THIRD World campaigners are holding a three-hour vigil at the Angel of the North on July 22 to urge world leaders to scrap the unpayable debts of the poorest countries.
Members of the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD) are making the protest after becoming frustrated at what they see as a lack of action from world leaders.
Campaigner Pat Martin, from St Cuthbert's parish in Chester-le-Street, said: "World leaders have betrayed the hopes of the poor and of the millions of debt-relief campaigners who wanted to mark the Millennium by wiping out Third World debt.
"We would like to ask the people of the North-East to come and join us."
Designed to coincide with the G8 meeting of the world's most powerful nations in Japan on July 21 to 23, the vigil will include prayers, a rich/poor picnic, updates on the Jubilee 2000 anti-debt campaign and Japanese kites and cranes.
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