It's hard to imagine an event that can fill Memorial Hall with students at 11 on a Friday morning.
But balcony seating was all that remained Friday when leading international economist and director of the United Nations Millennium Village Project Jeffrey Sachs began to speak.
The speech served as the highlight of a week of events to raise awareness of the Millennium Village Project. Sachs is the founder of MVP, which aims to end extreme poverty in Africa by 2015.
"He is the world's leading advocate for fighting global poverty," said Johnnetta Cole, president of Bennett College, when introducing Sachs.
"But he is not alone in believing he can change the world," Cole said.
Sachs spoke to support a partnership among UNC, Duke University and Bennett College, which is creating the first student-funded Millennium Village.
He spoke at Duke later in the day.
At UNC, he applauded students for taking on the challenge of ending extreme poverty.
"This is a job for our generation, and it's starting here today," he said. "And that's just fabulous."
Sub-Saharan Africa, Sachs said, is an area where half of the population is in unable to meet the basic needs of survival.
"There are over a billion people still literally fighting for their lives everyday," Sachs said.
Sachs said poverty in Africa has allowed treatable diseases such as HIV and malaria to kill millions every year. The cost of curing malaria is $1, and 30 cents a day is required to treat AIDS, he said.
"What we need to realize is we're not talking about numbers," Sachs said. "We're talking about people."
Sachs said the best way to assist Africa is to create a green revolution, a health revolution and a connectivity revolution - the goals behind Millennium Village.
"Not one of these things is a hand-out," Sachs said. "We're talking about an investment, a partnership."
The work UNC, Duke and Bennett College are doing, Sachs said, will inspire other campuses across the country.
Those in attendance said they came to the speech because they recognized Sachs' name.
"He has had an impact on the economic world," junior Sarah Norris said.
Members of the MVP task force said Sachs' presence on campus added legitimacy to their cause.
"It really makes the message hit home," said junior Sara Aghajanian, a member of the task force.
Junior Alex Snider, another member of the MVP task force, said he was impressed by the student response to the speech.
"Having Jeffrey Sachs come legitimizes us a lot more because it really combined his vision with the enthusiasm of our students," Snider said.
"Hearing his personal stories and his vision and passion was just an amazing opportunity."
Snider said MVP raised $2,168 in donations Friday and estimated the group raised more than $4,000 throughout the week.
Sachs' speech was followed by a Speak Out Against Poverty rally in the Pit, where representatives from various student groups spoke.
"What you will see happen here over the next few days and weeks will be watched, emulated and followed all over the country," Student Body President James Allred said.
Sachs also moved over to the rally after his speech.
"Don't let anybody tell you that you are the leaders of the future," Sachs said at the rally. "You are the leaders of today."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
