The SUTA campaign, organised in the UAE by the International Association of Human Values (IAHV) and Art of Living, will run from October 16-18 this year.

UAE residents can either ‘Stand Up’ in their homes, communities, schools or organisations and read a pledge in support of the MDGs or choose to ‘Take Action’ by organising an event of their own such as initiating food collection programmes in their workplace, to generate awareness about the first MDG - eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.

This year marks the third year of the UAE’s participation in the SUTA campaign. Last year, the voices of 140,000 people in the UAE resonated with 117 million around the globe, as they urged governments to focus on their commitment to meet the MDGs by 2015.

The campaign in the UAE is supported by the IHC, the World Food Programme (WFP), the UAE Red Crescent and Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI).

Kicking off the 2009 campaign in the UAE, Princess Haya said, ‘With just six years left to 2015, our focus on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger from the world has become even more urgent. Let us all commit ourselves to doing what we can to end the scourge of global poverty, starting today.’

She went on to say that almost half the world over three billion people live on less than $2 a day and that according to the WFP, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty.

She concluded by urging more people to join the SUTA campaign.

Individuals and organisations wishing to ‘Stand Up and Take Action’ are invited to contact the organisers and register their Stand Up & Take Action event on the campaign website www.standup.ae