Comic Relief launches Debt Wish Campaign in support of Jubilee 2000

Comic Relief, the UK charity, has launched its Debt Wish campaign in support of the global Jubilee 2000 movement to drop the debt of the world's poorest countries by the millennium. This follows Comic Relief most successful Red Nose Day ever on March 12th in which they have so far raised almost £31.8 million for projects tackling poverty in the UK and Africa.

In Comic Relief's first ever major campaign, Comic Relief have highlighted the vital importance of debt cancellation for reducing poverty. According to a Comic Relief spokesperson: “Research has shown that the single biggest thing that we can all do to reduce global poverty is to work together to Drop the Debt. And there will never again be a moment in history like the one we face now to do this.”

Comic Relief is a member of the Jubilee 2000 Coalition which is made up of over 90 national organisations in Britain with sister organisations in over 50 countries. The Debt Wish Campaign will include a number of key events and actions:

1. Comic Relief “DEBT WISH – LIVE” - A fantastic, gut-busting night of comedy, dance and music with a world-changing purpose at the Brixton Academy. The shows will take place on Friday 4^th and Saturday 5^th June and bring together a glorious mix of artists and musicians including: Steve Coogan, Lenny Henry, Kevin Day, Lee & Herring, Sean Hughes, David Baddiel, Angus Deayton, Simon Day and Stomp; stars from hit comedy shows Goodness Gracious Me, League of Gentlemen, Big Train and a special guest appearance from the legendary Happy Mondays. More top names will be announced closer to the time. Tickets for the Brixton Academy event will cost £22.50 and £25 and will be available from Ticketmaster, Ticketweb, First Call, Stargreen, and branches of Waitrose, HMV and Tower Records. Parts of the event will also be broadcast live on the web.
2. Comic Relief's Debt Wish on TV (BBC ONE Saturday, 12^th June 10.30pm) brings viewers at home the best moments of this unique mix of laughter and rock'n'roll on stage at the Brixton Academy and shows filmed reports on the impact of and issues surrounding debt. There will be a phone line at the end of the programme to contact for more information.
3. A special short film from Oscar-winning Anthony Minghella will be shown in cinemas across the UK and in some countries around the world. This film focuses on the single crushing fact that we receive more from the developing world in debt repayments than we give in aid. It's crazy that the world's poorest people are actively giving money back to our governments.
4. A public education campaign encouraging the public to “show you care” about debt and poverty in the world's poorest countries.

The Debt Wish campaign follows a documentary on Africa - the `Great Big Excellent African Adventure' - broadcast for Red Nose Day. In the film, Lenny Henry asks the British Prime Minister how ordinary people could help to cancel debts of poor countries. Prime Minister Blair responded: “by demonstrating that the public shares that commitment to change”. Comic Relief will be asking supporters to leave their name and address so that they can pass on people's support to the Prime Minister as they promised they would.

WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT DEBT:

Ewan McGregor supports the call to Drop the Debt (Great Big Excellent African Adventure) 1999

“Cancelling debt in developing countries is crucial. It's just insane – there are kids starving to death and their countries aren't able to support them because they're too busy paying us back. And people say – `well, it's just the way of the world' – well, it doesn't have to be the way of the world.”

Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Budget Speech, 17 March 1998

"I want the millennium to be remembered not just nationally but internationally for the redemption of debt and the reduction of world poverty."

Stephen Fry, Uganda (Great Big Excellent African Adventure) 1999

“In Uganda 1 in 5 children die from preventable diseases before their fifth birthday, but Uganda is a country that pays 10 times more on debt servicing than on welfare. The sums just don't make sense.”

Geri Halliwell, Uganda (Great Big Excellent African Adventure) 1999

“`Think about this: it would cost the world £5 billion to give the whole world clean water and sanitation. That is how much the US spend on cosmetics alone – in a year!”

THE TRUTH ABOUT DEBT:

• Tanzania spends twice the amount on debt that it does on water provision. Yet more than 14 million people lack access to safe water
• The UK's share of the debt that needs to be cancelled is around £2.5 billion, this is a fifth of what is spent in the UK on cigarettes in a year
• The unpayable debt that Africa owes to the UK is about the same as the UK population spends on chocolate each year (Christian Aid, Youth Topics, 1998)
• Mozambique, the poorest country in the world, spends ten times more on debt repayments than it does on healthcare (Jubilee 2000, Breaking the Chains, 1999)
• Uganda spends five times more on debt than it does on healthcare. This is despite the fact that one in five children in Uganda die before their fifth birthday because of preventable diseases (Oxfam, Multilateral Debt: The Human Costs)
• Funding universal primary education in Africa would require an additional £1.8 billion. The region currently spends over £7.4 billion on debt repayments (Oxfam, Education Now Media Report, 1999)
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• For media enquiries, please contact Sarah Burke/Naomi Proudlove at Comic Relief on 0171 636 1428 or email at press@comicrelief.org.uk