New Delhi: A mind-boggling 23 million people across the globe, including over nine million from India, stood up for a minute to take part in the United Nations "stand up against poverty" campaign that took place October 15-16 spanning various time zones.
The campaign has sought an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for being the biggest stand up even in the world. The maximum number of people stood up in India.
"By the time we get all the figures in, it will be the largest single co-ordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Records," a statement from Guinness said on Tuesday.
The stand up event aimed at creating mass awareness about the promise by 189 nations to eradicate hunger, poverty and diseases such as HIV/AIDS by 2015. This promise is reflected in a set of eight goals, called the Millennium Development Goals.
These promises were made by prime ministers, presidents and other world leaders at the Millennium Summit in 2000.
"The stand up has helped generate enormous public interest and support for the millennium goals," said UN Millennium Campaign director Salil Shetty, announcing the global record at a press conference.
"Governments will have to be held accountable for failing to deliver promises," he said.
The exact number that stood up across the globe during the 24-hour record-making attempt is 23,542,614. India leads with 9,731,983. Other top rankers are Nepal with 3.1 million, the Philippines 2.4 million, Pakistan 2.2 million.
The outpouring of support in India came from small and big towns across the country, including Indore, Bhopal, Jaipur, Agra, Allahabad, Bareilly, Vishakaptnam, Mumbai, Chennai and even a lone person in Tiruchirapalli, among others.
The Divya Yoga Trust of Swami Ramdev has reported that 5.3 million of his followers participated in the stand up event.
The Madhya Pradesh government has reported the second highest numbers: 3.3 million, including government employees who stood up at the government's call.
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