The Words of the Helland Family
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The Words of the Helland Family |
From August 30 to September 1, more than 1,600 delegates from over 70 nations, representing 350 NGOs, met in Melbourne, Australia for the 63rd Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference. The theme of this year's conference was Advance Global Health, Achieve the MDGs. This is the 3rd Annual DPI/NGO conference to be held outside New York. The location gave many NGOs in the Pacific region the opportunity to participate and network. WFWPI set up an exhibit for the conference on Indigenous Health also showcasing the many WFWPI projects and activities worldwide aimed at creating community health and wellbeing. Seven delegates from WFWPI Australia attended.
Dr. Mary Norton, the chair of the conference, outlined her desire for a broad and holistic approach to health in the Vision Statement stating that this Conference should emphasize the multidisciplinary, multifaceted issues in fostering health, not just managing disease. A sentiment Princess Muna al-Hussein of Jordan, honorary advisor to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centers for Nursing Development, commended in her address during the closing ceremony via video message. Throughout the conference this diverse approach was evident, the goal being to achieve a sense of wellbeing for all. As it has been pointed out by both the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan: "Health is the tie that binds all of the Millennium Development Goals together. If we fail to meet our target on health, we will never overcome poverty, illiteracy, achieve universal education and meet the other MDG challenges."#
Fifty five workshops were held over the 3 days covering a wide range of topics and 57 NGOs had exhibits presenting a good opportunity for NGOs to network, facilitating future partnering. The program also included 4 Round table sessions:
1. The Role of the NGOs and Civil Society in Helping Achieve the MDGs
2. Equity, Rights and Progress towards the MDGs
3. Strengthening an Integrated and Systems Approach to Achieving the Health MDGs
4. Achieving the MDGs in Our Changing World.
Delegates had the opportunity to put questions to the panel of speakers at the end of each session. During the conference delegates had the opportunity to comment on and contribute to the development of a Declaration which will be presented at the UN MDG Summit to be held September 20-22, 2010.
During the Closing session the delegates voted overwhelmingly in agreement with the final Declaration read out by the Conference Chair, Dr Mary Norton. Mr. Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision Australia, then put an unexpected proposal to the conference. The world seems to have a compassion blind spot with regard to the flood situation in Pakistan he said. For every $1 that Pakistan spends on public health they spend $3 on their national debt repayment. He proposed that a moratorium be placed on Pakistan#s debt repayment for the next 2 years while they recover from the natural disaster they are dealing with at present. The proposal received unanimous support; the room erupted into spontaneous applause and a standing ovation.
In the closing ceremony, former Australian Youth Ambassador to the UN, Christopher Varney spoke passionately, reminding us how close we are to 2015. We are not here for an end (of the conference) but this is a beginning. We have 5 years before 2015. From the commencement of this conference 3 days ago, 75,000 children have died a preventable death. We stand at a crossroads. Mr. Jeffery Huffines Chair, NGO/DPI Executive Committee, thanked the Indigenous leaders of Australia for blessing us by reminding us that it is on a spiritual foundation that our work, on behalf of suffering humanity, will bear the most enduring fruit".
Before closing, Mr. Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information and Dr Norton thanked participants and organizers and announced the location for next year's conference. The theme next year will be Sustainable Societies and the conference will be held in Bonn, Germany.