If Not Now, When?

“World leaders” celebrate with champagne as they complete their G20 Financial Crisis Summit check list, leaving the question of financing to fight global poverty unresolved.

November 14th, 2008 | by Andrea Perera

As world leaders converged on Washington, DC for an emergency G20 Financial Crisis Summit this weekend, world leaders — portrayed by Oxfam campaigners — were in Lafayette Park haggling over whether to finance banks, the insurance industry, or poor people. With the White House in the background, the “world leaders” celebrated with champagne as they completed their Summit check list, leaving the question of financing to fight global poverty unresolved. 

Maura Hart / Oxfam America.

Photo by: Maura Hart / Oxfam America.

Oxfam’s campaigners represented (from left to right): Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi kneeling; Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper standing behind him; German Chancellor Angela Merkel kneeling; British Prime Minister Gordon Brown kneeling, French President Nicolas Sarkozy kneeling; President George W. Bush kneeling; President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev standing behind him; and Prime Minister of Japan Taro Aso standing at the end.

To learn more, check out Oxfam’s new report, “If Not Now, When?” The report explains how people living in poverty will be hit hard by the financial crisis unless urgent action is taken.

Comments

2 Responses to “If Not Now, When?”

  1. It was a fun stunt – a bit of rain, but we pulled it off. Thanks to the volunteers and the stern but fair National Park Service.

    g

  2. We all need to do our share to stop global poverty. World leaders should take this opportunity to push for measures to aid these struggling economies.

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Author

Andrea Perera

Andrea Perera

Andrea Perera is a writer for Oxfam America. A former newspaper reporter, she collects stories on Oxfam’s work with local partner organizations in East Asia, as well as Oxfam's campaigning efforts around climate change and oil, gas, and mining.

See more posts from Andrea Perera