CITIZENS’ VOICES AGAINST POVERTY WILL CRESCENDO IN NOISES HEARD AROUND THE WORLD AS HEADS OF STATE TRAVEL TO UN SUMMIT

Citizens Will Make Their Expectations that Governments Achieve the Millennium Development Goals Too Loud to Ignore at Events Across the Globe on 17-19 September

From 17 to 19 September, people across the globe will turn up the volume on their call for heads of state gathering at the United Nations on 20-22 September to demonstrate leadership in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Citizens will gather at events across continents to amplify their support for the eight MDGs, a set of targets to eradicate extreme poverty and its root causes by 2015 that marks its tenth anniversary this week. They will be singing, chanting, blowing whistles, playing drums, blowing vuvuzelas, banging pots and pans and setting off alarm clocks. The sounds of these noises emanating from villages, towns and cities around the world as part of the three-day mobilization “Stand Up, Take Action, Make Noise for the MDGs” will make citizens' commitments to track and support their countries' achievement of the Goals visible, vocal and impossible to ignore.

“The Secretary General's recent report on the Millennium Development Goals has made it clear that with only five years until the deadline by which world leaders have promised to eradicate extreme poverty and its root causes, the active partnership of citizens and governments is more important than ever,” said Corinne Woods, Director of the UN Millennium Campaign. “The citizens participating in 'Stand Up and Take Action' on 17-19 September will make it clear to heads of state gathering at the United Nations the following week that they support and want to be a part of the realization of the Goals.”

The mobilization will serve as a launching point for a new initiative of real-time monitoring by citizens of basic service delivery in their communities. The availability of and access to quality, reliable and consistent basic services are essential for the MDGs to be realized at the country level. The Millennium Campaign will work with governments, civil society, technology partners and the media to launch pilot citizen tracking programmes in India and Kenya in 2011.

In Ghana, there will be a concert where local artists will sing their support of the MDGs. This will be held at the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) auditorium, Accra on Friday, 17 September 2010 at 9.00am. Also about 2000 school children and youth groups will simultaneously blow whistles, play drums, shout and make noise in support of the MDGs to remind the country's leaders of the promise they made ten years ago at MUSIGA auditorium. Another 2000 school children and youth groups with various musical instruments will make noise for the same purpose at Ashaiman No. 1 Government School Compound at 12 noon same day.

In Washington, DC, citizens will come together with local musicians, drummers and bands just two blocks from the White House, to amplify their voices in support of the MDGs.

In Egypt, religious leaders will give sermons calling for an end to poverty in more than 50, 000 mosques and at Sunday masses in churches across the country. A national youth rally will take place on 17 September at the historic site of the Giza pyramids, entitled “The Sphinx Stands against Poverty”.

Last year, more than 173 million people participated in “Stand Up,” setting a new Guinness World Record. “Stand Up and Take Action” is organized globally by the United Nations Millennium Campaign, in collaboration with a wide range of partners, including the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP).

For event listings, photos, sounds from Stand Up events and more information, visit www.standagainstpoverty.org