Martin Dent OBE 1925 – 2014
‘Visionary’,
‘philanthropist’
and
‘great
English eccentric’ are some of the descriptions given to Martin Dent, who died on
May 3, aged 89.
I love the moment in Martin’s life when, in
1990, students at Keele University trooped
forward after his lecture to sign a petition for
his ‘Jubilee 2000’ campaign, calling for the
cancellation of the unpayable debts of poor
countries by the year 2000. The petition
went on to attract over 24 million signatures,
from 166 countries, a double world record,
and the campaign secured the cancellation of
$130 billion of debt, for 35 countries!