Schoolchildren worldwide mark World Poverty day for the Rewrite the Future campaign
On 17 October 2007 schoolchildren all over the UK and the developing world took part in Stand Up and Speak Out to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Thursday 18 October 2007
43.7 million people in 127 countries stood up against poverty for one minute on the 17th October setting a new record for the largest single co-ordinated action in the history of the Guinness World Records.
The worldwide record breaking attempt was coordinated by the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) and the UN Millennium Campaign. The aim was to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals and to publicly demonstrate to policy makers the growing global support for the eradication of poverty.
Stand Up and Speak Out
Rewrite the Future took Stand Up and Speak Out into schools and encouraged children to take part in order to highlight the unique role that education plays in alleviating poverty.
The Rewrite the Future event asked schoolchildren to stand up for one minute in support of the 39 million children missing out on an education because they live in countries affected by conflict and emergencies. The children then wrote messages to decision-makers asking them to act now to help children get a quality education.
What countries were involved?
In Europe and Africa, over 70,000 schoolchildren took part from Save the Children supported or associated schools.
UK
In the UK over 1,500 schoolchildren took part.
"It's amazing to think that children in schools in so many different countries are doing the same as we are. I hope it makes leaders listen to us because all boys and girls deserve to go to school," said nine year old Sasha from Hertfordshire.
Photo: Children at Bligh Junior School in Rochester preparing to Stand Up and Speak Out.
Liberia
In Liberia 19,798 children joined in Stand Up and Speak Out in Save the Children supported schools. Many Liberian schoolchildren are over conventional school age but are taking advantage of a second chance to get an education.
Photo: Children in C.J. Woah School in Liberia Stand Up for education.
South Sudan
Many of the 8,500 children who took part in the event were girls, former child soldiers and returned displaced children who traditionally would not have had the chance to go to school. Rewrite the Future is helping to change that.
After two decades of war, only one in five children get to start primary school and just one in every 50 finishes school in South Sudan.
Serbia
In Serbia over 500 schoolchildren were joined by representatives from the local Municipality Education Office and the event was reported in newspapers and on TV.
Photo: Photo of primary school children in Serbia during the Stand Up and Speak Out event.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Over 2,000 children in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1,600 in Kosovo took part.
Montenegro
Up to 24,000 young people from 31 primary schools in Montenegro added their voices to the global total.
Pop star Andrijana Bozovic joined in, and led young people in singing and dancing after taking part in the Stand Up herself.
Photo: Montenegrin pop star Andrijana Bozovic talks to school children about the importance of education.
What you can do
Help us make sure world leaders don't forgot the 39 million children missing out on an education because they live in countries affected by war and emergencies. Act now to help children get a quality education.
- sign our Rewrite the Future online blackboard
- join our campaigns network
- read about schoolchildren in campaigning against poverty in Northern Ireland
