29 June 2005

With only a week until the G8 summit all eyes are on world leaders to deliver a breakthrough in the fight against global poverty. ActionAid will be joining over 500 other members of the Make Poverty History campaign at a massive rally in Edinburgh on 2 July. The event will link up with the Live8 concerts taking place across the globe.

"The countdown to Gleneagles is nearly over. The time for rhetoric has passed – now the G8 must take action. If they do not deliver firm commitments to stop damaging and start supporting Africa's development, they will have let down millions of people around the world who are looking to them to bring about dramatic change," said Steve Tibbett, head of policy at ActionAid UK.

As well as having a colourful presence at the rally, ActionAid will be showing the A8 exhibition featuring photographs of eight African women by Gideon Mendel. Also in Edinburgh will be the Get on Board bus that has travelled 12,000 km from Johannesburg to Gleneagles carrying messages from African people to the G8. Placards displaying the messages will be carried by ActionAid campaigners at the Make Poverty History rally.

During the summit, spokespeople from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe will be available in Gleneagles, Edinburgh, London, Nairobi and Johannesburg, as well as the other countries in which ActionAid works.