(ANS - New York) – Today, 25 September, Pope Francis will speak at the Headquarters of the United Nations  and will open the Summit on Sustainable Development, which will approve the objectives of Sustainable Development that will govern the international action in the post-2015 period. 150 world leaders will attend the summit, which will launch a global programme for ending poverty. From a Salesian point of view, it highlights the importance of education as a key tool for achieving better development.

The challenges to be met by 2030 to achieve a more just world are summed up in the seventeen development goals agreed by the UN member states. The seventeen goals, and a total of 169 targets, were drawn up after numerous international meetings, with the participation of government institutions, UN agencies, private bodies and representatives of civil society.

Goal No. 4, "To guarantee quality education" recalls a key point for the development of peoples. Currently, over 58 million children and 65 million adolescents do not attend school.

"Over the past fifteen years we tried to ensure that many children would have access to primary education, and we did not stop to think about the conditions in which they received it." said Ana Muñoz, Spokesperson for Misiones Salesianas, the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid. "Hence the importance of the new goal which seeks to guarantee the quality of education. At the Salesian Missions Office we have made quality a hallmark of education, especially for more vulnerable children and young people. Quality education is essential if they are to take the necessary steps towards a better future."

The complex challenges that exist across the world mean that there is a wide range of issues to be covered. It is also essential to address the root causes of problems and not just the symptoms. The Millennium Development Goals were directed to developing countries, particularly the poorest, while the Sustainable Development Goals apply to all, rich and poor.

Published 25/09/2015