With over 23 million people standing up to be counted during a 24 hour interval from 15-16 October 2006, Stand Up Against Poverty, Stand Up for the Millennium Development Goals, became “the largest mobilisation of people in the history of Guinness World Record Breaking!”

From remote village communities in Northern Nigeria to schools in Canada, from local authorities in Philippines to football games in Germany, from neighbourhood groups in Gaza and Latin America to churches in Malawi, from Baba Ramdev and his followers in India to Times Square in New York, from civil society and educational institutions in Indonesia to anti-poverty campaigners in Italy, Spain and Australia, in almost 12,000 events spread across nearly 100 countries, people stood up together to tell their leaders in no uncertain terms: “We have to end poverty, illiteracy and disease. We have less than 10 years to go to achieve the Millennium Development Goals; we will not accept any more excuses.”

Already, many leaders have taken note of this massive outcry including the President of Malawi, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (one of the largest regions in India), the emerging political leadership of Nepal and many many others. This year we will stand together again on October 16/17 to break the Guinness World Record and raise our voices even louder.

Students were asked to write:

an opinion piece on why young people should take part in the global Stand Up initiative including answers to all of the following four questions:

-- What makes Stand Up Important?
-- Why should people Stand Up for the MDGs?
-- Why is it important that World Leaders hear their citizens care about ending poverty?
-- How could you motivate young people to take part in the stand up competition?; and,

a personal story (800-1,000 words) about poverty including one of the following questions:

-- Have you experienced poverty at some level? What did it feel like? How has your life changed since?
-- Interview someone who lives in poverty. Describe what it is like through someone their eyes. What are some of the daily challenges they face? Did the interview changes your views on poverty? If so, how?
-- Have you traveled to a country that had extreme poverty? How did it make you feel? What did you want to do about it? What DID you do about it?
-- How would you motivate young people in your community to raise their voice to demand their government do something about ending poverty?

All entries were judged on:

writing style;

originality; and,

how well they answered one of the topics listed above.

Winning entries were chosen from each of the following regions:

Latin America and the Caribbean (winners from this region will be announced soon);

Arab States;

Asia and the Pacific;

North America;

Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States; and,

Africa.