FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this being done?

In our world, over 25,000 impoverished children die of preventable causes every day and one billion people live in conditions of extreme poverty.

We wish to join together to show our support for the world's most effective human development strategies and putting an end to extreme global poverty.

Our goal is creating a vital global community of support for ending extreme global poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

We wish to join together to show our support for the world's most effective human development strategies and for making a healthy world by putting an end to extreme global poverty.

Who is behind this project?

The global project is being coordinated by two NGO groups, World Runners and Human Race Day.

The runs are locally produced by runners clubs and organizations.

They are supported by volunteer activists and various groups in the worldwide movement to end extreme global poverty.

What is World Runners?

World Runners is a 25-year-old organization of runners committed to the advancement of health, prosperity, and peace in the communities of the world. World Runners' purpose is to advance life-long fitness while making a difference in the world. Our motto is Champions for Life. The funding we raise by running for pledges and accepting donations supports programs that transform the conditions for women and children in the world in the areas of health and education.

The web site for World Runners is www.worldrunners.org

What is Human Race Day?

Human Race Day is a new citizens' campaign focused on creating the political will to abolish extreme global poverty and meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. It is organizing an annual global Human Race Day of 5K walks and 10K running races in over 100 cities worldwide. Its goal is to produce the world's largest annual mobilization of humanity in support of the world's most effective human development strategies. Our motto is Humanity Organized to End Poverty.

The web site for Human Race Day is www.humanraceday.org

What happened on New Years 2007?

On New Years Day 2007 we produced our first New Year's day runs to establish the event and create a model that can be used to grow into a global annual event in many cities.

Run For a Healthy World 2007 in California, USA

Run For a Healthy in Palo Alto, California was produced by a local committee of World Runners. This was a New Years Day 10K run (USATF certified) and 5K run/walk at the Baylands Athletic Center with a loop course through scenic wetlands on dirt roads. It was very well organized with online registration using Acive.com, custom printed t-shirts for all registered runners, and medals and trophies for winners in Male and Female race divisions in 10 year age increments. Over 300 runners registered and paid a $25 entry fee. The proceeds benefited programs supported by World Runners to end hunger and poverty, including a microcredit program that extends small loans to very poor people, primarily women, to finance self employment projects that generate income. White wristbands where worn by all the runners and the race t-shirts featured a white band image symbolizing the global movement to make poverty history. A inspired talk was given at the end of the race that traced World Runners 25-year history of organizing runs to end hunger to the launching of Run for a Healthy World and its vision of a global network of annual New Years Day runs in support of the Millennium Development Goals. This was a great example of a team of runners coming together to produce a world class 10K run that engaged hundreds of local runners in supporting great charitable programs and the Millennium Development Goals.

Run For a Healthy World 2007 in Vancouver, Canada

Run For a Healthy World was took place on New Years Eve at the University of Vancouver campus by linking up with the18th Annual "Run Through Time" organized by Runners of Compassion. Runner of Compassion is non-profit organization that raises awareness of local and global social issues and provides funding for charitable causes through running-based activities. A wide variety of festive family friendly activities in the UVIC McKinnon Gym filled the evening leading up to a 5K fun run, 3K walk and 1K run for kids. White wristbands where distributed to all, along with information about the Millennium Development Goals. A special spirit of UNICEF activity for kids was organized to color and create unity flags with rainbow and earth images. This was a wonderful example of Run for a Healthy World partnering with an established new years running event and adding a new dimension with its campaign for the Millennium Development Goals.

Run For a Healthy World 2007 in Ghana, Africa

Run For a Healthy World was produced in Africa by ACRO Ghana, a NGO in the Dormaa District of Ghana. ACRO Ghana is a human rights organization focused on alternatives to imprisonment. It organizes social inclusion activities and sports projects that promote peace, gender equity, development and poverty reduction. Dormaa District Run for a Healthy World was organised on New Years Day by in collaboration of Gift FM, a popular FM Radio Station in Dormaa Ahenkro. The run promoted awareness of the eradication of poverty as enshrined in the UN Millennium Challenge Goals. It attracted about 160 participants from as far as different Districts in the region including Berekum and Sunyani. It had all ages of men and women wearing their wrist white bands as the symbol of the event. There were also hundreds of spectators. Several sporting activities took place during the day including a competitive 3-mile run and a 1-mile walk around Dormaa Stadium. The Dormaa District Police played a very important role by making sure the event was accident free. The District Chief Executive and the Sports Organiser for the District also participated with their presence. The day's events were very successful and both participants and spectators expressed interest to have it as an annual event. This was a great example of Run for a Healthy World partnering with a grassroots NGO group and helping to support local community organizing by linking it up with a global network supporting the Millennium Development Goals.

How can I get involved?

We have a great deal of work that can be done by volunteers all over the world!

Run For a Healthy World needs help with global and local outreach to let groups, people and the media know about our exciting project and plans for 2008.

Please go to our volunteer page for details.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

In September 2000, following consultations among international agencies, the World Bank, the IMF, and UN specialized agencies, the UN General Assembly and the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to be met by 2015.

The Millennium Development Goals commit the international community to an expanded vision of development, one that vigorously promotes human development as the key to sustaining social and economic progress in all countries, and recognizes the importance of creating a global partnership for development. The goals have been commonly accepted as a framework for measuring development progress.

The goals establish yardsticks for measuring results, not just for developing countries but for rich countries that help to fund development programs and for the multilateral institutions that help countries implement them.

Millennium Development Goals are:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2. Achieve universal primary education

3. Promote gender equality and empower women

4. Reduce child mortality

5. Improve maternal health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases

7. Ensure environmental sustainability

8. Develop a global partnership for development

For more details see: www.developmentgoals.org

The Millennium Development Goals have been endorsed by all the UN member nations, and UN specialized agencies, the World Bank, the IMF, a large and broad coalition of international agencies, development organizations and civic sector advocacy groups. They represent a historic global consensus on achievable antipoverty goals. They commit the international community to eradicating extreme poverty both as a human development goal and as the key to sustaining global social and economic progress. Never before has worldwide development community and advocates for the poor had such a powerful tool as the MDGs to educate the public about the real potential to end extreme poverty. And never before have they had such a powerful tool measuring progress and holding governments and institutions accountable to meeting their commitments to ending the conditions of extreme poverty.

The United Nations Development Program, UNDP, as the UN's global development network, links and coordinates global and national efforts to reach the Millennium goals. It produces the annual Human Development Report that tracks progress in meeting the goals.

What is the Millennium Campaign?

The Millennium Campaign informs, inspires and encourages people's involvement and action for the realization of the Millennium Development Goals. An initiative of the United Nations, the Campaign supports citizens' efforts to hold their government to account for the Millennium promise. The Campaign was launched in October 2002, two years after 189 government leaders from the highest political level of almost every country in the world agreed at the September 2000 Millennium Summit to a set of eight time-bound targets that, when achieved, will end extreme poverty across the planet.

Working at both the national and international levels, the ambition of the Campaign is to inspire a global movement to achieve the Goals and eradicate extreme poverty by 2015. It's website is www.millenniumcampaign.org

What do you mean by the global movement to end poverty?

The success of historic events such as Live Aid, Hands Across America, Sport Aid, and the recent outpouring of support for the Live 8 Global Concerts Against Poverty all demonstrate that there is a global wellspring of many millions of people who are committed to do what they can solve large global problems. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals campaign is being advanced by the citizen based Global Call to Action against Poverty, GCAP (www.whiteband.org) made up of many national campaigns including; the Make Poverty History collation in the UK (400+ NGOs), the One Campaign in the US (over 80+ NGOs), the Fair Share Campaign in Australia, the Don't Let It Be: World Poverty campaign in Japan, and the Keep Your Promises campaign in India, along with many others. A growing global movement to end poverty is gaining visibility with millions of people worldwide wearing white bands representing their commitment to make poverty history.

What is the Global Call to Action against Poverty?

The Global Call to Action against Poverty or GCAP is a worldwide alliance made up of many national campaigns supporting the Millennium Development Goals. It coordinates efforts of national coalitions and promotes global White Band Days to mobilize citizen support to make world leaders live up to their Millennium Development Goals promises. Its global web site is: www.whiteband.org

Who wears the white band?

ANYONE who believes in ending poverty should wear the white band, and we want as many people as possible to feel part of this movement. This could be school children, campaigners, community groups, celebrities, families; whoever you are, this visible statement of concern and commitment is for you.

What should the white band look like?

This is entirely up to you. Some suggestions are wrist bands, arm bands, head bands, lapel bands, etc. This action was chosen because it is simple for anyone to get involved - you can just make your own white band with a piece of fabric.

Do our white bands have to bear a slogan or a message?

Many groups will be organizing under a national slogan. India, for example, organizes actions under the banner of "Deliver the Promises". In the UK actions are organized under the banner "Make Poverty History" and that will be written on many of the bands. This web site will soon have an online source for white wristbands with the message, "Run for a Healthy World".