Nelson Mandela addresses a crowd of 22,000
He called on the G8 leaders to ‘act with courage and vision’ in July.

Moira Nash reports from the Make Poverty History rally which took place in Trafalgar Square today

Nelson Mandela stunned a crowd of more than 22,000 in Trafalgar Square. London, today with his personal call to Make Poverty History.

The former President of South Africa made a rare public appearance at the rally to show his support for the campaign. He will be meeting the G7 Finance Ministers during their conference which starts tomorrow.

Mr Mandela said the campaign to end poverty would take its place among the campaigns to end slavery and apartheid saying ‘As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.’ He called on the G8 leaders to ‘act with courage and vision’ in July.

Live Aid founder Bob Geldof, singer Jamelia, Adrian Lovett from Oxfam, South African band Frititi and Kumi Naidoo of the World Alliance for Citizen Participation also took to the stage at the event which was compered by television presenter June Sarpong.

Promises

Kumi Naidoo bounced on to the stage shouting ‘Viva Trade Justice!’. ‘We’re sick of waiting’ he said. ‘World leaders have not kept their promises. This is a truly global movement and together we will make poverty history.’

He stressed that the campaign was not about charity. “It’s about justice and that Africa is not a poor country but has been plundered by years of colonialism and ‘kicked around like a political football’ during the Cold War.”

When introducing Nelson Mandela to the rally, Bob Geldofsaid he was sick of being polite and patient and waiting for politiciansto act.

Oxfam’s Adrian Lovett outlined the demands of the Make Poverty History campaign: trade justice, debt cancellation and more and better aid. He called for action on all three issues saying it was not a menu from which world leaders could just pick and choose.

He called on everyone present to be part of the generation which looked poverty in the face and made it history, not the generation that turned away. To kick off the action: everyone present was asked to take out their mobile phones and text Make Poverty History in a message which will be forwarded to Tony Blair.

The event concluded with impressive statements from children from Langdon School, East Ham, London and the Lourdes School in Scotland.

They were presented with a white band by Nelson Mandela which they will be taking to the G8 meeting in Geleneagles in July. ‘I will be watching with anticipation,’ said Mr Mandela.