Stand Up Speak Out in the Art of Living International Centre, Bangalore, India

stand up speak out, originally uploaded by jackjohansson.

“The idea behind the STAND UP campaign is to remind world leaders of their promise of achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and urge them to show the necessary political will. The participants will stand up and urge the rich countries to keep their promises, better & more aid, debt cancellation & fair trade; and the poorer countries to make it their first responsibility to save the lives of the poorest citizens and achieve real transparency and accountability in how resources are deployed & spent,” said Mr Minar Pimple, Deputy Director, Asia, UNMC.

In his message exhorting people to join the campaign to eradicate poverty, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living, said, “All the nations of the world have come together and have set up eight Millennium Development Goals, and it will remain just a dream if you don’t stand up and participate. We all have to join together to eradicate poverty, to bring primary education, health, hygiene, care for the environment and make this world a more beautiful place to be in.”