October 17

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The InternationalDay for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognised by the United Nations, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France, in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the Trocadéro to honour victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear. This call was made by Joseph Wresinski (1917–1988) founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World.

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries - a need that has become a development priority.

At the Millennium Summit, world leaders committed themselves to cutting by half by the year 2015 the number of people living in extreme poverty - people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

The theme for this year’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - “Working together out of poverty” - highlights the need for a truly global anti-poverty alliance, one in which both developed and developing countries participate actively.

56thBFI London Film Festival - 17 Oct

Wed 17 October 6.30pm & 9pm
Tickets on sale to the public 24 Sep - bfi.org.uk/lff