Arigatou International joined over 50 global organisations and religious leaders in expressing formal support for the process to end extreme poverty by 2030, led by the World Bank Group’s 188 member countries.

Through the joint statement, Ending Extreme Poverty: A Moral and Spiritual Imperative, Arigatou International’s President, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto, made a commitment to end child poverty and all other forms of poverty, by undersigning and endorsing the statement.

“As leaders from diverse religious traditions, we share a compelling vision to end extreme poverty by the year 2030. For the first time in human history, we can do more than simply envision a world free of extreme poverty; we can make it a reality… We commit to working together to end the scandal of extreme poverty.” The leaders declared. “Poverty’s imprisonment of more than a billion men, women and children must end. Now is the time to boldly act to free the next generation from extreme poverty’s grip”, the statement further affirmed.

According to the World Bank Group and faith leaders, the Moral Imperative statement seeks to generate the necessary social and political will by inspiring greater commitments from others to join in this cause, tapping into many of the shared convictions and beliefs that unify the world’s major religions around the call and responsibility to combat poverty.

Read the full statement, released on 9 April 2015, here.

Learn more about the World Bank Group’s Faith Initiative.