CHRISTIAN AID NEWS

More documents

Recommendations

Info

CAMPAIGNS The IF campaign lit up London with an illuminated display on historic Somerset House. Right: supporters gather for the launch where actor Bill Nighy and presenter Lauren Laverne were among celebrities calling for action against hunger IF... YOU JOIN US, WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD’S LEADERS TAKE ACTION The ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign is up and running following its launch in January. Alasdair Roxburgh charts its progress and points the way to the next big stop on the campaign trail FIFTY YEARS AGO the US president John F Kennedy said: ‘We have the means; we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth in our lifetime. We need only the will.’ That powerful statement is as true today as it was back in the 1960s. The reality is that one in eight people go to bed hungry despite there being enough food for all on our planet. We must now ensure there is the political will and action to turn Kennedy’s vision into tomorrow’s reality. That is where the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign comes in. Since its launch in January, which generated huge media interest, the IF campaign has gained momentum across the country. During the first few weeks of the campaign, which involves a coalition of more than 100 charities, faith groups and other organisations, nearly 50,000 people signed up to play a part in the fight to end hunger. 12 Christian Aid News
IF CAMPAIGN LAUNCH LIGHTS UP LONDON Christian Aid/Matthew Gonzalez-Noda ON 23 JANUARY hundreds of people gathered at Somerset House in London for the launch of the IF campaign. In the hour-long event, hosted by Lauren Laverne, the four IFs on aid, land, tax and transparency were presented to the onlookers who also heard from the likes of Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright and actor Bill Nighy who gave a passionate and engaging speech. He said: ‘Millions of people are living in prison, the prison of poverty, and they are dying of hunger in that prison. It is crucial that we show our politicians that it is their responsibility to set them free.’ As the event drew to a close the audience were given the opportunity to tweet their own messages of support for the campaign, which were then projected on to Somerset House. Over the following days dozens of regional launches were held around the country. To see how some of your local events went, see your regional news pages, pages 24-25. Support has come from around the world, including from South Africa, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: ‘Hunger is not an incurable disease or an unavoidable tragedy. We can make sure no child goes to bed hungry. We can stop mothers from starving themselves to feed their families. We can save lives.’ You have played a huge part in ensuring that political leaders now take action to tackle hunger. In the run-up to the UK Budget in March, thousands of you wrote to, emailed and met with your local MP, calling on them to persuade the chancellor, George Osborne, to use his Budget to address two key parts of the campaign – aid and tax dodging. Our call was for the government to confirm that from 2013 0.7 per cent of national income will go towards aid, which is crucial in ensuring the poorest can feed themselves, and for the finance bill to make UK companies that operate in poor countries spill the beans on tax dodging. The Budget was a chance for the British government to take steps to help tackle hunger, but in the coming months we have a fantastic opportunity to ensure that world leaders also take action. In June, the UK will be chairing the G8 and this is a vital opportunity for world leaders to take action on hunger. We must ensure that they do. We need you to join us in two key campaign moments as many thousands of people from across the country come together to make world leaders listen. This is your big moment. On Saturday 8 June we will gather in London as David Cameron chairs the Food and Hunger summit. The following weekend,15-16 June, we will again come together, this time in Belfast, to urge the G8 leaders who are meeting in Enniskillen to take action. These events will be on a scale not seen for many years and follow the likes of the Make Poverty History march in 2005 and the Jubilee Debt Campaign march in Birmingham in 1998. The events will include high profile speakers, music and, most importantly of all, a chance to show world leaders that they can and must take action to tackle hunger. We would love to see you on one or the other – or both – occasions. Plans for the events are still being finalised. To find out more information and to join in solidarity with tens of thousands of others, just fill in the card found in this copy of Christian Aid News or visit christianaid.org.uk/if Together we will bite back at hunger. • Poll shows public support for IF campaign aims – see page 14 Christian Aid News 13
Page 1: CHRISTIAN AID NEWS Issue 59 Spring
Page 4 and 5: THE BIG PICTURE 4 Christian Aid New
Page 6 and 7: NEWS LEBANON From left to right: a
Page 8 and 9: MALI NEWS RISING REFUGEE TOLL CONTI
Page 10 and 11: NEWS IT’S TIME TO BITE BACK AT HU
Page 14 and 15: CAMPAIGNS WHY WE MUST TAKE ON THE T
Page 16 and 17: LIFE AND SOUL SPECIAL CHRISTIAN AID
Page 18 and 19: CHRISTIAN AID WEEK CHRISTIAN AID WE
Page 20 and 21: FRONTLINE Stories from around the w
Page 22 and 23: INPUT Inspired? Enraged? Send your
Page 24 and 25: LIFE AND SOUL The way we lead our o
Page 26 and 27: EVENTS We work with some of the wor
Page 28: LAST WORD A reflection on playing a

CHRISTIAN AID NEWS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?