Mandela's rallying cry in Trafalgar Sq

Nelson Mandela will address a crowd of thousands in Trafalgar Square this week during a three-day visit to Britain.

The former South African president will call on world leaders to honour their promises of aid, fair trade and debt relief for developing countries.

His visit is certain to draw huge crowds - not least because it may be the last time the increasingly frail 86-year-old makes a major speech in London. South Africa's most respected citizen now limits his trips abroad to one or two a year.

But he has called the fight against global poverty his "life's work", and is travelling to London specially to promote the campaign.

He is backing Make Poverty History, a coalition of more than 200 charities demanding action. The group is the UK arm of a global network that represents over 150 million people from 60 nations.

After arriving on Thursday, he will meet Tony Blair and Gordon Brown for talks at No10 before moving to the rally.

Mr Mandela will call on the British public to show their support for the campaign by wearing a white band round their wrists, or by emailing Mr Blair urging him to take action.

His speech comes the day before finance leaders of the G7 group of

industrialised nations are due to meet in London.

Mr Mandela will address G7 leaders and urge them to make good the promises they made in the Millennium Declaration, signed at the United Nations in

2000.

That agreement vowed to bring an end to starvation and third world poverty by 2015, and erase the debts that cost developing countries $39 billion a year.

Make Poverty History's whiteband campaign is supported by stars including Jamelia, Graham Norton, Rhys Ifans and Stephen Fry. The bands can be bought at branches of Oxfam, or at www.makepovertyhistory.org.

Adrian Lovett is campaigns director at Oxfam, and one of the coordinators of Make Poverty History. He said: "People know that when Nelson Mandela speaks, it is with great dignity and moral authority.

"The fact that he is making the trip to London to make this speech and address the G7 leaders speaks volumes about his passion and commitment for the campaign.

"His presence at the G7 meeting will put in the spotlight a gathering that would normally be pretty anonymous. We are hoping he will be accompanied by the cheers and support of Londoners."

  • Mr Mandela will speak in Trafalgar Square at midday on Thursday.

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