▪ What is STAND UP and SPEAK OUT?
▪ Why do you want people to Stand Up and Speak Out?
▪ How can I get involved?
▪ What time does the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge start and finish?
▪ My event falls out of this time slot, can it still be counted?
▪ How can I organize my own event?
▪ I have an existing event on October 16 or 17 , can I still be involved in STAND UP and SPEAK OUT?
▪ How do I register my event?
▪ What do I need to do for my STAND UP and SPEAK OUT event to be part of the World Record?
▪ How can I be counted for the Guinness World Record attempt?
▪ Who's involved in STAND UP and SPEAK OUT?
▪ What support can we get if organizing an event?
▪ Can disabled people be included in the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge?

What is STAND UP and SPEAK OUT?

Launched by the Millennium Campaign and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), STAND UP and SPEAK OUT is a global advocacy effort to set an official Guinness World Record - the greatest number of people ever to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against poverty and inequality and for the Millennium Development Goals. On October 16-17 2007, the world will physically and symbolically "STAND UP and SPEAK OUT" to communicate their desire to fight poverty and to hold their governments and leaders accountable for promises to end poverty by 2015. The purpose of this action is to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the root causes of poverty, and to publicly demonstrate to policy makers the growing global support for the achievement of the MDGs and for the strengthening of development policies in both Northern and Southern countries.

STAND UP and SPEAK OUT is a mobilization initiative designed to coincide with global mobilizations around the International Day of Poverty Eradication and the White Band Day of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty . The common slogan that has been agreed for all GCAP actions in 2007 is STAND UP and SPEAK OUT, followed by a political demand appropriate to national and regional contexts. This builds on the “Stand Up” action of 2006, while ensuring that we also “Speak Out” with strong policy demands to sharpen our political impact. .

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Why do you want people to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT?

As Nelson Mandela said "Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.". The act of Standing Up and Speaking Out Against Poverty is a strong symbolic statement. We hope to have a strong political impact by telling our leaders and the millions that hundreds and thousands of people, all over the world have mobilized publicly to demand that there are no excuses for not achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We also hope to keep expanding our campaign by uniting firmly all civil society actors in the fight against poverty and inequality.

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How can I get involved?

Either join an existing event or gather your friends, colleagues and family and create your own STAND UP and SPEAK OUT event.

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What time does the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge start and finish?

The STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge will start at 9.00 pm (GMT) on Tuesday October 16 and finish at 9.00 pm (GMT) on Wednesday 17 October. We only have 24 hours!

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My event falls out of this time slot, can it still be counted?

No, the above time period can not be changed to accommodate individual events. However the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge is part of a series of actions against poverty and inequality around October 17th so please let us know about your events so your initiative can be logged as part of this wider mobilization.

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How can I organize my own event?

1. Identify a local public space which is in a central location –town or village square, city hall, marketplace, park, school, office, university campus, etc.

2. Decide on event theme: e.g. music concert, theatre group, dance performance, carnival, rap concert, street theater, film screening or just a simple gathering of friends, family and colleagues.

3. Decide on who will lead the event. A person from within your group or a high profile person/celebrity from the community. They can be asked to be master of ceremonies at the event.

4. Inform everyone via e-mail, letter, fliers, posters etc about this mobilization day. Invite them to come and join this global challenge.

5. Where appropriate inform relevant local or national media that event is taking place.

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What happens at my event on Oct 16-17?

The actual STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment must be coordinated to take place at a suitable time during your event. The following steps should be taken:

1. An event organiser, mayor, group leader, society president, CEO or other relevant figure (“an announcer”) will ask everyone gathered to come together and sit/kneel down.

2. The announcer gives a brief explanation of the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT initiative. Why we are doing this: A world record attempt to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against poverty and inequality, in support of the MDGs, for promises that must be kept to end poverty by 2015

3. The announcer asks the gathered crowd to count down from ten with them and then at “0” everyone will STAND UP and SPEAK OUT together for one minute. (Disabled people can perform any appropriate action to show they are taking a stand or just be present).

4. During this one minute the “announcer” or other appropriate figure may read the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT pledge on behalf of those gathered. The pledge will have space to include messages relevant to individual organizations holding these events.

5. After the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment and the reading of the pledge the “announcer” informs the audience that “x” number of people have Stood Up at this event and their efforts will be logged as part of the record setting attempt and total numbers of people standing Up around the world against poverty.

6. After this the event can continue as scheduled. Although don’t forget to take pictures and register your numbers so that it is counted for the world record attempt!

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I have an existing event on October 16 or 17 , can I still be involved in STAND UP?

YES, the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment has been designed so that it can also be inserted into existing events that are already taking place.
Some examples of this could be:

Faith based gatherings: Engage faith leaders to lead their congregations in a STAND UP and SPEAK OUT Moment during Church service;

Football and other sports matches: Insert a STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment into half time at football and other sports events;

Clubs and student groups: Gather your members and have a STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment during your regular events and meeting;

Schools and Universities: Engage schools to hold a STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment on Monday morning;

Corporations: Engage your company to gather their employees on Monday morning and hold a STAND UP and SPEAK OUT moment.

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How do I register my event?

Click here to register your event

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What do I need to do for my STAND UP and SPEAK OUT event to be part of the World Record?

All the action takes place within a 24 hour period which runs from 9 pm GMT on Tuesday 16th October until 9 pm GMT on Wednesday 17th October. Only a few countries will have the same time as GMT so you will need to look up what times will be for your country. For example, it runs from 5 pm to 5 pm in New York, from 11 am to 11 am in Johannesburg and from 6 am to 6 am in Tokyo - the website www.timeanddate.com can tell you how many hours you are ahead or behind GMT.

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How can I be counted for the Guinness World Record attempt?

If you are attending an existing event, you will automatically be counted and registered by event organizers. If you are organizing your own event you will need to register your STAND UP and SPEAK OUT numbers online for them to be counted.

Numbers can be submitted by completing the registration form at the at www.standagainstpoverty.org website by 6am (GMT) on October 18. You can also register at:

Italy: www.millenniumcampaign.it

Germany: www.millenniumcampaign.de

Spain: www.sinexcusas2015.org

Latin America: www.cinu.org.mx/levantate/

Portugal & Latin America: www.pobrezazero.org

Who's involved in STAND UP?

For the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge the Millennium Campaign will be joining forces with a wide range of partners across the world, including the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), and its national campaigns , trade unions, faith based groups, local governments, youth groups, Parliamentarians, sporting associations, media and other key actors.

The STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge is designed to coincide with global mobilizations around the International Day of Poverty Eradication and the White Band Day of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty on October 17th.

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What support can we get if organizing an event?

There are a range of materials available on the webiste for download at www.standagainstpoverty.org.

These materials can be adapted and used for your event to produce posters, banners, T-Shirts, fliers, placards etc.

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Can disabled people be included in the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT challenge?

To ensure the inclusion of those not physically able to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT i.e. disabled people, a symbolic act of raising a hand, wearing a white band or holding up a banner with the “STAND UP and SPEAK OUT Against Poverty” message on it will also be counted. In these cases, rather than rising from a sitting position, symbolically “standing up” will also be taken to mean “taking a stand” against poverty.

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