Poverty Takes Centre Stage
By Sally Bolton, for the Chronicle
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Living in poverty is a daily reality for millions of people around the world. Working to combat poverty is an everyday task for millions who seek to improve the lives of the most marginalized people in society. However, one day each year, the international community commemorates the suffering of those living in poverty and reaffirms its collective commitment to eradicate extreme poverty.
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| The New York-based Peace of Heart Choir perform in front of the Commemorative Stone. UN Photo/Mark Garten |
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was commemorated at UN Headquarters in New York on 17 October 2005 with a simple but moving ceremony. Featuring performances by Maori singer Tama Waipara of New Zealand and the New York-based Peace of Heart Choir, as well as testimonies read on behalf of families living in extreme poverty, the event was co-sponsored by the non-governmental organization International Movement ATD Fourth World, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Department of Public Information and the NGO Sub-Committee for the Eradication of Poverty. The General Assembly in 1992 officially declared 17 October as the International Day.
The key message from the speeches and stories that day is that the poor need to be involved in the decisions designed to improve their lives and that they are capable of being active partners in development. They do not want to be passive recipients of aid or handouts.
Jacqueline Plaisir of Haiti, representing her region at the ceremony, told the story of Rosana, who grew up in a very poor family and is now the director of a programme that allows children from impoverished families to voice their hopes and dreams for the future through art workshops at a local gallery. Parents share their concerns with Rosana and together they seek solutions to the hardships they face. Parents need to be recognized for the great sacrifices they make for their children, according to Rosana. “Their actions make visible the efforts of families to regain their dignity”, Ms. Plaisir said. Such testimonies are a reminder that despite the dehumanizing conditions that the world’s poorest are forced to endure, many speak without bitterness or resentment, but instead with faith, hope and courage that they will overcome the suffering and deprivation they have to deal with on a daily basis.
The ceremony took place on the North Lawn, around the Peace Stone, a replica of the original one dedicated in France on 17 October 1987 by 100,000 people, led by the late Joseph Wresinski, founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World. The commemorative stone is intended to remind the world that the very poorest people often live and die in shame and humiliation. Replicas have also been unveiled in a number of countries, including Burkina Faso, Canada, Italy, the Philippines and Portugal.
Commemorations at other UN offices around the world included the opening of an art exhibit entitled “Poverty … The Way We See It!” at the United Nations Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi, a video presentation and panel discussion at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, and a ceremony at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
At the conclusion of the ceremony in New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan met with delegation members from France, Guatemala, Haiti, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania, who traveled to New York to represent the impoverished people of their regions. Vicki Soanes of ATD Fourth World told the UN Chronicle that Mr. Annan seemed particularly moved by the testimony of Tita Villarosa of the Philippines, who has been living in a cemetery for 15 years and who implored him to work with the poor as partners. The delegation also met with Jan Eliasson, President of the General Assembly, who thanked them for “bringing a reminder of reality to the United Nations”, Ms. Soanes said. They were also appreciative of the fact that both have taken the time to meet with people who have experienced poverty first-hand, especially when the issue of poverty has been receiving increased attention, particularly through the World Summit and a renewed commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.
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800 million people worldwide are chronically hungry and malnourished.
Everyday, 30,000 children die due to causes directly related to poverty.
75 per cent of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihoods.
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