Taking it to the Tweets: The fight to end hunger goes viral
Starting today, Oxfam is working together with a big group of other NGOs to raise the volume on the issue—so loud that G8 leaders can’t ignore it. Join us in taking the fight against hunger and poverty to Twitter!
Victoria Marzilli is Oxfam America’s New Media Specialist focusing on social media.
In less than a month, leaders of the top eight economies of the world will gather in the secluded Camp David locale for the 38th annual G8 Summit—a forum for discussion on today’s most pressing issues. This year, top priorities include food security and agriculture—and for a few good reasons! Hunger is the world’s number one health risk with one in seven people going hungry. Fighting for food security initiatives at the G8 is just one part of Oxfam’s GROW campaign to build a better food system that sustainably feeds a growing population and empowers poor people to earn a living, feed their families, and thrive.
In addition, the deadline is up for commitments made at the 2009 G8 Summit in L’Aquila—and G8 countries need to move forward with a bold food security initiative that helps 50 million people lift themselves out of poverty through agriculture with a $30 billion commitment over three years. While we’re thankful that food security and agriculture are going to be discussed, we need to make sure that leaders deliver more than just empty promises; 50 million lives depend on it.
So starting today, Oxfam is working together with a big group of other NGOs including Save the Children, ONE, InterAction, and many more, to raise the volume on the issue —so loud that G8 leaders can’t ignore it.
Join us in taking the fight against hunger and poverty to Twitter!
A moment like this could be a turning point for the millions of small-scale farmers working hard every day to fight poverty and hunger, but it’s up to us to hold our leaders accountable.
Take action with us to speak up and ask President Obama to lead the G8 to keep their promises. Click the links below to tweet at the @WhiteHouse!
You can also send a message to President Obama here and follow all of the conversation by searching #DearG8 on Twitter. And don’t stop there. Share the action with friends on Facebook, at work, and at school!
Since 2009, thirty poor countries have risen to the challenge: they have developed plans to improve agriculture and food security in their countries. Now Obama needs to lead the G8 to keep their promise and play their part.