MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY says send a Christmas card to Bertie

national | miscellaneous | press release Friday November 18, 2005 12:48 by Lara Kelly - Trocaire lkelly at trocaire dot ie Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland

This week MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY launched a nation-wide campaign to send a Christmas card to the Taoiseach calling on him to ‘Make Trade Rules Fair’.

The campaign launched on Wednesday at Temple bar by Joe Duffy of Liveline asks people all around the country to send an extra Christmas card this year. The card asks Bertie Ahern to give poor countries a chance to escape from poverty through fairer trade.

Joe Duffy commented, “The card is a great idea. It is a simple but forceful way for everyone to take action to help make poverty history.”

The campaign is being launched in advance of the upcoming World Trade Organisation ministerial in Hong Kong this December. Following the G8 meeting in Edinburgh and the UN World Summit in New York, this the last opportunity in 2005 for world leaders to help make poverty history.

Conall O Caoimh from the campaign commented, “This is the last big chance of 2005 to help make poverty history. Trade justice is vital to tackling extreme poverty. We urge Bertie Ahern to seize this opportunity to address the needs of poor people by making trade rules fair.”

The Hong Kong ministerial will take place from 13th – 18th December to deliver progress on the Doha Development Round of trade talks. These talks are crucial to the prospects of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and giving millions of people a chance to escape from poverty.

The ‘Make Trade Rules Fair’ Christmas Card will be distributed nationwide through The Body Shop, Nude Cafes, Hot Press and a number of other magazines. It will also be available online as an e-card on www.makepovertyhistory.ie.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY Irish Campaign is comprised of 45 Irish development and human rights organisations and trade unions. Read more about the campaign on http://www.makepovertyhistory.ie