CALL TO ACTION : Wear White Band; eradicate poverty

WRIST bands have always been part of fashion. Former Philippine President Estrada has his signature band the masa imitated when he took office. These days the baller ID, or plastic wrist bands worn by foreign basketball players with the name of the basketball team written on them, are the “in” thing among Filipinos.

This time, the wearing of another kind of wrist band is being campaigned globally. It is the White Band campaign to help eradicate poverty.

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) has the White Band Action on July 1 as a visible link to the efforts and activities of organizations and individuals all over the world. The people will wear white bands and wrap public buildings in white to send a message to the G8 world leaders (US, Japan, France, Italy, Britain, Canada, Germany and Russia) that they demand action on trade justice, debt cancellation, and more and better aid.

The GCAP is working this year to force world leaders to tackle the causes of poverty, and meet—even exceed—their respective promises on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also focuses on the underlying factors that create and reinforce poverty, such as unfair trade, a huge debt burden and lack of quality aid.

Below are just some of the White Band events planned all over the world. More will be announced soon. For more information or to get in touch with national coalitions, please visit www.whiteband.org.

Massive white bands will be wrapped around buildings across the world, including:

• The Soweto township of Johannesburg, South Africa, a group of shacks will be wrapped in a white band, to symbolize perpetuating poverty in Africa.
• In Freetown, Sierra Leone, the famous cotton tree, planted by freed slaves when the nation was founded, will be draped in a white band.
• In Senegal, the slavery archway will be wrapped in a white band.
• From June 30 to July 14 the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in Australia, will be wrapped in a white band, with the Australian coalition's slogan "Make Poverty History" across it.
• The Coliseum in Italy.
• The Brandenburger Tor in Germany.
• In Paris, France, the Trocadero's buildings which sit either side of the Eiffel Tower, will be wrapped with two white bands.
• In Spain, bridges will be wrapping on the main highways of Spain.
• In Georgia all the trees along the Central Avenue of the capital, Tbilisi, will be wrapped in white bands.

Marches, rallies, concerts and G8 Embassy actions are also planned around the world:

• In South Africa the GCAP African regional coalition is planning a concert on July 2 to coincide with the planned Live 8 concerts. While in Zambia and Uganda concerts are planned for July 1 and July 2, respectively, to coincide with the White Band Day actions.
• In the Philippines, a People's Summit and concert, will be followed by a rally of 10,000 people.
• In Zambia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Bangladesh huge marches to G8 Embassies will be taking place on June 30 and July 1.
• In Brazil, there are plans for simultaneous demonstrations to be carried out in Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro.
• In Ghana, a beach party with farmers groups is planned to highlight the plight of rice farmers, caused by unfair trade rules.
• In India, a South Asian caravan will be launched, on July 1, which will be travelling across South Asia between now and the UN MDG Summit in September 2005.

I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)