Yesterday, the United Nations Millennium Campaign celebrated the opening of the new European regional office in Rome with a press conference and a cocktail party attended by key Millennium Campaign partners.
The successful opening event reinforced widespread support for the Millennium Campaign amongst the media, Civil Society Organizations, UN agencies, politicians and other significant Millennium Campaign Partners.
At the opening press conference Marina Ponti, the Campaign's Deputy Director for Europe who will lead the European regional office, explained the role of the new European office and presented the European campaign strategy: "The MDGs are achievable. But Europe and Italy have to not only devote more resources to the fight against poverty but also improve the effectiveness of aid. The European governments will move only if European citizens exert pressure. Making that happen will be the mission of the European Campaign: to mobilize citizens so that the international commitment becomes a reality".
Marina Ponti was joined by Eveline Herfkens, Mr James G. Butler, FAO Deputy General Director, and Patrizia Sentinelli, Italy's Deputy Minister of Development, Michele Candotti, General Director of WWF and Flavio Lotti, President of the Peace Round Table.
The Vice Minister for Development, Ms Sentinelli, recognized the crucial role played by the Millennium Campaign in improving development policy in Italy and Europe. Ms Sentinelli also said she is confident that the new headquarters in Italy will increase the impact of the Campaign on European policy-makers.
The cocktail which followed the press conference was attended by leading Italian partners including the Directors of RAI television, representatives from Grey advertising agency, and senior representatives from Oxfam International, WWF, Action Aid, Amnesty International, and Caritas International.
Partners expressed their support for the opening of the European Office in Rome which many believe will facilitate a closer relationship between the European Millennium Campaign and national level NGOs and CSO campaigns.
The cocktail event also provided an opportunity for the European Millennium Campaign to thank you European partners for their support of the Stand Up campaign and mobilization which takes place in October each year. Eveline Herfkens award Stand Up Certificates to key Italian partners who were instrumental in the mobilization of 750.000 people in Italy.
