Sunday, September 28, 2008

President Clinton Impact Announcement

FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCES GLOBAL IMPACT OF CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE AT CONCLUSION OF ANNUAL MEETING

250 new commitments unveiled, valued at $8 billion to improve 158 million lives

New York, NY - This afternoon, former President Bill Clinton delivered the closing remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative's fourth Annual Meeting, highlighting new statistics on the widespread impact CGI's Commitments to Action will make worldwide.


"Each year, I am more impressed by our members' dedication to take action, think innovatively, and form partnerships to address the most critical global problems," said President Clinton. "CGI members have made nearly 1200 commitments to action valued at $46 billion that have already improved more than 200 million lives in 150 countries. New commitments unveiled this week will impact more than 158 million lives."

Examples of the potential impact some of this year's commitments will make once implemented include:

· 25 million children will have access to new or improved school feeding programs.

· 16 million children will participate in deworming programs.

· The emission of 44 million metric tons of CO2 will be avoided.

· Enough clean energy will be created to power the equivalent of 7 million homes in the United States.

· 75 million people will have first-time access to health care or access to improved health care.

· $375 million will be raised to develop new vaccines and conduct medical research.

· Over 1 billion liters of safe drinking water will be distributed.

· 50 million people will have access to mobile financial services.

· More than $400 million will be raised for investment and credit for small and medium sized enterprises in the developing world.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined President Clinton in addressing CGI members at the meeting's closing session. Brown's remarks included a call to action for the private sector to commit to addressing pressing world issues. In 2007, Prime Minister Brown made a "call to action" to governments, businesses, NGOs and faith-based groups to focus resources and effort on delivering the Millennium Goals by 2015. CGI is a founding member of Call to Action.

President Clinton also provided details about the continued growth of the Clinton Global Initiative, including its first meeting overseas at CGI Asia in Hong Kong this December and the second meeting of CGI U this February at the University of Texas at Austin.

This year President Clinton was joined by over 1,000 leaders from business, government, and non-governmental organizations who traveled to New York from six continents, including nearly 60 current and former heads of state and five Nobel Peace Prize winners. Visitors from 135 countries and territories have pledged over $6 million and 7,600 volunteer hours on MyCommitment.org.

All commitments and progress reports unveiled this week are available at www.clintonglobalinitative.org

Some of the commitments and progress reports announced today are attached.

The Global Network for Neglected and Tropical Disease Control presented a progress report on their commitments from 2006 and 2007. To date nearly 150 million of the world's poorest people received low cost Neglected and Tropical Disease (NTD) drugs. They are now working to eliminate the devastation tool of NTDs in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa during the next 7 years to meet Millennium development Goals.

A number of CGI Members heeded a call to action to help the victims of Haiti's recent natural disasters. Together they will help Haiti "build back better." The total value of these commitments is at least $130 million and they will do the following:

· Give 20,000 families food each month

· Supply 36,000 farmers with seeds, fertilizer, and training

· Provide 5 million liters of clean water

· Rebulid thousands of homes

· Improve education for more than 600,000 students

· Rebuild 2 bridges that were destroyed

· Provide Haitians with 100,000 pairs of shoes

· Rebuild 12 schools

United Nations Foundation, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, National Basketball Association, Women's National Basketball Association, and the Union for Reform Judaism committed $2 million over 4 years to engage a global audience of 25 million people through their Nothing But Nets program and work with partners to deliver bednets to a newly targeted refugee population.

American University in Dubai committed $26 million over 4 years to create scholarships for students from the Middle East to attend the Mohammed bin Rashid School for Communication.

Microsoft committed $50 million to expand the focus on teachers and work in the Innovative Teachers Program. Currently in 75 countries, over the next 5 years, Microsoft will expand their efforts in their teachers program to over 100 countries, allowing teachers to work together and help each other.

LeapFrog Investment with partners Ashoka, Quindiem, Microinsurance Center, Akin Gump, Wiley Rein, Attridge-Stirling Woloniecki, and consultants from around the world committed $100 million over 10 years to launch the world's largest microinsurance initiative that will enable 25 million low-income people to access affordable, quality insurance and financial services, 15 million of whom will be women and children.

The Wal-Mart Foundation committed to funding innovative, high-impact commitments that creates lasting and positive social change within CGI U's four main focus areas - energy & climate change, global health, human rights & peace, and poverty alleviation. Since the inaugural meeting in March, fourty-four students and two universities were awarded grants to fund projects which will benefit people and communities around the world.

Victor Pinchuk and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation announced the launch of the WorldWideStudies program to provide 500 Masters fellowships for Ukrainians to study abroad.

The Mother Child Education Foundation will develop and provide early education, parenting and female literacy programs throughout Turkey. 80,000 mothers, 80,000 children, 26,000 illiterate women, and 14,000 fathers will be direct beneficiaries of programs and over 200,000 more will be secondary beneficiaries.

The UN Foundation and partners will engage a global audience of 25 million people through their Nothing but Nets program and work with partners to deliver 2 million refugees with bednets to protect against Malaria.

Goldman Sachs committed to provide 300 Liberian women with a business education. This is part of their 10,000 Women commitment. They will also provide an additional 100 African women with a business education. With partners Vital Voices, Inter-America Development Bank, the World Bank Group, Exxon Mobil and the Club of Madrid, Goldman Sachs will develop a gender and diversity fund, convene a regional summit for emerging women leaders, and launch a training program to strengthen women's political leadership.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Wal-Mart Commended for Plastic Bag Recycling

News Release September 25, 2008
Contact: Jennifer Killinger (703) 741-5833
Email: jennifer_killinger@americanchemistry.com

wal-mart initiative
Program Will Strengthen Wal-Mart’s Success in Recycling Plastic Bags and Wraps

ARLINGTON, VA (September 25, 2008) – Today the Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council, a trade association representing the nation’s leading plastic bag manufacturers, recyclers and resin producers, applauded Wal-Mart for its efforts to develop a responsible plastic bag policy. Under this plan, which promotes the more efficient use of plastic bags in Wal-Mart stores, the company will strengthen its existing efforts to recycle – an action that is expected bolster Wal-Mart’s position as a world leader in the recycling of plastic bags and wraps.

“It is clear that strong, lightweight plastics are playing a key role in helping Wal-Mart to reach its sustainability goals. Everyday, lighter more efficient plastic products and packages mean a reduction in energy use, costs and emissions for the world’s largest retailer,” said Shari Jackson, director of the Progressive Bag Affiliates.

“Wal-Mart clearly understands that plastic bags are a better environmental choice than alternatives but is taking steps to reduce waste and increase recycling. Bans are not the answer,” said Jackson. “In fact, Wal-Mart’s steps toward implementing this goal are very consistent with our own efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic bags. Plastic bags are too valuable to waste. They should be reused and recycled.”

For example:

1. Reduce – Plastic bags today weigh about one-tenth the amount of paper bags. In addition, to using less material, plastic bags produce less than half the greenhouse gas emissions (a lower carbon footprint), require 70 percent less energy to manufacture, and generate 80 percent less waste than paper alternatives. Proper bagging can help reduce waste even further, and PBA members have introduced programs to help grocers and retailers adopt efficient bagging practices focused on maximizing the number of items per bag.

2. Reuse – Plastic bags are arguably one of the most reused products in our society. Over 90 percent of families reuse plastic bags around their homes for a wide range of purposes, such as bringing lunches to work, lining garbage bins, disposing of diapers and picking up after pets. The high percentage of reuse enables shoppers to avoid the added environmental impacts associated with using a new bag. PBA works to educate shoppers about creative ways to reuse and recycle their plastic bags.

3. Recycle – Plastic bags are fully recyclable. Nationwide 812 million pounds of plastic bags and film were recycled in 2006, up 24 percent from 2005. Wal-Mart reportedly recycles about 120 million pounds per year. These valuable materials are used to make durable backyard decking products and new plastic bags.

“The plastic bag industry is a leader in innovation and recycling, and we welcome opportunities to work with companies and policymakers to develop responsible plastic bag practices,” said Jackson. “We hope to work with Wal-Mart and other companies to increase the use of recycled content in plastic carryout bags.”

Importantly, the overwhelming trend nationally has been to implement plastic bag recycling programs. In 2007, California mandated in-store recycling programs, and similar measures passed this year in New York State, Rhode Island, Chicago, New York City and several New York counties. By contrast, San Francisco remains the only large jurisdiction in the United States to ban plastic bags.

About the Progressive Bag Affiliates
The Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council promote the responsible use and recycling of plastic bags. The PBA recycling toolkit is being used by retailers around the nation as a reference for determining the best ways to deploy effective recycling solutions in stores. Consumers, businesses and recyclers can find a wealth of information on plastic bag recycling at www.plasticbagrecycling.org.
# # #

www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $664 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation’s largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.

CGI Sponsors Announced

Tom Golisano renews his support as major underwriter of fourth CGI Annual Meeting in New York City

New York, September 23, 2008 Former President Bill Clinton today announced sponsors for the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, which will be held from September 23-26 in New York City.

Tom Golisano is the major underwriter of the CGI Annual Meeting for the fourth consecutive year. Victor Pinchuk is the convening partner of CGI International, a series of regional meetings which will commence with CGI Asia in Hong Kong in December. Vinod Sekhar is the CGI Asia meeting underwriter.

Our sponsors are crucial to the Clinton Global Initiatives mission of bringing together the most effective, knowledgeable leaders to take action on the pressing challenges that face our generation, President Clinton said. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, CGI is able to convene members who have made nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action valued at upwards of $30 billion to improve more than 200 million lives in over 150 countries around the world.

Annual Meeting Sponsors

As a non-profit organization, CGI depends upon sponsorship assistance to fund its operations and Annual Meeting. CGI thanks the following sponsors: the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Citi, the Doris and Donald Fisher Fund, Green Rubber, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Cisco, the Sultanate of Oman, Calyon, CLSA, CNBC, Deutsche Bank, Duke Energy, The Economist, Energy Developments and Investments Corporation, GSD&Ms Idea City, the Howard Gilman Foundation, HP, Knoll, Microsoft, the Rockefeller Foundation, Suzlon, Swiss Re, and Thomson Reuters.

Media Partners

For the 2008 Annual Meeting, CNBC is the official broadcast media partner and The Economist is the official print media partner. CNBC will tape for broadcast the second annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards ceremony hosted by Maria Bartiromo, during which President Clinton will recognize five citizens who have displayed extraordinary leadership and effectiveness in making positive, lasting global change.

Track Sponsors

Track sponsors are strategic partners for each of CGIs four focus areas: education, energy & climate change, global health, and poverty alleviation. Below are this years track sponsors:


Poverty alleviation: Citi
Global health: Procter & Gamble (P&G)
Climate change and energy: Green Rubber
Education: The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Doris and Donald Fisher Fund


Environment

The Clinton Global Initiative takes extra steps to ensure that eco-friendly standards are integrated into every facet of the Annual Meeting. CGI is able to conduct a carbon neutral Annual Meeting through a commitment by Swiss Re to offset emissions generated by CGI operations. Swiss Re is the first major financial services company to introduce a voluntary initiative to become greenhouse gas neutral.


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About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

Established in 2005 as a project of the non-partisan William J. Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the worlds most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI members have made nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action valued at upwards of $30 billion to improve more than 200 million lives in over 150 countries around the world. Through past Annual Meetings, CGI has brought together more than 80 current and former heads of state, hundreds of top CEOs and non-profit leaders, major philanthropists, and 10 of the last 16 Nobel Peace Laureates.

The CGI community also includes: CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship; CGI Asia, the first in a series of regional CGI meetings; and, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make their own Commitment to Action.
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org or contact press@clintonglobalinitiative.org

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Lance Armstrong CHI Committment

This morning, Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, will join President Bill Clinton at the opening session of the Clinton Global Initiative's fourth annual meeting with a Call to Action against cancer. A cancer survivor himself, Lance is vowing to make the world's second leading cause of death an international priority. He is broadening his foundation's scope and reach to support survivors around the world. Watch the Opening Plenary via webcast to hear Lance speak.

This commitment is the first of many to be unveiled over the coming days. In three years, members have made nearly 1,000 commitments valued at $30 billion to improve the lives of 200 million people in 150 countries.

OPENING PLENARY: A Call to Action

Wednesday 9/24/08, 10:00 A.M. — 11:30 A.M.

The opening plenary session will engage a diverse group of world leaders in an action-oriented discussion of the major challenges that CGI is focusing on this year: education, energy & climate change, global health, and poverty alleviation. This session will explore the transformative capacity of business, government, and NGOs to collaboratively develop and implement sustainable solutions.

Special Remarks:
Lance Armstrong, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Lance Armstrong Foundation

Program Participants:
William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States; Founder, William J. Clinton Foundation
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Bono, Lead Singer, U2; Co-Founder, Anti-Poverty Campaign, ONE
Al Gore, Chairman, The Alliance for Climate Protection
E. Neville Isdell, Chairman of the Board of Directors, The Coca-Cola Company
Her Excellency Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President, Republic of Liberia

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Clinton Global Initiative announces Sponsors

Tom Golisano renews his support as major underwriter of fourth CGI Annual Meeting in New

York CityNew York, September 23, 2008 Former President Bill Clinton today announced sponsors for the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, which will be held from September 23-26 in New York City.

Tom Golisano is the major underwriter of the CGI Annual Meeting for the fourth consecutive year. Victor Pinchuk is the convening partner of CGI International, a series of regional meetings which will commence with CGI Asia in Hong Kong in December. Vinod Sekhar is the CGI Asia meeting underwriter.

Our sponsors are crucial to the Clinton Global Initiatives mission of bringing together the most effective, knowledgeable leaders to take action on the pressing challenges that face our generation, President Clinton said. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, CGI is able to convene members who have made nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action valued at upwards of $30 billion to improve more than 200 million lives in over 150 countries around the world.

Annual Meeting Sponsors

As a non-profit organization, CGI depends upon sponsorship assistance to fund its operations and Annual Meeting. CGI thanks the following sponsors: the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Citi, the Doris and Donald Fisher Fund, Green Rubber, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Cisco, the Sultanate of Oman, Calyon, CLSA, CNBC, Deutsche Bank, Duke Energy, The Economist, Energy Developments and Investments Corporation, GSD&Ms Idea City, the Howard Gilman Foundation, HP, Knoll, Microsoft, the Rockefeller Foundation, Suzlon, Swiss Re, and Thomson Reuters.

Media Partners

For the 2008 Annual Meeting, CNBC is the official broadcast media partner and The Economist is the official print media partner. CNBC will tape for broadcast the second annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards ceremony hosted by Maria Bartiromo, during which President Clinton will recognize five citizens who have displayed extraordinary leadership and effectiveness in making positive, lasting global change.

Track Sponsors

Track sponsors are strategic partners for each of CGIs four focus areas: education, energy & climate change, global health, and poverty alleviation. Below are this years track sponsors:

Poverty alleviation: Citi

Global health: Procter & Gamble (P&G)

Climate change and energy: Green Rubber

Education: The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Doris and Donald Fisher Fund

Environment

The Clinton Global Initiative takes extra steps to ensure that eco-friendly standards are integrated into every facet of the Annual Meeting. CGI is able to conduct a carbon neutral Annual Meeting through a commitment by Swiss Re to offset emissions generated by CGI operations. Swiss Re is the first major financial services company to introduce a voluntary initiative to become greenhouse gas neutral.

About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

Established in 2005 as a project of the non-partisan William J. Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the worlds most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI members have made nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action valued at upwards of $30 billion to improve more than 200 million lives in over 150 countries around the world. Through past Annual Meetings, CGI has brought together more than 80 current and former heads of state, hundreds of top CEOs and non-profit leaders, major philanthropists, and 10 of the last 16 Nobel Peace Laureates.

The CGI community also includes: CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship; CGI Asia, the first in a series of regional CGI meetings; and, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make their own Commitment to Action.

www.clintonglobalinitiative.org or contact press@clintonglobalinitiative.org

Monday, September 15, 2008

2008 Clinton Global Initiative Program Announced

For Immediate Release September 15, 2008
Former President Clinton Announces Program for 2008 Clinton Global Initiative Annual

Meeting Queen Rania, Gordon Brown, Hamid Karzai, Al Gore, Barack Obama, John McCain, Michael Bloomberg, Lance Armstrong, Bono, Craig Barrett, and John Chambers to Address

Fourth Annual Meeting More than 130 Leading CEOs and Over 50 Current and Former Heads of State Confirmed to Attend

New York, NY - Former President Bill Clinton today announced the program for the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting to be held September 23-26, in New York City.

"I am excited to work together with leaders from across the political spectrum and around the world to address critical global challenges, like the food and energy crises, at our Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting this year," President Clinton said. "Through our Annual Meeting, CGI members have made upwards of $30 billion in commitments to improve more than 200 million lives in over 150 countries, and I'm confident you will see our members redouble their efforts this year."

Since 2005, more than 80 current and former heads of state; hundreds of leading CEOs, philanthropists, and NGO leaders; and 10 of the last 16 Nobel Peace Prize laureates have attended CGI. This year, President Clinton will again be joined by leading voices from every sector to take action in CGI's four focus areas: education, energy & climate change, global health, and poverty alleviation.

The following are among those who have confirmed their attendance at the 2008 CGI Annual Meeting: Queen Rania Al-Abdullah (Jordan), Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (Italy), Prime Minister Gordon Brown (UK), President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa (Mexico), President Leonel Fernández (Dominican Republic), President Armando Guebuza (Mozambique), President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (Liberia), President Paul Kagame (Rwanda), President Hamid Karzai (Afghanistan), President Shimon Peres (Israel), Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (Australia), President Jalal Talabani (Iraq), former Prime Minister Tony Blair (UK), former President Ernesto Zedillo (Mexico), former Vice President Al Gore (United States), Senator John McCain (Arizona), Senator Barack Obama (Illinois), Mayor Bill White (Houston), former Senator Bill Frist (Tennessee), Jacques Aigrain (Swiss Re), Muhammad Ali (Athletes for Hope), Bradbury Anderson (Best Buy), Lance Armstrong (Lance Armstrong Foundation), Craig Barrett (Intel), Maria Bartiromo (CNBC), Bono (ONE), Tom Brokaw (NBC News), Lester Brown (Earth Policy Institute), John Chambers (Cisco), Peter Chernin (News Corporation), Former Army General Wesley Clark (UCLA's Burkle Center for International Relations; Emergya Wind Technologies, BV), Ian Davis (McKinsey & Company), Paul Farmer (Partners in Health), Bob Geldof, David Gergen (Harvard University), Neville Isdell (The Coca-Cola Company), Wyclef Jean (Yéle Haiti), Ashley Judd, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (Riverkeeper Alliance; NRDC), Anne Lauvergeon (Areva), Wangari Maathai (Green Belt Movement, Kenya), Amre Moussa (League of Arab States), Dikembe Mutombo (Dikembe Mutombo Foundation), R.K. Pachauri (TERI), T. Boone Pickens (BP Capital), Victor Pinchuk (The Victor Pinchuk Foundation), Carl Pope (Sierra Club), Judith Rodin (Rockefeller Foundation), Robert Rubin (Citi), Joseph Saunders (Visa Inc), Josette Sheeran (World Food Programme), Dominique Strauss-Kahn (IMF), Barbara Streisand (The Streisand Foundation), Myron Ullman (J.C. Penny's), Ann Veneman (UNICEF), and Muhammad Yunus (Grameen Bank).

Both United States presidential candidates will have a role in the Annual Meeting. Senator John McCain will deliver the opening remarks live at the "Integrated Solutions: water, food and energy" plenary session. Senator Barack Obama will address meeting participants via satellite.

The following plenary session and working group topics are the basis for discussion and action at the Annual Meeting:

Plenary SessionsPlenary sessions are panels that introduce and assess cross-sectoral issues for further examination within the working sessions. Below are this year's plenary session topics.* A Call to Action - Explores the transformative capacity of business, government, and NGOs to collaboratively develop and implement sustainable solutions for the major challenges that CGI is focusing on this year. *

Generating Profits, Jobs, and Equitable Growth - Highlights solutions from the public and private sectors that are generating profits, driving sustainable economic growth, and creating high-quality jobs in both developed and developing nations. * Integrated Solutions: Water, Food, and Energy - Discusses ways to use water more efficiently, expand food security, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels to create a more sustainable future. * Meeting the Demands of Population Growth and Urbanization - Features policies for growing cities to build and strengthen infrastructure that can help countries transform population growth into an opportunity for development. * The Global Impact of Rural Innovation - Includes information about business and technological innovations that serve rural communities that can also be applied around the world. Working SessionsWorking sessions are divided into three segments and are designed to transform ideas into action. The first segment features a panel discussion among three to four leaders already taking action on a specific issue. During the second segment, audience members collaboratively assess opportunities for action through intimate, highly interactive table discussions led by knowledgeable, professionally trained facilitators. The final segment reconvenes the larger discussion and through the use of information technology, enables real-time analysis and summary of the many proposals for action developed during the table discussions.* Education working sessions: * Global Expansion of Programs that Increase Quality Education * Providing Real Choices: What works for at-risk adolescent girls and boys? * Joint Session on Education and Global Health: Expanding the School-Health Connection * Beyond Microfinance: Strengthening Business and Entrepreneurship Education for Women in Emerging Economies * Energy & Climate Change working sessions: § Ending Energy Waste§ Renewables Revolution§ Clean Transport§ Special Session: Climate Change and Poverty Alleviation* Global Health working sessions: § Healthy Transitions for Adolescent Girls§ Expanding the Global Health Workforce§ Joint Session on Education and Global Health: Expanding the School-Health Connection§ Maternal and Child Nutrition* Poverty Alleviation working sessions: § Strengthening Livelihoods through Financial Services for the Poor§ Food Security and Poverty§ Improving Livelihoods in the Wake of Conflict§ Special Session: Climate Change and Poverty AlleviationOn Tuesday, September 23, CGI will launch CGI Exchange, a new forum for CGI members to showcase their projects and accomplishments. This exhibition event will provide an opportunity for members to learn about commitments and network with other CGI members to build partnerships. On Thursday, September 25, President Clinton will host the second annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards, which recognizes extraordinary individuals who have demonstrated innovative leadership in solving pressing global challenges. The ceremony will be taped to broadcast as a special on CNBC, and will be hosted by Maria Bartiromo. Through their work, these honorees have proven that cross-sectors of society, including governments, corporations, philanthropists and non-governmental organizations, can work together successfully to implement and devise solutions that effect positive, lasting social change.As a non-profit organization, CGI depends upon sponsorship assistance to fund its operations and Annual Meeting. CGI would like to thank Tom Golisano, major underwriter of the Annual Meeting. CGI also thanks the following sponsors: the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Citi, the Doris and Donald Fisher Fund, Green Rubber, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Cisco, the Sultanate of Oman, Calyon, CLSA, CNBC, Deutsche Bank, Duke Energy, The Economist, Energy Developments and Investments Corporation, GSD&M's Idea City, the Howard Gilman Foundation, HP, Knoll, Microsoft, the Rockefeller Foundation, Suzlon, Swiss Re, and Thomson Reuters.

Media who wish to attend the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting may contact press@clintonglobalinitiative.org for press credentials. Applications for credentials should be received no later than September 19, 2008.

Please note: *About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)Established in 2005 as a project of the non-partisan William J. Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI members have made nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action valued at upwards of $30 billion to improve more than 200 million lives in over 150 countries around the world. Through past Annual Meetings, CGI has brought together more than 80 current and former heads of state, hundreds of top CEOs and non-profit leaders, major philanthropists, and 10 of the last 16 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The CGI community also includes: CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship; CGI Asia, the first in a series of regional CGI meetings; and, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make their own Commitment to Action. For more details on CGI and the 2008 Annual Meeting, please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org .

Thursday, September 11, 2008

American Beverage Association & Alliance for a Healthier Generation Unveil School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report: 2007-2008

For Immediate Release





September 9, 2008





American Beverage Association & Alliance for a Healthier Generation Unveil School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report: 2007-2008



Report shows beverage calories cut in schools


WHO: Former President Bill Clinton, Founder, William J. Clinton Foundation; Timothy J. Gardner, M.D., FAHA, President, American Heart Association, Medical Director, The Center for Heart & Vascular Health at Christiana Care (DE); Susan K. Neely, CAE, President & CEO, American Beverage Association

WHAT: The School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report: 2007-2008 was commissioned by the American Beverage Association (ABA) to provide an annual assessment of the impact of the School Beverage Guidelines. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation worked with representatives of The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and PepsiCo, Inc. and the American Beverage Association to establish guidelines to limit portion sizes and reduce the number of calories available to children during the school day. This annual report tracks the companies' progress during the 2007-08 school year - the second year of a three-year implementation - and was prepared by an independent policy research firm, Keybridge Research LLC, under the direction of Dr. Robert Wescott.





WHEN: September 10, 20082:30 PMPress Set-time: 1:30 PM Final Access: 2:00 PM





WHERE: Clinton Foundation55 West 125th StreetNew York, NY Please RSVP to press@clintonfoundation.org mailto:press@clintonfoundation.org Please present photo ID upon arrival





CONTACT: For more information, please contact:Alliance for a Healthier Generation American Heart Association



Trish Garrison Meredith Isola

857.294 8187 301.535.7241



trish.garrison@healthiergeneration.org mailto:trish.garrison@healthiergeneration.org



meredith.isola@heart.org mailto:maggie.francis@heart.org







About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation:



The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, is working to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids in the United States to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Alliance is having a positive impact on the places that make a difference to a child's health: homes; schools; restaurants; doctor's offices; and the community. For more information about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation visit http://www.healthiergeneration.org/.