World Poverty Commemorative Stone unveiled

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Tuesday October 21, 2008 10:17

by Stuart Williams - ATD Fourth World

atdfourthworld at eircom dot net

ATD Fourth World, 31 Moutjoy Square, Dubiln 1

01 8558191

Hundreds gather on Custom House Quay for World Poverty Day

A World Poverty Commemorative Stone, crafted by Irish artist Stuart McGrath, was unveiled on Custom House Quay during this year’s commemoration to mark the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The work is a collaborative effort undertaken by The 17th October Group, (a coalition of over 25 anti-poverty community groups and NGOs) and Dublin City Council and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. This year events also took place in Arklow, Thurles, Shannon, Westport, Tipperary Town, Rosmuc, Letterkenny, Blanchardstown, and Belfast.

The Roscommon Inter-Cultural Quilt covering the Commemorative Stone before its unveiling

A World Poverty Commemorative Stone, crafted by Irish artist Stuart McGrath, was unveiled on Custom House Quay during this year’s commemoration to mark the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The work has been a collaborative effort undertaken by the 17th October Group and Dublin City Council and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. This year events also took place in Arklow, Thurles, Shannon, Westport, Tipperary Town, Rosmuc, Letterkenny, Blanchardstown, and Belfast.
The commemorative stone, situated fifty paces to the east of Rowan Gillespie’s famine statues bears the following message in English, Irish and French:
Wherever men and women are condemned to live in poverty, human rights are violated.
To come together to ensure that these rights are respected is our solemn duty.
This is signed by Joseph Wresinski, founderr ofth einternational movement ATD Fourth World. The work has been a collaborative effort undertaken by the 17th October Group, (a coalition of over 25 anti-poverty community groups and NGOs) and Dublin City Council and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. This year events also took place in Arklow, Thurles, Shannon, Westport, Tipperary Town, Rosmuc, Letterkenny, Blanchardstown, and Belfast.
The annual commemoration in Dublin put a human face to poverty statistics, giving people with a history of poverty and disadvantage an opportunity to highlight the efforts they are making in their families and communities to change things for the better. This year’s event included contributions from St Michael's Estate in Inchicore, from a direct provision hostel for asylum-seekers in Co Mayo, from parents defending the right of their chiildren to be educated in Moyross in Limerick, from a homeless member of the Traveller community and from the Spokes Group at Focus Ireland.
Stuart Williams, National Coordinator of ATD Fourth World – Ireland says that, “Through these events in Dublin and around the country the 17th October UN Day pushes us to develop a greater understanding between those with a direct experience of extreme poverty on the one hand, and civil society, governments and the international community on the other.” Referring to the commemorative stone unveiled on Friday, he added, “In Dublin, people suffering from exclusion, isolation and poverty along with those who stand alongside them have placed on the city landscape a permanent reminder of their aspiration for justice.”
Children from several Dublin schools took part in the commemoration along with members of Dublin City Council and representatives of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Also present will be delegations from Limerick, Longford, Arklow, Carlow, Roscommon and Co. Mayo, and from Belgium, France and the UK.
From around the world, 100 children’s silhouettes, life-size paintings and embroidery portraying children’s efforts to befriend others were on display, as well as wire sculptures illustrating the experiences and aspirations of young people and adults in marginalised communities in Ireland, including members of the prison community.
The event took place against the background of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Dr Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission led the unveiling ceremony.

The World Poverty Commemorative Stone unveiled