Last year, with the support of over 23.5 million people, a new Guinness World Record was set for the greatest number of people to physically and symbolically “Stand Up Against Poverty and for the MDGs” within 24 hours. This massive mobilisation has sent a clear message to decision makers that there is a growing global movement of people no longer prepared to stay seated or silent in the face of poverty and broken promises to end it. This year, with your dedication and support, we are looking to join forces to break last year’s record through the challenge.

Within the framework of our collaboration with the Millennium Campaign through the Memorandum Of Understanding signed in 2005, World Scouting can contribute to this global initiative by mobilising as many children and youth as possible to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against poverty and inequality, for the achievement of the MDGs and to join in the world record breaking attempt. Children and Youth are a large and strong segment of the world’s population with a powerful role to play this year on October 16th and 17th. It is hoped that through the enormous network that is World Scouting, Scouts will organise STAND UP and SPEAK OUT events. There are many ways children and youth can participate: organise a classroom debate, have sport teams wear a White Band during a match and have a Stand Up moment, initiate a classroom discussion on poverty, or event create a piece of street theater.

This year is symbolic as it marks the halfway point to the 2015 deadline to achieving the MDGs. It is more urgent now than ever that we unite in our efforts to raise awareness of the Goals and remind policy makers of the promises they have made to achieve them. The STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge provides an opportunity to once again reinvigorate the momentum to ensure that development issues remain a priority on the global political agenda.

On October 16th and 17th, to coincide with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we will be attempting to break last year’s world record by asking people all over the world to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against poverty and inequality and for meeting and exceeding the MDGs.

It is easy to get involved by either organising your own STAND UP and SPEAK OUT event or joining an existing initiative in your area. For further information and the latest updates on planned events around the world, please visit the website www.standagainstpoverty.org.

To be counted, mobilisations can be a handful of people or hundreds of thousands of people – the important thing is to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT. To this end, please find attached a brochure that outlines practical and logistical information on how to engage with the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge and also a technical note on how to be counted. Please email us photos of your organisation’s event so we can display them on the website.

World Scouting urges you to send a powerful message to global decision makers in the continued fight against poverty and participate on the 16th and 17th October!

The MDGs

As a key initiative of the United Nations, the Millennium Campaign encourages and supports citizens' efforts to hold their governments accountable for the achievement of the MDGs. Formally adopted by 189 countries in the year 2000, the MDGs are a set of eight specific goals which commit rich and poor countries to work together to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, ensure all boys and girls complete primary school, promote gender equality, improve the health of mothers and children, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, protect the environment, and create a global partnership for development by ensuring rich countries give more and better aid, debt relief and trade opportunities to poorer countries.