Stand Up Against Poverty 2007 finally arrived and across the globe people stood up and spoke out against poverty. At the current count more than twenty-three million people participated and numbers are still rolling in.

This is the twentieth International Day of the Eradication of Poverty, and today we not only reflect upon the worldwide concern of extreme poverty, but we also stand up and with one voice speak out against it.

“Tens of millions of people are making their voices heard by standing up against poverty -- at sports and cultural events, in universities and schools,” the Secretary-General said in his statement today at the Stand Up event at UN Headquarters. “They are calling for the actions of citizens to be matched by the actions of Governments, in developing and developed countries alike, in support of the Millennium Development Goals.”

In Nairobi, Stand Up received strong support not just from UNON where 410 staff members, led by the UNEP Executive Director, Mr. Achim Steiner, stood up to be counted, but also from the Media. Some television stations interrupted their regular broadcast to show events and read the Stand Up Pledge.

Events at the Nairobi slum of Korogocho attracted more than 7,000 people. One hundred and thirty schools in the towns of Eldoret, Bungoma, Nakuru, Molo and the city of Nairobi combined to gather over 150,000 students for their Stand Up moment.

Over 1,000 people were in attendance in Kisumu which is recognized as a Millennium City. This event was the main focus of national attention and headlined by the Kisumu Mayor; Permanent Secretary - Ministry of Planning and National Development, UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Elizabeth Lwanga, and Mr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Deputy Director, UN Millennium Campaign.

Finally, a human chain from Lamu Island to Shela village (approximately 2 miles from Lamu) at last count consisted of 4,505 people.