An Open Letter to World Leaders, Cc: Everyone Else

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/28129-an-open-letter-to-world-leaders-cc-everyone-else


Malala Yousafzai. (Photo: Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA)

An Open Letter to World Leaders, Cc: Everyone Else

By Malala Yousafzai and Friends, Reader Supported News
18 January 15

Dear world leaders,

There are moments in history that mark a turning point. In our view, 2015 will be such a time. The most important year in terms of global policy decisions since the beginning of the millennium.
We believe it is possible to complete in 2015 with a new global agreement, a consensual path toward a better and safer future for the planet and its people, a future that will inspire the confidence of all citizens. If we do not seize this opportunity, we may regret it for generations. Which side of history you place yourself?
It rises millions of voices that you cannot afford to ignore. These are the voices of the people you represent.

People of all ages living in the four corners of the planet. The voice of a young girl who cannot go to school ... that of a woman pregnant with private health care ... those young people without access to decent work ... a family owned a minority fearing discrimination of corrupt officials ... the voices of farmers, climate refugees, forced to migrate to cities ... voices from the other billion. And these voices will sound increasingly strong protest against the inequalities and injustices that keep people in poverty. These people -and all that soutiennent- the call to create a new leading global contract for all humanity, then implement it together. The good news is that 2015 offers you this opportunity, this historic opportunity.

Two UN summits, of paramount importance, will take place this year. At the first, in September, the countries of the world will agree on new goals for eradicating extreme poverty, reducing inequalities and build a more sustainable planet. The second summit in December, will be devoted to the climate.It will provide an opportunity to ensure that the welfare of the current generation is not ensured at the expense of our children's future.

Associated with each other, such opportunities did not represent twice. The efforts already made in the fight against AIDS, malaria and preventable diseases as well as to preserve the ozone taught us that acting sleep together, we can accomplish so much. Yet while a few months separate us from these summits, few leaders assume for now their role to meet the challenges. On the climate front, we see progress, which remain inadequate. Discussing development objectives are themselves extremely ambitious but remain a dead letter without courageous financial commitments and a detailed action plan decided at the highest level.

If this situation does not change in the weeks and months to come, we fear that you and all your colleagues do not end like sleepwalkers, by directing the world to one of the most spectacular failures of History recent.

There is still time to seize the opportunity that presents itself to you. We ask you to lead the march forward. To be clear, the decisions we make in 2015 will determine the world we live for decades to come. We urge you to take the right direction.

- Aamir Khan, actor and activist, India
- Angélique Kidjo, songwriter and activist, Benin
- Annie Lennox, musician and activist, UK
- Ben Affleck, actor, director and founder of Eastern Congo Initiative, USA
- Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA
- Bono, lead singer of U2 and co-founder of ONE and (RED), Ireland
- Shakira, singer and activist, Colombia
- Dbanj, musician and activist, Nigeria
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, South Africa
- Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister, Norway
- Hugh Jackman, actor, Australia
- Kid President Brad Montague, founder and Robby Novak, actor, USA
- Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Earth Institute and author of "The Age of Sustainable Development", USA
- Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia founder, USA
- Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 and director of the Nobel Women's Initiative, United UNite
- José Padilha, director, Brazil
- Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Prize for Peace in 2011, Liberia
- Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of Malala Fund and Nobel Peace Prize 2014, Pakistan
- Mary Robinson, President Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice, Ireland
- Matt Damon, actor and founder of Water.org, USA
- Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA
- Mia Farrow, actress and activist, USA
- Mo Ibrahim, philanthropist and activist, Sudan / United Kingdom
- Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize 2006, Bangladesh
- Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Jordan
- Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, USA
- Ricken Patel, President and Director Executive Avaaz, Canada
- Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, Australia
- Sting, musician, singer, songwriter and activist, United Kingdom
- Ted Turner, Chairman of the UN Foundation, USA
- Wagner Moura, actor, Brazil
- Yvonne Chaka Chaka, President of the Foundation Princess of Africa, South Africa

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely Granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.

© 2015 Reader Supported News

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"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs