MONTREAL, March 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Acting on the initiative of Daniel
Germain, Founding President of the Club des petits déjeuners du Québec and
Breakfast Clubs of Canada, this city will once again - for the third time -
host the Montreal Millennium Summit, on April 15 and 16 this year at the
Palais des congrès. Attendees at the third edition of this international
summit will include the key players in the field of social advocacy,
representing governments, civil society, academia and the world's biggest
humanitarian organizations. In working to build a major worldwide network for
exchange and cooperation, this forum will serve as a platform for building the
general population's awareness of the Millennium objectives, highlighting the
efforts of organizations working to improve our collective well-being,
inspiring the next generation to contribute to sustainable development and
suggesting initiatives to ensure more effective help is given to the planet's
most vulnerable inhabitants and children.
In November 2006, Montreal was the site of the first Millennium Promise
Conference. This forum for exchanges, which was renamed the "Montreal
Millennium Summit" in 2007, set itself the mission of instigating major
changes in order to meet the greatest challenges of the upcoming century,
which the United Nations defined as human development, sustainable
development, health and solidarity in September 2000.
Six years ahead of its target year (2015), the 2008 Millennium objectives
annual report highlights some major successes in achieving the following
goals: education for all, child mortality rates and combating HIV/AIDS and
other diseases. Progress against maternal health, however, is much less
illustrious, and the targets for the Summit's first objective - reducing
extreme poverty and hunger - may not be reached unless efforts are
intensified.
"With 1.4 billion human beings living in extreme poverty, 1 billion
without access to drinking water and 73 million children not attending school,
it's essential that we take action. The Montreal Millennium Summit represents
a timely opportunity to reflect collectively and propose real solutions. We
are all inhabitants of the same planet. We need to act to preserve it and
improve the fate of the human beings who share it with us," stressed Patrick
Huard, spokesperson for the 2009 Montreal Millennium Summit.
"Our governments have made a commitment to meet the Millennium objectives
by 2015. Everyone needs to get involved, in order to reach these goals. This
Summit is a venue that brings together all those who envision and are working
to build a better world... because once every five seconds, a child dies from
a poverty-related cause, be it hunger, contaminated water or an insect bite -
all of which are targeted by three of our Millennium objectives," explained
Daniel Germain, the Summit's Founding President.
"The government of Quebec is very proud to support the 2009 Montreal
Millennium Summit, which will provide an outstanding forum for discussion and
mobilization in the battle against poverty. This international gathering will
bring together speakers and participants to exchange ideas on experiences here
and abroad for their mutual benefit and will thereby reinforce our efforts to
help the families and children who need our support," said Sam Hamad, Minister
of Employment and Social Solidarity.
The intent of the 2009 Montreal Millennium Summit will be the same as
that of the two previous editions: to make the fight against poverty and
global development issues everyone's business. Influential people have the
power to educate and inspire others to become involved in practical,
meaningful actions that will instigate profound change and make a difference.
This year's organizers are putting together a Summit comprised of three
forums: expert sessions, the Youth Forum and a Conference open to the public.
Expert Sessions - Wednesday, April 15
The expert forum, elaborated in collaboration with CORIM (Le Conseil des
relations Internationales de Montréal), to be held on Wednesday, April 15,
will be directed primarily at up-and-coming local, national and international
members of civil society and academics, as well as decision-makers working for
foreign governments. The various meetings, focusing on the food crisis and the
potential role of civil society in achieving the Millennium Development goals,
will promote discussion among representatives of major organizations with a
view to sharing practices and developing concrete solutions.
The Youth Forum - Wednesday, April 15
The Youth Forum - a venue for more than 500 citizens of the future to
meet with and draw inspiration from some of the Summit's speakers - will be
run concomitantly with the expert forum. This forum is organized in
collaboration with Club 2/3 youth division of OXFAM Québec. To conclude the
event, the young people will be invited to meet and dialogue with the experts
at a final Summit gathering - a unique opportunity for these future
decision-makers.
Major Conference Open to the Public - Thursday, April 16
Following on the success of its previous editions, the high point of this
year's Summit will be the major conference on Thursday, April 16, which will
be open to the general public. The participatory format will provide members
of the public with an opportunity to listen and dialogue with the invited
speakers. This event, organized by Denis Bouchard, will bring together
high-level dignitaries, stakeholders directly involved in international
development as well as distinguished, world-renowned public personalities who
are committed to the cause. We will enjoy hearing from a number of guests,
including:
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
Sherin Ebadi: First Muslim woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
(2003)
Phil Fontaine: National Chief, Assembly of First Nations
Marc and Craig Kielburger: Nobel Peace Prize nominees, successful authors
and founders of Free the Children
Dr. Gilles Julien: Fondation pour la promotion de la pédiatrie sociale
Mia Farrow: Actress and UNICEF ambassador
Dominique Corti: Honorary President, Teasdale-Corti Foundation (Canada)
Salil Shetti: Director, UN Millennium Goals Campaign
Sylvie Bernier : Olympic gold medalist and Investors Group spokesperson
Panel:
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John Prendergast: Human rights activist
Peter Thum: Founder of Ethos Water and vice president, Starbucks
Caroline Baron: Producer and Founder, FilmAid
Nick Clooney: Reporter and Summit moderator
and representatives from FAO, World Bank and World Food Program.
The Summit is extending its scope this year, presenting a conference in
Quebec City, on April 16, in conjunction with the Fondation communautaire du
Grand Québec. Dan Bigras and Craig Kielburger will speak to an audience of
more than 300 people from academia and the corporate world.
For more information about guests and speakers at this event, and to find
out how to purchase tickets, please visit the 2009 Montreal Millennium Summit
website at: http://www.milleniumsummit.ca/
With more than 3,000 attendees expected, the Summit organizers
wholeheartedly invite members of the general public, development professionals
and businesspeople to attend this unifying event en masse.
The 2009 Montreal Millennium Summit is presented by Investors Group
Financial Services in partnership with the Government of Quebec.
For further information: Bouba Slim, Roy & Turner Communications, (514)
286-1004, ext. 24, bouba@boubaslim.com; Isabelle Longtin, Roy & Turner
Communications, (514) 844-9678, ext. 207, ilongtin@roy-turner.com
