On November 11th, the United Nations Millennium Campaign in Portugal, Objectivo 2015, joined Pobreza Zero (the Global Call to Action against Poverty in Portugal), Micah Challenge and Africa-Europe Faith & Justice Network for a joint hearing with Portugal’s President, Aníbal Cavaco Silva. The president listened carefully to reports about the growing threats to global prosperity — namely the negative impacts of the food and financial crises on the world’s poorest.

The civil society organizations also presented the results of “Stand Up and Take Action” to the President. On October 17-19, 93,000 people in Portugal Stood Up against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals, an increase from 65,000 participants last year. Additionally, the organizations presented an Open Letter Against Poverty and Inequality, signed by 280 faith-based Portuguese organizations, as an outcry for policy change.

Portugal’s President also participated in the UN High Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in New York on September 25, 2008, citing the challenges to meeting the Millennium Development Goals focused on education and health.