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Press Release
9th May 2011 - For Immediate Release

On Sunday 8 May, Margaret Mizen helped to launch Million Minutes’ first campaign: a million minutes of silence. The silence aims to highlight the need to stand in solidarity with today’s young people who are so often not listened too, ignored and shut out of society.

Two days ahead of the third anniversary of the murder or her 16 year old son, Jimmy, Margaret joined the first day of ‘a million minutes of silence’. Accompanied by friends, family and supporters she led three generations of her family in a walk from St Paul’s Cathedral to Westminster Cathedral, all in complete silence.

Speaking after her silent walk Margaret Mizen said “This has been amazing. We have acted in solidarity not just with the hundreds of people staying silent across the country but also with those young people whom Million Minutes hope to support. Young people today are wonderful and we must continue to promote how wonderful they are.” Mrs Mizen went on to say “Million Minutes is set to turn into something big. I’m very proud and honoured to be a Champion of the charity. I encourage everyone to get involved. It has the potential to change lives!”

Three generations of the Mizen family took part in the silent walk. As well as two of her sons, 26 year old Tommy, and 11 year old George, her 8 month old granddaughter Eva was also miraculously silent for the 3 mile route.

Million Minutes, a new charity, was founded earlier this year to support projects which help young people to transform their lives and to put Catholic social teaching into practice.

Danny Curtin, cofounder and Trustee, said “A million minutes of silence is a smile idea. We are creating a deafening silence to speak up for our young people. They are worth so much, and all too often, they are ignored, overlooked and not enabled to fulfill their potential. With this loud, counter-cultural silence we are saying that something needs to change. As a society we need to support our young people to have their voice heard, to get active and to make a difference.”

Throughout the UK, hundreds of people of all ages joined in the start of the collective silence. In Bolton, young adults at the Schoenstatt Shrine met throughout the day to complete their pledge of 1000 minutes of silence.  Members and youth leaders from the Impact group in St Edmund’s parish, Millwall, wore signs to explain to other parishioners that they were staying silent throughout the weekend. They totaled 6,480 minutes between them.

So far 650,000 minutes have been pledged nationwide. There is still the opportunity for others to pledge and to stay silent over the coming weeks. See www.millionminutes.org for more details and to pledge your minutes.

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