Will 'Make Poverty History' continue?
This e-mail has come to my attention (posh way of saying someone sent it to me): Dear friends, ******************************************************* THE FUTURE OF MAKE POVERTY HISTORY – WHAT DO YOU THINK? ******************************************************* At the last Make Poverty History assembly it was clear that some agencies felt the MPH campaign should be looked on as a campaign…
This e-mail has come to my attention (posh way of saying someone sent it to me):
Dear friends,
*******************************************************
THE FUTURE OF MAKE POVERTY HISTORY – WHAT DO YOU THINK?
*******************************************************At the last Make Poverty History assembly it was clear that some agencies felt the MPH campaign should be looked on as a campaign that has ‘happened’. However, through informal discussion, some of us from TIDAL have found a very strong feeling amongst many organisations and individuals that the Make Poverty History campaign should continue in a modified, sustainable form. We are canvassing opinion to see how widespread this feeling is (see attached document). Please let us know if you and/or your organisation agree with the following statement:
“We believe that the Make Poverty History campaign, name, website and mailing list should continue into 2006 and beyond in a modified and sustainable form”
If you and/or your group/organisation agree, please let Joanna Brown know (email: jozart@fish.co.uk). Your name and/or group name and contact details will then be put on one of the lists in Appendix A of the attached document. Comments in support of this statement are also welcome (the comments will be made public but the name of the person will be kept confidential). The document will then be sent to the MPH Co-ordination Team (Appendix B).
Please circulate as widely as possible to individuals and groups that you think are interested in the future of MAKE POVERTY HISTORY.
Many thanks.
Kind Regards,
Joanna Brown
On behalf of Mary Keynes, Ben Margolis, Mahmood Messkoub and Bill Phelps from TIDAL
Dr Joanna Brown
TIDAL, JDC Board, MPH New Media Working Group and Leeds Fairtrade City Steering Group
I haven’t read the document in question as I am essentially just a nosey parker rather than an organisation. From what I can gather it looks as if Make Poverty History as a campaign will end at the end of theis year (?) but some of the smaller organisations at least are hoping that it will continue. I don’t know what should happen, all I know is that there has been a lot more going on behind the scenes within the Make Poverty History coalition than has been made public.
There was also a ‘behind the scenes’ programme about the Live8 concert on BBC one tonight. What I saw was quite illuminating. Part 2 is tomorrow I think.
I think the campaign has pretty much run its course, and people are so used to seeing those three words together, the white bands, and (what are becoming annoying) tags in the corners of websites that it is having no discernable impact on people.
The world cup in Germany will be a good time to promote such issues to a large audience in a short term way in 2006, but then I think a new campaign needs to be set up, new logo, new slogan, new slant on the focus (although of course the focus must remain much the same!).
Perhaps it is time to make Make Poverty History history?
Strange: just when a campaign for social justice is seriously breaking through into the mainstream, we decide to wrap the thing up.
I’d have thought that this was just the time to ramp up the pressure: change from being a “bunch of do-gooders” into a Movement for Change.
We’re definately not there yet. As good as the Mass Lobbys have been, and not forgetting Edinburgh, these have all been marginalised by other protests / events. Think of the pro / anti fox hunting protests. Think of how Edinburgh got barely a mention in all the fuss of Live8.
No, our job is not done and our message has not been sufficiently heard. MPH needs to continue.
I feel pretty let down by the whole thing. At the end of the long-expected year, what have we got to show for it? Precious little.
It’s good they made progress on aid and debt relief, but long term sustainable help really relies on changing the trade rules, and in that respect, not nearly enough progress has been made. Keep it up!
I was sent the same e-mail by a circuitous route and only recently discovered it. I’ve since been mulling it over and wondering if it was worth following up.
It certainly seems like they are keen for individuals as well as groups to respond, so I wouldn’t let not being a group put you off. Have you mentioned it to your church, they might be interested, either as individuals or groups.
I think the idea of ending extreme poverty gloabally in a year was a bit ambitious (to say the least), but MPH did raise a lot more awareness of the issues, plus there is always more power in working together than in just doing our own thing, although that has it’s place.
We need to keep pegging away at making poverty history, IMO, so these people need our support -although I got an e-mail from MPH today asking me to e-mail Gordon Brown, so they still seem to be active, which leaves me a little confused.