This article is imported from our 2017 Stop Poverty Campaign web site.

The official 25th World Day for Overcoming Poverty took place on 17 October at the United Nations headquarters in New York which included a delegation from four continents around the world and senior officials (see programme).

Two hundred and eighty people gathered for this event. The official ceremony opened with a message from the UN Secretary General, Mr.  António Guterres.

People who experienced extreme poverty spoke oft their daily struggles and their aspirations for the future. Supportive people, as well as human rights defenders, outlined their long term engagement to overcome poverty. They included: Achim Steiner, the UNDP Administrator ; Mr. Yemdaogo Eric Tiare, Ambassador of Burkina Faso to the United Nations ; Mr. François Delattre, the French Ambassador ; and Mr. Donald Lee, President of the International Committee for 17 October.

Then, the participants gathered in the garden of the UN for a time of meditation and engagement around the Stone to commemorate the victims of extreme poverty, along with a choir, messages from different speakers, and a symbolic gesture reaffirming their personal and collective commitment to unite to free humanity from extreme poverty.

Everywhere in the world, extreme poverty separates children from their families.
– Seamus Neville

We are struggling to live up to our hopes,
hoping for peace.
– Alex Begay

It’s enough!

We are not guilty!

We are resisters!

We are peacemakers!

– Angélique Jeanne

There is no risk in overcoming extreme poverty other than to go towards the other to create peace. And this is a benefit for us all.

–  Louis Adrien Delva

The wealth of humanity is not personal but collective. Our humanity has the same foundation, the same dignity

– Mahamadou Koné

An exceptional moment to discover: watch the video of the commemoration, reading the texts of the speakers,s and discover one of the highlights around the UN Stone.

[You can watch the full video recorded live at the UN on the Replay page].

Texts of the speakers in the conference room.

• Seamus NEVILLE

• Alex BEGAY

• Angélique JEANNE

• Louis Adrian DELVA and Mahamadou KONE

• Isabelle PYPAERT PERRIN

Interventions at the UN Stone

• Martine Le Corre

• Isabelle Pypaert Perrin

Commemoration Around the Stone of the United Nations

Tye Austin, guitar – Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen at the United Nations: