Thank you to all those who participated in this year's STAND UP TAKE ACTION: TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY 2009!  Because of YOU, we broke the Guinness World Record...again! 

STAND UP remains the largest mobilization of human beings in recorded history!  And YOU were part of that!

More than 173 million people worldwide (including 100 000 Canadians) stood up to demand leaders around the world take serious action to eliminate poverty at home and abroad!! 

That’s 57 million more people that stood up worldwide than last year and over 3,000 events in more than 120 countries!  

Check out the global results press release.

What an amazing three days!  From every corner of the globe, people came together on October 16, 17 and 18 to demand a world without extreme poverty and inequality.  And after one weekend alone, millions more people have joined the global anti-poverty movement!  Check out pictures of this year’s STAND UP events across the world.

With so many devastating figures about poverty to confront daily, the effects of the climate, financial and food crises, as well as the looming 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and eliminating global poverty by half, STAND UP is a time of rejuvenation and re-inspiration.  It is also a reminder of what can be achieved when we come together.  As too the campaigns to end slavery and apartheid have shown, there is real strength in numbers. 

There were some amazing STAND UP events that happened across Canada.  From schools to churches to rallies and other community events, 100 000 Canadians came together to STAND UP this year.  There were so many that there isn’t enough room here to list them all!   Here are highlights of a few of those events:

Quebec

More than 30,000 people stood up against poverty in a number of cities throughout Quebec, including an entire school board!! 

University of Alberta, Edmonton

At the University of Alberta, Make Poverty History recruited nearly 500 volunteers, white wrapped 900 trees, tabled every day for 6 weeks and put up thousands of posters.  And that is only a small example of their efforts.  An all day fair was held with tents for various organizations and a variety of revolutionary speakers engaged the crowd.  At the end, the University of Alberta crushed poverty when a 400lbs inedible pumpkin was dropped from 100 feet onto a van painted to symbolize poverty.   

Fort McMurray, Alberta

An open mic night was held with a Music 4 Change and was a fundraiser for a local foodbank

Carleton University, Ottawa

Over 2,000 students stood up as class after class read the STAND UP pledge and showed their commitment to poverty eradication.

Guelph, Ontario

Local KAIROS groups in Guelph and Oakville-Burlington held a conference on growing grassroots justice, looking at this year’s KAIROS campaign. At their lunch break, participants stood up by reading the pledge and inviting people to sign onto the makepovertyhistory.ca email list.

Sturgeon Falls, Ontario

More than 200 stood up during a lunch organized by les Filles d’Isabelle.

Newmarket, Ontario

A community event was held on October 17 at a local park.  The event featured free trade coffee, hot & cold healthy foods, a park rock/plaque dedication, information booths, ‘Do The Math” action centre, entertainment, various Speakers, an open mic and entertainment.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

A rally and community organization fair was held on October 17^th that drew the formal representation of more than a dozen organizations and included the attendance of Halifax MP Megan Leslie (NDP).

Saint John, New Brunswick

Nearly 300 people stood up in a community rally, including local High School students who participated in the 'touch & drop.'  There was a lot of media attention from radio stations and the Telegraph Journal. 

Vancouver, BC

A public conference on local and global poverty issues was held where 150 people of all ages attended.  In the evening, OXFAM organized a Music For Change event where over 50 youth stood up.

Thank you again to all those that promoted, attended and organized STAND UP events!  

Now join us on the journey to the G8/G20 Summit in Canada!  Read more here.