The ONE campaign seeks credit for G8 Africa policy shift

[cloudythescribbler]

The ONE campaign seeks some of the credit for the decisions of the G-8 regarding Africa, described as "an unprecedented deal to cancel debts and double aid to Africa". The significance of the most visible voice raised calling for an end to absolute poverty on earth having such a high opinion of G-8 is an important reflection of that campaign's possibilities and political prospects.



HERE IS THEIR PRESS RELEASE (link to web page at bottom)

This is a big thank you to all 1.5 million of you who joined together as ONE to do something extraordinary.

From the 500,000 letters you sent to President Bush to Live 8 in Philadelphia to the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, you called on eight men to do more to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty, and they heard your call. In Scotland this past Friday, overcoming the shadow of a tragic day in London, President Bush joined G8 leaders in an unprecedented deal to cancel debts and double aid to Africa.

For African nations fighting poverty and corruption, this means a $25 billion increase in aid and wiping out 100% of their debts. With this funding, Africa can halve deaths from malaria, put millions of children into school, and 10 million people across the world will have access to lifesaving AIDS drugs. Behind each of these numbers is one person, one life that will be changed forever.

For the first time ever, everyday Americans like you joined together to take a seat at the negotiating table, asking the world's most powerful leaders to do more to help the world's poorest people. Because you signed the ONE Declaration, wore the white band and forwarded emails to friends about ONE, you made a huge step toward making poverty history. We've come so far and still have far to go.

Keep the momentum going, email 3 friends about ONE today.

This agreement is a real victory for Africa - but promises made of words will only become promises for a generation if we keep watching, asking and acting. Much more needs to be done in Washington DC to turn these commitments into lifesaving programs, and the world must take new steps to make trade fair. More meetings will take place this year in New York and Hong Kong where a comprehensive debt-aid-trade deal can be reached and end global AIDS and extreme poverty in our time.

We can be that great generation. As ONE, let's keep up the positive pressure and make 2005 the year we joined together to make history.

Thank you,

The ONE Team

P.S. You can learn more about the details of the G8 deal by checking out the ONE.ORG G8 page.

[tjdee]

1. Ooh, I have to get one of those white bracelets.

I don't know how much credit they can claim, but I do know that celebrities behind a cause can be powerful at times.

:shrug: