1.4 Billion Reasons ....

Hugh Evans, former Young Australian of the Year and member of the team behind the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY concert that involved BONO, will be returning to New Zealand at the end of the month to present  the  Global Poverty Project  ‘1.4 Billion Reasons’ .

With the support of Hugh Jackman, Global Advisor to the Global Poverty Project, and an expert  international panel,   Evans and co-founder, Simon Moss, have developed the groundbreaking presentation to catalyse the international movement to end extreme poverty. This presentation aims to powerfully communicate the challenges and opportunities around tackling extreme poverty, working as a platform to inform and enable individuals to become actively involved in eradicating poverty.

Inspired by An Inconvenient Truth, the initiative advocates the United Nations’ eight Millennium Development Goals, developed in 2000 and adopted by 189 countries with the objective of improving the lives of the world's poorest people by 2015. An estimated 1.4 billion people are living on less than USD$1.25 a day – the World Bank’s definition of extreme poverty. The presentation aims to highlight how each individual can make simple lifestyle changes that will enable more of the world’s poorest to break the poverty cycle.

Hugh Evans states, “The aim of the Global Poverty Project is to communicate, in an easy to understand format, that extreme poverty is a global issue, it is the responsibility of all individuals and that it can be eradicated. We hope to do for global poverty what Gore did for climate change”. The free 90 minute presentation has already been presented across Australia to thousands of people and will be launched in New Zealand at the end of August.

Duane Major, Pastor and Youth Advocate, Spreydon Baptist, Christchurch says “I like the sound of GPP because it has the potential to build upon the "No More Excuses" campaign that was initiated by a number of young people around the time of the 07.07.07 MDG half time rallies. GPP can help sustain that voice calling for our government to honour their commitment to the MDG's."

Many people heard Hugh speak when he was in NZ in March and have since been motivated to do what they can to make a difference. Angela Captein is a second year teacher in Cambridge.  She heard Hugh speak at Gateway Church in Hamilton. “ I was inspired by his Passion for ending world poverty and began to realise that it is possible and we can make a difference.  I have since been on a three week trip to Ghana, Africa with a team of teachers where we trained and encouraged untrained teachers in a very poor part of Accra.  If we want change, we have to something about it.  Hugh is doing it, I am doing it, we can all do it!” says Angela

Murray Burton, Principal at Elim Christian School, was impressed with Hugh when he gave a presentation for Senior Students earlier in the year. “Hugh is without a doubt a stunning individual. Delightfully unassuming but oh so passionate, articulate, intelligent and innovative. Our staff and students were inspired. I call him a ‘mountain mover. Don’t miss his GPP Presentation !’

• For event details go to http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/events.php
• See the Global Poverty Project Facebook Group