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Politicians and students invited to Newcastle University’s student initiated ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’
Added: (Mon Apr 25 2005)
Newcastle University Make Poverty History Press Release 25/04/05
Politicians and students invited to Newcastle University’s student initiated ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’ campaign
‘Make Poverty History’ is a national campaign kicked off by Richard Curtis’s Christmas Special ‘Vicar of Dibley’. It has since brought together a wide cross section of over 300 charities, campaigns, trade unions, faith groups and celebrities who are united by a common belief that 2005 offers an unprecedented opportunity for global change. Not only are we hosting the G8 summit and the EU presidency this year, but it is the 20th anniversary of Live Aid and Tony Blair has released the Commission for Africa. The gap between the worlds rich and poor has never been wider and the stakes have never been higher; more than a billion people, 1 in 5 of the world’s population, live on less than 65p a day. A child dies every 3 seconds from hunger and preventable disease. AIDS claims 6 lives a minute. But it isn’t chance or bad luck that keeps people trapped in bitter, unrelenting poverty. It is human-made factors like a glaringly unjust global trade system, a debt burden so great that it suffocates any chance of recovery, and insufficient and ineffective aid.
The campaign is all about ending this shameful situation. We do not want to leave this terrible situation for the next generation: we believe the time is now. The campaign is asking for ‘trade justice, drop the debt and more and better aid’. Our government officials, particularly Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, are influential players on the world stage this year and we want to ensure that they play their part.
The campaign has brought together several groups from within the university, including People and Planet, STAR (Student Action for Refugees), Stop AIDS, and Amnesty International. United in the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign, we have been planning a week of action and events from May 2nd to May 6th to coincide with the general election and demonstrate that students are not all politically apathetic.
The main aim of our campaign is to raise awareness regarding the issues of world poverty on our campus, hopefully stirring more students into action, including lobbying, supporting local social justice groups and raising money for various charities. The main events we have planned are described below:
Hunger Banquet, Saturday, April 30th, 5:30 PM at Castle Leazes (university accommodation). In a concept created by Oxfam, this meal will represent the disparities in distribution of wealth and food throughout the world. The meal is free with a £3 donation to HIV/AIDS and refugee projects at the door. Space is limited, to reserve a spot place contact volunteer@northumbria.ac.uk or 01912437563.
Public Lecture in the Curtis Auditorium: Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, May 3rd, 7:30 PM in the Herschel Building on the University’s campus (opposite Haymarket Metro station). We are bringing in the parliamentary candidates for parties fielding a candidate in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central district (or in some cases representatives for those persons). The Conservative (Tom Fairhead), Green (Joe Hulm), Labour (Jim Cousins), Liberal Democrat (Greg Stone) and Newcastle Academy with Christian Values (Clive Harding) parties will each have their chance to explain how their party would help Make Poverty History, touching upon the primary issues addressed by the campaign such as trade rules, dropping the debt, and HIV/AIDS. Afterwards, it's our chance to have our voices heard with questions taken from the audience. This event is free and open to the public.
Make Poverty History Day, Wednesday, May 4th, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM outside the Union and King's Walk. We will be setting up a plethora of different stalls, advocacy opportunities and educational displays regarding many different social justice issues, such as HIV/AIDS, climate change, debt relief, fair/free trade, domestic UK poverty, and a photo exhibition of images of poverty around the world, refugees/asylum seekers, and human rights issues. Stalls from major UK NGOs will also be present.
Public Lecture in the Curtis Auditorium: African Speaker Night, Thursday, May 5th, 7:30 PM in the Herschel Building on the University’s campus (opposite Haymarket Metro station). This evening we will be bringing in speakers on the main issues relating to African poverty outlined by the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign, those being trade rules, dropping the debt, foreign aid and HIV/AIDS as well as refugee/asylum seeker issues. We have persons who work with each of these particular issues lined up to speak on how the issues affect Africa today and what we can do about them by this summer at the G8. This event is free and open to the public.
Make Poverty History World Headquarters Night, Tuesday, May 3rd, 10:30 PM - 2:30 AM. A night at WHQ, and all the proceeds go to HIV/AIDS and refugee projects. DJ Ross Southall will be upstairs with Indie bands Sixty6, the Modern Equivalent and the Fiction, as well as Drummed Up, the African drumming sensation. Tickets are £6/£5 advance; all proceeds go to HIV/AIDS and refugee projects.
Those helping to run the campaign within the University will be gathering for a press conference on Friday 29th April in Committee room B of the Newcastle University Student Union at 2pm. Any members of the media who wish to come along to any events or interview any of those taking part or simply want more information should contact Laura Dent on 07734535661 or laura.dent@ncl.ac.uk or Joel Bumol on 07966944429 or Joel.Bumol@ncl.ac.uk
To learn more go to www.makepovertyhistory.org