Celebrities join push for action on MDGs

"This is about you laying the foundations of our future on quality education for all, because education doesn’t just beat poverty. It beats disease. It beats inequality.”

Queen Rania of Jordan before world
leaders at the recent UN Summit

Last September 2010, actors, singers, athletes and other celebrities joined the push for action against extreme poverty, hunger and disease as announced by the United Nations with only five years left before the 2015 target for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the eight anti-poverty goals world leaders agreed to at the Millennium Summit in 2000. The UN is leading a collective effort to accelerate progress towards the MDGs.

The UN Summit in New York last September 20-22, 2010, brought together close to 150 Heads of State and Governments, joined by leaders from the private sector, foundations and non-governmental organizations, to commit to an action agenda to achieve the MDGs. A group of UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace with a track record of speaking out against poverty added their voice to the call for action.

“I thank these outstanding leaders for joining our push to advance progress towards the Millennium Development Goals,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “They are household names who are bringing the message of global justice and solidarity to homes and communities around the world.”

Among these international celebrities who caught the world’s attention is Queen Rania of Jordan, who at her UN privilege speech last September 20, 2010, trended the top 10 lists in the Internet. She made an impassioned appeal to world leaders saying:

“In the last twelve months, 18 million people signed their name to demand that every child go to school.18 million people… from across geographical and political boundaries, religious and social backgrounds. 18 million people… appalled how nearly 70 million children will never experience their first day of school, never have homework, never get a shot at that A grade. 18 million people… who believe that at the heart of all human rights is the idea that humans have value as well as values, regardless of where they are born… that we are all worthy of dignity and respect.

“These 18 million people aren’t anonymous. We know their names. And I’m proud to say that mine is one of them. Together, our names stand for the rights of every child to go to school… our names demand that global leaders keep their commitments. Because that’s what this moment is about. Not this panel. Not 1GOAL. This is about you: the experts, policy makers, and politicians – the men and women who represent us and shape our collective future. This is about you laying the foundations of our future on quality education for all because education doesn’t just beat poverty. It beats disease. It beats inequality. And for girls, education is nothing less than a life saver, from stigmatism, insecurity, and violence. It’s the issue that cuts across all others: hunger and health, stability and equality. It’s the issue that can restore justice, social and economic. It’s the issue of our generation. And it costs only $16 billion a year to put every child in low income countries into school. That’s it. To spark one of the most radical transformations of the human race… an act that would bring untold and uncountable benefits for decades to come, costs less than a tax rebate for Wall Street this year.

“Yet, summit after summit, we fail to justify our lack of progress. We fail to persuade our leaders to champion our principles. Just look at comparisons between individual charity and government aid: The American people donate ten times more to charity than their own government gives in aid. In fact, American citizens give more than twice as much to charity as the top 17 developed countries put together give in foreign aid! In short: values, like generosity, so integral to our daily lives, are not reflected in our governments’ policies. How can we continue to ignore the will of millions? How can we turn our backs on the principles that define us? How can we abandon the out-of-school children who depend on us? We can’t. And we won’t. Because, in this renewed spirit of the age, I have 1GOAL: to advocate that every child receives a quality education. Because you have 1GOAL: to demand that every child goes to school. Because we have 1GOAL: to give children, with no voice and no hope, the chance to realize their 1GOAL: to go to school.”

Queen Rania of Jordan is very active in advocacies for women’s and children’s rights, and quality education for all. She chairs The Jordan River Foundation, which supports communities and individuals in their sustainable social, economic and cultural programs.

N.C.

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Wear Favola, Be a Hero

“Favola” (Italian for “fairy tale”) is the name of unusual T-shirts made in Tagaytay (south of Manila). There is in fact a beautiful story behind each printed design. Every Favola shirt has been carefully crafted to highlight the myriad colors of the Philippine archipelago and its rich culture merging them into a unique design. Moreover, it is the product of an experience lived by a group of out-of-school youth, who are earning a living through T-shirt printing. Favola is a project of the Pag-asa Social Center in Tagaytay. Here below is an interview with Hero Angeles, actor and endorser of Favola shirts.

New City: How long have you been helping Pag-asa Social Center? What are you doing to raise awareness about the Center’s programs for the poor?

Hero: It’s been almost four years now since my family and I came in contact with Pag-asa Social Center through Favola shirts. I like to help people and do simple things for those in need. I always feel happy whenever I see a smile on people’s faces. Favola shirts gave me a chance to be connected to these people by sharing a talent that God has given me. Art is one of my passions and I want to share it with the people of Pag-asa, especially with the youth. I hope somehow they will be inspired through the designs I made for Favola shirts. If I get to inspire even just one kid, I’m sure he or she can also inspire others. I guess this can help them take pride in what they can do, to become better individuals and achieve their dreams in life.

New City: How has this experience of helping others influenced your life?

Hero: In life, we experience so many things, good and bad. Things come and go. Life is so precious and short. Each moment has special meaning. Therefore, I must do everything I can to help others without asking for anything in return. It’s fun and cool to lend others a hand. Helping is its own reward. Doing something for others has been a way for me to connect with people, so I am grateful of what I can offer because I believe I am able to touch the lives of others. I’m glad that I can somehow make them feel special.

New City: Any lesson learned from your involvement in this social project?

Hero: The most important thing I learned in helping out in this social project is this: it is within our ability to make dreams come true. I know I have something inside me that I can share, so I don’t keep it to myself. I’m happy to share it. I would like to be a “bridge” that helps others realize their dreams.

New City: What would you say to our readers about supporting the projects of these social centers like Pag-asa?

Hero: Each of us is in need. Sometimes we have to look deep inside ourselves to see it. But we cannot satisfy this need by ourselves. We all need somebody else to help us feel complete – our families, friends, and even strangers. We don’t need to be related by blood to lend others a helping hand. We are all connected in God’s eyes. All we need is to have the courage to do the best we can to help those in need. We don’t need to be rich to show that we care. We don’t have to be old or mature to show that we can. We don’t have to be powerful to show that we can help. We don’t have to be famous to show that we’re the best. We just have to be true to ourselves and give our best for others. God is always with us to guide and support us in everything we do. He will never leave us alone, as he is always there to accompany us. Caring for others is of infinite value. We might be surprised to know that, at the end of the day, what has made us happy is precisely the moment we went out of our way to help others.

J.A.

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