What is Unique About January 1, 2016?

In most of the world’s countries, January 1 is celebrated as New Year’s Day. There may be large gatherings with parades, fireworks, or other festivities. Many people do not go to work or school. Often they think about what will be happening in the year ahead. In many Christian churches and other faith traditions, there will be emphasis on the subject.

I spend a lot of time trying to keep up with news events by watching television, reading, and using the internet. Yet I did not find any public mention (at least in the major media) indicating that yesterday was the end of a special era and that today is the beginning of another in regard to the developing world.

If you looked at the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) category of my HelpingWorldwide.org website, you may know where I am going with this story. The MDG’s was a special project that went from 2000 through 2015 “to reverse the grinding poverty, hunger and disease affecting billions of people.” Happily, much has been accomplished in that regard, but much more remains to be done.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) came out of a series of U.N. conferences and meetings seeking to deal with 17 major goals between now and 2030. The first two focus on (1) no more poverty; (2) zero hunger. There is not enough room in this blog for the others, but you can find them at www.globalgoals.org

I hope that you will take some time to learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and see what you can do to help them be realized.

Happy New Year!