Millenium Development Goals

?? What are they ??

In 2000 the member states of the United Nations set themselves the target of signifigantly reducincing world poverty by the year 2015.

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality by two thirds for children under five
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

These goals are unlikely to be met if governments do not uphold their end of the deal.
Governments MUST renew there resolve to meet the Millenium Development Goals by the year 2015 by tackling the global farming crisis and instituting fairer trade rules, along with more and better aid and debt relief.

Sugar Crisis

Sugar beet growers and refiners in the European Union receive subsidies totalling about $13 billion a year. As a result, far more sugar is produced in Europe than could ever be consumed there. The rest, over 5 million tonnes a year, is dumped onto international markets at below the cost of production. At the same time the European Union restricts the entry of sugar from other more efficient countries into its market (as does the United States).
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MY NEW FRIENDS

I have actually written this post three times now as blogger was not posting properly.
Luckily i am passionate about the topic :-)

My new African friends are all settled in now and thriving. One family has been reunited with their Mother, Wife, Sister and Daughter. Can you imagine the emotions, being reunited after 10yrs of not only not seeing your wife or children but not even hearing of them, having no news as to wether they are dead or alive. Fantastic result anyway they are all ok and now safely here in Australia.

I'm happy to report the people in my community have been fantastic in welcoming the Africans and have gone out of their way to help. Aside from one nasty, narrow minded resident who wrote to the paper "an Australian should have been chosen to sing our national anthem at Australia day"
Yes this is true; i wish i could get my hands on him! Aside from that it has been a positive time for the new families.

I am still as mad as hell about the negative comment above which is what has inspired this post. What better person to have been singing OUR national anthem in such an amazing country, surrounded by old and new family and friends than a New Australian. Yes i say new as they are no longer refugees but Permanent Australian residents just like you and i with the same rights and more responsibility. These people are all in school, work or studying, gaining their licenses and looking to a very bright future in Australia. Yes they are African and yet Aussies too. Didn't we all originally come from some place else?
I for one could not have been prouder to hear such an inspiring, warm, loving Aussie sing to the world our national anthem and sing it with pride!

Having been through the worst kind of turmoil they are still open, happy, caring, faithful, caring people and i am so glad to have them here.