Archbishop Attends United Nations To Urge Global Deal

Dr. Sentamu will be part of a Panel Presentation on "Education for All" at the UN Secretariat Conference where he will be joined on the panel by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former US President Bill Clinton. Dr. Sentamu will later attend a meeting to discuss collaboration on MDGs and peace building.

The Archbishop of York will also preach at a special service of "Recommitment and Witness to the Achievement of the MDGs" hosted by the Anglican Communion at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, which will be attended by the Secretary of State for Development, the Rt. Hon Douglas Alexander.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has called the summit to enable world leaders and others will discuss the progress toward achieving the MDGs and the efforts that will still be needed to accomplish them.

The Anglican Communion recently highlighted the need for Governments to take their commitments to MDGs seriously with a demonstration through central London during the Lambeth Conference on July 24^th of this year, which was addressed by the Prime Minister.  

In their reflection documents at the end of the Lambeth Conference, the Bishops of the Provinces of the Communion called for "a day of prayer and fasting and witness on 25th September 2008 when there is a special session of the United Nations to discuss the Millennium Development Goals."

Speaking ahead of his departure Dr. Sentamu said: "I am indebted to the Secretary General of the UN and the President of the General Assembly for convening this much needed event. As Ban Ki-moon has previously said, together we must make this year one of unprecedented progress for the poorest of the poor, so that we can achieve these goals by 2015. For the first time in modern history this generation has the technology, medicine and knowledge to achieve these goals. Now we need the political will to make them happen."