From August 2 to the 30, 2003, the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (USA) will be leading a national march from Mississippi to Washington, followed by an encampment of the poor at the seat of the United States government in Washington D.C. The national Poor People's March for Economic Human Rights will consist of three weeks of marching and caravanning across the south of the United States and will culminate in a large march of the poor in Washington D.C. on August 23. In Washington DC, we will construct a Tent City, dubbed "Bushville," and carry out a week of exchange and protest for economic human rights.

As we march on Washington DC on AUGUST 23, 2003 to protest economic human rights violations committed by our government and by corporations, we will need the eyes of the world to be on us, as we, the poor of the United States, carry our struggle AND your struggle to Washington. We are asking the world community to stand in UNITY with the movement of the poor of the United States on this day, by holding an "INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION: A CALL TO END POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE" in unity with the Poor People's March for Economic Human Rights.

This year marks the 35th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's historic Poor People's Campaign, for which he gave his life. As our economic human rights continue to be violated, we know that the work of Martin Luther King is not finished. Through this summer's march, the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign is continuing the struggle to make King's vision of true equality and peace a reality in this nation and around the world. Today, 35 years later, the situation of poor people in the United States and worldwide has only deteriorated and it is time to march on Washington again.

We make an urgent call, a cry of pain and of hope from the forcibly silenced throats and the invisibilized struggles of the poor, the homeless, the landless and the unemployed of the United States. The struggle of the poor in the United States is part of the struggle of the poor internationally for an end to impoverishment and militarization. The growing millions of people who are impoverished and downsized in the United States have more in common with the poor in Mexico, Canada, France, Iraq, South Africa and India than with Bill Gates or George W. Bush, and we are determined to build a broad-based movement, led by the poor as an organized and united force, to end poverty in the United States and worldwide.

The participation and accompaniment of the international community in the upcoming Poor People's March for Economic Human Rights, and especially in an INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION on August 23rd, will be key to the success of our efforts to bring attention to the life and death issues, such as a lack of health care, unemployment, hunger and homelessness, which are facing increasing segments of the population in the United States and worldwide. Our actions worldwide, in unity on this historic day when the poor in the United States march on Washington DC, can be a step toward building a global movement, led by the world's poor, to end the poverty that is literally killing us, in the United States and worldwide.

We are calling on our brothers and sisters around the world to join us in an INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION on August 23, 2003, the day which we march on Washington DC. Please stand in solidarity with the poor of the United States by holding an event, such as a protest in front of the U.S. embassy of your country, a march in your community and/ or by sending letters to us. Together we will issue A CALL FOR AN END TO POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. Please inform us of your plans so that they can be highlighted in the press and on our website, at www.kwru.org.

Finally, please broadcast information about the POOR PEOPLE'S MARCH FOR ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS in the media in your own countries and to any national or international network with which you are in contact. Stay informed about the March by visiting the KWRU website, www.kwru.org, where there will be pictures and updates from the March posted daily. Visit our website at www.kwru.org for more information or contact kwru@kwru.org.