By Pascale Palmer, guest blogger from Caritas England and Wales (CAFOD) I stood 30 feet from President Barack Obama yesterday. It’s the first time in my life that when someone (I didn’t know personally) entered the room, I felt the right thing to do was stand up and cheer. Luckily CAFOD’s head of policy stopped [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘G8 L'Aquila’
July 9, 2009
G8: La bella Italia
The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is the premier of a gob-smackingly beautiful country. In fact it is well beyond beautiful in parts – it is that awe-inspiring notion of the sublime where man is swallowed up by the immensity of mountain and alluvial plain, and senses his smallness, the presence of God, his place [...]
July 9, 2009
G8: Trials and tribulations
It is actually a two-hour coach ride between our accommodation and the G8 summit. From the half-built Mediterranean Village in Chieti, which is gearing up for the Mediterranean Games, it is a slow 100km to L’Aquila. Yesterday we had Carabinieri and police escorts all the way and I think the route may have had restricted [...]
July 9, 2009
Nobody expects much from the G8!
By Pascale Palmer There were a lot of rumours flying round the G8 yesterday as world leaders fought it out at the negotiating table. China left due to the riots at home, and with them exited a major player on climate. But despite the conflicting whispers, most of what we were hearing sounded pretty grim [...]
July 6, 2009
G8: The much talked up whole country approach misses the point
The Italian government is seeking to promote a new assessment instrument at the G8 – a ‘whole of country’ approach to development. This would include other contributions to international development that come from G8 countries, from other sources like the private sector and civil society ranging from trade and investment to remittances.
July 6, 2009
Pope calls on G8 to hear the voice of Africa and the poor
The full text of the pope’s letter (care of an National Catholic Reporter translation from the original Italian) To Silvio Berlusconi, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Honorable Mr. President: In view of the upcoming G8 meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the group of most industrialized countries, which will [...]
