Will the leaders listen?” “

“Going to Edinburgh was a wonderful experience. I participated as a person, not as a journalist. I went there with a group from my parish ‘Our Lady Help of Christians’, in Kentish Town, North London”, says Josephine Siedlecka , who heads the Catholic press agency “Independent Catholic News”. For Josephine, the London to Edinburgh march on 2nd July, promoted by ‘Make Poverty History’, in the run-up to the summit of the G8 due to meet in Gleaneagles (Scotland) from 6 to 8 July, was “physically exhausting, but very enriching”. The anti-poverty demonstration was supported by the archbishop of Edinburgh, Cardinal Patrick O’ Brien, who participated in it himself together with the primate of England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’ Connor. In a message signed by the Holy See’s Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Benedict XVI had expressed to Cardinal O’Brien his support for the event, and expressed the hope that “the leaders of the world” would “play their part to ensure a more just distribution of goods in the world”. And a plea to the same leaders for “the eradication of poverty” and “the development of Africa” was made by the Pope during his Angelus address on Sunday 3 July. Meanwhile clashes between the security forces and several hundred anti-globalization militants were registered in Edinburgh on 4 July; some 60 of them were arrested. “THE MASS IN THE CATHEDRAL was packed”, continues Josephine, “The most emotional moment was the sound of the African drums. In the midst of so much confusion, suddenly, a minute’s silence was requested and I thought it would be impossible to obtain it. Yet when the loudspeaker began to count down ‘ten, nine, eight, seven, six’, the silence fell and was a moving moment”. “It was brought home to us, then, that in Africa a child dies every thirty seconds due to lack of food and water”, continues the journalist, who says it was “incredible to see so many people all together” and the solidarity with which they each helped each other. ALMOST A PILGRIMAGE. “For me it was a kind of pilgrimage, as when I was in Rome to pay tribute to the mortal remains of John Paul II and queued in the sun for eleven hours”. A unique experience” also for Sue Davies, mother of Lucy (10) and Beth (8), who with her daughters and a group of twelve others from the Catholic parish of St. Mary’s in Loughborough, in the Midlands, participated in the great anti-poverty event in Edinburgh. “I hope – she says – it may be a gesture that may help to benefit others. We have tried with all out efforts to convince the politicians that our appeal is important. Let us hope that we have succeeded in this”. “I am convinced that this is a unique opportunity to persuade the countries that belong to the G8 that we must have a system of fairer trade. I think it’s important to give to the poor in the Third World the chance to improve their condition, and also to do something against the corruption that is devastating Africa and Asia”, says Jenny Loan-Clarke in explaining the reasons that led her to participate in the Edinburgh event. Her nine-year-old son James adds: “It’s important to try to change the situation and improve the conditions of those who live in the Third World”. Together with Josephine, Sue and Jenny, some 225,000 other participated in the rally in Edinburgh and took part in what was billed as the world’s largest human white band (or human chain) around the city centre. They came from Catholic parishes and schools throughout the United Kingdom and were led by Cardinals Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and Keith O’Brien. WHEN THE MARCH STOPPED. The most important moment of the day was the march which stopped at three o’clock precisely to commemorate those who live in extreme poverty, those who hope that their own children will never fall into the 30,000 who die each day because they are too poor to live. Over the silent crowd fluttered a banner with the slogan “Imagine it’s your child”, a significant message for the world’s leaders at the summit. The summer sky filled with balloons, released as a symbol of hope that the politicians will decide once and for all to undertake the difficult step of doubling aid, cancelling debts and making the system of trade fairer for the poorest countries. At the end of the minute’s silence, a sudden clamour emerged from the crowd who applauded, shouted and whistled to express their pleas that poverty be vanquished. “The greatest hope is that the leaders may listen to us”, observed Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor. Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, Scottish Prime Minister Jack McConnell and MP George Galloway walked together among the crowd.