Worldwide actions urge G8 leaders to Make Poverty History by Mail & Guardian / BBC / Reuters / The Times 5:57pm 2nd Jul, 2005   Edinburgh, July 2, 2005    "220,000 March in Scotland to " Make Poverty History", by Jeremy Lovell. (Reuters)    A tide of over 220,000 people dressed in white streamed through Edinburgh on Saturday to demand that leaders of rich nations agree measures to attack global poverty at a summit near the Scottish capital next week.    As part of a day of pressure on the Group of Eight nations, including the Live 8 rock concerts, the marchers urged rich states to double aid to poor countries, especially in Africa. They also called for debt relief and trade reform.    The marchers, wearing the color of the Make Poverty History movement -- a coalition of charities, churches and other groups -- flooded the streets of the historic city for five hours to form a human version of the campaign's white band symbol.    "This has delivered a historic moment. Ordinary people have come and expressed clearly what they want," Matt Phillips of the Save the Children charity told Reuters. "There is no misunderstanding the message - end poverty and end injustice."    Police and organizers estimated the number of demonstrators at 200,000, making the march one of the biggest in Scottish history.    Men, women and children from all corners of Europe flocked to Edinburgh to demand that the heads of the world's richest nations end the triple scourge of debt, disease and poverty.    "I am reassured that there are so many people who really care about what I care about," said teacher Caroline O'Neil from the county of Yorkshire. "The G8 should listen to what people are saying, not come out with empty words next week."    Under blue skies and a blazing sun, the event was opened by Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of Scotland's Roman Catholics, with a blessing from the Pope and a call on the G8 to take heed. "Our voice today is a legitimate voice to our elected leaders on behalf of the millions who have no voice," he said.    Demonstrators held placards with slogans such as "Wipe Out Debt," "Trade Justice" and "People Before Profit." Bagpipers and bongo drummers provided an international mix of music.    The G8 leaders meet from next Wednesday at the luxury Gleneagles hotel and golf resort, 65 km (40 miles) northwest of Edinburgh, for a summit chaired by British Prime Minister Tony Blair who has put Africa at the top of the agenda.    Marchers said the G8 leaders had a unique chance to stop 30,000 children dying every day because of extreme poverty.    "I never ever march but this time I felt I had to," said William Bertram, 55, from Edinburgh. "Poverty is a sin and it is wrong that so many have so little," he said. "I hope this march makes a difference next week."    The campaign wants the G8 to cancel poor countries' debts, boost aid to them by about $50 billion per year -- around half of it for Africa -- and knock down trade barriers which prevent African and other produce from getting to Western markets.    "We need more support and better support to agriculture so that we can produce food and feed ourselves," Mubanga Kasakula, a farmers' leader from Zambia, told reporters before the march..    Edinburgh, Scotland. July 2, 2005    "Huge pre-G8 anti-poverty protest". (Associated Press)    Over 200,000 people clad in white streamed through the cobbled streets of Scotland's medieval capital of Edinburgh Saturday, demanding that the leaders of the world's richest nations act to better the lives of the poorest.    The "Make Poverty History" marchers said the world must no longer tolerate the extreme poverty that blights the lives of millions in Africa and elsewhere.    The marchers want to send a peaceful but powerful message to politicians gathering for the summit of the G8 group of rich countries at the nearby Gleneagles resort next week.    "We're not here to march for charity; we are here to march for justice," said Walden Bello, of the advocacy group Focus on the Global South.    The demonstrators urged the G8 leaders to heed Prime Minister Tony Blair's call to erase Africa's debt, pony up for a massive boost in aid and eliminate trade barriers that make it difficult for impoverished nations to sell their goods overseas.    The march coincided with the Live 8 global music marathon to raise awareness of African poverty. Hundreds of musicians were taking to 10 stages around the world Saturday in cities ranging from Johannesburg to Philadelphia, Berlin to Barrie, Canada.    There are shows in all the G8 countries -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and Russia -- as well as in South Africa, where former President Nelson Mandela was expected to address the crowd. A tenth, all-African show was being staged in southwest England.    Britain's two main Roman Catholic leaders headed the procession and Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of Scotland's Catholics, read a message from the Vatican. He said Pope Benedict XVI urged those in rich countries to bear the burden of reducing debt for the poor and call on their leaders to fight poverty.    "His Holiness prays for the participants in the rally and for the world leaders soon to gather at Gleneagles, that they may all play their part in ensuring a more just distribution of the world's good," said the message from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano. He conveyed the pope's "ardent hope that the scourge of global poverty may one day be consigned to history."    Thandiwe Letsoalo, who traveled from Soweto, South Africa, for the march, lost two daughters to HIV-related illnesses and is caring for eight grandchildren and two unemployed sons on a small pension. "The G8 leaders have to increase aid but ensure that the governments they are giving aid to are not corrupt so that the money can trickle down to the people," she warned.    Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.    Click on the link below to join in Making Poverty History    02 July 2005    "Mandela appears at Live8 in Johannesburg". (Mail & Guardian / South Africa)    Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity but an act of justice, former president and freedom icon Nelson Mandela said at the Africa Standing Tall Against Poverty concert in conjunction with Live8 in Newtown on Saturday.    "While poverty persists, there is no true freedom."    Mandela addressed about 20 000 fans at Mary FitzGerald Square in Johannesburg, saying the world was one of great promise and hope, but also of despair, disease and hunger. He spoke directly to the leaders of the G8 nations who meet in Scotland next week, and urged them "not to look the other way."    "Recognise that the world is hungry for action, not words. Act with courage and vision."    Mandela said history and generations to come will judge the leaders by the decisions they make in the coming weeks. He said they faced the most critical question that our world has had to face: "How do we remove the face of poverty from our world?    "Not to do this would be a crime against humanity against which I ask all humanity now to rise up."    The former president said as long as poverty, injustice and inequality persisted, no one could truly rest. "We live in a world where knowledge and information have made enormous strides, yet millions of children are not in school. "The Aids pandemic threatens the fibre of our lives yet we spend more money on weapons than on ensuring treatment and support of millions infected by HIV."    Mandela said the step to beating poverty was to ensure trade justice, eradicate debt to poor countries and deliver more aid.    Addressing the crowds, Mandela said: "Sometime it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom."    The concert, organised by Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAAP), is one of 10 international music concerts being held towards eliminating poverty and has been dubbed the biggest music event on earth.    It is estimated that more than 5-million people will be tuning in to watch the concert, just a few days before the G8 meeting of wealthy countries takes place in Scotland, with African aid issues the focus.    Overseas concerts kick off    "Ladies and gentlemen, it's two o'clock. Welcome to the greatest rock concert in the world." And thus, a few minutes after 2pm, Live8 began simultaneously at venues in London, Paris, Rome and Berlin.    Backstage, Bob Geldof said:" Everything that's rock 'n' roll is ever meant to be is happening now." He admitted that he only finally relaxed once the concert got underway. "There's nothing more to do now -- it's either crap or it's great and so far it's great," he told reporters a couple of hours into the blockbusting event.    First off was Paul McCartney who opened proceedings in Hyde Park with a rendition of Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (opening line, "It was 20 years ago today"), backed by musicians dressed in the iconic Sgt Pepper brightly coloured uniforms. Bono and U2 then took over, performing It's a Beautiful Day with lyrics especially customised for the event. Overhead, grey clouds gathered, but the crowd greeted the performers enthusiastically.    Following U2 were Coldplay, who opened with In My Place. Among the spectators were Chris Martin's wife, Gwyneth Paltrow and their daughter Apple. Richard Ashcroft sang his best known song, Bitter Sweet Symphony, backed by Coldplay. Martin sneaked in a small tribute to Status Quo - who opened Live Aid 20 years previously, singing a few words from their song Rocking All Over The World.    The singer called Bob Geldof "a hero" and thanked the organiser, referring to those who were cynical as 'stupid'. Their brief set ended with Fix You. Elton John performed next, closing with a duet with Pete Doherty. The two sang Children of the Revolution.    Geldof then made a brief appearance, to introduce Bill Gates as "the greatest philanthropist of our age." Gates -- the richest man in the world - and his wife Melinda have given $5-billion towards relieving poverty. Gates paid tribute to Geldof and the event's other organisers. "I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act," he said.    "I have learned that success depends on knowing what works and bringing resources to the problem. We know what to do. The generosity we are asking for can save millions of lives. Some day in the future all people no matter where they are born will be able to lead a healthy life.."    "This is not about what happened 20 years ago," he said, "This is about today. My message to the G8 leaders is that this is their chance to make a lot of difference in the world and to come back fulfilling their promises rather than coming back with empty promises. This is their chance to show the world politics is not just showbusiness for ugly people."    At 5pm Bob Geldof came on stage to announce that over three billion people were watching the event. Over in Philadelphia, events were just beginning, with Will Smith on stage to open the US's Live8 concert. The actor and singer introduced live link-ups with the crowds in Berlin, Paris and Canada.    He spoke of a Declaration of 'Interdependence' and urged the crowds to help end world poverty. "Every three seconds, somebody's son, somebodys' daughter, somebody's future is gone. Dead" he said. "With a stroke of a pen eight men can make a difference and end the misery of millions of people."    Billions of television viewers around the world are expected to watch today's concerts, with other gigs taking place in Philadelphia, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Johannesburg, Moscow, Barrie (Canada) and the Eden Project in Cornwall. The Hyde Park concert is being broadcast to 85% of the world's population.    The aim of the concerts is to raise awareness of poverty in developing nations in the run-up to the G8 summit, which takes place in Gleneagles on July 6.    "This is without doubt a moment in history where ordinary people can grasp the chance to achieve something truly monumental and demand from the eight world leaders at G8 an end to poverty," the event's organiser, Bob Geldof, said.    "The G8 leaders have it within their power to alter history. They will only have the will to do so if tens of thousands of people show them that enough is enough. By doubling aid, fully cancelling debt, and delivering trade justice for Africa, the G8 could change the future for millions of men, women and children." - Sapa, Guardian Unlimited.    © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005    3 July, 2005    Live 8 concerts bridge the world. (BBC News)    The world's biggest music stars have united in concerts around the globe to put pressure on political leaders to tackle poverty in Africa.    Concerts in 10 cities, including London, Philadelphia, Paris, Berlin, Johannesburg, Rome and Moscow played to hundreds of thousands of people.    A TV audience of several hundred million were watching the gigs, ahead of the G8 summit of leaders next week. Bob Geldof said the day had been "full of hope and possibility and life".    In London Madonna, U2, Coldplay, Sir Elton John and Sting all performed. Taking to the stage Madonna asked the crowd: "Are you ready to start a revolution? Are you ready to change history? I said, are you ready?" She was joined on stage by 24-year-old Birhan Woldu, one of the starving children featured in the original Live Aid concert who was helped thanks to money raised 20 years ago.    In Philadelphia, Destiny's Child, Jay Z and Bon Jovi were among the big name performers. Actor and singer Will Smith who hosted the concert said: "More than 200 hundred years ago, just down the block, America declared its independence. "Today we all gather here to declare our interdependence. Today we hold this truth to be self-evident; We are all in this together."    In Canada, Bryan Adams and Neil Young entertained the crowd, while the Pet Shop Boys played in front of Red Square in Moscow.    In Tokyo, which had been the first of the concerts to start, Bjork performed, while in Berlin Green Day were among the big name stars.    In Johannesburg the biggest cheer of the night was for former leader Nelson Mandela. He told the crowd that the G8 leaders had a "historic opportunity to open the door to hope and the possibility of a better future for all".    More than 200,000 people were at the concert in Hyde Park, London, while thousands more watched via big screens at locations around the UK. The Who and Pink Floyd, who had reformed with original singer Roger Waters, were the final two bands to take to the stage. The concert climaxed with a finale of Paul McCartney and all the other performers singing the chorus to the Beatles' hit Hey Jude.    Sir Paul said: "Everybody who's come along today has come for the right reason. We hope that the people, the heads of G8, are listening hard. "They can't avoid this, they cannot have missed it and all you people who've come along for this message - we love you."    Other London performers included The Scissor Sisters, Keane, Travis, UB40, the Stereophonics and REM. Earlier U2's Bono , who opened the London concert with Sir Paul McCartney, told the crowd: "This is our moment, this is our time, this is our chance to stand up for what is right. "We are not looking for charity, we are looking for justice."    The concerts have not been without their critics, however, with some arguing that the campaign is over-simplifying the issue of global poverty. Some anti-poverty charities and African leaders believe the event is too focused on money, rather than the problems of unequal trade.    But Geldof told BBC News: "There's one plan. It's debt; trade and aid and governance. Prime, pump an economy, create good government and we'll get people out of poverty. "That's what this is about. We'll jump if you jump and we're all jumping on behalf of those who can't even crawl."    More than 26.4 million people from around the world sent text messages on Saturday in support of the Live 8 campaign to cancel the debts of the poorest countries, setting a world record, organisers said.    The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan told the crowd in London: "This is really a United Nations. The whole world has come together in solidarity with the poor. On behalf of the poor, the voiceless and the weak I say thank you."    In Scotland, where the G8 leaders will meet, more than 200,000 protesters took place in a peaceful march urging the politicians to take action on poverty in Africa.    July 3, 2005. (Reuters)    A galaxy of rock stars have staged the world's biggest live concert to pressure rich nations into doing more for the poor.    People power rose up across four continents as Irish rocker Bob Geldof urged music fans at Live 8 gigs around the globe to cry "no more excuses" to the G8 leaders of the world's leading industrialised nations.    "Mahatma Gandhi freed a continent, Martin Luther King freed a people, Nelson Mandela freed a country. It does work. They will listen," Geldof said.    Geldof, was the mastermind of the 1985 Live Aid concert that raised $100 million for the starving in Ethiopia.    U2 frontman Bono, another key campaigner, summed up their message: "We're not asking you to put your hand in your pockets but we are asking people to put their fist in the air." He told G8 leaders: "This is your moment. Make history by making poverty history."    Bono fired up 200,000 fans in London's Hyde Park by joining Paul McCartney to launch the show with Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.The Beatles classic offered an echo of Live Aid with its first line: "It was 20 years ago today."    Hollywood star Brad Pitt told the crowd: "Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold."    Leaders of the Group of Eight industrialised nations meet near Edinburgh on July 6-8 and British Prime Minister Tony Blair has Africa and poverty high on the agenda.    In Edinburgh, 200,000 demonstrators wearing white have marched through the city to back the Make Poverty History campaign.    Tokyo    Tokyo kicked off Live 8 with Icelandic star Bjork headlining a 10,000-capacity venue. The diminutive star expressed the sense of helplessness she felt in the face of Africa's extreme poverty. "I look at the news, I see people starving, I am crying. I'm a total mess," she said.    Live 8 was also staged in the Circus Maximus in Rome and before a crowd of 150,000 in Berlin where most Germans felt it was a good idea even if they had doubts about its impact. Bernd Oppermann said: "I think every little thing helps to raise awareness about poverty no matter how small, and hey, this is the greatest rock concert in the world."    In Philadelphia, actor Will Smith told a crowd estimated at 1 million people: "This is the biggest event that has ever taken place on this planet. We cannot forget that right now a child in Africa dies every three seconds. We are calling on the eight most powerful leaders to end this tragedy with the stroke of a pen."    And in Barrie, near Toronto, 35,000 people turned out for the musical feast.    In Johannesburg, most of those interviewed among the crowd of 10,000 had never even heard of Geldof but Edward Romoki, yelling over a booming hip-hop act, said: "Maybe a concert like this can put Africa in the news and change things."    July 02, 2005    An open letter to the G8 leaders    Tony Blair UK. George W. Bush US, Silvio Berlusconi Italy, Jacques Chirac France, Junichiro Koizumi Japan, Paul Martin Canada, Vladimir Putin Russia, Gerhard Schroder Germany    Hi guys.    Just so we’re clear . . . The Live 8 concerts that are happening this weekend will be a wonderful musical occasion. But despite the fact that the world’s greatest popular musicians are playing — they are not the stars of the show. The 8 of Live 8 are not 8 musicians or bands - they are you, the 8 leaders of the G8.    Let this be absolutely clear before the first note is played. Everyone taking part in these concerts is there because the many generations watching will not tolerate the further pain of the poor while we have the financial and moral means to prevent it.    We are gathering for you the largest mandate for action in history. Just as people demanded an end to slavery, demanded women’s suffrage, demanded the end of apartheid — we now call for an end to the unjust absurdity of extreme poverty that is killing 50,000 people every day, in the 21st century, Live 8 is taking place so that you, our elected leaders, right now, in 2005, make the breakthrough demanded by, amongst others, the Commission for Africa, in the battle towards making poverty history. You know what needs to be done, specifically:    On Aid: Deliver an extra $25 billion aid for Africa and make plans to ensure this aid really will be effective at eradicating poverty. This must stand beside a further $25 billion for the other poorest countries of the world. This is the absolute minimum required to begin to win the battle against extreme poverty.    On Debt: Confirm the 100% debt cancellation from the G8 finance ministers meeting and commit to 100% debt cancellation for ALL the countries that need it and remove damaging economic policies that are imposed as a condition.    On Trade: Make decisive steps to end the unjust rules of trade, and allow poor countries to build their own economies, at their own pace. It is only through trade that Africa will eventually beat poverty on its own.    Let it be equally clear - That at the same time, African governments must be free from corruption and thuggery and put in place recognised practices of good governance, accountability and transparency towards their own people and to the world.    Twenty years ago at Live Aid we asked for charity. Today at Live 8 we want justice for the poor. The G8 meeting next week can take the first real step towards eradicating the extremes of poverty once and for all.    We will not applaud half-measures, or politics as usual. This must be a historic breakthrough.    Today there will be noise and music and joy, the joy of exuberant possibility. On Friday there will be a great silence as the world awaits your verdict.    Do not disappoint us. Do not create a generation of cynics. Do not betray the desires of billions and the hopes of the poorest of our world.    Are those 50,000 people each day to be allowed to live, or not?    Everyone at Live 8.    Sign the petition to Make Poverty History. Click on the link below.    (Published in The Times / UK) Visit the related web page
	Next (more recent) news item
	Next (older) news item