Press release 22 September 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Gunilla Carlsson to be awarded an MDG 3 Champion Torch for her work for the UN Millennium Development Goals

Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson is being awarded an MDG 3 Champion Torch for her work to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, which is one of the UN Millennium Development Goals. The presentation will take place ahead of the follow-up meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in New York later this week.

"Obviously I am pleased and grateful to be awarded this torch. Sweden is making a strong contribution to attaining all the Millennium Development Goals but more remains to be done. During my visit to New York I want to draw particular attention to the goals relating to gender equality and empowering women and also to climate and environmental issues," says Ms Carlsson.

Ms Carlsson is receiving the torch for her work in the network she is a member of to progress Millennium Development Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women. The MDG 3 Champion Torch is a Danish initiative, so Ms Carlsson will receive the award at the Danish Embassy at Jacobs Torg 1, Stockholm on Tuesday 23 September at 13.45. Media are welcome.

The next day Ms Carlsson will travel to the UN meeting in New York on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. There Ms Carlsson will meet Charlotte Petri-Gornitzka, Secretary General of the International Save the Children Alliance, specifically to draw attention to the vulnerable situation of children and women.

In addition, Ms Carlsson will also take part in a round table on environmental sustainability, which is Millennium Development Goal 7. There she will take up the work now being done in the International Commission on Climate Change and Development, which Ms Carlsson chairs. She will also inform participants about the special funding of SEK 4 billion for climate-proof aid that the Government is launching in the Budget Bill.