United Nations Millennium Development Goals

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals were developed out of the United Nations Millennium Declaration , a resolution adopted by the General Assembly on September 18, 2000. The General Assembly came together on that date to "establish a just and lasting peace all over the world" and to "uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level". They discussed the fundamental values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature, and shared responsibility.
Out of that initiative, eight Millennium Development Goals were developed. The eight goals are the following:

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

Here on "Let It Shine", I would like to periodically post on what we can do on an individual level to help support these goals. I think the goals are a wonderful unifying point for collective action to create a more peaceful and just world. Sometimes I will just write a sentence or two, or point to a website, and sometimes I will try to focus more deeply on a goal. I would also love to have guest bloggers on these goals.

For my first posting I would like to point my readers to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals website. There is a wealth of information on the goals, how you can help, and even a detailed study of the state of these goals in 2008. The goals are broken down into targets for action, with detailed ideas on the steps that need to be taken on every level. They are achievable and practical only if we work together as a world community. Working together, we can "make it happen"!