Australian of the Year launches exciting new partnership in the fight against poverty

GPP founder Hugh Evans delivers the presentation

Australian of the Year Simon McKeon will this Saturday launch an exciting new partnership that will inspire Australia's young people to take action in the fight against poverty.

The Global Poverty Project and Plan International Australia have joined forces to produce '1.4 Billion Reasons for Youth', an interactive and inspiring multimedia presentation that will educate Australian young people about child rights and help them to become leaders in the push to make a difference for the 1.4 billion people who live in extreme poverty.

Combining Plan's on the ground experience and the Global Poverty Project's world-class presentation, the two organisations hope to empower young people to take the lead in their local and global communities.

"This presentation will show Australia's young people that we already have the means to end poverty, we just need more people to get on board to make it happen," said Hugh Evans, founder of the Global Poverty Project and a former Young Australian of the Year.

"We're excited to be working with Plan to bring this presentation to life. Their focus on children and young people and decades of experience working with communities in the developing world make them the ideal partner."

Plan's chief executive, Ian Wishart, one of Australia's most experienced development professionals, said: "Organisations such as Plan are doing great work in developing countries to help communities lift themselves out of poverty, but we can't do it on our own.

"Working with the Global Poverty Project is a great example of how it takes a partnership to make a difference. We're hoping that many Australian young people will see this presentation and realise they can be a crucial part of that partnership. Together we can work to end poverty."

Saturday's event at BMW Edge in Melbourne's Federation Square will be hosted by Logie-nominee Kate Bell.

The launch will feature the new '1.4 Billion Reasons for Youth' presentation and the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with all three speakers.

The presentation is structured around five main themes:

• What it means to live in extreme poverty.
• Why we can end extreme poverty.
• The barriers to overcoming extreme poverty.
• Practical actions every young person can take to help end extreme poverty.
• Actions that other young people have taken.

The presentation outlines the facts of extreme poverty, provides young people with a clear framework through which they can consider the issues, and encourages them to formulate their own ideas and actions to make a difference in their local and the global community.

The event will coincide with the launch of a new Facebook application that will allow young people to record and share ideas and actions that have been inspired by the '1.4 Billion Reasons for Youth' presentation. The application has been developed by Melbourne-based thinktank media.

Find out more about the Global Poverty Project

Find out more about the partnership

Find out more about the event and RSVP

DETAILS

What: 1.4 Billion Reasons for Youth presentation
Where: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne
When: Saturday March 19, arrive at 1.30pm for a 2pm start, finishing at 4pm

Media interested in interviews or coming to the launch should contact:

David Cook
Media Officer
Plan International Australia
Mobile: 0448 816 900
Email: david.cook@plan.org.au