Irish church leaders joined forces today to lend their support to the MakePovertyHistory campaign.
Senior clergy from the Catholic, Protestant and other churches released a joint statement stressing the need to support the initiative.
“Every day over 30,000 children die as a result of extreme poverty and injustice. That's one child every three seconds,” they said.
“Most of these deaths are preventable. We have the resources, knowledge and technology to end this human tragedy - but we need more political will to make it happen.
“There are encouraging signs that this is happening, but more needs to be done. Building that political will means each one of us making our voice heard.”
Catholic Primate of All Ireland Sean Brady, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin John Neill and President of the Methodist Church in Ireland Des Bain are among the senior churchmen who have put their names to the document.
“In Ireland, an unprecedented group of NGOs, trade unions, religious congregations and community groups have joined forces ahead of the G8 in Gleneagles to form a coalition - MakePovertyHistory Irish campaign,” they said.
“It is part of the Global Call to Action against Poverty - a massive movement of people who share a vision of a better world. All these people are united by a common symbol - a white band.
“We are happy to endorse the aims of the MakePovertyHistory Irish campaign: to work for trade justice, to drop the unpayable debts of poor countries and to meet our international obligations on aid, ensuring it is well spent to reduce poverty.”
The letter urged support for the MakePovertyHistory Irish campaign rally in Dublin city centre on Thursday night at 6.30pm.
“It is an important moment to call for an end to injustice and make our voices heard ahead of the G8,” they said.
“It is also a chance to send a clear message to the Government that its commitment to making poverty history matters to the people of Ireland.
“We would encourage as many people as possible to show their solidarity with the world's poor and to come along to the rally.
“Signed: The Rev Des Bain, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, The Most Rev Sean Brady, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, Rachel M. Bewley-Bateman, Clerk of Ireland Yearly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends, Major Margaret Fozzard, Major, Dublin City Corps, The Salvation Army, The Most Rev John Kirby, Bishop of Clonfert, Chairman of Trocaire, The Most Rev Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, The Rev Dr Fritz Meyer, Pastor, Lutheran Church in Ireland, The Most Rev John Neill, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, The Rt Rev Michael Mayes, C of I Bishop of Limerick, Vice Chair of Christian Aid Ireland, Dr Martin Sauter, Chair of the Dublin Council of Churches, Fr Calin Florea, Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland.”
PA