g8 summit
WHAT IS THE G8 AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
The G8, or the ‘Group of Eight’ Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from the world’s eight wealthiest and most powerful countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States). This summer, these leaders will gather in Scotland to decide the fate of an entire generation living on less than ONE dollar a day. On July 6th – 8th, President Bush and other G8 leaders will discuss the major social, political and economic conditions that leave nearly ONE billion people living in extreme poverty – nearly half of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa. With your support and voice, President Bush and other world leaders will know just how important these issues are, and together as ONE, we can Make Poverty History this July.
In America, more than 3 quarters of a million people have come together under ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History to lend their voices to the fight against global AIDS and poverty. Aided by Hollywood celebrities like Jamie Foxx, Brad Pitt and Kate Hudson; artists like Bono, Jewel and Michael W. Smith; and faith leaders like Pat Robertson and the Reverend Frank Griswold, our voices are being amplified.
When the G8 leaders met in 1998, 70,000 people formed a human chain, encircling Birmingham, UK where the leaders met, calling on the G8 to drop the debt of the world’s poorest countries. These advocates put debt relief on government agendas and led to pledges of debt cancellation. When we stand together as ONE, we can make the difference. If you’ve never been part of a big campaign event before, 2005 is the year to do it! And if you have – this is the year to get your friends, family and colleagues involved.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR:
- MORE AND BETTER AID
- CANCEL THE DEBT
- TRADE JUSTICE
By taking three simple actions at their meeting on July 6th, President Bush and other G8 leaders can lead a generation out of poverty and put an end to the AIDS pandemic. President Bush must go to Gleneagles, Scotland ready to join with the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom in delivering a historic deal to make poverty history.
As ONE, we call on President Bush to:
- Build on existing US commitments to the poorest people of the world with more and better assistance at a cost equal to just ONE percent more of the US budget on a clear timetable
- Cancel 100% of the debts owed by the poorest countries
- Reform trade rules so that poor countries can earn sustainable incomes
I follow you (the one.org website, I suppose) right up until they mention “put[ting] an end to the AIDS pandemic.” We can’t even put an end to AIDS in our own country … will eliminating poverty really cure that disease? Maybe it’ll end the “pandemic” nature of AIDS in Africa. But it seems to me that poverty and AIDS are two different issues …
AIDS in Africa is (I think) very different from AIDS in America. there is an unending supply of education here, for starters. Americans get AIDS because of their choices.
and why not hold to such a lofty goal? it doesn’t seem to be out of reach when you put as many people together as they’re trying to assemble… it’s just a matter of making priorities line up.
I’m not saying that we should ignore AIDS in Africa … just that we should realize that solving the problem of poverty might not be the same thing as solving the problem of AIDS. Like you said, a lot of it has to do with education.