Millennium Summit, 6-8 September 2000, New York
Background
Development goals for a new millennium
A celebrated and symbolic event, the start of a third millennium in the year 2000 gave the United Nations an opportunity to present a new development strategy for the changing realities and needs of the twenty-first century world.
A two-year international information campaign which began in 1998 preceded the Millennium Summit of 2000. The campaign's objectives were to consolidate the commitment of the international community and strengthen partnerships with governments and civil society to build a world with no one left behind. It also helped highlight the principle stated by the Secretary-General in his Millennium Report (A/54/2000), that 'we must put people at the center of everything we do'.
The Millennium Summit, held from September 6 to 8, 2000 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, was, at that time, the largest gathering of heads of state and government of all time. It concluded with the adoption by the 189 Member States of the Millennium Declaration, in which the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were set out:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development