In anticipation of the upcoming G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ONE member Brian Thomas penned this great op-ed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ONE volunteers in Pennsylvania and all around the country have an incredibly important role to play in making sure the voices of the world’s poorest are heard at this summit, slated to begin on September 24th.

Excerpts below, full op-ed here

On Sept. 24, 2009, world leaders from the G-20 countries will gather in Pittsburgh to continue a conversation from April in London. The G-20 is a collection of some of the most powerful industrial countries, as well as some of the leading emerging economies, such as China, Brazil and South Africa. They meet against a backdrop of the worst global economic crisis in half a century.

Clearly critical issues need to be addressed in terms of how the financial crisis is affecting the citizens of these nations through falling housing values, rising unemployment and diminishing incomes. Yet the 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty around the world will likely suffer worst of all if not taken into consideration.

While social safety net programs and stimulus packages are implemented in the United States and other developed countries, poor countries don’t have the same options. The International Monetary Fund has warned that falling trade, remittances and foreign investment are threatening livelihoods in Africa. As a strategy for recovery is determined and acted upon, it must not be done at the expense of the world’s most vulnerable people.

During difficult times there is a temptation to look inward and ignore the needs of others. At the same time, providing for the poor remains central to the values that shape our ethics, our faith traditions, and our identity as citizens. This shared commitment to compassion and fairness is our best hope for finding a way forward in the midst of a struggling world economy.

-Chris Scott