The World Population Reaches 7-Billion. Countdown Oct 31, 2011.

World Population Day is celebrated annually on the 11th July. This important observation is an outgrowth of the Day of 5 Billion, which was observed on 11 July back in 1987. It was later recommended that 11 July be observed as World Population Day.

World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need for collective actions.

This year the World Population Day marks the launching of a campaign called "7 billion", an international move to celebrate the milestone of 7 billion of the world’s population. The campaign will engage people throughout the globe on what it means to live in a world with 7 billion people and encourage actions on issues that affect all of us.

On October 31, 2011, as many folks are out celebrating Halloween or All Saints Day, the world’s population is expected to hit 7 billion people, according to estimations by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

In spirit of this outlook, the UNFPA in cooperation with the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila organized an event at Smokey Mountain, in Tondo, Manila as part of the countdown for the upcoming arrival of "The Day of 7 Billion".

Co-hosted by Gawad Kalinga (Manila Chapter), U.N. delegates and JCI Manila will launching the event that will be attended by families from Smokey Mountain. U.N. delegates will be visiting residences at Gawad Kalinga, and fellows from JCI Manila will have a medical outreach clinic.

The event at Smokey Mountain has a special message that intends to raise awareness and to reflect on what it means to live in a world of 7 billion people and take action on issues that affect us all. UNFPA encourages citizens to think of "7 billion ideas" to counter potential problems that comes with the increase of the world population. UNFPA will enjoin every citizen to share ideas with each other, and encourage the role of the youth, to find a solution to the world's problem's.

After the ceremonies at the Gawad Kalinga center, the U.N. and JCI delegates will proceed to the Field Of Dreams Ballpark located at the Smokey Mountain, where Magna Kultura Foundation will be organizing Traditional Filipino Street Game activities.

U.N. delegates will be playing with Tondo kids in games, such as Patintero, Tumbang Preso, Luksong Tinik, Piko, and many other games.

Starting at 8 A.M., while ceremonies are being held at the Gawad Kalinga Center, Magna Kultura will start the game activities at the Field of Dreams with a Larong Pinoy Sports Clinic. Tondo youths will be treated to a Larong Pinoy sports instruction lesson teaching the game play mechanics with systematic drills and exercises.

Afterwhich, children will be enjoined to form into teams to play the games in a mini-sporstfest. The U.N. delegates will join the children during the sportfest for interaction, at the same time have a feel of our unique Filipino games.

The outreach event with the families at Smokey Mountain is the United Nation's way of symbolically commemorating "The Day of 7 Billion". UNFPA eagerly desires to promote the right of every man, woman and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. The event is the beginning of UNFPA's campaign to create awareness towards the commitment for a healthy and sustainable world for all.