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!! 

Dear Make Poverty History supporter,

One by one, country by country, millions of people around the world are Standing Up to demand leaders live up to their commitments to halve global poverty by 2015.

Those of you who aren't able to make it to a Stand Up event - don't despair. This year for the very first time, you can Stand Up Online without leaving the comfort of your own home. Simply click on the red box (widget) and enter your name and email and you will be counted towards the Guinness World Record attempt. While you're at it, make sure to share it with your friends on your facebook page or through email.

Hmmm…I just realized I am being very geo-centric.  It’s 16:00 Ontario time, but it’s 4:00 am in China and the 3 day,  world-wide global mobilization “STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION TO END POVERTY NOW” has already begun!

My job is rewarding, but I’ll admit, sometimes working in the campaign to end poverty can get a little discouraging.  Every time you seem to be making progress, dreadful things happen and it all starts rolling back down the hill. 

That’s why for very personal reasons, I am so happy when “STAND UP” comes around.  It’s restorative.   For four years now, millions of people across this world of ours, come together over three days to ‘STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION NOW TO END POVERTY”.   It’s inspiring.   And it’s as if the event is on steroids, it’s growing so rapidly.  

More than 100 million people around the globe will “STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION” from October 16 to 18.

After a year in which progress on eradicating global poverty has actually reversed, millions of people will come together across continents, cultures and time zones next week to tell their governments in no uncertain terms what they want them to do: End Poverty Now.

Citizens will gather at events across the globe on October 16-18, 2009 as part of “Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!” to demand that world leaders achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – a set of promises to eradicate extreme poverty and its root causes by 2015. In a sign of the massive global demand for the achievement of the MDGs, last year more than 116 million people participated in “Stand Up,” shattering the Guinness World Record for the largest mobilization of human beings in recorded history. Visit www.standagainstpoverty.org/map for a full list of events.