Children in Berlin tell German MPs: "We will count on you"

“No child should die because their parents are poor.”

“There should be doctors for all children.”

“Every child should survive to age 5.”

These are the wishes of school children in Berlin who gathered at the famous Brandenburg Gate this week while, in New York, the 69th United Nations General Assembly is in session.

The children stood in black shirts with black balloons representing the preventable diseases that are robbing 6.3 million children each year of surviving to their 5th birthday. 

The children let the balloons up in the Berlin sky while speaking their wishes before opening a giant birthday card symbolic of the birthdays millions of children have died before celebrating because of prevetable causes. 

Nine members of the German Parliament also attended the gathering, answer the questions of the children. 

"What will politicans and will you do to make sure children get the medicine they need?" one child asked.

The members responded with apromise to the children: "We know we have to do better in the future and we are very much aware that the Millennium Development Goals for health have not been met. We hear your voice today and we will give all our strength to make sure that health systems can be built and sustained so that in the future, no child will die from preventable diseases.”

The children answered with this statement: "We will count on you."

All nine members of Parliament and the children together signed the birthday card to commit their support for Child Health Now.