Beautiful Days for Make Poverty History

With a little help from their most well-known campaigner, Make Poverty History Aotearoa collected over 11,000 signatures and a further 20,000 text petitions at this weekend's U2 concerts.

The group of 32 volunteers came close to meeting the challenge set out by Bono when he met campaigners before the gig on Friday night.

"He told us that we needed to get 15,000 signatures to top Sydney, where the most signatures had been collected on this leg of their tour," says Campaign Coordinator Chloe Powell. "While we didn't quite make it, I think we beat them they had three concerts we almost got there in two."

Ardent activists against poverty, U2 invited Make Poverty History to have a presence at the Auckland concerts. While campaigners rallied amongst fans before the band begun, Bono did his bit from onstage calling on the crowd to text their support, resulting in over 10,000 texts on each night.

"There's no mistaking that there are a large group of New Zealanders who are passionate about ensuring that we bring an end to extreme poverty," says Make Poverty History co-chair Sharon Clair. "The signatures gathered over the weekend are a great addition to those we already have, and will make a powerful statement to our government when we hand them over at the beginning of next year."

ENDS

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