Stars aim to make poverty history

A host of stars including actress Scarlett Johansson and U2 frontman Bono are joining forces to promote a year-long charity campaign.

15:30 01 January 2005

A host of stars including actress Scarlett Johansson and U2 frontman Bono are joining forces to promote a year-long charity campaign.

The Make Poverty History campaign wants Tony Blair and other world leaders to cancel debts and deliver better aid packages to the poor and is backed by more than 100 charities, unions and faith groups.

"No-one can be oblivious or ignorant to the plight of the poor, nor to the responsibility our governments have as architects of their poverty," said Travis vocalist Fran Healy, who is backing the campaign.

"We must take this opportunity in 2005 to make poverty history once and for all," added the singer, who recently returned from a trip to Africa with the Save the Children charity.

Other celebrities who have signed up to the cause include model Claudia Schiffer, Busted, the Sugarbabes and comic Graham Norton.

British film maker Richard Curtis recently announced that he is taking a year off from making movies in order to devote his time to the campaign, which is being spearheaded by Band Aid founder Sir Bob Geldof.

The initiative has been launched to coincide with Britain's chairing of the European Union and the G8 group of the world's most powerful industrialised countries, next year.

"This is about firing the starting pistol to the year of 2005 when Britain is the chair of the G8 and the president of the EU," said Geldof.

"The reality is that only politics created this dilemma and only politics can resolve it."

The Make Poverty History coalition is urging the public to wear a special white band which has been produced to allow people to demonstrate their support for the cause.