International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty promotes awareness of the need to eradicate poverty worldwide. ©iStockphoto.com/VikramRaghuvanshi

What do people do?

In 2008, promotions will center on the theme “Working together out of poverty”, which highlights the need for a global anti-poverty alliance involving both developed and developing countries. Those who reject extreme poverty and exclusion gather throughout the world to express their solidarity and their commitment to ensure that everyone's dignity and freedom are respected.

Prior to the 2008 observance, the United Nations Postal Administration issued six commemorative stamps and a souvenir card on the theme “We Can End Poverty” on September 18, 2008. The artwork comes from six winners of a UN competition in 2007 and the winners’ designs were selected for the UN’s “We Can End Poverty” stamp issue in 2008.

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is also supported by organizations such as CARE, which, in 2008, called for people to sign a public letter urging the next United States president and administration to make the fight against poverty a central part of foreign policy. Other activities organized by various groups worldwide include: signing “Call to action” petitions; wearing campaign ribbons; holding concerts and cultural events; writing testimonies or messages and making them public; or holding interfaith gatherings that may include a moment of silence.

Public life

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is not a public holiday so public life is not affected.

Background

The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to October 17, 1987. On that date, more than 100,000 people gathered in Paris, France, to honor the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. Since that moment, individuals and organizations worldwide observed October 17 as a day to renew their commitment in collaborating towards eradicating poverty. In December, 1992, the UN General Assembly officially declared October 17 as the date for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (resolution 47/196 of December 22, 1992). 

In December 1995, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997–2006), following the Copenhagen Social Summit. At the Millennium Summit in 2000, world leaders committed themselves to cutting by half the number of people living in extreme poverty by the year 2015. 

Symbols

The United Nations Postal Administration issued six commemorative stamps and a souvenir card on the theme “We Can End Poverty” on September 18, 2008, about a month before the October 17 observance in 2008.  These stamps and the souvenir card feature drawings or paintings of people, particularly children, working together in the fight against poverty. Most of these images use strong colors and contrasts.  These stamps resulted from an art competition where six designs were selected from more than 12,000 children from 124 countries. The judging was based on artistic expression and how well the design expressed the competition’s theme.

Note: Although the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was first officially celebrated by the UN in 1993, many people around the world celebrated the day annually on October 17 since 1987.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Observances

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