▪ What is STAND UP?
▪ Why do you want people to Stand Up?
▪ How can I get involved?
▪ What time does the STAND UP 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 15 or 16 , can I still be involved in STAND UP?
▪ How do I register my event?
▪ What do I need to do for my Stand Up 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?
▪ What support can we get if organizing an event?
▪ Can disabled people be included in the STAND UP challenge?
What is STAND UP?
Launched by the Millennium Campaign , STAND UP is a global advocacy effort toset an official Guinness World Record - the greatest number of people everto STAND UP Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals. On October 15-16 2006, the world will physically and symbolically "STAND UP" to communicate their desire to fight poverty and to hold their governments and leaders accountable for promisesto end poverty by 2015. The purpose of this action is to raise awareness ofthe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to publicly demonstrate topolicy makers the growing global support for the achievement of the MDGs andfor the strengthening of development policies in both Northern and Southerncountries.
STAND UP is a mobilization initiative designed to coincide with global mobilizations around the International Day of Poverty Eradication and theWhite Band Day of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty . It relies fully on citizen participation in that it mobilizes all individuals, everywhere,to take part in local, group events around the world through which they usetheir bodies (rather than their voices) as concrete symbols of MDG advocacy.To ensure the inclusion of those not physically able to stand up, a symbolicact of raising a hand, wearing a white band (the symbol of the global fightagainst poverty), or holding up a banner with the "Stand Up Against Poverty"message will also be counted.
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Why do you want people to Stand Up?
The act of Standing Up Against Poverty is a strong symbolic statement. We hope to have a strong political impact by telling our leaders and the world that hundreds and thousand of people, all over the world have mobilized publicly to demand that poverty eradication and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals are a political priority and that there are no excuses for not achieving these Goals by 2015.
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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 event.
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What time does the STAND UP challenge start and finish?
The STAND Up challenge will start at 10.00am (GMT) on Sunday 15 October and finish at 10.00am (GMT) on Monday 16 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 challenge is part of a month of mobilization around poverty eradication ending on October 17th so please let us know about your events so your initiative can be logged as part of this wider month of action.
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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 15-16?
The actual STAND UP moment must be coordinated to take place at a suitable time during your event. The following steps should be taken:
1. A celebrity, 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 initiative. Why we are doing this: A world record attempt to STAND UP Against poverty, 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 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 reads the STAND UP 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 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 15 or 16 , can I still be involved in STAND UP?
YES, the STAND UP 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:
Sunday Church Services or other faith based gatherings: Engage faith leaders to lead their congregations in a STAND UP Moment during Church service;
Football and other sports matches: Insert a STAND UP moment into half time at football and other sports events;
Clubs and student groups: Gather your members and have a STAND UP moment during your regular events and meeting;
Schools and Universities: Engage schools to hold a Stand Up moment on Monday morning;
Corporations: Engage your company to gather their employees on Monday morning and hold a Stand Up 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 event to be part of the World Record?
All the action takes place within a 24 hour period which runs from 10am GMT on Sunday15th October until 10 am GMT on Monday 16th 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 rusn from 6am to 6am in New York, from noon to noon in Johannesburg and from 7pm to 7pm 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 numbers online for them to be counted.
Numbers can be submitted by completing the registration form at the appropriate Millennium Campaign web-site by 9.00pm GMT on Oct 16th:
Italy: www.millenniumcampaign.it
Germany: www.millenniumcampaign.de
Spain: www.sinexcusas2015.org
Latin America: http://www.cinu.org.mx/levantate/
Portugal & Latin America: www.pobrezazero.org
For all other regions: www.millenniumcampaign.org/standup
Who's involved in STAND UP?
For the STAND UP 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), Make Poverty History , trade unions, faith based groups, local governments, youth groups, Parliamentarians, sporting associations, media and other key actors.
The STAND UP 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?
The Millennium Campaign is in the process of preparing an “Event in A Box” a range useful information, tips and STAND UP materials which will be available to downloadfrom our website and partner websites soon. We currently have a flyer, brochure and set of logos to download.
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 challenge?
To ensure the inclusion of those not physically able to STAND UP i.e. disabled people, a symbolic act of raising a hand, wearing a white band or holding up a banner with the “Stand Up 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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