Millennium Development Goal #8
Create a Global Partnership for Development
"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth,
will draw all people to myself."
- John 12:32
The Prayer
Let us pray for all nations and people who already enjoy the abundance of creation and the blessings of prosperity, that their hearts may be lifted up to the needs of the poor and afflicted, and partnerships between rich an poor for the reconciliation of the world may flourish and grow.
Merciful God, you have bestowed upon us gifts beyond our imagining and have reminded us that all that we have belongs to you alone and is merely held in trust by human hands: we give you thanks for those moments of reconciliation and grace we see in our world, of wrongs that are made right, knowing that in your love all things are possible. Inspire in our nation, its leaders and people a spirit of greater sacrifice and devotion in the use of our treasures for the reconciliation of your world; that, in forsaking wealth and giving up ourselves to walk in the way of the Cross, we may find it to be none other than the way of life and peace. God of love, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
See also:
An Evening Prayer service for MDG #8 from St. Paul's Cathedral, London
The Challenge
- Goal 8 identifies actions that donor countries must take to support developing countries to achieve Goals 1-7.
The Monterrey Consensus – the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development in 2002 – is seen to layout the key elements of Goal 8. The Consensus covers trade liberalization, private financial flows, debt, domestic resource mobilization and development assistance (aid). The United Nations website has details from the Monterrey Consensus.
Given the non-profit making nature of public health investment, aid is particularly important to the health sector. It is often the only reliable alternative when public funds for health run short.
Goal 8 is the goal that makes the MDGs unique by being a compact between North and South, developing countries and donors and is a reminder that global security and prosperity depend on a more equitable world for all.
- Develop further an open trading and financial system that is rule-based, predictable, and nondiscriminatory.
- Address the special needs of the least developed countries.
- Address the special needs of landlocked and small island developing states.
- Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt problems to make debt sustainable in the long term.
- Develop decent and productive work for youth.
- Provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries.
- Make available the benefits of new technologies—especially information and communications technologies.
Click here for targets and progress indicators.
"Thumbs up" to the whole world working together for good. Rich governments help poor governments, and people help other people in different countries by sharing money or by paying them fair prices for food when they buy it.
Source: Kenyon Conference 2007 Children's Program - Experiencing the MDGs
El objetivo en Espanol
La cooperación internacional ante una encrucijada: Ayuda al desarrollo, comercio y seguridad en un mundo desigual.
Metas e indicadores
Are we on track to meet MDG #8 by 2015? Find out at:
MDGMonitor - basic, easy to navigate
GapMinder MDG Charts - This site is great ... moving graphics show how the development of all countries by the indicators you choose. You can even get country-specific charts (for your companion diocese, for example)
Human Development Trends Movable Charts -- More from gapminder, see graphic demonstrations of MDG trends past, present and future.
UN Human Development Report - much more detailed, looks at MDGs through lens of climate change.
Printable Progress Chart on all 8 MDGs
Did You Know...
The United Nations estimates that unfair trade rules deny poor countries $700 billion every year. Less than 0.01% of this could save the sight of 30 million people. (Source:ChristianAid)
In 1970, 22 of the world's richest countries pledged to spend 0.7% of their national income on aid. 34 years later, only 5 countries have kept that promise. The UK hasn't. (Source:Save The Children)
- The poorest 49 countries make up 10% of the world's population but account for only 0.4% of world trade. Their share has halved since 1980. (Source:ChristianAid)
Organizations that support MDG #8:
Episcopal Relief and Development - Learn about ERD's work with MDG #8 here.
Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation -- EGR works across the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion to build partnerships to make God's mission of global reconciliation a reality.EGR's Fair Trade page (coming soon) -- full of loads of information about what Fair Trade is and how to support it.
Use CharityNavigator to search for and vet organizations that work toward this goal.
What One Can Do - Preach
Scripture that references our call to deal with other justly and create global partnerships:
Acts 2 – Story of Pentecost
Psalm 133:1 “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!”
Mark 6:7 “He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two.”
John 12:32 “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’
John 10:16 “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.”
1Corinthians 12:25-26 “that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Numbers 13:1-16 – Moses sends representatives of the 12 tribes together to spy on Canaan
Matthew 13:33 “ He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’”
Romans 13:1 “be subject to the governing authorities.”
For scriptural foundations for all 8 MDGs, click here for "The MDGs - Straight From Scripture"
For a comprehensive list of Peace and Justice related scriptures, click here.
What did we miss? Email us your scriptural references to our call to heal divisions among nations to create global partnership.
Sermons about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships:
Submit your sermons about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships.
What One Can Do - Activities
Ways you can make MDG #8 come alive for your congregation:
Submit your activities about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships.
What One Can Do - Children/Youth Activities
Ways you can make MDG #8 come alive for children and youth:
We Are the Body of Christ -- Consider, discuss and photograph what "partnership" and "cooperation" mean. (Page 12 - Kenyon Conference Children's Conference: Experiencing the MDGs)
We Are All Connected -- Create frames for photos of partnership to display reminders of the unity of our lives and goals. (Page 12 - Kenyon Conference Children's Conference: Experiencing the MDGs)
Submit your children's activities about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
Books about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships.
Inspiring Progress: Religions' Contribution to Sustainable Development by Gary Gardner - Explores how the world's religions have a calling to build societies both environmentally sustainable and socially just.
Fair Trade: A Beginner's Guide, by Jacqueline Decarlo - an easy-to-read primer on what fair trade is, why it's important and What One Person Can Do.
Making Globalization Work, by Joseph Stiglitz - the Nobel Prize-winning economist suggests a host of solutions by which globalization can be "saved from its advocates" and made safe and worthwhile for the poor and rich alike. Each chapter examines, in some depth, an obstacle to equitable globalization (the burden of massive national debt, for example) and provides a set of possible solutions (a return to countercyclical lending and development of international bankruptcy laws, for example). (Booklist)
The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time, by Jeffrey Sachs. - Economist Sachs outlines the various issues that contribute to the poverty trap of the one billion people that live on less than $1 a day as well as some cheap and easy solutions to address the problem.
The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good, by William Easterly - Easterly's response to Sach's ideas. A good book to read to learn the arguments against blindly throwing money at the world's poor and for carefully targeting bottom-up approaches.
What Can One Person Do: Faith to Heal a Broken World, by Sabina Alkire and Edmund Newell. - The best primer on the MDGs. A great mix of information, stories, statistics, prayers, resources, practical ideas and discussion questions. Perfect for individual or group study.
The Bottom Billion, by Paul Collier. - Accessible economics that explains how poor countries got there and are staying there.
Ending Global Poverty: A Guide to What Works, by Stephen C. Smith. - Smith outlines the issues related to poverty and what readers can do to help overcome the crisis.
Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty, by Muhammad Yunus. 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner's memoir about his experiences with microcredit with the Grameen Bank.
Movies/video about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships.
Life and Debt (2001) - Documentary look at the effects of globalization on Jamaican industry and agriculture.
Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy (2002) - The history and impact of the new global economy are made clear--and compelling--in Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy. This three-part, six-hour documentary does an astonishingly thorough job of dissecting and explaining macroeconomics and their current political and social importance without ever causing a loss of consciousness for the viewer.
The Debt of Dictators (2005) - this Norwegian film (45 minutes) spotlights situations in Argentina, South Africa, and the Philippines where repressive regimes borrowed freely to supplement their goals, then left the more enlightened leaders who followed to pay off massive international debts while trying to help their people achieve democracy. Watch a clip on YouTube here. Find out more and order it here.
Damned by Debt Relief (2006) - focuses on Ghana, where the government took advantage of debt forgiveness policies enacted by the G8 countries but where many now feel that the strings attached to that forgiveness prevent Ghana from developing its own economic resources. Watch a short version of the film online here. Read a synopsis. Order the full 28-minute version here.
Blood Diamond (2006) - Leonardo DiCaprio stars in this compelling drama that is a great launching point for conversations not only about the terrible effects of global trade (particularly in gems) on indigenous peoples but also on the issues of child soldiers.
The Girl in the Cafe (2005) - A sweet romance set at a G8 Summit with the subtext being conversation and debate about the Millennium Development Goals. A good combination of passion and impassioned approaches tied up in a moving and entertaining package. A beautiful movie. (Some brief nudity - if you're showing this to a youth group, be aware)
Submit your books and movies about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
Click here for the reading list for the Rev. Ian Douglas' EDS course Contemporary Issues in World Christianity, which includes readings on globalization/international debt, the environmental crisis, HIV/AIDS and women's empowerment, the effect of colonialism and neo-colonialism and more.
Websites with more resources/activities about MDG #8
endpoverty2015.org - The Millennium Campaign's MDG #8 page
http://www.povertymap.net/ - great library of poverty maps and other useful resources
OneWorld.UK -- a page full of good, basic information on what foreign aid is and how it works.
DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade Africa) -- Bono's organization committed to fair trade and poverty reduction in Africa
www.borgenproject.org -- poverty reduction through political accountability. Great eye-opening statistics and studies.
Submit your website suggestions about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
What One Person Can Do
Stories about One Person working to eradicate divisions among nations to create global partnership
Submit your One Person stories about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
What One Congregation Can Do
Stories about One Congregation working to eradicate divisions among nations to create global partnership
Submit your One Congregation stories about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
What One Diocese Can Do
Stories about One Diocese working to eradicate divisions among nations to create global partnership
Submit your One Diocese stories about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
What One Church Can Do
Stories about The Episcopal Church working to eradicate divisions among nations to create global partnership
Submit your stories about The Episcopal Church dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
What One Has Said
Quotes about dealing with one another justly and creating global partnerships
"Goods produced under conditions which do not meet a rudimentary standard to decency should be regarded as contraband and not allowed to pollute the channels of international commerce." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Submit your favorite quotes about dealing with each other justly and creating global partnerships, here.
