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Oakridge Hall Council Invites Everyone to Participate In 'Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty'

RELEASED: Oct. 15, 2007

Stand Up Speak Out logoEAU CLAIRE — In an effort to help set an official Guinness World Record, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Oak Ridge Hall Council is sponsoring "Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty" by staging a photo to communicate the desire to fight poverty at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the Sutherland Hall fire pit on upper campus. The evening will kick off with a 7:30 p.m. screening of the film "The Invisible Children," which portrays the rebel conflict in Northern Uganda.

Within a 24-hour period, 10,000 people are being asked to physically and symbolically "stand up" to communicate their desire to fight poverty and to hold their governments and leaders accountable for promises to end poverty by 2015.

To ensure the inclusion of those not physically able to stand up, a symbolic act of raising a hand, wearing a white band (the symbol of the global fight against poverty) or holding up a banner displaying "Stand Up Against Poverty" also will be counted. Last year, 24 million people participated in SUSO events across the globe.

"Come meet people and share in an event that celebrates hope," said sophomore Wendy Weimerskirch, Plymouth, Minn., of the Oak Ridge Hall Council.

Launched by the Millennium Campaign, STAND UP is a global advocacy effort to set an official Guinness World Record for the greatest number of people ever to stand up against poverty, to publicly demonstrate to policymakers the growing global support for the achievement of the eight Millennium Developmental Goals created by the United Nations, and to support the strengthening of development policies throughout the world.

Following are the eight MDGs:

  • Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
  • Achieve universal primary education.
  • Promote gender equality and empower women.
  • Reduce child mortality.
  • Improve maternal health.
  • Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
  • Ensure environmental sustainability.
  • Develop a global partnership for development.

The event is free and open to the public. All who are interested in ending poverty are encouraged to come. For more information, contact Weimerskirch at weimerwa@uwec.edu.

More information about the Millennium Developmental Goals is available online.

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NC/NW

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