World Humanitarian Summit: ‘What will this summit deliver beyond words?’

ISTANBUL, Turkey (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Governments, aid agencies, businesses and others involved in responding to crises will meet in Istanbul on Monday and Tuesday at the first global summit to improve the humanitarian system.

The World Humanitarian Summit will not produce a binding agreement, but the different parts of the aid community will make commitments on ways to reduce suffering from conflicts and disasters, and deliver emergency relief more effectively.

Here’s a selection of what humanitarian celebrities and aid agency heads are expecting from the summit.

Bono, Co-Founder Of The One Campaign And Lead Singer Of U2:

“More conflicts and disasters mean more vulnerable people in the world, but the safety net to catch them is full of holes. Despite the heroic efforts of the UN refugee agency, the World Food Programme and others, millions of refugees lack adequate shelter and food and only half of refugee children are in primary school.

Leaders need to protect longterm development funding to tackle extreme poverty while providing the humanitarian aid needed to support some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Global leaders meeting at the UN Humanitarian Summit... should sign on to the Grand Bargain and its call for multi-year funding, backed by strong transparency mandates. It’s smart policy and smart money, and it is in all our interests to end the current piecemeal and uncoordinated approach.”

Malala Yousafzai, Student, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate And Co-Founder Of Malala Fund:

“As world leaders gather for the first ever World Humanitarian Summit, I have a question: What will this summit deliver beyond words?

Too often the international community’s promises to help those most in need are not matched by actions. We must make sure that every girl and boy has the opportunity to receive a safe, quality secondary education. Anything less is unacceptable.

I call on world leaders in Istanbul to be generous and back up their words with political will. They must deliver on each and every commitment they make, including fully funding the new Education Cannot Wait initiative.”