Christian, Islamic and Jewish leaders gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral in London to urge the Prime Minister to ensure the UK plays its
part in achieving new international goals to tackle poverty and inequality whilst protecting the environment in every country. The event
took place one week before Heads of State gather at the United Nations in New York, to approve
Sustainable Development Goals for the next 15 years. His Holiness Pope Francis also visited the UN just before the Goals
Summit meeting.
“We are here to ask Prime Minister David Cameron to use his power at home and internationally, to keep his promises and ensure that these new Goals
change the lives of millions of people for the better,’ said Dr Husna Ahmad, CEO of Global One:
“The Goals have tremendous potential to do good but it will only be realised if leaders such as Mr Cameron put serious resources and determination
behind them, as well as making plans for how they will implement them within their own countries.”
Dr Ahmad was joined at St Paul’s by the Reverend Steve Wild, President of the Methodist Conference; Dr Jill Barber, Vice-President of the
Methodist Conference; Ibrahim Mogra, Imam and Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain; Remona Aly, media consultant and former
deputy editor of Emel magazine; Major Heather Poxon, Director of International Development, Salvation Army; Phillip Clarke, General Secretary of
Congregational Federation and the Very Revd Michael Persson, Vice Chairman Lutheran Council of Churches and Rector of the Swedish Church in
London.
The gathering was organised by Christian Aid, and the group was welcomed and joined by the Revd Canon Mark Oakley, Chancellor of St Paul’s
Cathedral, who said:
“The eight Millennium Development Goals made no mention of human rights and did not specifically address economic development. They gave targets
for poor countries to achieve with financial help from wealthy states. Now, with the SDGs, every country is expected to take responsibility. It is
a promise to frame political agendas differently. These are goals for a more globalised century, reminding us that history should be able to see
that our generations had a humane soul and a real desire to end the curse of poverty and improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable.”
Dionne Gravesande, Head of Church Advocacy at Christian Aid, added: “One of the most important aspects of the new Sustainable Development
Goals is their insistence on ‘leave no-one behind’. In a world so stricken with inequality and discrimination, that is a precious promise and
I hope all faith communities will help to hold world leaders to it.”
The Sustainable Development Goals replace the existing Millennium Development Goals from the start of 2016. Around 130 Heads of State attended
the United Nations General Assembly in New York (25 – 27 September), to approve the new
goals.
People of faith may be interested in the
Prayer For Everyone action, which takes place from 24 September until 1 October and involves praying for the
Sustainable Development Goals. The work of St Paul’s Institute covers many of the key areas covered by the goals and more
information on relevant events, articles and reports can be
found on the Institute’s website.