Eleven million children under five die each year of preventable causes. As the number of AIDS orphans increases, so does the number of street children. Five billion people in the world live on less than $2 US per day. We know what to do. We have the science, technology, and skills to do it. We know that poverty and ill health are major obstacles to national and international stability. We talk a lot about globalization. The time has come to start talking about globalizing child health.   -- Jane Schaller, International Pediatric Association, "Shaping the Future for Children"

One reason that males tend to be more successful at suicide is that males are more likely to use guns, while females are more likely to use slower or less effective methods. This means that one thing we have to address is the availability of guns.   -- Mary Overpeck. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, "Policy and Political Supports for Youth at Risk Programs"

When children are small, they learn to share and to clean up after themselves. As they grow, they learn that these are not the norms, that our schools and governments are full of contradictions. But still, sometimes, they find in those institutions people who are trying to live up to their values: a teacher who keeps on connecting with his students, even if it gets him in trouble, or a politician who hangs on to his ideals even after three terms in office. The world is not an ethical place, but each individual has the power to make their own ethical choices, to challenge what's wrong and stand up for what's right. We live in a time when our actions matter. Change does not come from politicians. It comes from individuals deciding what's important and acting on it. We are the change.   -- Severn Cullis-Suzuki, "Shaping the Future for Children"

It's good, as this conference draws to a close, to pause and realize the significance of so many people from around the world coming together in one place, for one cause бн The young people who've attended have had a lot of fun, but have also participated in the workshops, contributed to discussions, and learned what needs to be done бн Those who have listened have fostered the belief that what we say matters. We will carry the knowledge and energy of this week into our daily lives бн What will you do after this day? Will you continue to involve youth in your daily lives? We can create a world fit for children if we stand by each other, stand by our values, stand by the children. Will you stand by us? Will you stand by them?   -- Youth participants, "Shaping the Future for Children"

When teaching teens about sex, it helps to make it funny. One teacher used a stick to demonstrate how to put on a condom and called it Mr. Woody. Another teacher assigned topics that kids had to research on the internet and write an essay about, which avoided embarrassment. Websites are good, because when teens want information, they want it specific and they want it now. TV isn't good, because what if your dad or your little sister walks in. Sex education should teach teens about predictable stuff like STDs, contraception, and pregnancy, but it should also teach them about substance abuse, date rape, body image, how to tell a good relationship from a bad one, homosexual sex, and homophobia. There should be less emphasis on anatomy because, let's face it, you don't need to know where your Cowper's gland is to have sex.   -- Youth participants, "Youth Speak Out about Sexuality and Sex Education"

Programs that shift the focus away from the political context tend to reinforce problems. When the symptoms of a Palestinian person are medicalized, the diagnosis is that this person has been exposed to violence and has PTSD. But this evades the source of the problem, which makes it difficult to address the problem. It's difficult to work in Palestine, so people tend to ignore the elephant in the middle of the room.   -- Giulia Eldardiry, "Policy and Political Supports for Youth at Risk Programs"

There is a word in Arabic that can mean awful or awesome, depending on the context. The gulf between awful and awesome is deep, but narrow. A single step can take us to the top of a mountain or cast us into the chasm below.

The Igbal of Nigeria have a saying: Brothers and sisters, a new child is born. While in the womb, she belonged to her mother. After safe delivery, she belongs to everyone.

Imagine a couple preparing for an international adoption. Imagine that they literally don't know where in the world their child will come from. Imagine the CEO of a chemical company bringing this awareness to deciding what chemicals to manufacture, and where. Imagine how much closer this could take us to taking a step up.

Children are not only different from adults biologically, but because of their role in our hearts. Their power is far beyond that of the almighty dollar, which is not, after all, all mighty. They have the power to help us turn terror into wonder, awful into awesome.   -- Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Children's Environmental Health Network, "Shaping the Future for Children"