Churches urge big turnout at poverty rally

Leaders from all the main Christian churches in Ireland have urged people to turn out in force for tomorrow's Make Poverty History rally in Dublin.

In an ecumenical statement issued yesterday, the churches said they were happy to endorse the campaign in order to create "a massive movement of people who share a vision of a better world".

The statement, whose signatories included the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Diarmuid Martin; and the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev John Neill, stressed the need for "trade justice", the cancellation of debt, and the delivery of aid targets.

Thousands of people are due to attend the rally, which begins at 6.30pm at Parnell Square, and will march to Merrion Square arriving at about 7.15pm. A number of speeches will then take place ahead of a two-hour concert.

The church leaders' statement said the event was "an important moment to call for an end to injustice and make our voices heard" ahead of Saturday's G8 group of nations meeting in Edinburgh.

"It is also a chance to send a clear message to our own Government that its commitment to making poverty history matters to the people of Ireland. We would encourage as many people as possible to show their solidarity with the world's poor and to come along to the rally."

Other signatories to the statement were the Rev Des Bain, president of the Methodist Church in Ireland; Rachel M Bewley-Bateman, clerk of Ireland Yearly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends; Maj Margaret Fozzard, major, Dublin City Corps, the Salvation Army; the Most Rev John Kirby, Bishop of Clonfert, and chairman of Trócaire; the Rev Dr Fritz Meyer, pastor of the Lutheran Church in Ireland; Dr Martin Sauter, chairman of the Dublin Council of Churches; and Fr Calin Florea, Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland.

The church leaders noted: "Everyday over 30,000 children die as a result of extreme poverty and injustice. That's one child every three seconds. Most of these deaths are preventable. We have the resources, knowledge and technology to end this human tragedy - but we need more political will to make it happen. There are encouraging signs that this is happening, but more needs to be done. Building that political will means each one of us making our voice heard."

The rally (see www.makepovertyhistory.ie) is being organised by non-governmental organisations working in the developing world, and is supported by other bodies ranging from the trade union umbrella group Ictu to the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM).

It had been scheduled for tomorrow to give committed protesters time to travel to Scotland for Saturday's G8 anti-poverty rally in Edinburgh.

Participants are being asked to wear white or carry white banners to show their support for the campaign, which has been endorsed by Bob Geldof and U2. Up to 100,000 wristbands supporting the campaign have already been sold in Ireland, according to rally co-ordinator Eamon Stack.

He added tomorrow's event would be a "family-friendly" occasion, featuring "the G8 in kilts" as part of a strong Scottish theme.

As well as attending the rally, the IAWM is organising a protest against "militarisation of the EU" outside the Mansion House early tomorrow where EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will be attending a function.