“I have been a street girl since my father made a woman of me. I carry on in the world but I am real

FACT:

150 million children are forced to live and/or work on the streets, globally*

·         FACT: UK is the 5^th richest country in the world, but 1 in 3 children live in poverty (over 3.9 million)

·         FACT: Growing up in poverty means a shorter life expectancy – a girl growing up in Manchester can expect to live six years less than a girl growing up in the Borough of Kensington &  Chelsea.

The Graffiti Ball, is taking place on Friday 7^th November 2008 at Sofitel Hotel, London’s Heathrow Terminal 5. The event is organised by The Consortium for Street Children (CSC), the only global network promoting and protecting the rights of street children across the world, with the aim being to raise awareness of the plight that street children face on a global and national level.

Hosted by Surina Narula MBE and Max Mongia who are respectively Co-Chair and Trustee for CSC, the unique theme of the event is Graffiti, to celebrate street culture and the growing influence of this street art on the international art scene. Graffiti is often viewed negatively or positively depending on how it is presented. Street children are often viewed as criminals, drug addicts or something best ignored. This ball mirrors the work of the CSC to develop a positive concept of street children and one full of potential.