14 November 2006
BUILDING AND SUSTAINING PROSPERITY FOR WHOM?
While financial decision makers from the world’s wealthiest nations are meeting in Melbourne at the G20 forum next weekend, it is estimated that more than 60,000 children around the world will die as a result of poverty.
The theme for the G20 meeting is ‘Building and Sustaining Prosperity’, but one wonders what priority will be attached to ending the extreme poverty which still afflicts a major part of the world’s population and which is a root cause of so much suffering and evil in our world.
In a recent address to pilgrims in Rome, Pope Benedict called for efforts to "eliminate the structural causes tied to the system of governing the world's economy, which earmarks most of the planet's resources to a minority of the (Earth's) population" and went on to remind each of us of our individual responsibility to work to address this issue. "Every person and every family must do something to alleviate hunger in the world, adopting a life style and consumption that are compatible with safeguarding creation and with criteria of fairness towards those who cultivate the land in every country."
Suggestions for actions that individuals and groups can take to bring their concern to the attention of world leaders can be found at the Make Poverty History and Oxfam websites.
Details of events being organized in Melbourne, including the Festival at which the 'Seeds of Change' Social Justice Action Group is participating, can also be found at the Make Poverty History website.
The theme for the G20 meeting is ‘Building and Sustaining Prosperity’, but one wonders what priority will be attached to ending the extreme poverty which still afflicts a major part of the world’s population and which is a root cause of so much suffering and evil in our world.
In a recent address to pilgrims in Rome, Pope Benedict called for efforts to "eliminate the structural causes tied to the system of governing the world's economy, which earmarks most of the planet's resources to a minority of the (Earth's) population" and went on to remind each of us of our individual responsibility to work to address this issue. "Every person and every family must do something to alleviate hunger in the world, adopting a life style and consumption that are compatible with safeguarding creation and with criteria of fairness towards those who cultivate the land in every country."
Suggestions for actions that individuals and groups can take to bring their concern to the attention of world leaders can be found at the Make Poverty History and Oxfam websites.
Details of events being organized in Melbourne, including the Festival at which the 'Seeds of Change' Social Justice Action Group is participating, can also be found at the Make Poverty History website.
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