Standing against Poverty:
Over 1,000 Youths to Fast for 30 hours
Some 1,000 youths in Singapore between the ages of 15-18 years will experience hunger for
30 hours at the 30 Hour Famine Camp 2007 to stand together with
millions of children around the world who go hungry everyday.
Youths will also hear ‘live’ from a young Cambodian street boy
living on the streets on the harsh realities of poverty.
Since WV Singapore first organized the campaign in 1985, the “30 HOUR FAMINE Camp” community education project has attracted the participation of over 800 youths every year. Designed to be both fun and meaningful, youths in Singapore aged 15 to 18 years will fast for 30 hours in an overnight camp to make their stand against Hunger, Poverty, HIV/AIDS and issues that affect millions of people living in countries less developed than Singapore.
The camp hopes to inspire, evoke and motivate our young to rise to the challenge in helping the world tackle global issues and as a symbolic gesture; to stand with those living in poverty – participate in a 30-hour fast collectively.
Singapore’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp and Concert 2007 will be held from June 16 - 17, 2007 at Republic Polytechnic. Dr. Lim Wee Kiak, Member of Parliament (Sembawang GRC) will grace the opening of the camp as the Guest-of-Honor.
We cordially invite your journalist to cover the Opening Ceremony on Saturday, June 16, 2007, 1.00 pm at The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC). We will also be glad to arrange for your journalist to be part of the experiential camp activities, finale concert as well as to facilitate interviews with the Cambodian street child.
This year’s theme focuses on selected goals of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), instituted at the 2000 Millennium Summit relating to poverty, hunger, illiteracy, environment degradation and discrimination against women where world leaders had agreed to combat by 2015. Through a series of educational and simulated sessions, youths will be put to the challenge as they step into the shoes of world leaders to tackle the root causes of poverty.
“Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness; Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so”
World Vision International
Registered as a Charity under the Singapore Charities Act. Incorporated under the laws of Monrovia, California, USA with limited liability.
Board of Reference: Steven Choo, Fock Siew Tong, Kwa Eng Kiat, Douglas Kong, Lee Sing Kong, Peng Chung Mien, Tan Wee Liang
Singapore Advisory Council: Watt Santatiwat, Choo Cheh Hoon, Foo Pek Hong, Bill Foo, Andrew Goh, Sim Cher Young, Liew Heng San, Diana Chandra Oh, Tan Chee Koon, David Wong
The camp will also revolve around the larger themes of poverty and HIV/AIDS. Each role-play is specially designed to stimulate young minds, broaden their worldview, test their decision-making skills and inspire them to be personally challenged to reach out to those in need, in practical ways.
Aptly titled “Your Time, Their Lives – World Without Poverty”, the theme for 2007 is geared towards:
§ Advocating the needs of children in Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Uzbekistan and Vietnam who are in urgent need of care, food, shelter, education (formal/non-formal), counseling and foster family placement; and
- Raising awareness of the drought crisis in Africa, where World Vision is supporting the people with food aid, agriculture recovery, food security, health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS treatment and education.
Some highlights of this year’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp are:
(i) Personal sharing by Ly Long, 15-year old Cambodian boy rescued from the streets
As part of the program, World Vision will be inviting a young boy from Cambodia to speak to Singapore youths about how poverty had driven him to live on the streets, before being rescued by World Vision.
(ii) Youth campers will take on the role of world leaders and citizens of foreign countries. They will encounter a series of scenarios typifying conditions and struggles of their “citizens” in the developing countries grappling with the lack of basic necessities like food/water, healthcare and basic education. These scenarios will draw on their relevance from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
(iii) Singapore Youths to the G8: ‘Say No to Poverty’ YouTube Video Contest
Concurrent with the G8 Summit in June this year, World Vision International – Singapore is running a ‘Say No to Poverty’ YouTube video contest. See Annex B.
(iv) Newspaper and Old Clothing Collection and Special Program for the Disabled at Metta Home
See Annex B.
The finale of the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2007 will culminate with a concert featuring live performances by rising local acts including popular band EIC, premier B-Boy dance crew Radikal Forze, and song group Rhapsody.
WV Singapore’s Goodwill Ambassador 2007 Ms Jaymee Ong, will host the concert and also share with the audience her recent trip experiences to Thailand together with another WV Singapore Goodwill Ambassador, Mr Victor Wong (黄品冠), visiting street children living in extremely difficult circumstances, HIV/AIDS, child trafficking and child sex tourism.
We hope that your journalist will be able to cover the event. We would be grateful if you can RSVP the attendance of your journalist latest by Tuesday, June 12, 2007.
Please do not hesitate to contact Miss Mindy Chee, Communications Manager, at mindy@worldvision.org.sg or Tel: 6221 1040 if you require any additional information.
Help us make the world a better and safer place for children.
Media Contact Persons
Ms Elaine Tan
Communications Director
World Vision International - Singapore
Tel: 6221-1040
Mobile: 9070-8451
elaine@worldvision.org.sg |
Ms Mindy Chee
Communications Manager
World Vision International - Singapore
Tel: 6221-1040
Mobile: 9875-4380
mindy@worldvision.org.sg |
Annex A
Details of the 30 Hour Famine Camp Opening Ceremony 2007
Date : Saturday, June 16, 2007
Time : 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Venue : The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC), Republic Polytechnic
Opening Ceremony GOH: Dr. Lim Wee Kiat, Member of Parliament (Sembawang GRC)
Details of the 30 Hour Famine Concert 2007
Date : Sun, June 17, 2007
Time : 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Venue : The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC), Republic Polytechnic
Jaymee Ong (World Vision Singapore Goodwill Ambassador 2007) will anchor as the concert’s emcee. Look forward to special performances by popular band EIC, premier B-Boy dance crew Radikal Forze Crew, and song group Rhapsody!
Organiser:
World Vision |
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Co-organiser:
Republic Polytechnic
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Tampines West CC Youth Group |
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Supported by:
Health
Promotion Board |
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National Youth Council |
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Youth Development Fund |
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Rock Records Singapore |
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Kosmic Film Entertainment
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Amore Fitness |
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Trinity Christian Centre |
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Sponsors:
Asian Geographic |
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Reader’s Digest
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Grand Mecure Roxy Hotel |
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Nuskin Enterprises |
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Plus720 |
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Rebirth Photography |
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Burger King |
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Tiong Huat Heng Scrap Dealer & Transportation |
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CKL Group |
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This project is supported by a Youth Development Fund grant from the National Youth Council
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Annex B
Singapore Youths to the G8: ‘Say No to Poverty’ YouTube Video Contest
The G8 (Group of Eight) is a consortium of the world's major industrialized democracies, representing 65% of the global wealth. These eight countries comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK and the US, gather annually to discuss various global concerns, like economic, environmental and social issues.
Singaporean youths are challenged to get the word out and set the world’s agenda for concern by filming a short video message on any issue that they consider a threat to the world, such as HIV/AIDS, poverty and injustice to the G8 leaders of the world. Through this contest, we hope to empower our youths and give them a voice to lobby for the G8’s attention and hold world leaders accountable for the MDG goals they had set in 2000 to be accomplished by 2015.
More information can be obtained at
http://www.30hourfamine.org.sg/video-contest
Newspaper and Old Clothing Collection; and Special Program for the Disabled at Metta Home
On June 17, 2007, the 1,000 campers will be going door-to-door to collect old newspapers and clothing from residents of some 335 HDB blocks in Tampines. The newspaper collection will be sold and monies received will be channeled to assist needy children and families in Asia supported by World Vision International – Singapore.
Campers will also be visiting the Metta Home for the Disabled, a welfare home in Woodlands that offers disability care and services, where they will be entertaining the residents with a special program.
