Mariana Goetz (DiA Trustee) and Liza Coffin (DiA Secretary) with Tom Brake MP

Tony Worthington MP

Dr Ghandidoss, Chairperson of DEEDS

DiA volunteers with our guests, including representatives from BOND, the Development Education Association and Zindagi-India

On 23 November 2004, leading MPs and peers joined DiA volunteers past and present to celebrate Development in Action's 10th Anniversary at the Palace of Westminster.

The evening was hosted by Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development, Tom Brake MP, who praised DiA's unique work:

"Development in Action inspires young people to engage in the wider world at a time when awareness and understanding is of increasing importance.

“Since this unique charity was founded ten years ago, more than 160 young people have volunteered with Indian non-governmental organisations on placements organised by Development in Action. On their return to the UK these volunteers have produced a wealth of material and held scores of events to encourage interest in global issues in their local communities."

Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on International Development attended DiA's 10 th Anniversary celebration, including Tony Worthington, Labour MP for Clydebank and Milngavie. Find out more about the Select Committee's work here.

What are the papers saying?

"Global citizens celebrate decade of success", The Guardian, 26 November 2004.
"MP backs 'citizens of the world", Newbury Advertiser, 30 November 2004.
" India experience inspires Liza to help world's poor ", The Brentwood Gazette, 1 December 2004.

Praise for DiA in the House of Commons

After meeting DiA volunteers at our parliamentary reception, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Higher Education, David Rendel MP praised Development in Action's work in a speech to the House of Commons on the future of education:

" When I talked to some of the volunteers, I was struck by the vital links that exist between education, the idea of global citizenship and the prospects for greater tolerance and understanding across the borders of geography, imagination and economic opportunity that divide our world." Read more here.

Early Day Motion 462

Since hosting our celebratory reception, Tom Brake MP has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) – a statement that expresses an MP‘s opinion and allows them to canvass support for it among other MPs – calling on politicians of all parties to promote Development in Action‘s example. To see if your MP has signed the motion, check: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=26998&SESSION=873