Making poverty history

IssueMarch 2005
News by Conner Jay

On 4 February more than 20,000 packed into London's Trafalgar Square to hear Nelson Mandela issue a rallying cry to “make poverty history” in 2005, and challenging world leaders to “recognise that the world is hungry for action, not words”.

His call came as finance ministers from the world's richest countries arrived in London for the G7 meeting where they will discuss cutting poor countries' $39 billion debt burden.

Mr Mandela was invited to London by the Make Poverty History coalition, which includes 220 organisations across the UK, and is the UK arm of a global coalition representing 150 million people from 60 countries.

Topics: Global justice