Since 2005
Although Make Poverty History came to an end in 2006, the events of 2005 helped inspire various members to work together on further campaigns. These took place as the UK platform of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
What's Happened Since 2005
Every year since 2005 millions of people have taken action with Make Poverty History member organisations. Some of the collective moments since 2005 are detailed below.
50 Global Days of Action Against Poverty
The World Can’t Wait: Your Voice Against Poverty
Vote Global
The 2010 election campaign saw tens of thousands of people across the country contacting their candidates about global poverty.
Over 40,000 emails were sent demanding a Robin Hood Tax and 13,000 people emailed their candidates calling for a reduction of CO2 emissions of 40% by 2020. Over 100 hustings events on global issues were held. In October 2009, 200 MPs and candidates were contacted by local campaigners and handed a copy of the Vote Global manifesto.
The Wave
On 5 December 2009, more than 50,000 people came together to demand action on climate change at The Wave, the UK’s biggest ever climate change march.
People from all over the country dressed in blue encircled Parliament, calling on the UK government to settle for nothing less than a climate deal in Copenhagen that avoids dangerous climate change and protects the world’s poorest who are already feeling its effects.
Put People First
On 28 March 2009, shortly before the G20 summit in London, 35,000 people marched through London as part of a global campaign to challenge the G20, ahead of their summit on the global financial crisis.
The message was that the causes of poverty in rich and poor countries are the same. Our future depends on creating a democratic economy, based on fair distribution of wealth, decent jobs for all and a safe climate. To achieve this, the world needs to abandon the financial model that has created an economy fuelled by ever-increasing financial and environmental debt.
50 Global Days of Action Against Poverty
Tens of thousands of people in the UK took action against poverty, from 1 September-20 October 2008, from lobbying at High Level Meetings to signing online petitions.
In a grand finale, from 17–19 October, more than 300 anti poverty events took place in a single weekend as the UK as part of ‘Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty and Inequality'.
Globally, 116.9 million people - almost 2% of world population - got involved with Stand Up and Take Action through the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
The World Can’t Wait: Your Voice Against Poverty
On Saturday 2nd June 2007, as G8 leaders gathered in Germany for the G8 Summit, thousands of people descended on central London for The World Can't Wait rally by Westminster and the River Thames.
The message to G8 leaders was that they must take decisive action on poverty and climate change.
Alongside people from all over the UK, rock stars Midge Ure and Annie Lennox lent their support to the protest.
23 Million Stand Up Against Poverty
On 15 - 16 October 2006 there was a global attempt to set an official Guinness World record for the largest number of people ever to Stand Up Against Poverty in 24 hours.
The results were announced in London on 17 October - World Poverty Day.
23,542,614 people Stood Up Against Poverty... with Guinness World Records spokesperson Craig Glenday saying: "By the time we get all the figures in it will be the largest single coordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Records."
At each Stand Up event, people stood up and pledged their solidarity with the world's poorest people and demanded that governments take urgent action to end poverty and inequality and to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals.
The Beat Goes On
On 14 September 2006, 3,000 people from Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and Make Poverty history Jewish coalition, gathered outside the Treasury in London, beating on drums, pots and pans, yoghurt pots, tubs and tambourines to call on the UK government to withdraw its funding from the IMF and the World Bank until they stop imposing damaging economic policy conditions on poor countries.
Travis stick post-it note to no.10
On 13 July 2006, Scottish rock band Travis stuck a giant post-it note to the front door of No.10 Downing Street to remind the Prime Minister before he left for the G8 summit in St Petersburg that although some progress has been made, poverty is not yet history.
Similar actions were staged in Canada, France, Germany and the US.
