SOCIAL REALISM PART 10 - HUMAN AGAINST POVERTY

84 millions in Europe are living in poverty and 2010 is the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

Poor people and several organizations took action together and at the same time today. "Human rings" were formed in all EU's capitals at 12 o'clock. In Oslo people joined hands and made a ring around our Parliament. NGOs are stressing the need for social justice and solidarity.

This man held patiently a banner during the speeches before forming the human ring.

There are 4.8 millions living in Norway, and of these 480.000 have incomes that are 60 % or less than European standard of median income. Our government doesn't want to use the European poverty line, but a more strictly measured on for Norway which indicates that about 200.000 persons are poor. Being poor in Norway means seldom a lack of food, but more a lack of social activities like not to afford to let the kids join the football team, or let them learn to play piano, or go to holiday trips. It means also that the kids get clothes and birthday parties, and the parents skip the dentist. Most of the poor people are unemployed, or have no other income than the social, and 1/3 are from non-western countries.

It's a big shame that people are poor in our rich country, but it can't be compared to what I recently have seen in Angola and Gaza.

Ps do you wonder why I didn't blipped the human ring? I joined of course. We managed just to reach around the parliament. It was a great experience!