Commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

On October 17 2013, the International Movement ATD Fourth World will host the commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty at United Nations Headquarters. The first celebration was in 1992, when the United Nations declared October 17th the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. For the last two decades, this day has promoted understanding between people living in poverty and the society at large.

The theme for this year will be “Working together towards a world without discrimination: Building on the knowledge of people living in extreme poverty.” One of the most painful aspects of a life in poverty is the discrimination faced by people on a daily basis; their marginalization in the political, economic, and social spheres of their societies, and their lack of voice and representation in the conceptualisation, implementation and evaluation of policies and programmes that affect them directly and indirectly.

“The worst thing about living in extreme poverty is the contempt, that they treat you like you are worthless, that they look at you with disgust and fear and that they even treat you like an enemy. We and our children experience this every day, and it hurts us, humiliates us and makes us live in fear and shame.”

-Ms. Edilberta Béjar, Peru

Our societies too often overlook the knowledge of people living in the worst situations of poverty assuming that people who lack so much, must also lack any knowledge that could be useful to others. We must break the silence of extreme poverty, otherwise we risk creating a post-2015 agenda that cannot reach the most excluded. This year we encourage people living in poverty to contribute their own thought and analysis to help the UN system end the discrimination they face on a daily basis.

The program will include:

 Message from United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon delivered by Assistant Secretary-General Ms. Shamshad Akhtar.

 Statements by people living in situations of poverty

 Statement by H.E. Mr. Der Kogda, Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the United Nations

 Statement by H.E. Mr. Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations

 A musical performance by Hip Hop Saves Lives

 A collective art piece directed by Gema Álava in collaboration with WCPUN

This event is organized by the International Movement ATD Fourth World, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; and the NGO Sub-Committee for the Eradication of Poverty and co-sponsored by the the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations; the Permanent Mission of Burkina Faso to the United Nations;

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY

WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS A WORLD WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION: Building on the knowledge of people living in extreme poverty

12:30 PM-2:00 PM OCTOBER 17, 2013 CONFERENCE ROOM 2 (CONFERENCE BUILDING)