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"We have to view people living in poverty as agents of change. This requires us to encourage national ownership of development strategies. It requires citizens to actively participate in policy-making, and Governments to become more accountable to their citizens in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Goals. Above all, it requires a true partnership for development—one in which rich countries do their part in delivering resources and productive employment opportunities through market access, so as to enable the poor to take control of their lives."
Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General
Message on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2007
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, first commemorated in 1993, can be traced back to 17 October 1987, when more than a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris—where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948—to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. On that day, Father Joseph Wresinski, founder of ATD Fourth World, unveiled a commemorative stone engraved with the words: "Wherever men and women are condemned to live in poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty." Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on 17 October to show their solidarity with the poor. Replicas of the commemorative stone have been unveiled around the world. One such replica is located in the garden at UN Headquarters, the site of the annual commemoration organized by the UN Secretariat in New York.
The UN Chronicle has continuously covered the important fight for eradicating poverty. The following are some of the articles from the UN Chronicle that address poverty eradication, as well as links to related UN websites and other resources:
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