CAMPAIGN OVERVIEWMicah Challenge’s original mandate was very clearly connected to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – a set of me bound and measurable global targets which were designed to help the world halve poverty by 2015.

Finish the Race was about celebra ng the phenomenal progress made so far against global poverty since 1990, while also highligh ng what Australia needed to do to ‘fi nish well’. This involved calling on our Parliament to:

• Accelerate progress toward the MDGs through more and be er aid by increasing aid to 0.7% of our na onal income by 2020, and giving 25% of our aid to health, including at least $250 million to Sanita on & Hygiene programs.

• Remove the brake on progress toward the MDGs by shining a light on tax evasion and requiring Australian companies to report all payments made and received on a country-by-country basis.

Micah Challenge Australia is grateful to all partners,supporters and friends who contributed to Finish theRace. Despite the challenges of 2013 there is much to celebrate as the movement of people speaking out for jus ce for the poorest in our world con nues to grow. We hope you will be encouraged as you read about the collec ve impact of our campaigning in 2013.

With the global deadline fi rmly in our sights, Finish the Race was a coordinated and heightened period of campaigning across the country in the lead up to the federal elec on.

The campaign’s goal was to ensure global poverty allevia on remained high on Australia’s poli cal agenda. Our vision was to give every Chris an in this country the opportunity to add their voice to our collec ve call to our na on and its leaders to fi nish what we started when we signed onto the Millennium Declara on in 2000.

“We will spare no eff ort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanising condi ons of extreme poverty.” Millennium Declara on, 2000

Whilst signifi cant progress has been made against almost all of the Millennium Development Goals over the past two decades, some goals are off track for being achieved by 2015.

Millennium Development Goals

14,000 fewer children are dying each day compared with 20 years ago

2013 CAMPAIGN REPORT

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THE MOVEMENT TO END POVERTYOne of the key ac ons throughout the Finish the Race campaign was the Movement to End Poverty pe on - a collabora ve ac on of the Micah Challenge and Make Poverty History Coali ons involving over 38 Australian chari es, community groups, overseas aid agencies, denomina onal groups and civil society organisa ons.

Launched at Parliament House on March 14 with Foreign Minister Bob Carr, the pe on aimed to demonstrate widespread public support within Australia for a generous, fair and eff ec ve aid program and urged leaders to increase Australia’s aid budget to 0.7% of na onal income by 2020.

Through a large collabora ve eff ort across the aid and development sector, the Movement to End Poverty gained widespread trac on on social media as well as a rac ng lots of local and na onal media coverage of its associated events. Pe on signatures were presented to representa ves of both major par es at separate events.

The pe on has been signed by over 90,000 Australians across the country on street corners, via text message, at conferences and events, during church services and online; and publically supported by Australian business leaders and Australians of the Year.

“O en it’s the case that people are unaware of issues of poverty; but once you bring these issues before them they are very recep ve and keen to be involved.” Carolyn Smith, Parkside SA

Photos: (le ) Movement to End Poverty pe on launch event, (above)

pe on launch aerial shot, (below) the online pe on.

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At the core of the campaign was the grassroots ac vity where everyday prophets around our country engaged in local advocacy ac ons to achieve global change.

Finish the Race Ac on Guides with ps and resources for churches, schools and community groups.

“I believe there is a growing awareness of and interest in social jus ce issues in our church with more people taking more ac on each event we run.” Jenny Dundas, Kiama NSW

More than 100 events were held at churches, schools, community halls and in public spaces across almost 70 electorates and all states.

“The banners were a great visual and actually made a lady pull over when she was driving as she saw the words halve poverty and wanted to know what we were doing. I was able to share with her and give her resources and informa on to take back to her church that was in the same local area!” Louise Mason, Jewells NSW

Associated image - h ps://www.dropbox.com/s/v1fevs48g8ods7s/Louise%20Mason%20and%20New%20Life%20Bap st%20Church%20%28Shortland%20electorate%29.jpg

‘FINISH THE RACE’ EVENTS

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“During the Finish the Race campaign I was privileged to be able to speak at a few churches and Rotary groups and was encouraged by the end result. Before I spoke I could sense some nega vity to the concept of increasing Australia’s overseas aid budget, but when I had fi nished sharing my story of why I was passionate about fi nishing the race to halve poverty and how eff ec ve we have already been in achieving some MDGs nearly everyone was suppor ve of the pe on and Australia increasing our overseas aid budget.” Linda Hanson, Community Leader for Wide Bay electorate

Over 75 volunteer community leaders across the country helped coordinate awareness-raising and poli cal engagement in their local community. This also included the challenging task of invi ng new schools, churches, and community groups to be part of the campaign.

Many events simply involved showing the Finish the Race presenta on, signing the pe on and taking a photo for local MPs. However the crea ve opportuni es were endless, and advocates organised events of all shapes and sizes across the country.

Large-scale community awareness raising, media stunts, fes vals, walkathons, prayer mee ngs, youth nights, a ernoon teas, school assemblies and electoral forums all featured in the Finish the Race campaign and were profi led by local media.

Photos: (le ) Uni ng Church Queensland Synod; Parkside Bap st Church, South Australia, (above) New Life Bap st Church, Jewells NSW; Northern Beaches Chris an School.

SK8 TO THE FINISH – EMERALD TO GLADSTONE

Passionate advocate Michael Traff ord rode his BMX across Queensland from Emerald to Gladstone to raise awareness of the Finish the Race campaign by speaking at local schools and a rac ng local media coverage along the way. During his 475km journey which spanned three weeks, Michael spoke to over 2000 school students in 30 schools across Central Queensland, as well as more than 1000 people in local churches, about Australia’s commitment to the global poor.

“It’s an incredibly cool privilege to be able to talk to children and teenagers about the power they have to save lives by using their voice. There is something surprisingly refreshing as their passion refuels your passion, mo va ng you to keep going.” Michael Traff ord, Gladstone QLD

HILLSONG CONFERENCE 2013Hillsong Church used its annual conference involving over 33,000 delegates as a pla orm for Chris an advocacy by partnering with Micah Challenge. Through workshops, main stage men ons and a Micah Challenge advocacy tent, thousands of a endees were educated on the UN Millennium Development Goals, signed the pe on, emailed their poli cians and raised awareness by pos ng ‘Halve Poverty by 2015’ selfi es on social media.

Photos from Hillsong Conference of stage moment, selfi es, global poverty display - h ps://www.dropbox.com/sh/q6kwodlor6d46gx/rIPcIASkwj

Photos: (le ) Michael Traff ord taking the message on the road; local media coverage, (above) the ‘On Mission’ tent at Hillsong Conference; conference delegates ‘shine their light’ for jus ce; advocacy workshop with Federal Member for Macquarie Louise Markus, Hillsong Execu ve Pastor Donna Crouch, and Micah Challenge Na onal Coordinator John Becke .

HIGHLIGHT EVENTS

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In prepara on for the Finish the Race campaign, community leaders and advocates had the opportunity to par cipate in training to equip them for ac on.

Face to face training was held in every State, webinars were hosted for community leaders and fi ve online training modules deepened engaged advocates’ understanding of the process of living and leading social change.

“It helped me refl ect upon my own personal journey of advoca ng and demonstra ng love to the poor and needy of this world. The training has also led me to more cri cally refl ect upon my leadership of a social jus ce group within my local church.” Kylie Dundas, Woonona NSW

HALVE POVERTY WARRINGAH MEDIA STUNTProviding the most iconic photo of the 2013 campaign was the giant ‘Halve Poverty by 2015’ message on Manly Beach, formed by over 3000 residents from churches, schools, and community groups in Tony Abbo ’s electorate of Warringah one week before the elec on.

While the event was organised by grassroots advocates at the local Seaforth Bap st Church, it had the support and collabora on of the na onal Movement to End Poverty, and a representa on of the (then) 80,000 strong pe on was presented to Mike Baird, NSW Treasurer and State Liberal Member for Manly, on behalf of Mr Abbo on the day.

The event caused a great splash in na onal and local media and was featured on both the SBS and Channel 10 evening news bulle ns. The image was shared widely over social media by individuals and agencies, reaching tens of thousands of people through Facebook and Twi er.

Iconic image & images of media coverage - h ps://www.dropbox.com/sh/ajwsmnmmnu7rnh8/htFs-rnTFt

Photos: (le ) Mike Baird, State Treasurer and State Liberal Member for Manly receives Movement to End Poverty pe on on behalf of Tony Abbo , coverage in the Manly Daily and on SBS World News Australia, (above) Micah Challenge Poli cal Engagement Coordinator Ben Thurley trains advocates for ac on.

TRAINING & MOBILISATION

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Despite the widespread support for a generous and eff ec ve aid program demonstrated by Finish the Race and others in the Australian community, the Coali on announced prior to the federal elec on that it would cut $4.5 billion from the foreign aid budget over the next four years. This was on top of repeated deferrals and diversions to aid by the former Labor government. This lack of commitment to previously made promises shows a complete disregard for the enormity and immediacy of the challenges facing the poorest people in our world.

This announcement was deeply disappoin ng for tens of thousands of Australians who have been advoca ng with Micah Challenge. Yet, we are heartened by the response of our supporters. We are reminded that we need advocates with resilience, with perseverance and with a commitment to pursuing jus ce throughout their lives.

Over the coming months and years we face major challenges both domes cally and globally. We believe we must remind ourselves that money is not our master. Money is meant to serve the needs of our communi es and our neighbours, par cularly those most in need.

At the same me, as we look to God and the world around us, there is reason for hope. We con nue to see progress against poverty reduc on goals in most parts of the world. We con nue to see evidence that change is possible in our genera on. Australia hos ng the G20 next year also provides new opportuni es to infl uence global tax reforms for the benefi t of the poor.

Thanks again to all who have supported us through this campaign and we invite you to con nue to partner with us in being agents of hope in the world.

We’re extremely thankful to all our partners who helped raise awareness of the campaign and get Finish the Race resources in the hands of groups across the country.

All major denomina ons took part and many denomina onal leaders personally endorsed the campaign.

“I pledged to take part in Micah Challenge’s Finish the Race campaign this year because I’ve seen fi rst-hand in our world injus ce and poverty. We must do something and now is the me to do it.” James Condon, Commissioner of the Salva on Army (Australian Eastern Territory)

Many individual Chris an ambassadors including Darlene Zschech, John Dickson, Colin Buchanan and You-Tube band Shed Muzak lent their voices to the campaign.

“This is a unique me in history to raise our collec ve voices as God’s people and ensure that jus ce for the poor remains high on our na on’s priority list.” Darlene Zschech

Chris an media partners in almost every state and capital city helped to spread the message and amplify calls to the government.

LOOKING FORWARD

PARTNERS

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Thanks to all Micah Challenge coali on partners for suppor ng the campaign.