In December 2008, Frères des Hommes launched an open letter to President Obama across the world. A month later, nearly 1200 signatures have been collected. In total, some 60 countries have taken part in this action.
The letter was given to President Obama shortly after his inauguration, together with a poster that synthetizes the initiative and features all signatories and their country of origin. [Click here to download it-img1731].
The election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States caused a wave of emotion as large as its historical significance to sweep throughout the world.
It is indeed impossible not to see here the outcome of Martin Luther King’s non-violent struggle for the recognition of the civil rights of black populations, and more broadly, a significant and symbolic step in the century-long march to establish equality in dignity and rights for all human beings throughout the world, without any distinction. A new era began on January 20, 2009. In the name of this principle of equality, what matters now is no longer the person’s skin colour, but the values that guide the action of the president, Barack Obama.
This is the message addressed by the signatories of the open letter that Frères des Hommes circulated during the international campaign Disarmament to combat poverty, to the new president of the United States. Over 1200 citizens from more than 62 different countries thus acted as the ambassadors of those populations, which are waiting for the fight against poverty to supersede the arms race.
While the UN secretary general deplores that the financial commitments to fight poverty included in the Millenium Development Goals are still not being honoured by the Member States;
While UNDP and World Bank leaders worry about the growing gap between the huge public expenditure lavished on weaponry and the modest credits allocated to development; The United States, lead by Barack Obama, can play a major role, equal to their international weight and responsibilities, by committing to slow down the arms race and to lessen inequalities in order to improve a durably global social climate.
Click here for more details on the campaign “Disarm to fight poverty.”
Alternatively, you can contact Jean Pierre Dardaud and Bénédicte Roget
