By The Editor | October 11th, 2007 | 0 comments

From the ONE Campaign:

City to support the fight against global disease and extreme poverty

Columbia, S.C. – In a City Hall press conference today Mayor Bob Coble signed a proclamation officially designating Columbia as a “ONE City.” Columbia joins hundreds of cities, state and colleges across the United States as “ONE Cities, States and Colleges” in support of the fight against global disease and extreme poverty.

“I am delighted that the City of Columbia has the opportunity to become a ONE City,” said Mayor Coble. “We look forward to working with ONE Vote ‘08 to spread the message that as communities here in America our voices and efforts can make a difference in addressing world poverty and disease.”

As a “ONE City” Columbia will play a vital role in the 2008 presidential primary process as it hosts candidates from both parties on a near weekly basis.

The text of the proclamation is as follows:

WHEREAS, healthy people and healthy communities are the centerpiece of any strong and vibrant society;

WHEREAS, Americans from the City of Columbia are among the most compassionate people in the world;

WHEREAS, every three seconds a child dies from illnesses associated with extreme poverty;

WHEREAS, nearly a billion people live on less than $1 a day;

WHEREAS, an estimated 16,000 children die each day in the poorest countries of the world;

WHEREAS, ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History is an effort by Americans to rally Americans, ONE by ONE, to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease globally;

WHEREAS, increasing our efforts will save millions of lives and improve the way America is seen throughout the world;

WHEREAS, directing additional resources for basic needs – education, health, clean water, food and care for orphans – would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries; and

WHEREAS, ONE is an unprecedented non-partisan American movement and part of a fast-growing global movement to end extreme poverty;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert D. Coble

do hereby proclaim our community to be a

ONE City.

I encourage everyone to recognize the devastating impact extreme poverty and preventable disease have globally and to take action in our local community to bring about change around the world.

Learn more about the ONE Campaign at www.ONE.org.