CELEBRITIES JOIN GLOBAL GOALS CAMPAIGN

USPA NEWS - Drawing on her three month experience in New York with international NonGovernment Organisation, The Global Poverty Project, Perth born and educated Caterina Sullivan has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the just incorporated Global Goals Australia.

The new non-profit organisation has been formed to promote the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development announced by the United Nations in September 2015. The Global Goals aim to eliminate poverty, promote equality and fix climate change by 2030. These goals were signed off by 193 countries including Australia, represented by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. “I was disappointed when I returned to Australia last year and saw how little awareness there was of the Global Goals here compared to overseas,“ Ms Sullivan said. “I decided that we needed to create a non-political force to ensure government in Australia acted on the commitment we had made at the United Nations General Assembly“. Ms Sullivan believes there in a misunderstanding at all levels of government of how the Global Goals apply to developed countries as much as undeveloped countries.

“There are 169 targets underpinning the 17 Global Goals and there is no way we meet all of them,“ she says. “Poverty still exists in Australia; there is still inequality; we have only just begun to work on climate change, and there is still much to do to preserve our waterways and protect our natural environment.“ Global Goals Australia is being funded by Australian businesses that have made a commitment to the Global Goals. The group launched its in-depth website this month. Caterina Sullivan has teamed up with two Sydney businessmen to get the Global Goals Australia Campaign off the ground.

“Many businesses in Australia have embraced the need for sustainable development and have implemented policies and procedures to bring about change, “ Ms Sullivan said. “CEO of Rio Tinto, Sam Walsh has publicly stated his biggest challenge is to ensure sustainable development whilst NAB has recently changed all lights in their Melbourne headquarters to low emission LEDs, and ANZ have implemented a strong gender equality program.“ According to Ms Sullivan her campaign will be very social media based. “We are working very closely with UK based and UN sanctioned Project Everyone under the banner Tell Everyone because the achievement of the Global Goals by 2030 is the responsibility of everyone.“ Project Everyone is the creation of Mr Bean, Love Always and Four Weddings and A Funeral screenwriter Richard Curtis. “I am very grateful for Richard´s commitment to the Global Goals and his ongoing support, and I am sure we will gain momentum very quickly,“ Ms Sullivan said.

Caterina Sullivan will be based in Canberra now that Global Goals Australia is operating. She has spent the last three months at her parent´s Mt Hawthorn home preparing for the exciting challenge ahead. The twenty year old was educated at Aranmore Catholic Primary School and completed her International Baccalaureate at the International School of WA in City Beach. “I moved to Canberra three years ago to study and work but I still love to come home to Perth. I miss our wonderful beaches, sailing with my dad and my beautiful family,“ she said. Prior to going to New York, Caterina Sullivan was Swim School Coordinator at the Australian Institute of Sport. She said she loved her time at AIS but her heart was always set on a career in international justice. Spending a day with Caterina Sullivan she proves that no matter what age you are you can make a difference. To have the backing and support of millions of people from around the world in such a short time is an achievement in itself , She is a 'Fire Starter' . The light that she is shining follows the ethos of many corporations throughout the World . We light a fire, we nurture that fire, we share the light, the heat, the warmth and we form a community spirit. Global Goals has done just that and with the support of the millions that now know about this amazing 'fire starter'. We can look forward to a world so different by 2030. Adopt your 'Global Goals' be a part of this amazing campaign to rid out planet of poverty and hunger. Mother Teresa once said ,"we think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."