- ATD Fourth World

National Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty

17 October 2007 marked the 20th anniversary of the inauguration of the Commemorative Stone in Paris, France. In preparation for this anniversary, ATD Fourth World, the UN and other partners had launched a campaign to increase the impact of this day, which included the Call to Action signature campaign. Another outcome of the campaign was the recognition of October 17 as a worldwide mobilization date by the UN Millennium Campaign and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. The first October 17 “White Band Day” took place in 2006 and was accompanied by a Guinness World Record breaking attempt for the most people to “Stand Up” against poverty and for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Commemoration of October 17 in the Philippines

In 2007, in link with the aims of the campaign to increase the impact of October 17, ATD Fourth World Philippines tried to involve more partners in the Rizal Park commemoration and supported the efforts of the NAPC, United Nations and GCAP Philippines to organize simultaneous events in other parts of Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

Manila Rizal Park Commemoration Around 2800 people gathered for the Rizal Park commemoration on the morning of October 17. The ceremony took place on the stage of the Open Air Auditorium adjacent to the Commemorative Stone. After the usual introductions, Lolita Mercado and Belen Hapa gave a collective testimony on behalf of the ATD Fourth World communities. This was followed by a contribution from one of the community members who took part in the ‘Ugnayan Laban sa Kahirapan’ training program. Several hundred people from the pilot areas for this NAPC program took part in the commemoration event in 2007 for the first time.

Another major part of the program was the reading of the “Stand Up, Speak Out” pledge from the UN international campaign. Participants in the commemoration joined 7million people in the Philippines and over 40million people worldwide who recited this pledge on October 16 & 17 to draw attention to the global fight against poverty and for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

There were several keynote speakers in the program including Senators, representatives from the United Nations, representatives from the Mayors office and the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare Development. After the speeches, representatives from the ATD communities and other participants joined the guests in a procession to lay wreaths and flowers on the Commemorative Stone.

What set the 2007 program apart from previous commemorations, however, was the fantastic mix of cultural performances from a wide variety of community based, NGO and government agency groups. There were musical and theatrical interludes during the main program followed by an hour-long cultural show after the wreath-laying ceremony. These diverse performances were enjoyed by all participants and brought cultural expression of refusing poverty to the day.

*The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) is currently mandated by the Office of the President of the Philippines to oversee and facilitate commemoration of the National Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty. ATD Fourth World is a traditional partner of the NAPC in organizing a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the Commemorative Stone in Rizal Park.