Freedom from hunger is within your reach
Spectacular aerial portrait urges world leaders to act on the global food crisis
Contact:
In Jo’burg, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu: tel. +27(0) 84 542 8441
In London: Kate Nustedt: tel. +44 78 4166 2296
Take action! Thousands of young people in Johannesburg gather to create a visually spectacular human portrait of Nelson Mandela to tell world leaders: “Freedom from hunger is within your reach.”
Alexandra, Johannesburg, 15 July 2008 – In this sprawling township in northern Johannesburg, over 2,000 school children will gather to form a visually spectacular human portrait of Nelson Mandela with the message ‘Freedom from Hunger’ that can only be seen and photographed from the sky.
The children will be choreographed by aerial art experts, Circle Up Now, in order to create the visual statement and be part of a never-to-be-repeated campaign moment, the news and image of which will travel around the world.
“Nelson Mandela is one of the world’s most outspoken leaders on human rights for all, and especially on the eradication of global hunger,” said ActionAid South Africa Country Director, Zanele Twala.
“On his 90th birthday, the youth of South Africa are celebrating this great milestone by reminding global leaders that people all over the world are experiencing insufferable hunger and we need an urgent resolution to the current food crisis.”
The price of basic necessities is at an all time high, and families previously able to eat three meals a day have cut down to the bare minimum with most unable to afford commodities like bread and rice. Three days before Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday, the youth will celebrate Mandela’s life with an important message to world leaders: “Hunger is no longer just an issue of need and circumstance but an issue of justice and responsibility. Take charge!”
ActionAid and its partners ‘Circle Up Now’ and ‘Twenty Thousand Drums’ are mobilising South African youth to send out a message to world leaders about the right to food for all as one of our basic human rights.
Where: Atrek Sports Complex, next to East Bank High School, in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 pm. 15th July 2008
This is a unique opportunity to create hope for a HungerFREE World by reiterating the vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – that hunger will be eradicated when all states respect, protect and fulfil the basic human right to food. ActionAid is working in partnership with the ‘Every Human Has Rights Campaign’ celebrating the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries, taking sides with poor people, to end poverty and injustice together.
Circle Up Now is a global art and human rights experience that is uniting, inspiring and motivating individuals on every continent to stand up and celebrate their rights, as well as commit themselves to defending the rights of those who cannot. Using human aerial artwork the Circle Up Now team are producing a series of live global events to benefit the human rights movement and the organisations that work for its advancement on a daily basis.
Twenty Thousand Drums: Transformation Through Celebration (20 000 Drums) is committed to personal empowerment, moral regeneration, social cohesion and community development, skills transfer and job creation. 20 000 Drums concentrates on previously disadvantaged individuals and communities.
Circle Up Now: www.circleupnow.org. ActionAid: www.actionaid.org
The Elders: www.theelders.org Twenty Thousand Drums: www.20000drums.org.za
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