Anti-poverty campaigners urge UN summit delegation to be steadfast

The StoPoverty campaign is calling on the Maltese delegation participating in the United Nations world summit between September 14 and 16 not to accept a watered down target list of what had been agreed upon by world leaders during the millennium summit, including the eradication of poverty by 2015.

The campaigners said that Malta's delegation, which is to be composed of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the country's permanent representative at the United Nations, should reflect what the people of Malta want and this was for the targets agreed upon to be retained.

"We are the generation that can eradicate poverty. Please do not let us down," campaign co-ordinator William Grech pleaded.

The StoPoverty campaign in Malta is a national coalition of 42 civil society organisations and people who have united to join the global call for action against poverty.

Mr Grech said that the StoPoverty campaign worldwide was only asking leaders to do what they had said they would.

During the Millennium Summit they had pledged to end poverty by 2015 but it seemed that there was to be a proposal in the forthcoming summit to water down the aims that had been reached then.

He said that as things currently stood, goals would only be reached in 150 years, rather than in 10.

The Malta campaign will be holding a series of activities on Saturday, when it will be distributing white bands and information leaflets outside the law courts. There will also be a peaceful protest march in Sliema from 6 to 7.15 p.m., followed by an interfaith gathering at St Patrick's School, Sliema, at 7.30 p.m. An ethnic jamming session will follow at the Lava Lounge at 10 p.m.

Comedian Ray Calleja, who is supporting the campaign, said that it was unfair for politicians to make promises and not deliver, so targets should not be changed now.

TV personality Pauline Agius urged all those who believed in the cause to support it.

Winter Moods frontman Ivan Grech said that Malta's representatives at the summit should promote what the Maltese people wanted - to make poverty history.