Bono and Bob Geldof React to High Level Event on Millennium Development Goals

Bono and Bob Geldof React to High Level Event on Millennium Development Goals

For Immediate Release:
25 September 2008

New York - Leaders from the worlds of politics, business, and civil society have injected new momentum today into efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals at a historically strategic moment.

Important commitments have been made in areas such as health and education.  Another positive development was the greater engagement of 'new' actors including some Gulf States.

Speaking at the end of the summit Bono said:

"A big day to big up the millennium development anti-poverty goals. Strong progress and commitments on malaria, education and healthcare workers - and a needed boost at a time when spirits might flag. We must recall the powerful vision laid out in 2000 and re-vision and re-describe to revivify this incredibly exciting global project. The last few days have re-injected momentum which must sweep on, collecting more support as it swells. Even in these tough times, this historic promise has never been more important to keep."

Bob Geldof said:

"It was a moment of great civilization when the Millennium Goals were set.  To fail would be a great failure of our civilization.  The steps made this week may seem unspectacular, but they did inject much needed new urgency into this bold project. Somebody's life just got better."