THE WORLD'S POOREST PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT

A picture book imported from Japan and based on a speech given by José Mujica, president of Uruguay, at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In June 2012, the United Nations brought governments, international institutions, and major groups together to agree on a range of measures that would bring about sustainable and fair use of resources. When it came time for the president of Uruguay to speak, he presented the problem of sustainability and climate change differently from previous speakers. Mujica posited that the real problem is not climate change but “how we have come to live our lives” in a vicious cycle “where we sell things to make money, which we use to buy whatever we want, and then buy some more.” He challenged listeners to consider whether “we were born…to pursue economic growth and progress [or rather] to live in such a way as to find happiness on this planet.” Mujica’s thought-provoking argument then is just as valid today. The illustrations accompanying the text play with design and perspective, capturing Mujica’s words in ways that give them great immediacy and vividness. This book is a translation from the original 2014 Japanese publication.

An ideal vehicle to engage children in a discussion on the meanings of poverty, having enough, and social justice.