Press Releases24 Jul 08

Bishops urge world leaders to keep their promise to end poverty

The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Reverend Alan Harper OBE, along with several Irish bishops attending the Lambeth Conference, will join with the Archbishop of Canterbury today (Thursday 24th July) to lay down a challenge to world leaders on behalf of the worldwide Anglican Communion and other faith groups: you must keep your promises on aid and development as failure to do so will lead to further starvation, disease and death in the world’s poorest countries.

This plea to governments across the world will be joined by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who will also address the audience of 650 Anglican bishops, their spouses, and representatives from other faith groups and Churches. The rally, set in the courtyard of Lambeth Palace, follows a walk of witness through central London, where up to 1,500 faith leaders, diplomats, parliamentarians and NGO heads will take to the streets to highlight the urgent need for more action on tackling poverty through sustainable solutions.

In the Archbishop of Canterbury’s letter – which is the event’s manifesto – he will outline how this generation has a genuine opportunity to eradicate extreme poverty. The document stresses, however, that most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed by global leaders in 2000 to halve poverty by 2015 will not, as things stand, be fulfilled by this deadline – and in fact, risk never being achieved at all.

The letter will be handed to the Prime Minister during the rally by Dr Williams, flanked by Christian and other faith leaders including Archbishop Alan Harper OBE, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh; Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster; Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi; Sir Iqbal Sacranie OBE; Dr Indarjit Singh OBE; and other senior representatives of Muslim and Sikh organisations.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will welcome the efforts of the UK government, and the Prime Minister in particular, in leading the community of nations in the EU and at the UN in tackling global poverty and inequality, and in raising awareness through the ‘Call to Action’ to accelerate progress to deliver the goals.

He will add a new challenge, urging world leaders to invest in and strengthen their partnership with the Church worldwide, so that its extensive delivery network for education and health care, alongside other faiths, is fully utilised in the eradication of extreme poverty.

The walk and rally are being organised in partnership with Micah Challenge, an international movement working to engage the Church worldwide in speaking out about global poverty and the MDGs.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has described the event as “a poignant public act of commitment by the Anglican Communion and other faith groups to continue to put pressure on those who have the power and resources to help end extreme poverty across the globe. It will be about pledging, as a Church, to play our part in continuing to develop lasting solutions. It will also be a walk where we will be in step with those who know at first hand the impact that the unfair distribution of the world’s resources can have on daily living and life opportunities.” The Archbishop of Armagh, joined by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill, echoed this, pledging their full support.

On the same day, in other parts of the world, the Anglican Communion is joining in the call on world leaders. In the United States, the Episcopal Public Policy Network and Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation are co-ordinating a ‘Virtual March for the MDGs’ to coincide with the London event. Supporters are being encouraged to send emails to Congressional inboxes in Washington, D.C. asking politicians to share the Church’s commitment to the MDGs and seeing an end to extreme poverty. Meanwhile, in Canada, members of the Diocese of Ontario will visit members of Canadian parliament to lobby their politicians on the subject of the MDGs.

The initiatives will each contribute to the international backdrop for the UN meeting on 25th September, when the UN Secretary General is hosting a review of progress towards the MDGs.