Video message to mark UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals
Monday 20th September 2010
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has today issued a video message to mark the opening of the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in New York.The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight key objectives which range from halving extreme poverty to providing universal primary education, which were agreed by over 200 nations and international bodies in 2000.
In his video message, the Archbishop speaks of the need for the Anglican Church to work in harmony with governments and NGOs around the world in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the deadline of 2015. The Archbishop marks the many achievements but also highlights the urgent need for stronger partnerships, between governments and other sectors of society, including faith communities, in tackling poverty, hunger, disease and injustice.
The Archbishop identifies the values and vision underpinning a global response to the challenges of poverty and injustice, which are reflected in communities of faith: "Here there are resources not only in terms of skills and persons but of vision and of energy; of faith. A sense of deep obligation, a sense that our welfare is absolutely bound up with the welfare of our neighbour."
"It's in that light that we as communities of faith would want first to declare our commitment to these goals but also to declare our willingness to join in the task... We want to appeal to our governments not to step back from the commitments they have made, to make the best use of their own resources and to build up the resources of others for work together towards a world that we can be proud to live in - a world in which our responsibility for each other is truly and fully exercised, where we can really celebrate the life and welfare of all."