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On October 16, 17 and 18, millions of people around the world will unite to show global solidarity, break a world record for the largest coordinated mobilization of civil society, and demand leaders live up to their commitments to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals – essentially to halve global poverty by 2015.

Last year, close to 80 000 Canadians stood alongside almost 117-million world-wide.  But we can do better than this.  The more people that STAND UP, the more our government leaders see citizens care and the more likely they are to take action on the issues.  Let’s send a strong message to our government that hundreds of thousands of Canadians want bold action taken to make poverty history both globally and here in Canada.

STAND UP can be a big or small event but it can also be a short moment inserted into any event taking place on one of these 3 days.  Essentially, it is a moment when individuals, either separately or in a gathering agree to stand up and read the STAND UP pledge.   

WAYS TO STAND UP:

1. Attend an event 
   Check out our STAND UP campaign section to see if there is an event happening near you.
    
2. Insert a STAND UP moment
   STAND UP can take as little as 5 minutes.  Insert a STAND UP moment into your workplace, anywhere with a PA, sporting events, faith gatherings, schools with a PA system, large classes, concerts, conferences or theatrical productions.

   For example, we are asking people to get in touch with high schools they may be connected with to get permission to read the STAND UP pledge (60 seconds) over the PA system and distribute Make Poverty History sign on sheets to the various classrooms within the school.  The teachers then count the number of students that stood up in each class while collecting the sign on sheets.  The teachers report the numbers back to the principal who enters them online at www.standagainstpoverty.org.
    

3. Act online
   Can’t make it to an event? You can still be counted by going online! On October 16, 17 or 18, take action on Make Poverty History’s STAND UP widget and be counted for the official Guinness World Record attempt.
    
4. Tell as many people as possible!  Every person makes a difference

Desmond Tutu said, “If everyone who wants to see an end to poverty, hunger and suffering speaks out at the same time, the noise will be deafening. Politicians will have to listen.”  This is what STAND UP is all about.

WANT TO DO MORE?

1. Make us Proud to be Canadians at the G8/G20 Summit in June 2010.
   As host of the G8/G20 Summit in June of 2010, Canada has an amazing opportunity to provide bold leadership to solve global challenges of extreme poverty and climate change. The Canadian government is deciding now on the agenda of the 2010 G8 and what kind of new initiatives it could propose. Send a strong and clear message now to Prime Minister Harper that Canadians want their government to take initiatives at the G8/G20 in June 2010 to tackle extreme poverty and the impact of climate change on poor countries. Tell him to make us proud to be Canadians again.
    
2. Sign the Dignity for All online petition for a poverty free-Canada.
   The Dignity for All Campaign is calling for a federal plan for poverty elimination that compliments provincial and territorial plans. Together, we can eliminate poverty in Canada!

For more information see:
www.makepovertyhistory.ca/standup
www.standagainstpoverty.org
www.dignityforall.ca

We cannot say thank you enough for all your support and the great work you are doing.  Let us know how you participated in STAND UP this year. 

Sincerely,

Dennis, Kelly, Jennifer, George, Eric and Bryan
Make Poverty History Staff Team
Ottawa