Africa Included


Feb 20th, 2009 3:23 PM EST
By Weldon Kennedy

Jessica, Emily, and I just returned from Number 10 Downing Street in London where we delivered two petitions to Gordon Brown. The first, was the Include Africa petition, asking the Prime Minister to invite a representative from the African Union (AU) to the G20 summit in April. 51,583 ONE members around the world, including 2,333 from right here in the United Kingdom.

Include Africa peition ready for deliveryHowever, while we were working with Downing Street to arrange delivery of that petition, the Prime Minister reached out to the AU at their annual summit, and invited them to participate in the G20 summit. Since we already had the delivery date for our original petition set, we thought that rather than just delivering our old petition, we’d add in a thank you note to the Prime Minister for taking the initiative. 32,319 ONE members around the world, including 1,104 in the UK, signed that thank you message.

Altogether we delivered around 2,000 sheets of signatures from tens of thousands of ONE members, all printed double sided to save some paper. I feel great knowing that because we all raised our voices together, there will now be a voice speaking on behalf of the 53 nations of the African Union at this important summit.

-Weldon Kennedy

Handing the over the petition

TAGS: G20 London 2009, ONE, ONE Members, Policy News, Prime Minister Gordon Brown

 

  1. ardisays: Feb 25th, 2009 8:38 AM EST

    February 25, 2009 at 8:38 am

    dear,friend
    i’m ardi from indonesia..i really want to be volunters but how is the way to become like that and you know i like to help people..

  2. Ghazala Chapmansays: Feb 25th, 2009 10:42 AM EST

    February 25, 2009 at 10:42 am

    I can never understand why the people of poorer countries do not take their destiny in their own hands and try to do things on their own shoulder, it’s often someone from the richer nations who comes in to worry about the rest of the humanity. I’m not suggesting here that people from industrialised nations should stop helping others less fortunate than themselvers, but I’m beginning to think perhaps it’s another way of humans to get gratification, ofcourse money is not every thing and when you do things for others you feel uplifted and it boosts one’s ego. So in nut shell one can say as we help others, we actually help ourselves….emotionally, spiritually and socially.
    How selfish the whole notion of helping becomes when you look at the human inner motives behind it.
    Africa has suffered enough as it is, I beg African leaders to be sincere to their respective countries and remove the terrible curse of hunger, disease and poverty from their continent.

  3. Oliver Ohene-Dokyisays: Feb 25th, 2009 12:28 PM EST

    February 25, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    Hello thanks to your comment here on one! I must confess to agree with parts of your opinion! Just because i am human!
    I grew up in germany and i was orn in kumasi ghana! my first and very emotional thoughts to your comment was ! it is different! africans and their leaders are different! they are warriors1 that’s what came to my mind first! isn’t that embaressing? See – i just got to see a discussion among “younger” and some more wise guys in doha! the topic was the unity of the arab nations and well look there, too1 they still seem to “like” their own conditions underneath dictatorships and endless actions of pure revenge!

    What is behind this and who is actually able to change it if not the people themselves?
    some young egypt grown , said he feel ashamed to be an arabperson because of the mentioned actions!
    how much sharity is truly intersting the people carry familiy tradition on their personal shoulders?
    Look i am a prince a grandson of a ghanian chief! what doesen’t mean i am rich, but that’s not what it’s about-just take a look to aristrocrats elsewhere-and what they try to keep alive! their status!!!

    let me go ahead! if prominent people interact giving and sharing while living in everything else but poor conditions , nothing will change! if any political leader needs to protect his life by tanklike cars, nothing will change!
    i am not going to donate a penny anymore, but i will share my wisdom!
    yours o.o.d.

  4. Oliver Ohene-Dokyisays: Feb 25th, 2009 12:32 PM EST

    February 25, 2009 at 12:32 pm

    The extra polished this is our homedoor- sucks!!!!!

  5. Samuel Kipsanmg Toweisays: Feb 26th, 2009 4:33 AM EST

    February 26, 2009 at 4:33 am

    Thanks for the work you do to help Africans where most people suffer because of extreme poverty. Many people have died because of hunger, chidren dropping out of school bercause of lack of school fees and others. Out of your work, many people will come out of the problem in reducing poverty level.

  6. sarahsays: Feb 26th, 2009 5:09 AM EST

    February 26, 2009 at 5:09 am

    Let’s not be selfish anymore! let’s make poverty history! I believe we’re gonna make it! Sarah from Italy.

  7. Prophet Priest Dominic Mweangi Gatumusays: Feb 26th, 2009 6:30 AM EST

    February 26, 2009 at 6:30 am

    Thank you for your good work for the poor community in Africa but the person who servers the most is the peasent who is living parmanent in the rural area doing his/her daily activities.Lets his /her voice be heard through his/her initiative organization but not their political leaders.

  8. roberto " bobby 63 "says: Feb 26th, 2009 8:43 AM EST

    February 26, 2009 at 8:43 am

    I think it is hard not to complain of poverty, while it is not easy to be proud of wealth, but I also believe that the voice of poverty is full of stimulation, ideas, and new concrete; poverty brings the best ideas and calls to the richness of listen, if you want to distribute better, about getting into the game with a different culture and sportsmanship.
    Beating poverty renders wealth and better now that wealth is in crisis, economic choices bizarre, considering the poor and the rich will return!

    For change and included Africa in the Motor of th World is a MUST, because we must remember that:

    L ‘Africa is the continent most worthy to live on our planet.
    Door and moves inside themselves all the wealth of human and animal kingdom smells and lights up our days. There are also four other continents to develop and drained the man, his instincts, his savings ….. but always from the ground or Masai, and a few cultural semiato gene from Timbuctu you must restart when the stink of the other continents have “ASPHYXIATING” man and his ideas
    The commitment of the institutions of all nations, the strength of all the world economies, support of science and medicine, Eastern and Western culture must reverse on ‘Africa all their passions and their availability.
    You can never remove those who rule the nations of that continent, but not about to use their own land, not developing and not distributing wealth and equality.
    Doing this is a civic duty!

    Good Life in Your Hand and your Mind !
    roberto bobby63 bianchi

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