenada). Oxfam alone has secured over 45,000 sign-ups for the campaign.
Bands, shirts and pants
There’s also plenty of new Make Poverty History gear coming out. So far over 2 million of you have bought the Make Poverty History wristband, and the much-desired silicone wristband is soon to hit the shops (around 9 May). There are also new Make Poverty History t-shirts available, as worn by Snow Patrol at the Tsunami gig in Cardiff. They are priced £15 and available from www.oxfam.org.uk/mph.
Although not available yet, Make Poverty History-branded bottle openers and even pants (!) will be on the market by 2 July. And Penguin will soon be publishing a pocket-sized book called ‘Seven Steps to Make Poverty History’. This will be priced £2 and available in bookshops across the UK.
Celebrity stuff
Plenty of celebs have added their weight to Make Poverty History since the start of 2005. Some of you may have seen the ‘click’ ad, which is based on the fact that every three seconds, a child dies needlessly of extreme poverty. So if you count to three and then click your fingers, that click represents the death of a child somewhere in the world. Among those clicking their fingers in the ad are Liam Neeson, Kylie, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Kate Moss, Bono and Hugh Grant – quite a line up!
Here’s a list of what other celebrities have been up to:
- June Sarpong travelled to Ghana to see how rice farmers there are struggling under unjust trade rules that prevent them getting a decent price for their rice or fair access to foreign markets. June also drummed up support for the Make Poverty History campaign among Ghanaian politicians and celebrities.
- The Chemical Brothers will include the Make Poverty History logo in their adverts for their new album, released on 9 May
- Girls Aloud, Athlete, Lemar and Simply Red will show the ‘click’ film on their new tours
- Loads of artists are adding a Make Poverty History link to their websites, including Ronan Keating, Keane, U2, The Orb, McFly and Sugababes
As you can see, the campaign is really gaining momentum. If you’re keen to get involved, the next dates for your diaries are:
16 May: World Debt Day
1 July: World White Band Day
2 July: The G8 summit
As Nelson Mandela said at the Make Poverty History rally in Trafalgar Square in February:
“ Make poverty history in 2005. Make history in 2005. Then we can all stand with our heads held high.” |
