Cricket to launch 'Stand Up' record attempt as part of ongoing commitment to 'Run Out' AIDS

The United Nations and the International Cricket Council (ICC) will come together at one of the showpiece events in the cricketing calendar to help 'run out' HIV and AIDS across the cricketing world, as well as address issues such as poverty and illiteracy.

Players from both the India and England teams will meet in Jaipur as part of the ICC Champions Trophy on 15 October and will support a pledge read by Ravi Shastri, who is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF in India, as part of the UN Millennium Campaign's Stand Up Against Poverty, Stand Up for the Millennium Development Goals challenge.

The Stand Up challenge will see people across the world stand up against poverty and in support of the Millennium Goals, during a 24 hour period on 15 and 16 October. Organisers hope to set a World Record for the maximum number of people to Stand Up against poverty within this time frame.

The Millennium Campaign aims to inform, inspire and encourage people's involvement and action for the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. The pledge read in Jaipur will draw particular attention to the need to address the issue of poverty and diseases like HIV and AIDS, which is the primary focus of the ICC's social responsibility program.

The ICC's partnership with UNAIDS, which was launched in September 2003, has led to some of the game's leading stars supporting the fight against HIV and AIDS at ICC events across the globe at all levels of the game.

Education material for coaches has also been produced for those delivering the ICC Development Program, currently working in the 87 Associate and Affiliate Members, with cricket being used to engage and educate young people.

The activities at the Jaipur stadium will act as a curtain raiser for the global record attempt, which officially begins at 10am GMT on 15 October. It is hoped the ICC's support of this issue will encourage the capacity crowd and the millions watching on television around the world to Stand Up Against Poverty during the 24 hour record-setting period.

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations, said: "The International Cricket Council is stepping up to the crease in a wonderful way. It is going in to bat for the Millennium Development Goals -- a set of simple, powerful and people-centred objectives that every man and woman in the street can easily support and understand. In this way, it is helping to bring the Goals to the attention of Governments and peoples around the world."

Malcolm Speed, Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council, said: "Through our work with UNAIDS during the past three years, the ICC has been able to play a role in helping people across the world with HIV and AIDS. Our support of the Millennium Campaign's, Stand Up challenge provides us with an important opportunity to draw attention to the need to address this and broader poverty issues as part of our commitment to upholding the Spirit of Cricket on and off the field of play."

Salil Shetty, Director, UN Millennium Campaign, added: "We are the first generation that has the resources and knowledge to address poverty, illiteracy and killer diseases, making the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals a reality by 2015. The Stand Up challenge has been taken up with great enthusiasm around the world and we are delighted that ICC is continuing its work in this area by helping raise mass awareness about these Goals."

For more details on the Millennium Campaign please contact:

Ajit Sahi
Communications Coordinator (South Asia), United Nations Millennium Campaign
Mobile:+91-98996-25888
Work: +91-11-4145-0381 (direct)

For details on the ICC's partnership with UNAIDS please contact:

James Fitzgerald
ICC Communications Officer
Tel: +971 4 368 8347
Mob: +971 50 640 1223
james.fitzgerald@icc-cricket.com