These banners were created by participants of the Mission of the Holy Spirit.
More than one billion people – one-sixth of the world’s population – live each day under the weight of extreme poverty. While income poverty is part of the problem, the dimensions of human poverty are much greater. Pandemic disease, widespread conflict, environmental degradation, chronic hunger, and a lack of access to education are all both causes and effects of human poverty. In order to meet the challenge of addressing global poverty in all its dimensions, world leaders in 2000 created the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight quantifiable targets designed to cut poverty in half by the year 2015. The MDGs envision rich and poor nations working together in partnership to combat poverty.
Goal 1 - End Extreme Hunger and Poverty
“Every time I eat from this bowl, I think of all the hungry beings of the world and how blessed I am” — Thich Nhat Hanh
In 2005, 1.4 billion people lived on $1.25 or less a day. 10 million die every year of hunger and hunger-related diseases. Rising food prices may push 100 million people deeper into poverty. The piece was created using paint, paper, glue, glitter, and a variety of methods to create a powerful image of thankfulness and prayer combined.
“Every time I eat from this bowl, I think of all the hungry beings of the world and how blessed I am” — Thich Nhat Hanh
In 2005, 1.4 billion people lived on $1.25 or less a day. 10 million die every year of hunger and hunger-related diseases. Rising food prices may push 100 million people deeper into poverty. The piece was created using paint, paper, glue, glitter, and a variety of methods to create a powerful image of thankfulness and prayer combined.
Goal 2 - Achieve Universal Primary Education
Globally, 570 million children are enrolled in school. The number of children of primary school age who were out of school fell from 103 million in 1999 to 73 million in 2006. In that year, primary school enrollment in developing countries reached 88 per cent on average, up from 83 per cent in 2000. After discussing which part of their education they value most each child created a section of this piece. As the pieces grew together we realized how fortunate we are to have such a broad opportunity and how important that is for our future.
Globally, 570 million children are enrolled in school. The number of children of primary school age who were out of school fell from 103 million in 1999 to 73 million in 2006. In that year, primary school enrollment in developing countries reached 88 per cent on average, up from 83 per cent in 2000. After discussing which part of their education they value most each child created a section of this piece. As the pieces grew together we realized how fortunate we are to have such a broad opportunity and how important that is for our future.
Goal 3 - Promote Gender Equality And Empower Women
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015. The young people decided to take this a step further. This piece represents their belief that regardless of gender, size, color, creed or any other difference, joining together in community produces a silver lining of beauty.
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015. The young people decided to take this a step further. This piece represents their belief that regardless of gender, size, color, creed or any other difference, joining together in community produces a silver lining of beauty.
Goal 4 - Reduce Child Mortality
Stand in front of this hanging for seven and a half minutes. A handprint represents each child that dies every three seconds due to extreme poverty between the ages of birth and five. One hundred and fifty hands created this piece.
Stand in front of this hanging for seven and a half minutes. A handprint represents each child that dies every three seconds due to extreme poverty between the ages of birth and five. One hundred and fifty hands created this piece.
Goal 5 - Improve Maternal Health
“Faith” Prayers For My Unborn Baby
Every year, more than 1 million children are left motherless and vulnerable because of maternal death. Children who have lost their mothers are up to 10 times more likely to die prematurely than those who have not. Faith’s dress was created from torn prayer flags and paper lunch bags. She holds prayer beads over her womb as she prays for health and life for her and other unborn babies.
Goal 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria And Other Diseases
Every day, nearly 7,500 people are infected with HIV and 5,500 die from AIDS. Globally, an estimated 33 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2007. Malaria kills over 1 million people annually, 80 per cent of whom are children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. There continue to be between 350 million and 500 million cases of malaria worldwide each year.
Goal 7 - Ensure Environmental Sustainability
About 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and 2.5 billion lack access to basic sanitation services. Created entirely from scraps of paper, gum wrappers, coffee holders left over paint from other projects and other thrown away items this piece depicts clean water, air and environmental abundance.
Goal 8 - Develop A Global Partnership for Development
In developed countries, 58 percent of people used the Internet in 2006, compared to 11 percent in developing countries and 1 percent in the least developed countries. This weaving is crafted from discarded office supplies consisting of wires, internet cables, computer discs and other found objects. The group created this piece to ponder the concept of our unlimited technological resources in the US and how sharing resources could change us all globally.
“Faith” Prayers For My Unborn Baby
Every year, more than 1 million children are left motherless and vulnerable because of maternal death. Children who have lost their mothers are up to 10 times more likely to die prematurely than those who have not. Faith’s dress was created from torn prayer flags and paper lunch bags. She holds prayer beads over her womb as she prays for health and life for her and other unborn babies.
Goal 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria And Other Diseases
Every day, nearly 7,500 people are infected with HIV and 5,500 die from AIDS. Globally, an estimated 33 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2007. Malaria kills over 1 million people annually, 80 per cent of whom are children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. There continue to be between 350 million and 500 million cases of malaria worldwide each year.
Goal 7 - Ensure Environmental Sustainability
About 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and 2.5 billion lack access to basic sanitation services. Created entirely from scraps of paper, gum wrappers, coffee holders left over paint from other projects and other thrown away items this piece depicts clean water, air and environmental abundance.
Goal 8 - Develop A Global Partnership for Development
In developed countries, 58 percent of people used the Internet in 2006, compared to 11 percent in developing countries and 1 percent in the least developed countries. This weaving is crafted from discarded office supplies consisting of wires, internet cables, computer discs and other found objects. The group created this piece to ponder the concept of our unlimited technological resources in the US and how sharing resources could change us all globally.