Absolute Ambition

Author: JESSICA SINGLETON '08.5 and DAVID HOPKINS '06.5

On behalf of the Roosevelt Institution, we would like to congratulate the organizers of Midd8, faculty and staff participants, and those students who have joined our efforts to promote the United Nations Millennium Goals.

The UN unveiled the eight Millennium Goals at the turn of the century as a galvanizing effort extending the resources of the richest to the world's poorest. Ambitious and bold? Absolutely. And the only way to succeed is to let ambition drive our thoughts to action. As citizens of our world community, we should interpret this declaration as an opportunity to participate in dialogues for peace, to promote universal human rights and education, and to produce environmental solutions for the sustainability of our planet. The goals, eight grand visions for a better future, give purpose to international cooperative networks in the next 10 years. Governments, nonprofits and international corporations are working to implement these goals, though they often neglect students' ideas. But what Midd8 has so effectively proven is that students are also an integral factor in this equation.

The Roosevelt Institution, the nation's first student think tank, provides a venue through which you can contribute to the work of the Millennium Goals on campus. The International Affairs Center of the institution is working toward the eighth goal to create Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development within four regions of the world, including combating poverty in South America, promoting civic engagement in the Middle East, providing healthcare in Africa and establishing education in Asia.

The Roosevelt Institution interprets these goals as our opportunity to contribute to the positive changes of today. We are a student think tank, and thus deeply understand the importance of engaging students and incorporating their ideas into the future plans of global development. Take the first step. We would like to invite you to a panel discussion engaging Middlebury students on these issues, April 28 in the Robert A. Jones '59 House at 4:30.

Our world needs time, money and good ideas to solve its problems. We can cover the good ideas. We're a think tank-that's what we do.