Tackling Global Poverty

On Monday 08th January 2007, Consult Chairman Matthew Page was one of 1200 delegates who were invited to attend a special honorary degree ceremony and debate to celebrate the progress made in tackling global poverty. The delegates included school pupils, students and poverty campaigners from across the North East.

In an event which was officially endorsed by Conservative Leader David Cameron and former Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu, both singer Bob Geldof and Chancellor Gordon Brown were awarded honorary degrees in civil law for the contributions they have respectively made to the fight against world hardship.

Chancellor of Newcastle University and former Conservative Party Chairman Chris Patten also presented honorary degrees to his Excellency Benjamin Mkapa, former President of the Republic of Tanzania, Susan George, a political economist, and Dr David Golding, founder of the Make Poverty History North East.

Chris Patten expressed his personal gratitude to the honorary graduates who had shown such leadership over the years in bringing a higher priority to the needs of poor people in other countries.

Commenting on both the ceremony and debate, Consult Chairman Matthew Page commented: "It was fantastic to see such cross party support in commending the progress made on this huge world issue, and the huge number of younger people who were motivated to attend and demonstrate their support."

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