What a day, but it is not over yet!
I think I can speak for all campaigners, special guests and the 225,000 people who attended the rally on July 2, when I say it was a spectacular day.
From finding out more about the issues in special workshops, writing messages to the G8 leaders, forming a human white band around the city centre, watching the moving and motivating speeches and taking part in the minute silence, it all combined to make the Make Poverty History Rally the largest one Scotland had ever seen.
Many of the organizations that form Make Poverty History have taken pictures and written up articles about this amazing day. Make sure you visit their sites to find out more about all the different events that happened on the day.
www.actionaid.org.uk
www.cafod.org.uk
www.christianaid.org.uk
www.oxfam.org.uk
www.tearfund.org.uk
www.wdm.org.uk
www.worldvision.org.uk
July 5, 2005
The biggest march in Scotland's history
From Johanna Jones for Pressureworks.
In the bright sunshine the march is unstoppable, a thick mass of people across the roads and filling the pavements. The people are waving their placards to the beat drums, policemen are happy to observe, the locals watch from the edge. We turn a corner and can see the march streaming up ahead: everyone around gasps at the sight of so many people - suddenly, we know we are part of the biggest march in Scotland's history.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005
3pm, and over 120,000 campaigners
From Tatum Anderson for Pressureworks
3pm, and over 120,000 campaigners are rammed into the Meadows. Queues snake back and forth around the park as demonstrators line up to march through the city. Too many for the three scheduled rallies. No-one minds. There’s food and music. Fourteen members of a single family are lying on the grass eating lunch. They have come from as far afield as the Isle of Egg off the west coast of Scotland and the Shetlands. Alexander, 9, says they have travelled so far to stop people dying in Africa.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005
Rubberfaces join the fun
From Jerry Cripps for Pressureworks
I met the pictured crew, of rubber-faced G8 leader's led ably by Tony Blair, AKA Mark Winton, circulating in the crowd promoting greater awareness of HIV/AIDS.
The telescope, he told me, symbolises the fact that we are not going to stop looking. After this weekend, enough people will be aware of the issues for the G8 leaders to be always under scrutiny from now on.
Organised by the World Student Development Movement, the rubber-faced G8 leaders are specifically lobbying for greater availability of Anti Retro Viral drugs (ARVs) in Africa.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005
Packed and more arriving!
From Changemakers Millennium Volunteers, Newcastle for Pressureworks.
We'd love to know how many people there are here. It's packed but more seem still to be arriving! We hope to get on the march by 3.30. We're enjoying watching LIVE8 on the screens, and also live bands here, like The Wazoo Wizards from Leeds. Banners around us say Trade Justice, More and Better Aid, Drop The Debt, Bush: number one terrorist.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
All here for one reason, to make there voices heard!
From Rachel Gaunt for Pressureworks.
The march seems to have struck a chord with a plethora of societies and groups. At the moment the figure stands at 120,000 marchers and rising...and it would seem that every person has their own reason for being here. Socialist workers, National Union of Teachers, Christians, Muslims. I even spotted a politician - namely Robin Cook! All here for one reason, to make there voices heard calling to Make Poverty History.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
Protestors of all ages, shapes and sizes!
From Rachel Gaunt for Pressureworks.
The group I was marching with were being lead in their chanting by a spirited seven year old! The protestors seem to be of all ages, shapes and sizes. All enjoying the sunshine and here with one purpose: "its our moral duty and we can't ignore it any longer".
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
Chants, drums and protest songs!
From Rachel Gaunt for Pressureworks. 
A more polite crowd of demonstrators could not be found! hundreds of thousands of people are standing in line patiently for hours waiting for their chance to move forward into the streets of Edinburgh to complete the march. Chants, drums, protest songs all happening in a terribly British queue - complete with cups of tea and plates of chips!
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
Anger is an energy
From Charlie Clover, for Pressureworks
I'm choked, angry, tears welling up. The atmosphere is overwhelming. There are thousands of kids and teens here, the next generation taking the vibe on board - wiring their heads to altruism, not greed.
Speakers like Noreena Hertz and Daleep Murkaji remind us that this is a start, a statement, not a victory. Musicians, comedians and celebrities are r
einforcing the fact that it's our duty to make politicians listen. People from all over the world are joining together.
This is a momentous, powerful day in history, and in my life.
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005 in Weblogs
The white band has been made!
From Johanna Jones for Pressureworks.
At 1:25pm the first marchers returned to The Meadows. The city is circled. The white band has been made. There is huge jubilation amongst the thousands still patiently waiting to set out on the circular march.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at theRead more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
Stop press: Edinburgh encircled!
From Johanna Jones for Pressureworks
At 1:25pm the first marchers returned to The Meadows. The city is circled. The white band has been made. There is huge jubilation amongst the thousands still patiently waiting to set out on the circular march!
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005 in Weblogs
Rally gets off to a flying start
From Louisa Leadlay for Christian Aid. As I walked closer to the Meadows, the noise of the crowd started to get louder. I passed hundreds of campaigners wearing white, with their white bands round their wrists, their waists and even their heads.
There was a festival atmosphere, with lots of families with small children, young people and older ones too. Nearly everyone was waving a flag or carrying a placard.
Alison Marshall of CAFOD introduced the start of the rally. The crowd roared its approval.
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Leslie Hinds, then spoke to the assembled mass of white. She urged the crowd that their actions can make a difference. She said, ‘Have fun, be safe, make your voices heard – all of us together can make poverty history.’
Jonathan Dimbleby was next to take to the stage. He said he wanted to challenge the G8 leaders to take action. He dismissed the idea that campaigning doesn’t lead to change, ‘The cynics say you’re wasting your time. If you listen to the cynics, there will be no change’. He urged campaigners to take a close look at the decisions made by G8 leaders at their summit, ‘Read between the lines, look at what isn’t being said.’
Then, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of Roman Catholics in Scotland, read out a message on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI. ‘People from the world's richest countries should be prepared to accept the burden of debt reduction for heavily indebted poor countries, and should urge their leaders to fulfil the pledges made to reduce world poverty, especially in Africa, by the year 2015.’ Cardinal O’Brien said his own message for the G8 leaders was to ‘listen to the voice of your people, the poor do not seek charity, they seek justice.’
Over in the campaign zone, people were picking up placards, leaflets and whistles. An impromptu drumming session led by a band of twenty drummers from Newcastle Fairtrade Partnership captivated part of the crowd with their exuberant drumming and rhythms. All this – and the main part of the day, the march, hasn’t even started yet.
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh at the Christian Aid web site.
July 2, 2005
People of all ages dressed in white
From Jo Anadian for Pressureworks. The Meadows, the vast green park in the heart of Edinburgh, is full of people of all ages dressed in white. Helium balloons in gold, blue, yellow, red, distributed by the various organisations that make up to Make Poverty History.
(MPH) coalition create a party atmosphere as they blow in the breeze. Tents are overwhelmed with people picking up placards, whistles and even headbands with large paper ears asking "Are you listening Tony?".
Having bagged their spot in front of the stage, some are sleeping after their all-night coach journey to get here. Teenagers Rebecca Loid and Lois Hale from Wolverhampton are carrying their hand-painted banner of the rainbow over the world signed by their friends. They have come "to make our voices heard".
Sarah Elliott, 18, of Guildford, came overnight and is here "because we should do something about this". She also points out "each of us here represents another ten people who wanted to come". Oikemute, from London and originally Nigeria, is putting on a MPH sash with his son: he says "it is wonderful the number of people here from every part of the world. We have to do something- before we have finished this conversation three people will have died."
Photo: Christian Aid/Robin Prime
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
African opinion
By Jerry Cripps, for Pressureworks
As Texas took the stage - and played a fantastic set - I found myself chatting to Brian from Zimbabwe. Like tens of thousands of others, he is being denied the opportunity to help his homeland in a time of great need, something he finds infuriating. He told me this:
'What's happening in Zimabwe is a global disgrace, and what's even more disgraceful is the lack of action on the part of the G8 superpowers.
'If there was oil in Zimbabwe, the soldiers would be there now. But where I do agree with the USA is on corruption. National governance and corruption have to become a priority if Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular, are not going to continue to be dominated by dictators.'
Which is one reason of the reasons why we're all here today.
Read more blogs from Edinburgh at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005 in Weblogs
Letters in the sky
From Johanna Jones for Pressureworks. Huge cranes are lifting house high wooden letters into the sky. The first two letters to be lifted were a K and an E: eventually "Make Poverty History" will be spelt out in a massive aerial display.
The giant letters are fluttering with messages on white bands, each signed by supporters of the march from all over the United Kingdom and Ireland. For example, Rachel's "let's not waste this unique chance", Jeans "stop the dying", and Fraser's (9) "I want to grow up in the world with no poverty. Make trade fair".
After the march these messages will go on display on the hill opposite Glen Eagles, in full view of the G8 leaders.
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange.
July 2, 2005
Off the Busses and to the Rally
We talked to a number of people as they got off the busses from all over the UK to attend today's Rally.
Dawn & Paul Wheelhouse & Joshua aged 10
“We’re here to show support for MPH because it’s something we can do. We feel this is the start of something.”
Josh: “We’ve been doing stuff at school – we had a no-uniform day and we’ve been selling white bands – all of it was fun. We learned that we have to help developing countries to help themselves. It’s not charity that’s needed but knowledge and understanding – education to make lives better. “
The Wheelshouse family - photo Toby Adamson/Oxfam
Nicola Walters from S London
“I was born the week of Live Aid, in 1985, but still nothing’s changed. Trade justice is going to make the difference. My message to the G8 is ‘It’s not about responsibility – it’s about doing the right thing.”
Photo Toby Adamson/Oxfam
More stories at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/campaign/mph/g8/1030.htm
July 2, 2005
Send in the clowns
From Jerry Cripps in Edinburgh, for Pressureworks. I just ran into the clowns. Not just any clowns either. The one I spoke to, pictured above, is called Robin Hood. This is what he and his cohort are up to.
"We are the Laboratory Rat Division of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army.
"We are deploying our forces of rebel clowns to
protect the marchers and the movement from dangerous capitalists. We have information that Blair and his fellow G8 members will be in our midst and may attempt to hijack the demonstration in order to try and get re-elected and to reinforce the policies that cause poverty, war and pollution.
"We are armed with feather dusters, compassion, love and large shoes"
Read more blogs from Edinburgh and LIVE8 at the Pressureworks Exchange
July 2, 2005 in Weblogs
The Long Cycle to Justice
Hundreds of cyclists arrived at the Meadows in Edinburgh as Make Poverty History members where setting up in preparation for July 2 Rally. Riders came from all over the UK to tell the G8 leaders to Make Poverty History
More photos at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/campaign/mph/g8/1030.htm
July 2, 2005
Saturday morning, 10.15
The place is buzzing now. Everything is branded, white banded - even the homeless guys on the street! We're seeing some of the most ethical tramps in the world here...
The vibe is coming from the protestors - local mood is more ambivalent. Everyone seems comfortable about today being a peaceful, positive and joyful occasion but there are concerns about later in the week, when rogue anarchists are expected.
Scaffolding has been taken down, garages are refusing to sell petrol canisters and to let signs on empty buildings have been removed.
Edinburgh resident Pansy Petrie, 33, said "Many locals are mildly concerned that so many people descended on the city, but then again, most of us do believe that it's justified on this occasion - if it has the effect of highlighting Africa's plight and getting the G8 leaders to do something about it, a few days of disruption are a small price to pay.
July 2, 2005
This is it...
So it's finally happening. After all the talk and the planning and shouting, the G8 rally in Edinburgh
is finally on. The journey up was fairly uneventful, apart from a delay due to a fatality on the tracks at Stevenage– not the best auspice. A fair number of protestors were in evidence, to the muted alarm of the suited business travellers, who huddled together at the sight of people not wearing ‘the uniform', carrying banners, relaxing, having fun.
Got chatting to Steve Huxton from the World Development Movement on the train. (That's him looking artistically blurred in the picture.) He was pretty sanguine about the rally.
‘There are a lot of regular, committed, peaceful campaigners coming to this one,' he said, ‘and there won't be any trouble. We know what we're doing. There might be trouble later in the week if people do come up for actual summit, at Gleneagles, but I predict that this one will trouble free, and actually a really great day, I'm looking forward to it.' After reflecting a moment, he did add
‘What I do worry about, though, with this whole campaign, is that too many people will be sitting in Starbucks and McDonalds saying ‘Isn't this great, we're making poverty history' without actually realising what's involved. The real message goes a lot deeper than just slogans and we have to start getting that across. This is just the start really.'
Any predictions on how many will turn up?
Anything over 100,000 will be a result. They - the G8 leaders, the media - won't be able to ignore that many people.'
July 2, 2005 in Weblogs