Dubai International Academy stands up against poverty

Hundreds of students from Dubai International Academy, the Emirates Hills located school, have participated in the worldwide attempt to set a new Guinness World Record, as part of global efforts to highlight the plight of people living in poverty-stricken nations, and the importance of eradicating poverty.

The 'Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty and Inequality' event took place across the world on October 17.

In the UAE, over 1,550 students and members of the staff at Dubai International Academy participated in the global challenge to set an official Guinness World Record for the most number of people ever to simultaneously Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty and Inequality.

Enthusiastic students and staff stood for a few minutes at the school playground, and punched their fists in the air to demonstrate their support to the United Nations Millennium Campaign to eradicate poverty.

Every day some 25,000 people die from hunger, more than 100 million children are denied the chance to go to school, and 1.1 billion people have to drink polluted water.

Ms. Poonam Bhojani, Executive Director of Dubai International Academy, said:

"With students from 74 nationalities daily empowering their knowledge and skills in a multicultural setting, Dubai International Academy is ideally placed to raise further awareness within the young community of students on the need to eradicate poverty. As part of the One World family, Dubai International Academy is happy to support this global call to action to make poverty history".

The Stand Up and Speak Out Pledge from the organisers of the event in the UAE, was read out to the participants, by Mr. Donavon Reinsmoen, Principal, Elementary School.

The pledge underlined the fact that if people do not stand up and speak out against poverty, the Millennium Development Goals set by all nations of the world to eradicate poverty would remain just a dream.