The Greatest Challenge the World Faces

In 2002, former President, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his accomplishments fighting poverty and disease.  Here is an excerpt from his acceptance speech..."the greatest challenge that the world faces ...the most serious and universal problem is the growing chasm between the richest and poorest people on the earth.  Citizens of the ten wealthiest countries are now seventy-five times richer than those who live in the ten poorest ones, and the separation is increasing every year.  The results of this disparity are root causes of most of the world's unresolved problems, including starvation, illiteracy, environmental degradation, violent conflict and unnecessary illness."  Jimmy Carter spoke to the world at a time of heightened concern with terrorism...he chose to call out poverty as our biggest challenge.  The great news is that the odds are in our favor....there is sufficient wealth to solve all of the world's poverty.    The world will be a kinder and gentler place if we all lovingly shared the cloths, the bread and the blanket we each have.  Together we can change the world.