Turn the world around: Help Sweden

The people of Ghana are helping the poor in Sweden. Can you imagine? See it at helpsweden.org.

This ironic campaign which was launched in the last week of september intended to put development aid for Africa high on the agenda when Sweden takes over the presidency of the EU next year, in 2009. The campaign was launched by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Sweden.

“The campaign was made to encourage a new perspective on aid, and to highlight the fact that more money flows out of Africa than comes into those countries, as well as the relationship between the global North and the global South,“ says Klas Waldenström, project manager for the campaign.

Turning realities upside down is a communication technique which is used many times before and I love it, especially in this project. The campaign website shows the video and encourage visitors to sign the letter that can be forwarded to Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.
“By the year 2015 poverty and hunger is supposed to be cut in half—-all countries have made that commitment in the Millenium Declaration. But we in the wealthy world still receive more than we give, and every sixth person will go to bed hungry this evening. That is not OK,” according to the letter.

Among those signing the missive to the prime minister are Aftonbladet editor Jan Helin, singer Neneh Cherry, Jakob Simonsen, director of UNDP in Denmark and renowned photographer Jens Assur.