Interfaith group takes message to Number 10

An interfaith delegation from Birmingham and West Midlands Jubilee Debt Campaign delivered hundreds of messages to 10 Downing St on Wednesday July 18 calling for Gordon Brown to take further action on cancelling the debt of the world’s poorest countries.

“This is a crucial moment in our campaign; we are taking hundreds of messages, photographs and recordings from local people to Gordon Brown which we have collected in recent months,” said Audrey Miller, local organiser for the group.

Jehangir Malik, Manager of Islamic Relief, said, “Communities need to work as hard now as ever before to campaign for what is just… and justice requires that the debt is dropped for the world’s poorest people. That message needs saying again and again and again… until things change in a significant way.”

Elsbeth Mendes da Costa, Liberal Judaism Social Action Officer and member of Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, said: "We welcome this opportunity to join with other faiths to call for an end to unpayable debt and to give hope to the poorest nations."

Also part of the delegation were:
Rosie Venner, Anglican Diocese of Lichfield & local JDC steering group member
Pat Hall, St Mary's Church Selly Oak and JDC local steering group member
Austin Lloyd, Oxfam campaigner from University of Warwick and Nuneaton
They were also joined by several MPs from Birmingham: Lynne Jones MP (Birmingham, Selly Oak), Richard Burden MP (Birmingham, Northfield), Richard Taylor MP (Wyre Forest) and Ian Austin MP (Dudley North).

The local Jubilee Debt Campaign group has collected messages from all the major faith groups, young people and the academic world to reflect the concerns felt across the community for the need to redress this injustice to the world’s poorest countries.