The op-ed was published in today's Indepedent
On World AIDS Day ten years ago, as I was preparing to leave office, the world was only beginning to grasp the severity of the AIDS crisis. Nearly 36,000,000 men, women and children were living with the disease, but only about 200,000 were receiving the treatment they needed. Funding was nowhere near the levels needed to prevent the disease from reaching pandemic levels.
Over the last decade, we have seen dramatic progress in both treatment and funding. In 2008 alone, $15 billion was invested to fight AIDS in developing countries, up from $6bn just three years earlier, due in large part to the U.S. Government’s PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) program.
This summer, I witnessed one of the greatest examples of this progress when I attended the World Cup in South Africa , which has the largest number of people living with HIV/ AIDS in the world. For too long, the South African government did too little, but this year, it committed to testing tens of millions of South Africans and to more than double the numbers on treatment. I’m honored that they have invited the Clinton Health Access Initiative to work alongside them to reach this goal.
South Africa’s new actions reflect a sense of urgency and shared purpose in Africa – and in other parts of the world – that didn't exist ten years ago. Donor nations, the Global Fund on AIDS, TB, and Malaria, and non-governmental organizations, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and many others, have provided indispensable contributions to raising the level of consciousness, concern, and commitment to a level that will save millions of lives.
In spite of these efforts, only one-third of people who need treatment are receiving it. We risk losing our momentum, unless we find new ways to fill the gaps left by reductions in government funding caused by the global economic crisis. And we need to save more lives with the money we do have.
The most promising way to raise more funds is through very large numbers of small contributions which can be made in user-friendly ways. For example, France raises a lot of money every year from a service fee on airline tickets. The amounts raised provide much of the funding the International Drug Purchase Facility UNITAID, which buys medicines to treat AIDS and other diseases in poor countries. We are now trying to give airline passengers in other nations the opportunity to make small, voluntary contributions when they purchase tickets.
In the meantime, we must do more with less. That means saving money on commodities and promoting better coordination of funding between donors and national governments. It means ensuring that low- cost/ high-impact interventions are widely adopted; and asking donor nations to improve their own delivery systems so that a higher percentage of aid funds are spent in the nations and on the problems they are intended to help.
My foundation has focused on lowering the cost of commodities since we began our work in 2002. Thanks to those efforts – along with the support of organizations like UNITAID, the Global Fund, PEPFAR, and the Gates Foundation – the cost of antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) has gone down to below $200 per person per year. The cost of CD4 tests, which allow doctors to assess how patients are responding to treatment, and other laboratory tests has also dropped by over 50 percent. But we need to break down remaining barriers – including trade agreements that prevent generic manufacturers from supplying effective ARVs for the developing world and do a better job in forecasting demand, to avoid over-st ocking, drug shortages, and expired inventory.
Secondly, we must coordinate funding flows better between donors and national governments to ensure that resources are aligned with the most pressing national priorities. We must also reduce duplication and underinvestment. For example, the government of Rwanda has required that its implementing partners submit budget and expenditure data. From these reports, the government learned some areas were receiving $15 per capita of external aid per year, whereas others only received $4. The Ministry of Health used this data to form agreements with partners to ensure more equitable and efficient allocation of resources. Other governments should follow Rwanda ’s lead.
Third, we can maximize our return on investment by ensuring that low-cost/ high-impact interventions are adopted on a wider scale. For example, providing all HIV-positive people in sub-Saharan Africa with the antibiotic Cotrimoxizole - from the time that they are diagnosed - would dramatically lower mortality from common conditions such as pneumonia and diarrhea at a cost of just $0.37 per patient per year. This should be a basic standard of care. Another important intervention is the prevention of TB, which directly causes 1 in 4 deaths among HIV-positive patients. Treatments like Isoniazid prophylaxis can reduce TB infection amongst HIV patients by up to 64 percent.
Finally, all of us should continue to urge donor nations, as Bill Gates and I did before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to review their own budgets with a view to reducing overheads If the cost of consultants from donor nations were cut more aid could be spent saving lives. These are just a few ways in which we can maximize the impact of our efforts in a period where funding isn’t keeping up with the increasing needs. We have to keep finding ways to do things better, faster, and at lower-cost. For example, at our 2006 Clinton Global Initiative Meeting, Levi Strauss & Co. committed to provide all of its employees and their families with access to HIV/AIDS treatment, counseling, preventive care and education in more than 40 countries where the company operates. To date, the program has enrolled more than 3,000 employees and managers. In 2010, their second voluntary counseling and testing campaign in South Africa has tested more than 75 percent of their employees - one of the highest participation rates nationwide.
This World AIDS Day, in spite of the economic crisis and the increased competition for aid funds, we can continue saving more lives by giving more people a chance to help and doing more with the funds we already have.
Bill Clinton, the founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, was the 42nd President of the United States
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Bill Gates Join President Bill Clinton At Closing Plenary Session of the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2010 Annual Meeting
CGI Members Made Nearly 300 New Commitments To Address Issues Within Education, Economic Empowerment, Global Health, Energy, and the Environment; Since CGI Launched, Commitments Worth $63 Billion Have Improved the Lives of Nearly 300 Million People in More Than 170 Countries
President Clinton Announces Fourth Annual Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting, Which Will Take Place April 1-3 at the University of California, San Diego
Members of CGI Lead Program, including Ishmael Beah, Lauren Bush, Pierre Garçon, Jeff Gordon, Pamela Omidyar, and Zainab Salbi, Announce Collective Commitment to Help Refugees and Forcibly Displaced People in Democratic Republic of the Congo
New York, NY – President Bill Clinton was joined by President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at the closing plenary session of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).
President Obama introduced the First Lady, who spoke about the importance of harnessing human potential – in particular, the untapped potential of veterans and their spouses. After her remarks, President Clinton and Gates discussed issues including education, health care, and unemployment, addressing strategies that have worked and problems that still remain to be solved. A webcast of the session can be viewed at clintonglobalinitiative.org.
The session marked the close of the sixth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which focused on finding effective, sustainable solutions to the some of the world’s most pressing challenges in the areas of education, economic empowerment, energy, the environment, and global health.
“I’m proud of the nearly 300 new commitments, valued at $6 billion, that we’ve announced during the Annual Meeting,” President Clinton said. “In total, more than 1,900 commitments have been made, worth $63 billion, and they have improved the lives of nearly 300 million people. CGI's continued success is to the credit of our members, who come back with better ideas, more ambitious commitments, and greater innovation year after year, who turn ideas into action and meaningful results. They are changing the way sectors work together and how we solve problems worldwide."
CGI members’ commitments have had the following impact:
More than $1.75 billion in new capital has been invested in or loaned to small and medium enterprises.
More than 16 million women and girls have had access to empowerment initiatives.
More than 10 million people have improved their access to capital and financial services.
Nearly 5 million people have obtained access to information technology.
More than 2 million girls have been reached with efforts targeting female enrollment in schools.
50 million children have been given access to education in formal or non-formal school programs.
More than 90 million acres of forest have been protected or restored.
More than 400 million metric tons of CO2 emissions have been cut or abated.
Enough clean energy has been generated to power more than 400,000 homes.
75 million people have increased access to maternal and child health and survival programs.
Nearly 20 million people have increased access to safe drinking water.
President Clinton also invited to the stage the members of CGI Lead, a new program dedicated to engaging rising young leaders from business, government, and civil society. The inaugural group of CGI Lead members decided to make a collective commitment to launch Rethink Refugees, a pilot initiative that will help thousands of refugees and forcibly displaced people in Democratic Republic of Congo by implementing existing innovative solutions in a new and challenging environment.
This year’s inaugural group of CGI Lead members includes Valentin Abe, director, Haiti Fish Development Project; Ishmael Beah, goodwill ambassador for UNICEF; Jennifer Buffett, president and co-chair of the NoVo Foundation; Lauren Bush, co-founder of FEED Projects; Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO and co-founder of Vestergaard Frandsen Ltd.; Pierre Garçon, founder and chair of the Pierre Garçon Foundation; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR champion and co-founder of the Jeff Gordon Pediatric Cancer Foundation; Ruchira Gupta, founder and president of Apne Aap Women Worldwide; Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO of YouTube; Jounghoon Lee, CEO of Samchang Enterprises; Capt. Wes Moore, vice president at Citigroup; Pamela Omidyar, co-founder of Omidyar Network, Humanity United, and the HopeLab; Michael Peterson, vice chair of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation; Myron Rolle, founder and chair of the Myron Rolle Foundation; David Mayer de Rothschild, founder and CEO of Adventure Eco logy; Zainab Salbi, co-founder and CEO of Women for Women International; and Alejandro Santo Domingo, managing director of Quadrant Capital Advisors.
Information about all commitments announced today is below.
President Bill Clinton also announced that the fourth Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) meeting will take place April 1-3, 2011, at the University of California, San Diego. The application is available now at CGIU.org. Founded by President Clinton in 2007, CGI U empowers undergraduate and graduate students to explore and create tangible solutions to global challenges. The meeting is hosted by President Clinton, and is free to attend. To apply, each student must create a Commitment to Action, a detailed plan for creating positive change.
Webcasts of CGI sessions can be viewed at clintonglobalinitiative.org. Photos are available through Flickr; the link is at press.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Follow CGI and the Clinton Foundation at twitter.com/ClintonTweet. The official hash-tag for the 2010 CGI Annual Meeting is #cgi2010. During the Annual Meeting, CGI posted daily video highlights on youtube.com/cgivideos. Follow President Clinton’s updates on his Facebook page at facebook.com/billclinton.
CGI Members Made Nearly 300 New Commitments To Address Issues Within Education, Economic Empowerment, Global Health, Energy, and the Environment; Since CGI Launched, Commitments Worth $63 Billion Have Improved the Lives of Nearly 300 Million People in More Than 170 Countries
President Clinton Announces Fourth Annual Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting, Which Will Take Place April 1-3 at the University of California, San Diego
Members of CGI Lead Program, including Ishmael Beah, Lauren Bush, Pierre Garçon, Jeff Gordon, Pamela Omidyar, and Zainab Salbi, Announce Collective Commitment to Help Refugees and Forcibly Displaced People in Democratic Republic of the Congo
New York, NY – President Bill Clinton was joined by President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at the closing plenary session of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).
President Obama introduced the First Lady, who spoke about the importance of harnessing human potential – in particular, the untapped potential of veterans and their spouses. After her remarks, President Clinton and Gates discussed issues including education, health care, and unemployment, addressing strategies that have worked and problems that still remain to be solved. A webcast of the session can be viewed at clintonglobalinitiative.org.
The session marked the close of the sixth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which focused on finding effective, sustainable solutions to the some of the world’s most pressing challenges in the areas of education, economic empowerment, energy, the environment, and global health.
“I’m proud of the nearly 300 new commitments, valued at $6 billion, that we’ve announced during the Annual Meeting,” President Clinton said. “In total, more than 1,900 commitments have been made, worth $63 billion, and they have improved the lives of nearly 300 million people. CGI's continued success is to the credit of our members, who come back with better ideas, more ambitious commitments, and greater innovation year after year, who turn ideas into action and meaningful results. They are changing the way sectors work together and how we solve problems worldwide."
CGI members’ commitments have had the following impact:
More than $1.75 billion in new capital has been invested in or loaned to small and medium enterprises.
More than 16 million women and girls have had access to empowerment initiatives.
More than 10 million people have improved their access to capital and financial services.
Nearly 5 million people have obtained access to information technology.
More than 2 million girls have been reached with efforts targeting female enrollment in schools.
50 million children have been given access to education in formal or non-formal school programs.
More than 90 million acres of forest have been protected or restored.
More than 400 million metric tons of CO2 emissions have been cut or abated.
Enough clean energy has been generated to power more than 400,000 homes.
75 million people have increased access to maternal and child health and survival programs.
Nearly 20 million people have increased access to safe drinking water.
President Clinton also invited to the stage the members of CGI Lead, a new program dedicated to engaging rising young leaders from business, government, and civil society. The inaugural group of CGI Lead members decided to make a collective commitment to launch Rethink Refugees, a pilot initiative that will help thousands of refugees and forcibly displaced people in Democratic Republic of Congo by implementing existing innovative solutions in a new and challenging environment.
This year’s inaugural group of CGI Lead members includes Valentin Abe, director, Haiti Fish Development Project; Ishmael Beah, goodwill ambassador for UNICEF; Jennifer Buffett, president and co-chair of the NoVo Foundation; Lauren Bush, co-founder of FEED Projects; Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO and co-founder of Vestergaard Frandsen Ltd.; Pierre Garçon, founder and chair of the Pierre Garçon Foundation; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR champion and co-founder of the Jeff Gordon Pediatric Cancer Foundation; Ruchira Gupta, founder and president of Apne Aap Women Worldwide; Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO of YouTube; Jounghoon Lee, CEO of Samchang Enterprises; Capt. Wes Moore, vice president at Citigroup; Pamela Omidyar, co-founder of Omidyar Network, Humanity United, and the HopeLab; Michael Peterson, vice chair of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation; Myron Rolle, founder and chair of the Myron Rolle Foundation; David Mayer de Rothschild, founder and CEO of Adventure Eco logy; Zainab Salbi, co-founder and CEO of Women for Women International; and Alejandro Santo Domingo, managing director of Quadrant Capital Advisors.
Information about all commitments announced today is below.
President Bill Clinton also announced that the fourth Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) meeting will take place April 1-3, 2011, at the University of California, San Diego. The application is available now at CGIU.org. Founded by President Clinton in 2007, CGI U empowers undergraduate and graduate students to explore and create tangible solutions to global challenges. The meeting is hosted by President Clinton, and is free to attend. To apply, each student must create a Commitment to Action, a detailed plan for creating positive change.
Webcasts of CGI sessions can be viewed at clintonglobalinitiative.org. Photos are available through Flickr; the link is at press.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Follow CGI and the Clinton Foundation at twitter.com/ClintonTweet. The official hash-tag for the 2010 CGI Annual Meeting is #cgi2010. During the Annual Meeting, CGI posted daily video highlights on youtube.com/cgivideos. Follow President Clinton’s updates on his Facebook page at facebook.com/billclinton.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Diageo spotlighted at Clinton Global Initiative in New York
Diageo has been recognised today by the Clinton Global Initiative for its work in providing many of the poorest people across Africa with access to clean water.
Today, Diageo announced at the Clinton Global Initiative a new project that the drinks business has committed to funding in West Africa through its Arthur Guinness Fund, which has been created to celebrate Guinness’s 250th anniversary.
Today, Diageo announced at the Clinton Global Initiative a new project that the drinks business has committed to funding in West Africa through its Arthur Guinness Fund, which has been created to celebrate Guinness’s 250th anniversary.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
President Bill Clinton Hosts Special Session on Recovery in Haiti at the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2010 Annual Meeting
Program Participants Included President Clinton, Réne Préval, president of the Republic of Haiti, and Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti
Program Also Featured Sessions On Enhancing Access to Modern Technology With Participants Including John Chambers, Jack Dorsey, Arianna Huffington, Mohamed Ibrahim, Ashton Kutcher, Pierre Omidyar, and Ratan N. Tata
New York, NY – On the third day of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), President Bill Clinton hosted a special session on Recovery in Haiti, gathering key leaders from government and business to discuss how the international community can help Haiti rebuild.
“Since the Haiti earthquake in January, CGI members have made $224 million in commitments to help Haiti build back better, in addition to the more than $140 million in commitments made before the quake,” President Clinton said. “Working together alongside the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission, CGI members are delivering measurable results in housing, clean energy, infrastructure, health care, and education, among other important sectors, to give the Haitian people the tools to create a better future for their nation."
President Clinton, who is co-chair of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, moderated the session, which featured Réne Préval, president of the Republic of Haiti; Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti; Denis O’Brien, chairman of Digicel; Adam Golstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International; and Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum. A webcast can be viewed at live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
The special session on Haiti followed programming during the morning which focused on Enhancing Access to Modern Technology, one of CGI’s four Action Areas for 2010. A plenary session on the topic featured John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square and co-founder and chairman of Twitter, and Ratan N. Tata, chairman of Tata Group. Panelists addressed how technology can play a major role in meeting the world’s greatest challenges.
After the plenary session, three breakouts addressed more specific topics. A breakout session on Democracy and Voice featured Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor in chief of the Huffington Post, Mohamed Ibrahim, chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Ashton Kutcher, co-chair of the Demi and Ashton Foundation, Pierre Omidyar, founding partner of the Omidyar Network, and Maria Otero, under secretary of state for democracy and global affairs with the U.S. Department of State. The session was followed by a press conference in which Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore discussed the DNA Foundation’s efforts to end sex trafficking of children.
Photos are available approximately two hours after each session on our Flickr page. Please visit press.clintonglobalinitiative.org for the link.
Follow the Clinton Foundation’s tweets about CGI at: twitter.com/ClintonTweet. The official hash-tag for the 2010 CGI Annual Meeting is #cgi2010.
CGI is posting daily video highlights on its YouTube channel, youtube.com/cgivideos. Follow President Clinton’s updates on his facebook page at facebook.com/billclinton.
The following commitments were announced today:
Amazon Aid Foundation
Inspiring Action to Protect and Preserve the Amazon
Within three years, Amazon Aid Foundation (AAF) commits to provide education, awareness, and solutions to the devastating environmental issues affecting the Amazonian rainforest. This will be done through a documentary film, a photography exhibition by Ron Haviv, and high school curriculums. AAF will bring awareness and change through art and science presentations, based on scientific data and research about rainforest losses.
Climate Action Reserve
Climate Action Reserve Tropical Forestry Program
The Climate Action Reserve commits to establish a Tropical Forestry Program that will research and set credible standards for carbon offset programs to be used in the Mexican forestry industry in order to protect 10 million acres of tropical forests over the next three years. Operating within the UN-REDD framework, the Tropical Forestry Program will help private companies offset and reduce carbon emissions, and also set standards for the Mexican forestry industry’s forest management and reforestation initiatives.
DataDyne.org
Stockout Knockout: Getting Medicine to Those in Need
DataDyne.org commits to help health care providers around the world track, order, and receive essential medical supplies by mobile phone. Through a cloud-based system accessible from mobile phones in remote locations, DataDyne.org will enable this data collection for thousands of organizations in more than 150 countries worldwide. Medical workers and pharmacy managers can use their mobile phones to order supplies when they are out of stock, and track materials as they are transported.
Discovery Communications Inc.
Be The Future: Discovery STEM Education Initiative
Discovery Communications will extend “Head Rush,” an educational program on the Science Channel, from a six-month to a one-year-long show. The program will target middle school students and encourage them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Discovery Communications will make the show’s content available to 35 million students through its digital education service.
Duke Energy Corporation and Cisco
Envision Charlotte
Duke Energy and Cisco commit to pilot Envision Charlotte, an innovative program that aims to reduce the energy use of 60 commercial buildings in Charlotte by 20 percent over five years. In collaboration with the governor’s office, the Charlotte mayor’s office, Center City Partners, and Bank of America, the initiative will combine smart grid technology, energy education, and automation technology to create a replicable and sustainable model of energy efficiency.
F.I.S.H. Foundation
Mar Elias H.S. Technology Upgrade, Israel/Palestine
F.I.S.H. Foundation commits $100,000 over the next four months to provide academic and research technology for the biotechnology, physics, and computer labs of Mar Elias High School in Ibillin, Israel. This Palestinian-founded school, with 1,200 students from all over northern Israel, needs upgraded technology equipment to help students excel on Israel’s standardized matriculation exams.
Girls Inc.
Girls Inc. Eureka!: STEM Career Development for Girls
Girls Inc. pledges to launch an intensive science, technology, engineering, and math based academic program with college counseling for 2,160 underserved girls in grades 8 through 12, based on a pilot program in which 100 percent of the girls went on to succeed in college.
Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products
Market-Driven Restoration - Marrecas Indigenous Community
Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products will work with the Marrecas indigenous community in Brazil to establish an organic yerba mate business. Guayaki will help the Marrecas community design a detailed plan with specific environmental and social goals, and will link its customers with partner farming communities in order to provide a sustainable livelihood for 250 indigenous families and sustain and restore 40,000 acres of Atlantic rainforest in Brazil.
Honeywell International Inc.
Turnkey Science and Technology Kits for Mexican Schools
Honeywell will provide hands-on scientific learning materials to students and teachers in six Mexican middle schools in Mexicali, Monterrey, and Mexico City. Local Mexican-based Honeywell employees will mentor teachers on how to fully utilize these materials. Honeywell commits $50,000 to fund this one-year project for 250 students.
Hult International Business School
Hult Global Case Challenge
Hult International Business School commits to hold a global competition for a business plan that will tackle a challenge currently faced by a CGI Commitment to Action. One hundred teams from the top business schools across the world will compete to develop the best solution to the challenge for a $1 million grant that will be invested in the implementation of the business plan.
Linklaters and Camfed International
Good Governance as a Key to Empowerment
Linklaters and Camfed commit to implement programs that will promote the need for effective governance, transparency, and accountability within the development sector. Working with members of government, non-government and private sector organizations, the initiative will host meetings and share best practices to encourage a more formalized model of governance within this sector and raise awareness of the importance of good governance in developing countries.
Wangari Maathai
The Wangari Maathai Institute: Training for Action
Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi, commits to establish the Wangari Maathai Institute to provide training in sustainable environmental management. Through research, education, and community outreach, the Wangari Maathai Institute aims to improve attitudes towards the environment, and advance environmental resource management tools that promote peace and improve livelihoods.
Mercy Corps, Trilogy International Partners
Mobile Money: Financial Inclusion for Haiti's Recovery
Much of Haiti’s tenuous infrastructure was damaged after the January 2010 earthquake. But Mercy Corps, Trilogy International Partners, Voila, and UNIBANK realized that mobile services were readily restorable and could leapfrog the old system of financial access for the poor. These partners have made a commitment to provide mobile money services for 100,000 individuals in Haiti through a pilot project focused on mobile cash-for-work programming. This is the first step in an initiative that will provide a range of financial services and will serve as a platform to roll out mobile money to more than half a million Haitians.
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance
Global Innovation Initiative
From 2010 to 2018, the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance will create a global network of more than 100 universities that will participate in online educator trainings and idea exchanges. This network will create more than 500 new social enterprises, and help train the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) innovators.
Kim Samuel-Johnson
Pioneering Permanent Energy Savings
Kim Samuel-Johnson commits $2 million to support the work of Energy Pioneer Solutions, a company founded to deliver energy savings to communities in rural America. This service will allow customers in three Nebraska towns to cover the costs of energy-smart retrofits to their homes by paying for them with a portion of their annual energy savings. It will strive to fundamentally transform the way energy efficiency services are delivered to ratepayers by making retrofit assessments and implementation significantly faster and therefore accessible to more people. Energy Pioneer Solutions will work with 19 nonprofits and 6 local religious institutions to identify families that would benefit most from saving money by saving energy.
Sangari
Expanding Science Education
From 2010 to 2011, Sangari will provide six underserved American elementary schools with Sangari Active Science Units, which include curriculum materials, science kits, shared laptops for teachers, and on-site professional development.
The Paradigm Project
Clean Cookstoves: Changing the Energy Paradigm in Kenya
The Paradigm Project commits to provide 400,000 clean cookstoves to Kenyan households over the next ten years. This commitment will use a carbon offset program to generate revenue to fund the project, which will save an estimated 1.7 million trees, eliminate 1.5 million tons of carbon emissions, and save low-income families $4.5 million in fuel costs.
Toyola Energy Limited and E+Co., Inc.
Innovative Finance for Clean Energy in Ghana
Toyola and E+Co commit to sell 140,000 energy-efficient cook stoves and 10,000 solar energy products to low-income families in West Africa within three years. E +Co will provide small business loans to Toyola and will assist in leveraging carbon finance and creating microfranchises operated by local entrepreneurs.
Program Participants Included President Clinton, Réne Préval, president of the Republic of Haiti, and Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti
Program Also Featured Sessions On Enhancing Access to Modern Technology With Participants Including John Chambers, Jack Dorsey, Arianna Huffington, Mohamed Ibrahim, Ashton Kutcher, Pierre Omidyar, and Ratan N. Tata
New York, NY – On the third day of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), President Bill Clinton hosted a special session on Recovery in Haiti, gathering key leaders from government and business to discuss how the international community can help Haiti rebuild.
“Since the Haiti earthquake in January, CGI members have made $224 million in commitments to help Haiti build back better, in addition to the more than $140 million in commitments made before the quake,” President Clinton said. “Working together alongside the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission, CGI members are delivering measurable results in housing, clean energy, infrastructure, health care, and education, among other important sectors, to give the Haitian people the tools to create a better future for their nation."
President Clinton, who is co-chair of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, moderated the session, which featured Réne Préval, president of the Republic of Haiti; Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti; Denis O’Brien, chairman of Digicel; Adam Golstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International; and Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum. A webcast can be viewed at live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
The special session on Haiti followed programming during the morning which focused on Enhancing Access to Modern Technology, one of CGI’s four Action Areas for 2010. A plenary session on the topic featured John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square and co-founder and chairman of Twitter, and Ratan N. Tata, chairman of Tata Group. Panelists addressed how technology can play a major role in meeting the world’s greatest challenges.
After the plenary session, three breakouts addressed more specific topics. A breakout session on Democracy and Voice featured Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor in chief of the Huffington Post, Mohamed Ibrahim, chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Ashton Kutcher, co-chair of the Demi and Ashton Foundation, Pierre Omidyar, founding partner of the Omidyar Network, and Maria Otero, under secretary of state for democracy and global affairs with the U.S. Department of State. The session was followed by a press conference in which Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore discussed the DNA Foundation’s efforts to end sex trafficking of children.
Photos are available approximately two hours after each session on our Flickr page. Please visit press.clintonglobalinitiative.org for the link.
Follow the Clinton Foundation’s tweets about CGI at: twitter.com/ClintonTweet. The official hash-tag for the 2010 CGI Annual Meeting is #cgi2010.
CGI is posting daily video highlights on its YouTube channel, youtube.com/cgivideos. Follow President Clinton’s updates on his facebook page at facebook.com/billclinton.
The following commitments were announced today:
Amazon Aid Foundation
Inspiring Action to Protect and Preserve the Amazon
Within three years, Amazon Aid Foundation (AAF) commits to provide education, awareness, and solutions to the devastating environmental issues affecting the Amazonian rainforest. This will be done through a documentary film, a photography exhibition by Ron Haviv, and high school curriculums. AAF will bring awareness and change through art and science presentations, based on scientific data and research about rainforest losses.
Climate Action Reserve
Climate Action Reserve Tropical Forestry Program
The Climate Action Reserve commits to establish a Tropical Forestry Program that will research and set credible standards for carbon offset programs to be used in the Mexican forestry industry in order to protect 10 million acres of tropical forests over the next three years. Operating within the UN-REDD framework, the Tropical Forestry Program will help private companies offset and reduce carbon emissions, and also set standards for the Mexican forestry industry’s forest management and reforestation initiatives.
DataDyne.org
Stockout Knockout: Getting Medicine to Those in Need
DataDyne.org commits to help health care providers around the world track, order, and receive essential medical supplies by mobile phone. Through a cloud-based system accessible from mobile phones in remote locations, DataDyne.org will enable this data collection for thousands of organizations in more than 150 countries worldwide. Medical workers and pharmacy managers can use their mobile phones to order supplies when they are out of stock, and track materials as they are transported.
Discovery Communications Inc.
Be The Future: Discovery STEM Education Initiative
Discovery Communications will extend “Head Rush,” an educational program on the Science Channel, from a six-month to a one-year-long show. The program will target middle school students and encourage them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Discovery Communications will make the show’s content available to 35 million students through its digital education service.
Duke Energy Corporation and Cisco
Envision Charlotte
Duke Energy and Cisco commit to pilot Envision Charlotte, an innovative program that aims to reduce the energy use of 60 commercial buildings in Charlotte by 20 percent over five years. In collaboration with the governor’s office, the Charlotte mayor’s office, Center City Partners, and Bank of America, the initiative will combine smart grid technology, energy education, and automation technology to create a replicable and sustainable model of energy efficiency.
F.I.S.H. Foundation
Mar Elias H.S. Technology Upgrade, Israel/Palestine
F.I.S.H. Foundation commits $100,000 over the next four months to provide academic and research technology for the biotechnology, physics, and computer labs of Mar Elias High School in Ibillin, Israel. This Palestinian-founded school, with 1,200 students from all over northern Israel, needs upgraded technology equipment to help students excel on Israel’s standardized matriculation exams.
Girls Inc.
Girls Inc. Eureka!: STEM Career Development for Girls
Girls Inc. pledges to launch an intensive science, technology, engineering, and math based academic program with college counseling for 2,160 underserved girls in grades 8 through 12, based on a pilot program in which 100 percent of the girls went on to succeed in college.
Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products
Market-Driven Restoration - Marrecas Indigenous Community
Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products will work with the Marrecas indigenous community in Brazil to establish an organic yerba mate business. Guayaki will help the Marrecas community design a detailed plan with specific environmental and social goals, and will link its customers with partner farming communities in order to provide a sustainable livelihood for 250 indigenous families and sustain and restore 40,000 acres of Atlantic rainforest in Brazil.
Honeywell International Inc.
Turnkey Science and Technology Kits for Mexican Schools
Honeywell will provide hands-on scientific learning materials to students and teachers in six Mexican middle schools in Mexicali, Monterrey, and Mexico City. Local Mexican-based Honeywell employees will mentor teachers on how to fully utilize these materials. Honeywell commits $50,000 to fund this one-year project for 250 students.
Hult International Business School
Hult Global Case Challenge
Hult International Business School commits to hold a global competition for a business plan that will tackle a challenge currently faced by a CGI Commitment to Action. One hundred teams from the top business schools across the world will compete to develop the best solution to the challenge for a $1 million grant that will be invested in the implementation of the business plan.
Linklaters and Camfed International
Good Governance as a Key to Empowerment
Linklaters and Camfed commit to implement programs that will promote the need for effective governance, transparency, and accountability within the development sector. Working with members of government, non-government and private sector organizations, the initiative will host meetings and share best practices to encourage a more formalized model of governance within this sector and raise awareness of the importance of good governance in developing countries.
Wangari Maathai
The Wangari Maathai Institute: Training for Action
Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi, commits to establish the Wangari Maathai Institute to provide training in sustainable environmental management. Through research, education, and community outreach, the Wangari Maathai Institute aims to improve attitudes towards the environment, and advance environmental resource management tools that promote peace and improve livelihoods.
Mercy Corps, Trilogy International Partners
Mobile Money: Financial Inclusion for Haiti's Recovery
Much of Haiti’s tenuous infrastructure was damaged after the January 2010 earthquake. But Mercy Corps, Trilogy International Partners, Voila, and UNIBANK realized that mobile services were readily restorable and could leapfrog the old system of financial access for the poor. These partners have made a commitment to provide mobile money services for 100,000 individuals in Haiti through a pilot project focused on mobile cash-for-work programming. This is the first step in an initiative that will provide a range of financial services and will serve as a platform to roll out mobile money to more than half a million Haitians.
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance
Global Innovation Initiative
From 2010 to 2018, the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance will create a global network of more than 100 universities that will participate in online educator trainings and idea exchanges. This network will create more than 500 new social enterprises, and help train the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) innovators.
Kim Samuel-Johnson
Pioneering Permanent Energy Savings
Kim Samuel-Johnson commits $2 million to support the work of Energy Pioneer Solutions, a company founded to deliver energy savings to communities in rural America. This service will allow customers in three Nebraska towns to cover the costs of energy-smart retrofits to their homes by paying for them with a portion of their annual energy savings. It will strive to fundamentally transform the way energy efficiency services are delivered to ratepayers by making retrofit assessments and implementation significantly faster and therefore accessible to more people. Energy Pioneer Solutions will work with 19 nonprofits and 6 local religious institutions to identify families that would benefit most from saving money by saving energy.
Sangari
Expanding Science Education
From 2010 to 2011, Sangari will provide six underserved American elementary schools with Sangari Active Science Units, which include curriculum materials, science kits, shared laptops for teachers, and on-site professional development.
The Paradigm Project
Clean Cookstoves: Changing the Energy Paradigm in Kenya
The Paradigm Project commits to provide 400,000 clean cookstoves to Kenyan households over the next ten years. This commitment will use a carbon offset program to generate revenue to fund the project, which will save an estimated 1.7 million trees, eliminate 1.5 million tons of carbon emissions, and save low-income families $4.5 million in fuel costs.
Toyola Energy Limited and E+Co., Inc.
Innovative Finance for Clean Energy in Ghana
Toyola and E+Co commit to sell 140,000 energy-efficient cook stoves and 10,000 solar energy products to low-income families in West Africa within three years. E +Co will provide small business loans to Toyola and will assist in leveraging carbon finance and creating microfranchises operated by local entrepreneurs.
Nearly 40 Commitments Announced As President Bill Clinton Hosts the Second Day of Programming at the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2010 Annual Meeting
Wednesday’s Program Focused on Strengthening Market-Based Solutions and Harnessing Human Potential
Program Participants Include Madeleine K. Albright, Lance Armstrong, Stephen Bing, Tony Blair, Michael Bloomberg, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Jim Carrey, John Chambers, Jack Dorsey, Paul Farmer, Thomas Friedman, Sanjay Gupta, Jenna Hager, Valerie B. Jarrett, Muhtar Kent, Jack Ma and Tom Vilsack
New York, NY – On the second day of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), President Clinton opened plenary sessions on Strengthening Market-Based Solutions and Harnessing Human Potential by announcing a range of commitments aimed at addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
"Commitments announced today will have a significant impact on a range of issues, from fighting cancer to investing in small holder farmers," President Clinton said. "All of these challenges are interconnected, and I'm pleased our members are taking comprehensive and sustainable approaches to solve them."
The commitments announced today include:
Preventing Tobacco-Related Deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa
The American Cancer Society will develop a public health campaign to prevent tobacco-related deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. The campaign entails working with strategic partners and advocating for the creation of smoke-free places, strict tobacco control policies, and increased tobacco taxes in the region.
Brazil’s First Social Fund
Sitawi will raise $1.5 million for its Social Fund, which will distribute loans to Brazilian mission-driven organizations that are too big for microcredit, too small for development banks, and too risky for commercial lenders. Sitawi will offer loans between $50,000-$250,000 at below-market interest rates, close to Brazil’s Central Bank base rates of approximately 1 percent.
The Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) for a New Beginning
The Coca-Cola Company is committing approximately $3.75 million to launch eight water projects in Muslim-majority African countries, including Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. Total investment, including support from co-financing partners such as USAID and UNDP, will exceed $7.5 million.
In total, 40 commitments were announced during today’s programming. Details on all of them are below.
Wednesday’s programming was primarily structured around two of CGI’s Action Areas: Strengthening Market-Based Solutions and Harnessing Human Potential. At the plenary session on Strengthening Market-Based Solutions, leaders from business, government, and civil society came together in a conversation about using markets to source and scale solutions to global challenges. The session featured Robert E. Diamond, Jr., president and chief executive designate of Barclays PLC, Thomas Friedman, foreign affairs columnist with the New York Times, and Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor and assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement.
Participants of the Harnessing Human Potential plenary session, including former first lady Laura Bush, came together to discuss how to foster entrepreneurship and job creation across the globe, and how to broaden access to knowledge and training in order to build a global workforce that meets the needs of the 21st century economy. Other participants included Jack Ma, chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, Jenna Hager, contributing correspondent, NBC News, and Barbara Bush, president, Global Health Corps.
Wednesday’s programming also featured three special sessions. A session on Addressing Cancer in the Developing World explored efforts underway to increase access to effective diagnosis and quality treatment for cancer in the developing world. The session brought together experts from across the field, including HRH Princess Dina Mired, director general of the King Hussein Cancer foundation, Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health, Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of LIVESTRONG, and Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent at CNN.
A special session on Building Partnerships to Empower the World’s Smallholder Farmers featured actor Jim Carrey, founder of the Better U Foundation, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Discussions focused on how corporations can help farmers build better lives for themselves, while strengthening their supply chains, protecting the environment, and promoting the long-term health and prosperity of the communities where they do business.
In addition, CNBC's “Meeting of the Minds: The Future of the Global Economy," hosted by Maria Bartiromo, was filmed today at CGI's Annual Meeting. The program premieres on Thursday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. ET on CNBC. The CNBC special event brings together some of the world’s most prestigious leaders including President Clinton; Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and CEO of the Dow Chemical Company; and Peter Sands, group chief executive of Standard Chartered PLC; to address the most pressing questions facing the global community today.
Webcasts of all open-press sessions can be viewed at live.clintonglobalinitiative.org. Each session is webcast live and a recorded version is made available shortly after each session. For a complete agenda, please visit clintonglobalinitiative.org/schedule.
Photos are available approximately two hours after each session on our Flickr page. Please visit press.clintonglobalinitiative.org for the link.
CGI is soliciting questions from the Twitter audience for plenary sessions and select breakout sessions. Follow the Clinton Foundation’s tweets about CGI at: twitter.com/ClintonTweet. The official hash-tag for the 2010 CGI Annual Meeting is #cgi2010.
CGI is posting daily video highlights on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/cgivideos. Follow President Clinton’s updates on his facebook page at facebook.com/billclinton.
The following commitments were announced today:
Acxiom
Partners for a New Beginning, Reach In, Reach Out
Working within the Partners for a New Beginning umbrella, Acxiom will develop an outreach program, Reach In, Reach Out. This program will develop and publicize best practices to be used to include people of the Muslim faith in community affairs and corporate interactions in the Middle East, Northern Africa, the West Bank, Asia and the United States. The program will also reach out to students from Islamic countries who are attending college and universities in the United States.
After-School All-Stars
Delivering Clean Energy to Haiti
After-School All-Stars, through its We Are Ready initiative, will provide high school readiness training, study skills, career exploration activities, and college exposure and mentorship opportunities to American eighth graders at risk of becoming high school dropouts. Over the next five next years, more than 6,000 low-income students who are at the highest risk of dropping out will be reached in 12 cities across the country.
The Alicea Foundation, Mothers in Black
Re-introduction of School Road Safety Patrols in Guyana
The Alicea Foundation will educate students, parents, and teachers on the essentials of road safety in Georgetown, Guyana. Beginning in 2011, the pilot program will be implemented in 10-20 primary schools.
American Cancer Society
Preventing Tobacco-Related Deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa
The American Cancer Society will develop a public health campaign committed to preventing a pandemic of tobacco-related deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. The campaign entails working with strategic partners and advocating for the creation of smoke-free places, strict tobacco control policies, and increased tobacco taxes in the region.
Asia Injury Prevention Foundation
Reduce Road Traffic Fatalities and Injuries Globally
The Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation will expand its road safety programs in Vietnam to Cambodia, Uganda, and one state in India. With the aim of increasing access to high quality helmets and promoting safer behavior among road users, AIP will build strategic private-public partnerships, provide school and public road awareness education and work with governments to introduce laws and standards.
BreastSens
Soweto Breast Cancer Network
BreastSens will establish the Soweto Breast Cancer Network (SBCN) to improve cancer survival rates in Soweto by promoting early detection and providing access to informed healthcare choices.Usingmulti-disciplinary specialists in gender equity and women’s health,SBCN will train 60 local primary healthcare nurses in breast cancer diagnosis and ensure better communication between the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and local clinics.
Burson-Marsteller
Launching the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety
Burston Marsteller, representing WPP, has developed a logo for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and commits to provide additional pro-bono communications services to support the Decade’s launch in May of 2011.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) for a New Beginning
The Coca-Cola Company is committing approximately $3.75 million to launch eight water projects in Muslim-majority African countries, including Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. Total investment, including support from co-financing partners such as USAID and UNDP, will exceed $7.5 million.
Comet-ME
Sustainable Provision of Basic Energy Services
Comet-ME will build and install hybrid wind and solar stand-alone mini-grids for all off-grid Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills. This commitment will provide basic energy services to a neglected region with the aim of creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly power source. Comet-ME will also run an advanced renewable energy course to build regional capacity to run the operation and to ultimately transfer project management to local partners.
Cordes Foundation, Calvert Foundation and Giving Assets
Global Impact 50
The Cordes Foundation, in partnership with The Calvert Foundation and Giving Assets, commits to create the “Global Impact 50,” an index ranking the top 50 impact investment managers that deliver social and environmental value in addition to financial returns. The index will be the first part of a broader effort sponsored by the organizations, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, to convene a consortium of philanthropic and financial services leaders in the creation of a comprehensive impact investment platform. The Cordes Foundation and its partners aim to raise $2 billion for impact investing by 2016.
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
Cradle to Cradle Certification
Cradle to Cradle will expand its green certification standard to encompass 1,000 well-recognized products over the next five years. By assessing the water purity, renewable energy, and social fairness involved in a product’s manufacturing process, Cradle to Cradle provides a green stamp of approval that can be trusted by environmentally-conscious consumers.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
DFCI Commits to Expanded Access to Cancer Care Globally
The Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) commits to work with Partners in Health (PIH) to donate cancer drugs, offer remote consultative services to clinicians, and develop cancer control and care programs in Haiti, Mexico, Jordan, and Rwanda.
Delta Partners Group, Ericsson, MTN Uganda, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Refugees United and Control Arms Campaign
Building a Global Platform to Reunite Refugee Families
Refugees United, Ericsson and Delta Partners will launch a mobile phone application that will help refugees locate their family members via text messaging. They plan to implement this tool in Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the goal of helping 120,000 refugees find their families by the end of 2011.
Durabilis
Integrating Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) Agriculture Supply Chains
Over the next five years the Durabilis Foundation will work in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa to develop agricultural supply chains to link famers with local and regional markets. They will link smallholder farmers producing a range of products to state of the art processing and distribution networks ensuring they can access new markets for their products.
FARM-Africa
Maendeleo Agricultural Enterprise Fund
FARM-Africa will launch the Maendeleo Agriculture Enterprise Fund, a competitive grant-making fund in four African countries that will support small-scale agricultural producers. Based on FARM-Africa’s existing model, the fund will finance approximately 48 projects over five years in order todevelop innovative and effective approaches to natural resource management that will benefit 96,000 farmers.
Dina Mired; Ghida Talal; King Hussein Cancer Foundation
Cancer in the Middle East - Personalized Medicine
In 2011, the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center in Amman, Jordan will establish a new approach towards cancer treatment called “Personalized Medicine” in order to combat rising cancer rates in the Middle East. The initiative will use molecular testing methods to determine the genetic make-up of tumors and how they relate to the specific individual, thus allowing doctors to determine specific treatment plans with greater precision.
Firmenich Foundation
Vetiver Farmer Support in Haiti
Firmenich and its partners will create new income opportunities for farmers and distillers by providing trees, training, and equipment for the sustainable production of essential oils. The goal of the commitment is to provide Vetiver farmers with the inputs, tools and access to markets necessary to diversify their production with a range of high value, commercially important, essential oils.
Global Citizen Year
Unleashing the Potential of Next Gen Global Leaders
By 2015, Global Citizen Year will engage 1,000 American high school graduates in annual structured apprenticeships in communities across Asia, Africa, or Latin America through a “bridge year” program between high school and college. Each Fellow will develop a fluency in a new language and an understanding of other cultures.
Gonzalo Rodriguez Memorial Foundation (GRMF) Safe Mobility for Uruguayan Children
GRMF will promote road safety awareness and citizenship education in Uruguay. The specific objective of this one-year, $87,000 commitment is to provide more than 1,000 children aged 4-12 years old with engaging learning alternatives in the classroom with the aim of protecting them and educating them to be responsible drivers.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Tackling Climate Change Adaptation Through Coral Reef Bonds
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation will create a ten-year, $60 million bond, in partnership with Goldman Sachs and KPMG, to fund research and interventions that will help coral reefs adapt to climate change. The protection of species and habitats will be paid for by interest and capital repayments generated by increases in levies and taxes on those who use the Reef.
IMAFLORA
Brazilian Forest Conservation through Cocoa Production
IMAFLORA will contribute to the conservation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest by developing a pilot model of payments for environmental services. The model will be based on a regional approach that links the responsible production of cocoa and environmentally-friendly markets with the maintenance and enhancement of environmental services like forest carbon stocks, water production, biodiversity protection and improvement of farmer-livelihoods.
ImagineNations Group and Yahoo!
Imagine-Network.org: Entrepreneurs, Mentors Go Mobile
ImagineNations Group, with Yahoo!, will connect young entrepreneurs to one another, to mentors, to supporters, to financing sources, and to markets through the ImagineNations Network (INN), an online platform. Over twelve months, INN will develop country portals (including mobile phone integration, mentoring, resources, access to financing and marketplace) and a regional portal. The commitment aims to increase the number of INN users from 4,000 to 750,000 over five years, while targeting the sub-Saharan African, Southeast Asian, and Middle East/North African regions. Additionally,to promote global entrepreneurship and INN's efforts, Yahoo! will provide $250,000 of targeted media on its advertising platform.
InSTEDD
The InSTEDD iLab - A Model for Sustainable Innovation
InSTEDD will open an innovation laboratory, or iLab, in Zimbabawe in 2011. The iLab will be a collaborative environment where young students and entrepreneurs will learn software development, project management, and collaboration techniques in order to advance solutions in economic development, public health, and environmental sustainability. InSTEDD will reach 120 students in five years.
Interfaith Youth Core
InterFaith Leaders for a New Beginning
Over three years, the Interfaith Youth Core will create a global network of 150 Interfaith Youth Leaders, age 16 to 35, from the U.S. and 11 Muslim countries. With assistance from US Embassies and Partners for New Beginning, Interfaith Youth Core will provide grants, coaching, and online networking to empower interfaith leaders to implement social projects in their communities, stay connected with each other, and gain awareness about successful national and international models of interfaith cooperation.
International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB)
iRAP and ADB: Asia Pacific Free of High Risk Roads
iRAP in partnership with the ADB, will work towards eliminating high risk roads in the Asia Pacific region by evaluating, rating and implementing safety measures on the 10 percent of roads with the highest volume of traffic in the region.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Urban Sustainability Triage and Realization
Lockheed Martin commits to its first public-private partnership, joining the city of Burlington, Vermont in its search for sustainable technologies to lead the city towards its goal of 100 percent renewable power supply by 2012.
Lumni, Inc.
Innovative College Funding for 10,000 Students
Over the next five years, Lumni will provide 10,000 students in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. with access to financing for higher education. Through partnerships with individuals and institutions, Lumni will create social investment funds that will provide students with funding. These students will commit to repaying a fixed percentage of income for a period after graduation.
Make Roads Safe, a campaign of the FIA Foundation
Delivering Vaccines for Road Traffic Injury
The FIA Foundation, with the IDB and others, commits $10 million to promote safe driving, and the use of motorcycle crash helmets and seat belts, to combat road traffic injury during the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020).
The Mayo Clinic
Global Bridges: Healthcare Alliance for Tobacco Dependence Treatment
The Mayo Clinic School for Continuous Professional Development and Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center will create an institution to better treat tobacco dependence and to reduce tobacco use by advocating for tobacco control policies, such as smoke-free workplaces. The project will mobilize global and regional networks of healthcare providers and tobacco dependence treatment organizations, for a comprehensive and measurable approach to the threat of tobacco.
Merck & Co., CARE USA, and Save the Children
Bridging Health & Education Programs for Young Children
Merck & Co. commits to invest more than $3 million in partnership with CARE USA and Save the Children to develop a package of services focused on five areas of impact: child development, health, nutrition, child protection, and economic empowerment. These services will be provided through caregivers, childcare settings, and national policy. With a focus on low-resource communities with high HIV-prevalence, these services will improve the quality of life and long-term developmental outcomes for orphans and vulnerable children from conception to primary school. After three years, the initiative will share its initial findings in India and El Salvador with global policymakers, international NGOs, community-based organizations, and donors with the aim of expanding the program to other countries.
Rural Development Institute, Humanity United and the Nike Foundation
Creating Opportunities for Girls Through Land Rights
The Rural Development Institute (RDI), along with the Nike Foundation, Omidyar Network, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will launch an advocacy campaign to help girls in rural sub-Saharan Africa and Asia secure land rights.
Schoenfeld Foundation
Cleantech U: Igniting Cleantech Entrepreneurship
Cleantech U commits to empower students at five universities in the US to become innovators in the clean technology sector. During the next academic year, in partnership with Net Impact, Cleantech U will connect students with mentors, provide them with networking opportunities and internships, introduce them to investors, and provide support to help student-led clean technology ventures get off the ground.
Sitawi
Brazil’s First Social Fund
Sitawi will raise $1.5 million for its Social Fund, which will distribute loans to Brazilian mission-driven organizations that are too big for microcredit, too small for development banks, and too risky for commercial lenders. Sitawi will offer social soans between $50,000-$250,000 at below market interest rates, close to Brazil’s Central Bank base rates of approximately 1 percent.
Step Up on Second, Inc.
Step Up in Hollywood: Sustainably Ending Homelessness
Step Up on Second will build, develop, and operate 200 permanent green housing units for people identified as the most vulnerable by the Hollywood Homeless Registry. This five-year initiative will ensure that residents and an additional 1,400 homeless people have access to free comprehensive services, including health care and social and educational programming.
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation
Global Education Connects Across Religious Divides
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation will will launch “Face to Faith” in the U.S, which uses interactive religious education programs to build understanding and tolerance. As the new term starts, schools in five different states will introduce the program for the first time.
United Postcode Lotteries
Postcode Lottery Project Oceans
The United Postcode Lotteries, together with World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, and the Marine Stewardship Council, will implement Postcode Lottery Project Oceans, a public awareness campaign about man-made threats to oceans. The campaign, a $9 million, two-year initiative, will focus on protecting ocean areas, alleviating overfishing, and protecting endangered species. It will be supported with significant media outreach efforts, marketing and publishing campaigns, and a Mattias Klum TV documentary.
The Mayo Clinic
Integrating Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) Agriculture Supply Chains
Over the next five years the Durabilis Foundation will work in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa to develop agricultural supply chains to link famers with local and regional markets. They will link smallholder farmers producing a range of products to state of the art processing and distribution networks ensuring they can access new markets for their products.
Virgin Unite, Humanity United, and the Nduna Foundation
Enterprise Zimbabwe: Catalyzing Economic Recovery
Virgin Unite, Humanity United, and the Nduna Foundation commit to establish Enterprise Zimbabwe, a trust that will help to facilitate the flow of philanthropic and commercial investment into social development initiatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, and entrepreneurship. Over a period of two years, this intiative will impact more than 20,000 lives.
Vittana
Vittana/Africa: Bringing Student Loans to Africa
Vittana commits to develop, launch, and fund the first higher education micro-loan programs in Africa. The program will enable 10,000 students to pursue post-secondary education and learn employable skills in fields such as nursing, law enforcement, and information technology. Vittana will partner with microfinance institutions to create these programs, in which loans are placed on the Vittana.org website to receive funding from a global community of individual micro-lenders. On average, a student featured on Vittana.org is funded within less than three days. In the last two months alone, $100,000 has been raised.
Wrap Up Africa
Wrap Up Africa – Ethiopia
OWrap Up Africa (WUA) will expand its existing program to provide income-generation opportunities for cancer patients and their families while they undergo treatment, often miles from home. Wrap-Up Africa trains program-participants as tailors to create high-end textiles for export. This year, the program will be introduced in Ethiopia.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, 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 Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,900 commitments valued at $63 billion, which have already improved the lives of nearly 300 million people in more than 170 countries. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young l eaders from business, government, and civil society. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Wednesday’s Program Focused on Strengthening Market-Based Solutions and Harnessing Human Potential
Program Participants Include Madeleine K. Albright, Lance Armstrong, Stephen Bing, Tony Blair, Michael Bloomberg, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Jim Carrey, John Chambers, Jack Dorsey, Paul Farmer, Thomas Friedman, Sanjay Gupta, Jenna Hager, Valerie B. Jarrett, Muhtar Kent, Jack Ma and Tom Vilsack
New York, NY – On the second day of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), President Clinton opened plenary sessions on Strengthening Market-Based Solutions and Harnessing Human Potential by announcing a range of commitments aimed at addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
"Commitments announced today will have a significant impact on a range of issues, from fighting cancer to investing in small holder farmers," President Clinton said. "All of these challenges are interconnected, and I'm pleased our members are taking comprehensive and sustainable approaches to solve them."
The commitments announced today include:
Preventing Tobacco-Related Deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa
The American Cancer Society will develop a public health campaign to prevent tobacco-related deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. The campaign entails working with strategic partners and advocating for the creation of smoke-free places, strict tobacco control policies, and increased tobacco taxes in the region.
Brazil’s First Social Fund
Sitawi will raise $1.5 million for its Social Fund, which will distribute loans to Brazilian mission-driven organizations that are too big for microcredit, too small for development banks, and too risky for commercial lenders. Sitawi will offer loans between $50,000-$250,000 at below-market interest rates, close to Brazil’s Central Bank base rates of approximately 1 percent.
The Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) for a New Beginning
The Coca-Cola Company is committing approximately $3.75 million to launch eight water projects in Muslim-majority African countries, including Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. Total investment, including support from co-financing partners such as USAID and UNDP, will exceed $7.5 million.
In total, 40 commitments were announced during today’s programming. Details on all of them are below.
Wednesday’s programming was primarily structured around two of CGI’s Action Areas: Strengthening Market-Based Solutions and Harnessing Human Potential. At the plenary session on Strengthening Market-Based Solutions, leaders from business, government, and civil society came together in a conversation about using markets to source and scale solutions to global challenges. The session featured Robert E. Diamond, Jr., president and chief executive designate of Barclays PLC, Thomas Friedman, foreign affairs columnist with the New York Times, and Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor and assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement.
Participants of the Harnessing Human Potential plenary session, including former first lady Laura Bush, came together to discuss how to foster entrepreneurship and job creation across the globe, and how to broaden access to knowledge and training in order to build a global workforce that meets the needs of the 21st century economy. Other participants included Jack Ma, chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, Jenna Hager, contributing correspondent, NBC News, and Barbara Bush, president, Global Health Corps.
Wednesday’s programming also featured three special sessions. A session on Addressing Cancer in the Developing World explored efforts underway to increase access to effective diagnosis and quality treatment for cancer in the developing world. The session brought together experts from across the field, including HRH Princess Dina Mired, director general of the King Hussein Cancer foundation, Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health, Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of LIVESTRONG, and Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent at CNN.
A special session on Building Partnerships to Empower the World’s Smallholder Farmers featured actor Jim Carrey, founder of the Better U Foundation, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Discussions focused on how corporations can help farmers build better lives for themselves, while strengthening their supply chains, protecting the environment, and promoting the long-term health and prosperity of the communities where they do business.
In addition, CNBC's “Meeting of the Minds: The Future of the Global Economy," hosted by Maria Bartiromo, was filmed today at CGI's Annual Meeting. The program premieres on Thursday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. ET on CNBC. The CNBC special event brings together some of the world’s most prestigious leaders including President Clinton; Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and CEO of the Dow Chemical Company; and Peter Sands, group chief executive of Standard Chartered PLC; to address the most pressing questions facing the global community today.
Webcasts of all open-press sessions can be viewed at live.clintonglobalinitiative.org. Each session is webcast live and a recorded version is made available shortly after each session. For a complete agenda, please visit clintonglobalinitiative.org/schedule.
Photos are available approximately two hours after each session on our Flickr page. Please visit press.clintonglobalinitiative.org for the link.
CGI is soliciting questions from the Twitter audience for plenary sessions and select breakout sessions. Follow the Clinton Foundation’s tweets about CGI at: twitter.com/ClintonTweet. The official hash-tag for the 2010 CGI Annual Meeting is #cgi2010.
CGI is posting daily video highlights on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/cgivideos. Follow President Clinton’s updates on his facebook page at facebook.com/billclinton.
The following commitments were announced today:
Acxiom
Partners for a New Beginning, Reach In, Reach Out
Working within the Partners for a New Beginning umbrella, Acxiom will develop an outreach program, Reach In, Reach Out. This program will develop and publicize best practices to be used to include people of the Muslim faith in community affairs and corporate interactions in the Middle East, Northern Africa, the West Bank, Asia and the United States. The program will also reach out to students from Islamic countries who are attending college and universities in the United States.
After-School All-Stars
Delivering Clean Energy to Haiti
After-School All-Stars, through its We Are Ready initiative, will provide high school readiness training, study skills, career exploration activities, and college exposure and mentorship opportunities to American eighth graders at risk of becoming high school dropouts. Over the next five next years, more than 6,000 low-income students who are at the highest risk of dropping out will be reached in 12 cities across the country.
The Alicea Foundation, Mothers in Black
Re-introduction of School Road Safety Patrols in Guyana
The Alicea Foundation will educate students, parents, and teachers on the essentials of road safety in Georgetown, Guyana. Beginning in 2011, the pilot program will be implemented in 10-20 primary schools.
American Cancer Society
Preventing Tobacco-Related Deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa
The American Cancer Society will develop a public health campaign committed to preventing a pandemic of tobacco-related deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. The campaign entails working with strategic partners and advocating for the creation of smoke-free places, strict tobacco control policies, and increased tobacco taxes in the region.
Asia Injury Prevention Foundation
Reduce Road Traffic Fatalities and Injuries Globally
The Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation will expand its road safety programs in Vietnam to Cambodia, Uganda, and one state in India. With the aim of increasing access to high quality helmets and promoting safer behavior among road users, AIP will build strategic private-public partnerships, provide school and public road awareness education and work with governments to introduce laws and standards.
BreastSens
Soweto Breast Cancer Network
BreastSens will establish the Soweto Breast Cancer Network (SBCN) to improve cancer survival rates in Soweto by promoting early detection and providing access to informed healthcare choices.Usingmulti-disciplinary specialists in gender equity and women’s health,SBCN will train 60 local primary healthcare nurses in breast cancer diagnosis and ensure better communication between the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and local clinics.
Burson-Marsteller
Launching the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety
Burston Marsteller, representing WPP, has developed a logo for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and commits to provide additional pro-bono communications services to support the Decade’s launch in May of 2011.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) for a New Beginning
The Coca-Cola Company is committing approximately $3.75 million to launch eight water projects in Muslim-majority African countries, including Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. Total investment, including support from co-financing partners such as USAID and UNDP, will exceed $7.5 million.
Comet-ME
Sustainable Provision of Basic Energy Services
Comet-ME will build and install hybrid wind and solar stand-alone mini-grids for all off-grid Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills. This commitment will provide basic energy services to a neglected region with the aim of creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly power source. Comet-ME will also run an advanced renewable energy course to build regional capacity to run the operation and to ultimately transfer project management to local partners.
Cordes Foundation, Calvert Foundation and Giving Assets
Global Impact 50
The Cordes Foundation, in partnership with The Calvert Foundation and Giving Assets, commits to create the “Global Impact 50,” an index ranking the top 50 impact investment managers that deliver social and environmental value in addition to financial returns. The index will be the first part of a broader effort sponsored by the organizations, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, to convene a consortium of philanthropic and financial services leaders in the creation of a comprehensive impact investment platform. The Cordes Foundation and its partners aim to raise $2 billion for impact investing by 2016.
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
Cradle to Cradle Certification
Cradle to Cradle will expand its green certification standard to encompass 1,000 well-recognized products over the next five years. By assessing the water purity, renewable energy, and social fairness involved in a product’s manufacturing process, Cradle to Cradle provides a green stamp of approval that can be trusted by environmentally-conscious consumers.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
DFCI Commits to Expanded Access to Cancer Care Globally
The Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) commits to work with Partners in Health (PIH) to donate cancer drugs, offer remote consultative services to clinicians, and develop cancer control and care programs in Haiti, Mexico, Jordan, and Rwanda.
Delta Partners Group, Ericsson, MTN Uganda, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Refugees United and Control Arms Campaign
Building a Global Platform to Reunite Refugee Families
Refugees United, Ericsson and Delta Partners will launch a mobile phone application that will help refugees locate their family members via text messaging. They plan to implement this tool in Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the goal of helping 120,000 refugees find their families by the end of 2011.
Durabilis
Integrating Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) Agriculture Supply Chains
Over the next five years the Durabilis Foundation will work in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa to develop agricultural supply chains to link famers with local and regional markets. They will link smallholder farmers producing a range of products to state of the art processing and distribution networks ensuring they can access new markets for their products.
FARM-Africa
Maendeleo Agricultural Enterprise Fund
FARM-Africa will launch the Maendeleo Agriculture Enterprise Fund, a competitive grant-making fund in four African countries that will support small-scale agricultural producers. Based on FARM-Africa’s existing model, the fund will finance approximately 48 projects over five years in order todevelop innovative and effective approaches to natural resource management that will benefit 96,000 farmers.
Dina Mired; Ghida Talal; King Hussein Cancer Foundation
Cancer in the Middle East - Personalized Medicine
In 2011, the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center in Amman, Jordan will establish a new approach towards cancer treatment called “Personalized Medicine” in order to combat rising cancer rates in the Middle East. The initiative will use molecular testing methods to determine the genetic make-up of tumors and how they relate to the specific individual, thus allowing doctors to determine specific treatment plans with greater precision.
Firmenich Foundation
Vetiver Farmer Support in Haiti
Firmenich and its partners will create new income opportunities for farmers and distillers by providing trees, training, and equipment for the sustainable production of essential oils. The goal of the commitment is to provide Vetiver farmers with the inputs, tools and access to markets necessary to diversify their production with a range of high value, commercially important, essential oils.
Global Citizen Year
Unleashing the Potential of Next Gen Global Leaders
By 2015, Global Citizen Year will engage 1,000 American high school graduates in annual structured apprenticeships in communities across Asia, Africa, or Latin America through a “bridge year” program between high school and college. Each Fellow will develop a fluency in a new language and an understanding of other cultures.
Gonzalo Rodriguez Memorial Foundation (GRMF) Safe Mobility for Uruguayan Children
GRMF will promote road safety awareness and citizenship education in Uruguay. The specific objective of this one-year, $87,000 commitment is to provide more than 1,000 children aged 4-12 years old with engaging learning alternatives in the classroom with the aim of protecting them and educating them to be responsible drivers.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Tackling Climate Change Adaptation Through Coral Reef Bonds
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation will create a ten-year, $60 million bond, in partnership with Goldman Sachs and KPMG, to fund research and interventions that will help coral reefs adapt to climate change. The protection of species and habitats will be paid for by interest and capital repayments generated by increases in levies and taxes on those who use the Reef.
IMAFLORA
Brazilian Forest Conservation through Cocoa Production
IMAFLORA will contribute to the conservation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest by developing a pilot model of payments for environmental services. The model will be based on a regional approach that links the responsible production of cocoa and environmentally-friendly markets with the maintenance and enhancement of environmental services like forest carbon stocks, water production, biodiversity protection and improvement of farmer-livelihoods.
ImagineNations Group and Yahoo!
Imagine-Network.org: Entrepreneurs, Mentors Go Mobile
ImagineNations Group, with Yahoo!, will connect young entrepreneurs to one another, to mentors, to supporters, to financing sources, and to markets through the ImagineNations Network (INN), an online platform. Over twelve months, INN will develop country portals (including mobile phone integration, mentoring, resources, access to financing and marketplace) and a regional portal. The commitment aims to increase the number of INN users from 4,000 to 750,000 over five years, while targeting the sub-Saharan African, Southeast Asian, and Middle East/North African regions. Additionally,to promote global entrepreneurship and INN's efforts, Yahoo! will provide $250,000 of targeted media on its advertising platform.
InSTEDD
The InSTEDD iLab - A Model for Sustainable Innovation
InSTEDD will open an innovation laboratory, or iLab, in Zimbabawe in 2011. The iLab will be a collaborative environment where young students and entrepreneurs will learn software development, project management, and collaboration techniques in order to advance solutions in economic development, public health, and environmental sustainability. InSTEDD will reach 120 students in five years.
Interfaith Youth Core
InterFaith Leaders for a New Beginning
Over three years, the Interfaith Youth Core will create a global network of 150 Interfaith Youth Leaders, age 16 to 35, from the U.S. and 11 Muslim countries. With assistance from US Embassies and Partners for New Beginning, Interfaith Youth Core will provide grants, coaching, and online networking to empower interfaith leaders to implement social projects in their communities, stay connected with each other, and gain awareness about successful national and international models of interfaith cooperation.
International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB)
iRAP and ADB: Asia Pacific Free of High Risk Roads
iRAP in partnership with the ADB, will work towards eliminating high risk roads in the Asia Pacific region by evaluating, rating and implementing safety measures on the 10 percent of roads with the highest volume of traffic in the region.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Urban Sustainability Triage and Realization
Lockheed Martin commits to its first public-private partnership, joining the city of Burlington, Vermont in its search for sustainable technologies to lead the city towards its goal of 100 percent renewable power supply by 2012.
Lumni, Inc.
Innovative College Funding for 10,000 Students
Over the next five years, Lumni will provide 10,000 students in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. with access to financing for higher education. Through partnerships with individuals and institutions, Lumni will create social investment funds that will provide students with funding. These students will commit to repaying a fixed percentage of income for a period after graduation.
Make Roads Safe, a campaign of the FIA Foundation
Delivering Vaccines for Road Traffic Injury
The FIA Foundation, with the IDB and others, commits $10 million to promote safe driving, and the use of motorcycle crash helmets and seat belts, to combat road traffic injury during the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020).
The Mayo Clinic
Global Bridges: Healthcare Alliance for Tobacco Dependence Treatment
The Mayo Clinic School for Continuous Professional Development and Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center will create an institution to better treat tobacco dependence and to reduce tobacco use by advocating for tobacco control policies, such as smoke-free workplaces. The project will mobilize global and regional networks of healthcare providers and tobacco dependence treatment organizations, for a comprehensive and measurable approach to the threat of tobacco.
Merck & Co., CARE USA, and Save the Children
Bridging Health & Education Programs for Young Children
Merck & Co. commits to invest more than $3 million in partnership with CARE USA and Save the Children to develop a package of services focused on five areas of impact: child development, health, nutrition, child protection, and economic empowerment. These services will be provided through caregivers, childcare settings, and national policy. With a focus on low-resource communities with high HIV-prevalence, these services will improve the quality of life and long-term developmental outcomes for orphans and vulnerable children from conception to primary school. After three years, the initiative will share its initial findings in India and El Salvador with global policymakers, international NGOs, community-based organizations, and donors with the aim of expanding the program to other countries.
Rural Development Institute, Humanity United and the Nike Foundation
Creating Opportunities for Girls Through Land Rights
The Rural Development Institute (RDI), along with the Nike Foundation, Omidyar Network, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will launch an advocacy campaign to help girls in rural sub-Saharan Africa and Asia secure land rights.
Schoenfeld Foundation
Cleantech U: Igniting Cleantech Entrepreneurship
Cleantech U commits to empower students at five universities in the US to become innovators in the clean technology sector. During the next academic year, in partnership with Net Impact, Cleantech U will connect students with mentors, provide them with networking opportunities and internships, introduce them to investors, and provide support to help student-led clean technology ventures get off the ground.
Sitawi
Brazil’s First Social Fund
Sitawi will raise $1.5 million for its Social Fund, which will distribute loans to Brazilian mission-driven organizations that are too big for microcredit, too small for development banks, and too risky for commercial lenders. Sitawi will offer social soans between $50,000-$250,000 at below market interest rates, close to Brazil’s Central Bank base rates of approximately 1 percent.
Step Up on Second, Inc.
Step Up in Hollywood: Sustainably Ending Homelessness
Step Up on Second will build, develop, and operate 200 permanent green housing units for people identified as the most vulnerable by the Hollywood Homeless Registry. This five-year initiative will ensure that residents and an additional 1,400 homeless people have access to free comprehensive services, including health care and social and educational programming.
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation
Global Education Connects Across Religious Divides
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation will will launch “Face to Faith” in the U.S, which uses interactive religious education programs to build understanding and tolerance. As the new term starts, schools in five different states will introduce the program for the first time.
United Postcode Lotteries
Postcode Lottery Project Oceans
The United Postcode Lotteries, together with World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, and the Marine Stewardship Council, will implement Postcode Lottery Project Oceans, a public awareness campaign about man-made threats to oceans. The campaign, a $9 million, two-year initiative, will focus on protecting ocean areas, alleviating overfishing, and protecting endangered species. It will be supported with significant media outreach efforts, marketing and publishing campaigns, and a Mattias Klum TV documentary.
The Mayo Clinic
Integrating Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) Agriculture Supply Chains
Over the next five years the Durabilis Foundation will work in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa to develop agricultural supply chains to link famers with local and regional markets. They will link smallholder farmers producing a range of products to state of the art processing and distribution networks ensuring they can access new markets for their products.
Virgin Unite, Humanity United, and the Nduna Foundation
Enterprise Zimbabwe: Catalyzing Economic Recovery
Virgin Unite, Humanity United, and the Nduna Foundation commit to establish Enterprise Zimbabwe, a trust that will help to facilitate the flow of philanthropic and commercial investment into social development initiatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, and entrepreneurship. Over a period of two years, this intiative will impact more than 20,000 lives.
Vittana
Vittana/Africa: Bringing Student Loans to Africa
Vittana commits to develop, launch, and fund the first higher education micro-loan programs in Africa. The program will enable 10,000 students to pursue post-secondary education and learn employable skills in fields such as nursing, law enforcement, and information technology. Vittana will partner with microfinance institutions to create these programs, in which loans are placed on the Vittana.org website to receive funding from a global community of individual micro-lenders. On average, a student featured on Vittana.org is funded within less than three days. In the last two months alone, $100,000 has been raised.
Wrap Up Africa
Wrap Up Africa – Ethiopia
OWrap Up Africa (WUA) will expand its existing program to provide income-generation opportunities for cancer patients and their families while they undergo treatment, often miles from home. Wrap-Up Africa trains program-participants as tailors to create high-end textiles for export. This year, the program will be introduced in Ethiopia.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, 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 Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,900 commitments valued at $63 billion, which have already improved the lives of nearly 300 million people in more than 170 countries. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young l eaders from business, government, and civil society. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
President Barack Obama to Join President Bill Clinton at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative
64 Current and Former Heads of State to Attend, including
Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, René Préval, President of Haiti,
and José Maria Figueres Olsen, Former President of Costa Rica
Bill Gates To Participate in Closing Plenary; Other Featured Participants Include Maria Bartiromo, General Wesley Clark, Katie Couric, Robert Diamond, Sanjay Gupta,
Andrew Liveris, Wangari Maathai, Peter Sands, and Thomas Vilsack
Press Are Invited To Attend CGI Exchange, An Exhibition of CGI Member Commitments, and a Green Vehicle Display at 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20
New York, NY – President Barack Obama will join President Bill Clinton at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which will take place September 21-23 in New York City. President Obama will introduce First Lady Michelle Obama, whose participation was previously announced, during the Closing Plenary session on September 23.
"I'm pleased that President Obama will participate in our sixth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative," President Clinton said. "He'll be joining more than 64 heads of state from around the world, and hundreds of business leaders, directors of nongovernmental organizations, and Nobel Laureates, among others, who have made commitments to take action on pressing issues. Since 2005, commitments made by CGI members have improved the lives of more than 220 million people in 170 countries."
President Clinton also announced that the meeting would feature a special session on "Peace and Beyond in the Middle East." As the parties engage in direct negotiations for the first time in two years, panelists will discuss the role regional actors should play in support of successful negotiations. In addition, they will address practical and immediate initiatives that can improve the livelihood of the region's residents, and offer a vision for a post-conflict Middle East.
Other special sessions include "Profiting from the Poor? A Discussion on Microfinance IPOs," "Responsible Agricultural Value Chains," "Investing in the World's Forests," and the previously announced "Recovery in Haiti" and "Addressing Cancer in the Developing World." Furthermore, President Clinton will participate in a session on "The Future of the Global Economy," which will be broadcast as part of CNBC's Meeting of the Minds series.
Bill Gates, co-chair and trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will join President Clinton for a one-on-one discussion during the Closing Plenary session. Other prominent participants include Tarja Halonen, president of the Republic of Finland; René Préval, president of the Republic of Haiti, José Maria Figueres Olsen, former president of the Republic of Costa Rica; Maria Bartiromo, CNBC anchor and host; Matthew Bishop, business editor and New York bureau chief of The Economist; Jim Carrey, actor and founder, Better U Foundation; General Wesley Clark, chairman and CEO, Wesley K. Clark and Associates; Katie Couric, anchor and managing editor, CBS Evening News; Philippe Cousteau, CEO and co-founder, EarthEcho International; Robert Diamond, president, Barclays PLC; Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent, CNN; Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO, The Dow Chemical Company; Wangari Maathai, fou nder and chair, The Green Belt Movement; Peter Sands, chief executive officer, Standard Chartered Bank; Achim Steiner, executive director, United Nations Environment Programme; and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack.
The following participants were previously announced: Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Liberia; Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State; Cherie Blair, patron, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Richard Branson, chairman and founder, Virgin Group Limited; Laura Bush, former first lady of the United States; John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco; Paul Farmer, co-founder, Partners In Health; Melinda Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR champion and founder of the Jeff Gordon Pediatric Cancer Foundation; Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide; John Holdren, director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO, YouTube; Valerie B. Jarrett, senior adviser and assistant to the president for Intergovermental Affairs and Public Engagement; Andrea Jung, c hairman and CEO, Avon Products; Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company; Klaus Kleinfeld, chairman and CEO, Alcoa; Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for All; Jack Ma, chairman and CEO, Alibaba Group; Shakira Mebarak, founder, the Barefoot Foundation; Robert McDonald, president and CEO, Procter & Gamble; Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International; Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google; Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California; Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Group; Jerry Yang, co-founder and chief-Yahoo, Yahoo! Inc; and Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director, Grameen Bank.
For the complete program and list of featured attendees, please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ourmeetings.
In a change from previous years, CGI Exchange, an exhibition that allows members to feature their ongoing commitments, will be open to press, subject to space limitations. CGI Exchange will take place Monday, September 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. Press must be credentialed by the Clinton Global Initiative to attend CGI Exchange; please see below for credential information.
In addition, there will be a showcase of green vehicles on 7th Avenue, between 52nd St. and 53rd St., on Monday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. On display will be a GTA MyCar and GTA Hybrid-Sports from GreenTech Automotive; a Nissan Leaf and a Toyota Prius Plug-in from Hertz; a diesel-powered vehicle running on algae-based fuel from Solayzme; and folding bicycles from BigFish Bikes.
The vehicle showcase is open to the public. Representatives from the exhibiting companies will gather at 3 p.m. to make remarks, and will be available to speak with press. For more information, please email press@clintonglobalinitiative.org.
About CGI
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, 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 Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved the lives of 220 million people in more than 170 countries. In 2009, the Annual Meeting was named the No. 1 conference for CEOs. The 2010 CGI Annual Meeting will take place from September 20-23, 2010, in New York City.
The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society.
What: 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org
Where: Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue at 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
When: September 20-23, 2010
###
Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, René Préval, President of Haiti,
and José Maria Figueres Olsen, Former President of Costa Rica
Bill Gates To Participate in Closing Plenary; Other Featured Participants Include Maria Bartiromo, General Wesley Clark, Katie Couric, Robert Diamond, Sanjay Gupta,
Andrew Liveris, Wangari Maathai, Peter Sands, and Thomas Vilsack
Press Are Invited To Attend CGI Exchange, An Exhibition of CGI Member Commitments, and a Green Vehicle Display at 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20
New York, NY – President Barack Obama will join President Bill Clinton at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which will take place September 21-23 in New York City. President Obama will introduce First Lady Michelle Obama, whose participation was previously announced, during the Closing Plenary session on September 23.
"I'm pleased that President Obama will participate in our sixth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative," President Clinton said. "He'll be joining more than 64 heads of state from around the world, and hundreds of business leaders, directors of nongovernmental organizations, and Nobel Laureates, among others, who have made commitments to take action on pressing issues. Since 2005, commitments made by CGI members have improved the lives of more than 220 million people in 170 countries."
President Clinton also announced that the meeting would feature a special session on "Peace and Beyond in the Middle East." As the parties engage in direct negotiations for the first time in two years, panelists will discuss the role regional actors should play in support of successful negotiations. In addition, they will address practical and immediate initiatives that can improve the livelihood of the region's residents, and offer a vision for a post-conflict Middle East.
Other special sessions include "Profiting from the Poor? A Discussion on Microfinance IPOs," "Responsible Agricultural Value Chains," "Investing in the World's Forests," and the previously announced "Recovery in Haiti" and "Addressing Cancer in the Developing World." Furthermore, President Clinton will participate in a session on "The Future of the Global Economy," which will be broadcast as part of CNBC's Meeting of the Minds series.
Bill Gates, co-chair and trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will join President Clinton for a one-on-one discussion during the Closing Plenary session. Other prominent participants include Tarja Halonen, president of the Republic of Finland; René Préval, president of the Republic of Haiti, José Maria Figueres Olsen, former president of the Republic of Costa Rica; Maria Bartiromo, CNBC anchor and host; Matthew Bishop, business editor and New York bureau chief of The Economist; Jim Carrey, actor and founder, Better U Foundation; General Wesley Clark, chairman and CEO, Wesley K. Clark and Associates; Katie Couric, anchor and managing editor, CBS Evening News; Philippe Cousteau, CEO and co-founder, EarthEcho International; Robert Diamond, president, Barclays PLC; Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent, CNN; Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO, The Dow Chemical Company; Wangari Maathai, fou nder and chair, The Green Belt Movement; Peter Sands, chief executive officer, Standard Chartered Bank; Achim Steiner, executive director, United Nations Environment Programme; and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack.
The following participants were previously announced: Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Liberia; Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State; Cherie Blair, patron, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Richard Branson, chairman and founder, Virgin Group Limited; Laura Bush, former first lady of the United States; John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco; Paul Farmer, co-founder, Partners In Health; Melinda Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR champion and founder of the Jeff Gordon Pediatric Cancer Foundation; Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide; John Holdren, director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO, YouTube; Valerie B. Jarrett, senior adviser and assistant to the president for Intergovermental Affairs and Public Engagement; Andrea Jung, c hairman and CEO, Avon Products; Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company; Klaus Kleinfeld, chairman and CEO, Alcoa; Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for All; Jack Ma, chairman and CEO, Alibaba Group; Shakira Mebarak, founder, the Barefoot Foundation; Robert McDonald, president and CEO, Procter & Gamble; Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International; Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google; Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California; Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Group; Jerry Yang, co-founder and chief-Yahoo, Yahoo! Inc; and Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director, Grameen Bank.
For the complete program and list of featured attendees, please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ourmeetings.
In a change from previous years, CGI Exchange, an exhibition that allows members to feature their ongoing commitments, will be open to press, subject to space limitations. CGI Exchange will take place Monday, September 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. Press must be credentialed by the Clinton Global Initiative to attend CGI Exchange; please see below for credential information.
In addition, there will be a showcase of green vehicles on 7th Avenue, between 52nd St. and 53rd St., on Monday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. On display will be a GTA MyCar and GTA Hybrid-Sports from GreenTech Automotive; a Nissan Leaf and a Toyota Prius Plug-in from Hertz; a diesel-powered vehicle running on algae-based fuel from Solayzme; and folding bicycles from BigFish Bikes.
The vehicle showcase is open to the public. Representatives from the exhibiting companies will gather at 3 p.m. to make remarks, and will be available to speak with press. For more information, please email press@clintonglobalinitiative.org.
About CGI
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, 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 Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved the lives of 220 million people in more than 170 countries. In 2009, the Annual Meeting was named the No. 1 conference for CEOs. The 2010 CGI Annual Meeting will take place from September 20-23, 2010, in New York City.
The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society.
What: 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org
Where: Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue at 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
When: September 20-23, 2010
###
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Statement by President Bill Clinton on the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
"Tomorrow, five years will have passed since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Mississippi and Louisiana shorelines, taking the lives of over 1,800 people and causing more than $81 billion of damage. Although new challenges - from a tragic oil spill to a nationwide economic recession - have captured the headlines in the region, we have not forgotten those who lost their loved ones, their livelihoods, and their homes in the storm.
In five years, great progress has been made: metro New Orleans has recovered more than 90 percent of its population and 85 percent of its jobs. Musicians and artists are returning in droves. Infrastructure has been built stronger than ever before. Children are learning more in their schools. But there is still work to be done. People still need jobs, education and training, and the assurance that what happened five years ago will never happen again.
I've tried to do what I can to help. After the storm, I teamed up with President George H.W. Bush to raise money for relief efforts. Our Bush Clinton Katrina Fund (BCKF) raised over $130 million, which we awarded to projects that have rebuilt schools and libraries, rehabilitated housing, created jobs, provided health services, put kids back in school, and protected the region's rich culture.
In addition, my Foundation has been involved in a number of post-disaster efforts, including helping local residents access the earned income tax credits they deserved; advising the City of New Orleans on incorporating clean energy into their plans; and holding our first Clinton Global Initiative meeting for university students at Tulane University in 2008. Members of our Clinton Global Initiative, including Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation, have made incredible commitments that are improving lives, homes, and communities in the Gulf region.
In five years, the Gulf Coast has come back in a way that inspires great confidence and optimism in me as I work with the people of Haiti after the earthquake. We are employing many of the lessons we've learned from Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami, including forging strong coordination among NGOs, governments, the private sector and private citizens, which was key to the success in New Orleans.
But more than just a model for recovery, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast give the people of Haiti the hope that in just five years, great progress can be made. And if we work together, just as we did after Katrina, we can not only build Haiti back - we can build it back better."
In five years, great progress has been made: metro New Orleans has recovered more than 90 percent of its population and 85 percent of its jobs. Musicians and artists are returning in droves. Infrastructure has been built stronger than ever before. Children are learning more in their schools. But there is still work to be done. People still need jobs, education and training, and the assurance that what happened five years ago will never happen again.
I've tried to do what I can to help. After the storm, I teamed up with President George H.W. Bush to raise money for relief efforts. Our Bush Clinton Katrina Fund (BCKF) raised over $130 million, which we awarded to projects that have rebuilt schools and libraries, rehabilitated housing, created jobs, provided health services, put kids back in school, and protected the region's rich culture.
In addition, my Foundation has been involved in a number of post-disaster efforts, including helping local residents access the earned income tax credits they deserved; advising the City of New Orleans on incorporating clean energy into their plans; and holding our first Clinton Global Initiative meeting for university students at Tulane University in 2008. Members of our Clinton Global Initiative, including Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation, have made incredible commitments that are improving lives, homes, and communities in the Gulf region.
In five years, the Gulf Coast has come back in a way that inspires great confidence and optimism in me as I work with the people of Haiti after the earthquake. We are employing many of the lessons we've learned from Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami, including forging strong coordination among NGOs, governments, the private sector and private citizens, which was key to the success in New Orleans.
But more than just a model for recovery, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast give the people of Haiti the hope that in just five years, great progress can be made. And if we work together, just as we did after Katrina, we can not only build Haiti back - we can build it back better."
Thursday, August 26, 2010
President Clinton Announces Program for the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2010 Annual Meeting
For Immediate Release: August 26, 2010
Contact: Clinton Foundation Press Office, 212.348.0360
press@clintonglobalinitiative.org
President Clinton Announces Program for the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2010 Annual Meeting
First Lady Michelle Obama to Speak at Closing Plenary
Jean-Max Bellerive, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, Cherie Blair, Richard Branson, Laura Bush, John Chambers, Paul Farmer, Melinda Gates, Jeff Gordon, Ruchira Gupta, John Holdren, Chad Hurley, Valerie Jarrett, Andrea Jung, Muhtar Kent, Klaus Kleinfeld, Wendy Kopp, Jack Ma, Shakira Mebarak, Robert McDonald, Eric Schmidt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ratan Tata, Jerry Yang, and Muhammad Yunus Are Among Other Key Participants in Sixth Annual Meeting, Which Will Take Place September 20-23
Meeting will Address Global Challenges in Economic Empowerment, Education, Environment & Energy, and Global Health through Four New Action Areas: Empowering Girls & Women, Strengthening Market-Based Solutions, Harnessing Human Potential, and Enhancing Access to Modern Technology
New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton announced the program for the sixth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). CGI brings together global leaders from all sectors of society to develop and then implement workable solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues.
More than 1,000 members will attend, including current and former heads of state, chief executives of corporations, philanthropists, thought leaders, prominent members of the media, and directors of nonprofit organizations. Each member creates a Commitment to Action – a detailed plan for addressing a major global challenge in the areas of Economic Empowerment, Education, Environment & Energy, and Global Health. Throughout the event, members share successful strategies, forge partnerships, and gain practical insights that they can use to enhance their work.
This year, First Lady Michelle Obama will join President Clinton during the closing plenary session, which will take place on Thursday, September 23.
In addition to the First Lady, prominent participants include Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Liberia; Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State; Cherie Blair, patron, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Richard Branson, chairman and founder, Virgin Group Limited; Laura Bush, former first lady of the United States; John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco; Paul Farmer, co-founder, Partners In Health; Melinda Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR champion and founder of the Jeff Gordon Pediatric Cancer Foundation; Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide; John Holdren, director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO, YouTube; Valerie B. Jarrett, senior adviser and assistant to the president for Intergovermental Affairs and Public Engagement; Andrea Jung, chairman and CEO, Avon Products, Inc.; Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company; Klaus Kleinfeld, chairman and CEO, Alcoa, Inc.; Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for All; Jack Ma, chairman and CEO, Alibaba Group; Shakira Mebarak, founder, the Barefoot Foundation; Robert McDonald, president and CEO, Procter & Gamble; Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International; Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google; Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California; Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Group; Jerry Yang, co-founder and chief-Yahoo, Yahoo! Inc; and Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director, Grameen Bank.
For the complete program and list of featured attendees, please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ourmeetings.
“I'm so pleased that such a distinguished group of global citizens will be coming to CGI’s sixth Annual Meeting,” President Clinton said. “The challenges we face in the world today can only be overcome if we work together to develop and implement innovative solutions. CGI members have already improved the lives of more than 220 million people around the world, and I look forward to learning more about the progress they have made and their plans for the future.”
The 2010 Annual Meeting will be structured around four new Action Areas: Empowering Girls & Women, Strengthening Market-Based Solutions, Harnessing Human Potential and Enhancing Access to Modern Technology. Each Action Area is a strategic approach that can be used to address many global challenges.
The meeting will also include a special session on Recovery in Haiti; a special session on Cancer: Addressing Inequalities in Access and Care; and meetings of 12 CGI Action Networks. Action Networks, a feature that CGI has significantly expanded in 2010, allow members to meet throughout the year, discuss specific issues, and coordinate action. The Action Networks convening at the Annual Meeting include Post Conflict Education, Investing for Social and Environmental Impact, Helping Haiti Build Back Better, Collaborative Technologies for Social Change, The Gulf Coast: From Disaster to Prosperity, and Addressing Violence Against Women.
The meeting will also convene members of CGI Lead, President Clinton’s newest initiative, which engages a select group of accomplished young executives, nonprofit directors, scholars, and entrepreneurs for a two-year program designed to foster principled leadership.
CGI will also feature the 4th annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards and CGI Exchange, an exhibition that allows members to feature their ongoing commitments and explore new partnership opportunities.
About CGI
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, 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 Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved the lives of 220 million people in more than 170 countries. In 2009, the Annual Meeting was named the No. 1 conference for CEOs. The 2010 CGI Annual Meeting will take place from September 20-23, 2010, in New York City.
The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society.
What: 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org
Where: Sheraton New York Hotel
Contact: Clinton Foundation Press Office, 212.348.0360
press@clintonglobalinitiative.org
President Clinton Announces Program for the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2010 Annual Meeting
First Lady Michelle Obama to Speak at Closing Plenary
Jean-Max Bellerive, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, Cherie Blair, Richard Branson, Laura Bush, John Chambers, Paul Farmer, Melinda Gates, Jeff Gordon, Ruchira Gupta, John Holdren, Chad Hurley, Valerie Jarrett, Andrea Jung, Muhtar Kent, Klaus Kleinfeld, Wendy Kopp, Jack Ma, Shakira Mebarak, Robert McDonald, Eric Schmidt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ratan Tata, Jerry Yang, and Muhammad Yunus Are Among Other Key Participants in Sixth Annual Meeting, Which Will Take Place September 20-23
Meeting will Address Global Challenges in Economic Empowerment, Education, Environment & Energy, and Global Health through Four New Action Areas: Empowering Girls & Women, Strengthening Market-Based Solutions, Harnessing Human Potential, and Enhancing Access to Modern Technology
New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton announced the program for the sixth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). CGI brings together global leaders from all sectors of society to develop and then implement workable solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues.
More than 1,000 members will attend, including current and former heads of state, chief executives of corporations, philanthropists, thought leaders, prominent members of the media, and directors of nonprofit organizations. Each member creates a Commitment to Action – a detailed plan for addressing a major global challenge in the areas of Economic Empowerment, Education, Environment & Energy, and Global Health. Throughout the event, members share successful strategies, forge partnerships, and gain practical insights that they can use to enhance their work.
This year, First Lady Michelle Obama will join President Clinton during the closing plenary session, which will take place on Thursday, September 23.
In addition to the First Lady, prominent participants include Jean-Max Bellerive, prime minister of the Republic of Haiti; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Liberia; Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State; Cherie Blair, patron, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Richard Branson, chairman and founder, Virgin Group Limited; Laura Bush, former first lady of the United States; John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco; Paul Farmer, co-founder, Partners In Health; Melinda Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR champion and founder of the Jeff Gordon Pediatric Cancer Foundation; Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide; John Holdren, director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO, YouTube; Valerie B. Jarrett, senior adviser and assistant to the president for Intergovermental Affairs and Public Engagement; Andrea Jung, chairman and CEO, Avon Products, Inc.; Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company; Klaus Kleinfeld, chairman and CEO, Alcoa, Inc.; Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for All; Jack Ma, chairman and CEO, Alibaba Group; Shakira Mebarak, founder, the Barefoot Foundation; Robert McDonald, president and CEO, Procter & Gamble; Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International; Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google; Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California; Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Group; Jerry Yang, co-founder and chief-Yahoo, Yahoo! Inc; and Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director, Grameen Bank.
For the complete program and list of featured attendees, please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ourmeetings.
“I'm so pleased that such a distinguished group of global citizens will be coming to CGI’s sixth Annual Meeting,” President Clinton said. “The challenges we face in the world today can only be overcome if we work together to develop and implement innovative solutions. CGI members have already improved the lives of more than 220 million people around the world, and I look forward to learning more about the progress they have made and their plans for the future.”
The 2010 Annual Meeting will be structured around four new Action Areas: Empowering Girls & Women, Strengthening Market-Based Solutions, Harnessing Human Potential and Enhancing Access to Modern Technology. Each Action Area is a strategic approach that can be used to address many global challenges.
The meeting will also include a special session on Recovery in Haiti; a special session on Cancer: Addressing Inequalities in Access and Care; and meetings of 12 CGI Action Networks. Action Networks, a feature that CGI has significantly expanded in 2010, allow members to meet throughout the year, discuss specific issues, and coordinate action. The Action Networks convening at the Annual Meeting include Post Conflict Education, Investing for Social and Environmental Impact, Helping Haiti Build Back Better, Collaborative Technologies for Social Change, The Gulf Coast: From Disaster to Prosperity, and Addressing Violence Against Women.
The meeting will also convene members of CGI Lead, President Clinton’s newest initiative, which engages a select group of accomplished young executives, nonprofit directors, scholars, and entrepreneurs for a two-year program designed to foster principled leadership.
CGI will also feature the 4th annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards and CGI Exchange, an exhibition that allows members to feature their ongoing commitments and explore new partnership opportunities.
About CGI
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, 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 Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved the lives of 220 million people in more than 170 countries. In 2009, the Annual Meeting was named the No. 1 conference for CEOs. The 2010 CGI Annual Meeting will take place from September 20-23, 2010, in New York City.
The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society.
What: 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org
Where: Sheraton New York Hotel
Sunday, June 6, 2010
East African Breweries to Distribute Diageo’s Wines
By Eric Ombok
May 31 (Bloomberg) -- East African Breweries Ltd., the Kenyan unit of Diageo Plc, will distribute Diageo’s Blossom Hill wine range in Kenya.
The wines will initially only be available in the capital, Nairobi, EABL Venture Ltd. Managing Director told reporters in the city today. They will then be introduced in neighboring Uganda and Tanzania, Ithau said. East African Breweries created Tanzania-based EABL Venture on Sept. 8, 2008 to spearhead expansion of its spirits business.
East African Breweries, which controls about 95 percent of the Kenyan beer industry, is targeting market share of as much as 20 percent within the first year, she said. “Ten percent is the minimum we are going for,” Ithau said.
Kenya, whose economy is East Africa’s biggest, is estimated to have a wine market of 6.2 million liters (1.6 million gallons) worth 2.5 billion shillings ($31.3 million), Ithau said. The industry has reported year-on-year growth of about 25 percent, the “fastest-growing category within the alcoholic beverages segment,” Ithau said.
--Editors: Ana Monteiro, Antony Sguazzin.
To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Ombok in Nairobi at eombok@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.
May 31 (Bloomberg) -- East African Breweries Ltd., the Kenyan unit of Diageo Plc, will distribute Diageo’s Blossom Hill wine range in Kenya.
The wines will initially only be available in the capital, Nairobi, EABL Venture Ltd. Managing Director told reporters in the city today. They will then be introduced in neighboring Uganda and Tanzania, Ithau said. East African Breweries created Tanzania-based EABL Venture on Sept. 8, 2008 to spearhead expansion of its spirits business.
East African Breweries, which controls about 95 percent of the Kenyan beer industry, is targeting market share of as much as 20 percent within the first year, she said. “Ten percent is the minimum we are going for,” Ithau said.
Kenya, whose economy is East Africa’s biggest, is estimated to have a wine market of 6.2 million liters (1.6 million gallons) worth 2.5 billion shillings ($31.3 million), Ithau said. The industry has reported year-on-year growth of about 25 percent, the “fastest-growing category within the alcoholic beverages segment,” Ithau said.
--Editors: Ana Monteiro, Antony Sguazzin.
To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Ombok in Nairobi at eombok@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
President Clinton to Travel to Peru and Colombia to Visit Clinton Foundation Projects
New York, NY – On Tuesday, June 8, President Clinton will travel to Lima, Peru. In the morning, President Clinton will tour the Sacro Cuore Eye Institute where potentials candidates for cataract surgery are screened to receive surgery under the program operated by the Clinton Giustra Sustinable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) and the SLIM Foundation. This event is open press.
In the afternoon, he will make an announcement with the City of Lima. He will then sign an MOU and visit the PRA Producers Fair in Lima. This event is open press.
On Wednesday, June, 9, President Clinton will travel to Colombia. In the morning, he will make an announcement and hold a press conference in Bogotá. Later, he will visit a trade fair and tour a training facility in Soacha. Both are open press.
In the afternoon, he will travel to Barranquilla, Colombia, where he will visit a skills-training facility. This event is open press.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
11:45AM CST President Clinton makes an announcement with the City of Lima Estación Central Av. Grau Lima, Peru Call Time: 10:45 AM CST OPEN PRESS
1:00 PM CST President Clinton tours the Sacro Cuore Eye Institute Av. Grau 228-248 Miraflores Lima, Peru Call Time: 12:15 PM CST OPEN PRESS
1:45 PM CST President Clinton signs an MOU and visits the PRA Producers Fair in Lima Museo del Sitio Lima, Peru Call Time: 12:45 PM CST OPEN PRESS
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
11:00 AM CST President Clinton makes an announcement and holds a press conference in Bogotá Avenida El Dorado No. 68D-35 Bogotá, Colombia Call Time: 10:00 AM CST OPEN PRESS
12:45 PM CST President Clinton visits a trade fair and tours a training facility in Soacha SOACHA Facility Techno Parque del Sena Calle 8 No. 6-59, Entrada 3 Zona Industrial de Cazuca Soacha, Colombia Call Time: 11:45 AM CST OPEN PRESS
5:00 PM CST President Clinton visits a training facility in Barranquilla Gente Estrategica Training Facility Carrera 57 No. 72-121 Barranquilla, Colombia Call Time: 4:00 PM CST OPEN PRESS
###
In the afternoon, he will make an announcement with the City of Lima. He will then sign an MOU and visit the PRA Producers Fair in Lima. This event is open press.
On Wednesday, June, 9, President Clinton will travel to Colombia. In the morning, he will make an announcement and hold a press conference in Bogotá. Later, he will visit a trade fair and tour a training facility in Soacha. Both are open press.
In the afternoon, he will travel to Barranquilla, Colombia, where he will visit a skills-training facility. This event is open press.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
11:45AM CST President Clinton makes an announcement with the City of Lima Estación Central Av. Grau Lima, Peru Call Time: 10:45 AM CST OPEN PRESS
1:00 PM CST President Clinton tours the Sacro Cuore Eye Institute Av. Grau 228-248 Miraflores Lima, Peru Call Time: 12:15 PM CST OPEN PRESS
1:45 PM CST President Clinton signs an MOU and visits the PRA Producers Fair in Lima Museo del Sitio Lima, Peru Call Time: 12:45 PM CST OPEN PRESS
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
11:00 AM CST President Clinton makes an announcement and holds a press conference in Bogotá Avenida El Dorado No. 68D-35 Bogotá, Colombia Call Time: 10:00 AM CST OPEN PRESS
12:45 PM CST President Clinton visits a trade fair and tours a training facility in Soacha SOACHA Facility Techno Parque del Sena Calle 8 No. 6-59, Entrada 3 Zona Industrial de Cazuca Soacha, Colombia Call Time: 11:45 AM CST OPEN PRESS
5:00 PM CST President Clinton visits a training facility in Barranquilla Gente Estrategica Training Facility Carrera 57 No. 72-121 Barranquilla, Colombia Call Time: 4:00 PM CST OPEN PRESS
###
Monday, May 31, 2010
Grey Goose global ambassador feted with dinner party
THE WORLD’S BEST-TASTING VODKA recently threw a spectacular party that the Manila nightlife scene will surely not forget. The evening kicked off with a lavish private dinner at posh Sala Resto hosted by designer Rajo Laurel and Grey Goose’s main man in the Philippines, expatriate Rajiv Ghumman. The event was held in honor of visiting Grey Goose global ambassador Dimitri Lezinska. An extravagant four-course dinner was served and Dimitri, who is famous the world over for mixing drinks and partying with Hollywood stars and famous VIPs, created special vodka cocktails that perfectly complemented each and every dish. These special creations such as the Betty Lands in Paris was inspired by Rajo Laurel’s love for that city, and The Flerida, a character in “Florante at Laura.” Lemoncito was a cocktail inspired by our native calamansi.
The evening focused on a singular theme, “satisfying the senses,” as each dish was combined with every cocktail for a truly unique and luxurious experience. The dinner’s guest list, as expected from any Grey Goose event, was composed of Manila’s crème de la crème from various sectors of society, among them Taguig’s first lady Kaye Tinga, model-host Joey Mead, party man Tim Yap, historian Carlos Celdran, Preview editor Pauline Juan, club owners GP Reyes and Erik Cua, columnists Pepper Teehankee and moi, artist Kiko Escora. Every dinner guest was given a mysterious blue box as invitation. Inside was a specially created Grey Goose bracelet in sterling silver to be worn to the dinner. Also inside the box were five other blue bracelets that each guest could distribute to their friends for exclusive VIP access to the Big Grey Goose bash that was to follow after the meal.
Grey Goose party
After the sumptuous dinner, the guests were whisked away to the Grey Goose tent which stood like a massive igloo in the middle of The Fort. Manila’s hip party set felt like they were walking into a bubble as they were transported into the world of Grey Goose. Dimitri himself mixed cocktails for guests as soul music filled the entire venue. Encore/Suite’s renowned chef Fernando Aracama prepared a feast of brilliant pica-pica like Grilled US Prime Angus Beef Steak cutlets accompanied by Spicy Bloody Mary Dip (using Grey Goose vodka); Side-Seared Tuna Sashimi in Grey Goose Vodka & Sweet Miso dressing with pink young ginger shreds; Citrus & Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka-Infused Smoked Salmon on whole wheat toast, red onion relish and dill sour cream; Suite’s Black & White Crostini, Black Caviar & Egg Salad with Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, lemon essence and snipped chives, along with Strawberries & Cream, strawberries soaked in Grey Goose Vodka and served on Chantilly cream spoons, and Baby Lemon Curd & Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka Meringue Tarts.
It truly was an evening that satisfied our senses. Guests enjoyed their Grey Goose cocktails while dancing the night away ’til the early morning. Grey Goose sure knows how to throw a party, and Manila couldn’t wait ’til the next one.
Nivea invades BoracayThe annual Nivea Sun Wellness Center was recently held at the popular Sun Village Central Beachfront resort. And before you could even bat an eyelash, tons of vacationers went to Nivea’s Wellness Center to enjoy the oh-so-relaxing spa treatments by professionally trained massage therapists no less, dahlings. It was done in utmost privacy complete with individual massage beds creating an oasis in the middle of Boracay. They used Nivea Smooth Body Oil.Making this happening more sizzling were gorgeous Nivea models who breezed around the island inviting vacationers to try Nivea’s Sun Invisible Protection Spray, and to enjoy a fun exercise regimen via free zip dancing classes (“proven to be effective in toning muscles, improving hand-eye coordination and increasing overall strength”) by a professional instructor.
Nivea Sun’s newest product is cool on the skin with its SPF 30 formulation. It’s non-greasy and water resistant, giving everyone 100-percent attractive skin this hot summer, palanggas.Authentic Italian experienceThis one-of-a-kind authentic Italian experience can be had at Spasso, dahlings. The guests of the Italian tapas bar had a blast on opening night as 200 of our town’s young, young-at-hearts and gourmands packed the place which spilled out onto the sidewalk, dahlings.
Proud of the awesome opening were business partner Geni Lopez Psinakis, Nikos Gitsis, chefs Andrew Tan Chua and Jeremiah Go who entertained VIPs like Greek Ambassador Xenia Stefanidou, Chris and Katrina Feist, filmmaker Teddy Manotoc, dahlings.One of Spasso’s owners, Nikos Gitsis of SEAir fame, said: “Entering Spasso is like exploring Italy, as it lets you experience a cornucopia of excellent food and fabulous wine, the interiors with the splash of bold colors.”
According to my palangga, workaholic heiress and Spasso co-owner Geni Psinakis: “The resto has an impressive custom-designed wine cellar which accounts for the best fabulous wines from around the globe, with 90 brands to choose from.”Spasso Italian Tapas Enoteca is open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6 p.m. onward. Located at the chic Luxe Residences, 4th Ave. corner 28th St., Bonifacio Global City. Reservations only at 5560070 or 6687186.
BPI treats their preferred clients
One of the best things being a BPI Preferred Banking client, palanggas, is that you can expect them to be present in your life through their always helpful relationship managers. BPI senior vice president, the amicable Imelda Trillo, and Consumer Banking group head, senior VP Natividad Alejo, took their loyal clients to different musical shows at the NBC Tent, Marriott Hotel in Cebu and Marco Polo Davao.
With sumptuous finger foods and cocktails plus hot entertainers, how could anything go wrong, ’di bala?The whole happening was hosted by BPI president Aurelio Montinola III, and hotshot executives welcomed their VIP invitees plus other BPI die-hard followers, dahlings.
The bottom-line, palanggas, is you can have true pampering beyond the ordinary only with BPI Preferred Banking. Not bad huh, palanggas?
The evening focused on a singular theme, “satisfying the senses,” as each dish was combined with every cocktail for a truly unique and luxurious experience. The dinner’s guest list, as expected from any Grey Goose event, was composed of Manila’s crème de la crème from various sectors of society, among them Taguig’s first lady Kaye Tinga, model-host Joey Mead, party man Tim Yap, historian Carlos Celdran, Preview editor Pauline Juan, club owners GP Reyes and Erik Cua, columnists Pepper Teehankee and moi, artist Kiko Escora. Every dinner guest was given a mysterious blue box as invitation. Inside was a specially created Grey Goose bracelet in sterling silver to be worn to the dinner. Also inside the box were five other blue bracelets that each guest could distribute to their friends for exclusive VIP access to the Big Grey Goose bash that was to follow after the meal.
Grey Goose party
After the sumptuous dinner, the guests were whisked away to the Grey Goose tent which stood like a massive igloo in the middle of The Fort. Manila’s hip party set felt like they were walking into a bubble as they were transported into the world of Grey Goose. Dimitri himself mixed cocktails for guests as soul music filled the entire venue. Encore/Suite’s renowned chef Fernando Aracama prepared a feast of brilliant pica-pica like Grilled US Prime Angus Beef Steak cutlets accompanied by Spicy Bloody Mary Dip (using Grey Goose vodka); Side-Seared Tuna Sashimi in Grey Goose Vodka & Sweet Miso dressing with pink young ginger shreds; Citrus & Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka-Infused Smoked Salmon on whole wheat toast, red onion relish and dill sour cream; Suite’s Black & White Crostini, Black Caviar & Egg Salad with Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, lemon essence and snipped chives, along with Strawberries & Cream, strawberries soaked in Grey Goose Vodka and served on Chantilly cream spoons, and Baby Lemon Curd & Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka Meringue Tarts.
It truly was an evening that satisfied our senses. Guests enjoyed their Grey Goose cocktails while dancing the night away ’til the early morning. Grey Goose sure knows how to throw a party, and Manila couldn’t wait ’til the next one.
Nivea invades BoracayThe annual Nivea Sun Wellness Center was recently held at the popular Sun Village Central Beachfront resort. And before you could even bat an eyelash, tons of vacationers went to Nivea’s Wellness Center to enjoy the oh-so-relaxing spa treatments by professionally trained massage therapists no less, dahlings. It was done in utmost privacy complete with individual massage beds creating an oasis in the middle of Boracay. They used Nivea Smooth Body Oil.Making this happening more sizzling were gorgeous Nivea models who breezed around the island inviting vacationers to try Nivea’s Sun Invisible Protection Spray, and to enjoy a fun exercise regimen via free zip dancing classes (“proven to be effective in toning muscles, improving hand-eye coordination and increasing overall strength”) by a professional instructor.
Nivea Sun’s newest product is cool on the skin with its SPF 30 formulation. It’s non-greasy and water resistant, giving everyone 100-percent attractive skin this hot summer, palanggas.Authentic Italian experienceThis one-of-a-kind authentic Italian experience can be had at Spasso, dahlings. The guests of the Italian tapas bar had a blast on opening night as 200 of our town’s young, young-at-hearts and gourmands packed the place which spilled out onto the sidewalk, dahlings.
Proud of the awesome opening were business partner Geni Lopez Psinakis, Nikos Gitsis, chefs Andrew Tan Chua and Jeremiah Go who entertained VIPs like Greek Ambassador Xenia Stefanidou, Chris and Katrina Feist, filmmaker Teddy Manotoc, dahlings.One of Spasso’s owners, Nikos Gitsis of SEAir fame, said: “Entering Spasso is like exploring Italy, as it lets you experience a cornucopia of excellent food and fabulous wine, the interiors with the splash of bold colors.”
According to my palangga, workaholic heiress and Spasso co-owner Geni Psinakis: “The resto has an impressive custom-designed wine cellar which accounts for the best fabulous wines from around the globe, with 90 brands to choose from.”Spasso Italian Tapas Enoteca is open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6 p.m. onward. Located at the chic Luxe Residences, 4th Ave. corner 28th St., Bonifacio Global City. Reservations only at 5560070 or 6687186.
BPI treats their preferred clients
One of the best things being a BPI Preferred Banking client, palanggas, is that you can expect them to be present in your life through their always helpful relationship managers. BPI senior vice president, the amicable Imelda Trillo, and Consumer Banking group head, senior VP Natividad Alejo, took their loyal clients to different musical shows at the NBC Tent, Marriott Hotel in Cebu and Marco Polo Davao.
With sumptuous finger foods and cocktails plus hot entertainers, how could anything go wrong, ’di bala?The whole happening was hosted by BPI president Aurelio Montinola III, and hotshot executives welcomed their VIP invitees plus other BPI die-hard followers, dahlings.
The bottom-line, palanggas, is you can have true pampering beyond the ordinary only with BPI Preferred Banking. Not bad huh, palanggas?
President Clinton off to Haiti
MEDIA ADVISORY: President Clinton to Travel to Haiti and the Dominican RepublicNew York, NY – On Tuesday, June 1, President Clinton will travel to Haiti and visit Léogâne, where he will meet with UN Cluster Heads, UN agencies and community leaders. He will then tour a temporary housing site. Both are open to the press.
President Clinton will then travel to the Dominican Republic where he and Haitian Prime Minister, Jean Max Bellerive, will brief board representatives - including donors and Haitians - of the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC). There will be a spray at the top.
On Wednesday, June 2, he will address the summit on Haiti, “Solidarity beyond the Crisis,” in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. His remarks are open press.
On Wednesday, June 2, he will address the summit on Haiti, “Solidarity beyond the Crisis,” in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. His remarks are open press.
President Clinton first traveled to Haiti in 1975. As President, he worked to encourage economic development and restore democratically elected leadership in Haiti. After leaving the White House, he continued to travel to Haiti as a private citizen and respond to the needs of Haitians through the work of the William J. Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and recently, as the UN Special Envoy for Haiti. In May 2010, he was named by the Government of Haiti as the international co-Chair of the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC).
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 10:30 AM CST President Clinton meets with UN Cluster Heads, UN agencies and community leaders MINUSTAH Regional HeadquarterLéogâne, Haiti Call Time: 9:30 AM CST OPEN PRESS NOTE: There are a limited number of seats available for the trip from Port-au-Prince to Léogâne. Seats will be designated on a first-come, first-served basis. To RSVP, email mailto:aurena@clintonfoundation.org
11:45 AM CST President Clinton Tours Temporary Housing SiteRue BevalLéogâne, Haiti Call Time: 10:45 AM CST OPEN PRESS
5:00 PM EST President Clinton and Prime Minister Bellerive brief board representatives of the IHRCMoon Palace Resort, Patio 3 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic CLOSED PRESS NOTE: There will be a spray at the top of the meeting
Wednesday, June 2, 2010 9:00 AM EST President Clinton addresses the summit on Haiti, “Solidarity beyond the Crisis” Moon Palace Resort, Cumbre Conference Room Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Call Time: 8:00 AM EST OPEN PRESS
###
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Statement by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the Passing of Dr. Dorothy Height
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Dorothy Height, an icon of America’s long march toward equality and a personal inspiration to us both. As the only woman among the 'Big Six' civil rights leaders, Dr. Height helped galvanize a movement that changed our country forever. She organized the 'Wednesdays in Mississippi' meetings that brought black and white women together to find common ground and break down barriers. She never stopped fighting for what she knew was right. Through it all, she was always the best dressed woman in the room.
We were blessed to know Dr. Height, to benefit from her grace, passion and wisdom, and to call her our friend. For decades, starting with the early days at the Children’s Defense Fund, we worked with her, learned from her, and drew inspiration from her example. From the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to the Congressional Gold Medal, to the unveiling of a long-sought-after bust of Sojourner Truth in the United States Capitol, we had the privilege of helping honor Dr. Height and her accomplishments.
Born before women had the right to vote, denied access to the college of her choice because of the color of her skin, and witness to a nation divided, Dr. Height dedicated her life to the proposition that all Americans should have the opportunity to live up to their full God-given potential. Our nation is poorer for her loss but infinitely richer for the life she led, the progress she achieved, and the people she touched.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Height’s family today, and with her many loving friends and colleagues. She would be the first to tell us that the best way to honor her memory is to carry forward the work she started and the causes she championed, to open wide the freedom gates.
May we all find the strength and the wisdom to live up to her legacy."
###
Monday, March 8, 2010
Beverage Industry Delivers on Commitment to Remove Regular Soft Drinks in Schools, Driving 88% Decline in Calories
Final progress report on agreement with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation shows beverage landscape in schools dramatically changed
Lower-calorie or smaller-portion beverages now prevalent
NEW YORK - America's leading beverage companies have delivered on a three-year commitment with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, to remove full-calorie soft drinks from schools across the country and replace them with lower-calorie, smaller-portion beverages. As a result of the landmark agreement, there has been an 88 percent reduction in calories from beverages shipped to schools since 2004.
The American Beverage Association (ABA) released today the Alliance School Beverage Guidelines Final Progress Report, confirming that the beverage industry's major companies –The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and their systems of local bottling companies that work directly with the school partners – have transformed the beverage landscape in schools across America. The report was prepared by the independent firm Keybridge Research, LLC, which has prepared the previous two progress reports.
"A critical component of the Alliance's national effort to end childhood obesity has been our work with the beverage industry to reduce the amount of calories our kids consume in schools," said President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, who co-leads the Alliance with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Heart Association President Clyde Yancy. "We are encouraged by the significant progress we’ve made and look forward to continuing our work with participating schools, companies and the American Beverage Association to give young people the options and opportunities they need to lead healthier lives."
"It's a brand new day in America's schools when it comes to beverages," ABA President and CEO Susan Neely said. "Our beverage companies have slashed calories in schools as full-calorie soft drinks have been removed. The beverages available to students are now lower-calorie, nutritious, smaller-portion choices."
This Alliance School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report marks the third and final assessment of the impact and status of the implementation of the Guidelines. In May 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation worked with representatives of The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, PepsiCo and the American Beverage Association to establish Guidelines that limit portion sizes and reduce the number of beverage calories available to children during the school day. As a result of the Guidelines, the industry committed to changing the beverage mix in schools across America by removing full-calorie soft drinks and providing for lower-calorie, nutritious beverage options in age-appropriate portions by the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.
"Childhood obesity is a complex problem, and there is no one single solution. The core of the problem, however, is that many of our children and youth are consuming too many calories," said Clyde Yancy, M.D., president of the American Heart Association and medical director for Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. "School is a unique environment where students make food and beverage choices with limited supervision and begin to set food preferences that last into adulthood. The Alliance School Beverage Guidelines are a tool for reducing students' access to calories during the school day and changing behaviors that may lead to a lifelong improvement in caloric consumption."
Under the voluntary Guidelines, 100 percent juice, low-fat milk and bottled water are allowed in elementary and middle schools, with the addition of diet beverages and calorie-capped sports drinks, flavored waters and teas in high schools. In addition to the removal of full-calorie soft drinks from all schools, the shift towards more lower-calorie, smaller-portion beverages is also contributing to the overall reduction in calories available from beverages in schools.
The report shows that industry delivered on several important markers:
Calories available from beverages in schools have been cut dramatically. In fact, 88 percent fewer beverage calories were shipped to schools between 2004, the last comprehensive data available prior to the agreement, and the end of 2009.
Full-calorie soft drinks have been removed. Shipments of full-calorie soft drinks to schools have declined by 95 percent during that time.
We have successfully changed the beverage landscape in schools across the country. The Guidelines provide for a range of lower-calorie, nutritious and smaller-portion beverage options. At the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, 98.8 percent of schools and school districts measured were aligned to the Guidelines.
"The beverage industry has made a very significant shift in the beverages being shipped to America's schools," said Dr. Robert Wescott, president, Keybridge Research LLC. 'The reduction of calories in schools is real and meaningful. The data truly speaks for itself."
Since announcing the Guidelines in 2006, beverage companies have spent thousands of hours educating and training sales forces, and have invested millions of dollars in retrofitting vending machines, repackaging products and reconfiguring production lines and equipment, among other activities.
"The Guidelines are a shining example of how industry, schools, parents and non-profit organizations can work together towards the common goal of reducing childhood obesity," Neely said.
For a copy of the Alliance School Beverage Guidelines Final Progress Report or for complete details on the Guidelines, please visit www.ameribev.org.
# # #
Media Contacts
American Beverage Association:(202) 463-6770
Clinton Foundation:(212) 384-0360, press@clintonfoundation.org
American Heart Association, Patricia Beatty Gonzalez: (214) 706-1285, patricia.gonzalez@heart.org
Alliance for a Healthier Generation,Doug Cavarocchi: (646) 775-9150, doug.cavarocchi@HealthierGeneration.org
About the American Beverage Association The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.
About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation's leading public health threats: childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices and communities. For more information please visit www.healthiergeneration.org.
Clinton Foundation - 55 W125th Street, New York, NY 10027
Lower-calorie or smaller-portion beverages now prevalent
NEW YORK - America's leading beverage companies have delivered on a three-year commitment with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, to remove full-calorie soft drinks from schools across the country and replace them with lower-calorie, smaller-portion beverages. As a result of the landmark agreement, there has been an 88 percent reduction in calories from beverages shipped to schools since 2004.
The American Beverage Association (ABA) released today the Alliance School Beverage Guidelines Final Progress Report, confirming that the beverage industry's major companies –The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and their systems of local bottling companies that work directly with the school partners – have transformed the beverage landscape in schools across America. The report was prepared by the independent firm Keybridge Research, LLC, which has prepared the previous two progress reports.
"A critical component of the Alliance's national effort to end childhood obesity has been our work with the beverage industry to reduce the amount of calories our kids consume in schools," said President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, who co-leads the Alliance with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Heart Association President Clyde Yancy. "We are encouraged by the significant progress we’ve made and look forward to continuing our work with participating schools, companies and the American Beverage Association to give young people the options and opportunities they need to lead healthier lives."
"It's a brand new day in America's schools when it comes to beverages," ABA President and CEO Susan Neely said. "Our beverage companies have slashed calories in schools as full-calorie soft drinks have been removed. The beverages available to students are now lower-calorie, nutritious, smaller-portion choices."
This Alliance School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report marks the third and final assessment of the impact and status of the implementation of the Guidelines. In May 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation worked with representatives of The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, PepsiCo and the American Beverage Association to establish Guidelines that limit portion sizes and reduce the number of beverage calories available to children during the school day. As a result of the Guidelines, the industry committed to changing the beverage mix in schools across America by removing full-calorie soft drinks and providing for lower-calorie, nutritious beverage options in age-appropriate portions by the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.
"Childhood obesity is a complex problem, and there is no one single solution. The core of the problem, however, is that many of our children and youth are consuming too many calories," said Clyde Yancy, M.D., president of the American Heart Association and medical director for Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. "School is a unique environment where students make food and beverage choices with limited supervision and begin to set food preferences that last into adulthood. The Alliance School Beverage Guidelines are a tool for reducing students' access to calories during the school day and changing behaviors that may lead to a lifelong improvement in caloric consumption."
Under the voluntary Guidelines, 100 percent juice, low-fat milk and bottled water are allowed in elementary and middle schools, with the addition of diet beverages and calorie-capped sports drinks, flavored waters and teas in high schools. In addition to the removal of full-calorie soft drinks from all schools, the shift towards more lower-calorie, smaller-portion beverages is also contributing to the overall reduction in calories available from beverages in schools.
The report shows that industry delivered on several important markers:
Calories available from beverages in schools have been cut dramatically. In fact, 88 percent fewer beverage calories were shipped to schools between 2004, the last comprehensive data available prior to the agreement, and the end of 2009.
Full-calorie soft drinks have been removed. Shipments of full-calorie soft drinks to schools have declined by 95 percent during that time.
We have successfully changed the beverage landscape in schools across the country. The Guidelines provide for a range of lower-calorie, nutritious and smaller-portion beverage options. At the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, 98.8 percent of schools and school districts measured were aligned to the Guidelines.
"The beverage industry has made a very significant shift in the beverages being shipped to America's schools," said Dr. Robert Wescott, president, Keybridge Research LLC. 'The reduction of calories in schools is real and meaningful. The data truly speaks for itself."
Since announcing the Guidelines in 2006, beverage companies have spent thousands of hours educating and training sales forces, and have invested millions of dollars in retrofitting vending machines, repackaging products and reconfiguring production lines and equipment, among other activities.
"The Guidelines are a shining example of how industry, schools, parents and non-profit organizations can work together towards the common goal of reducing childhood obesity," Neely said.
For a copy of the Alliance School Beverage Guidelines Final Progress Report or for complete details on the Guidelines, please visit www.ameribev.org.
# # #
Media Contacts
American Beverage Association:(202) 463-6770
Clinton Foundation:(212) 384-0360, press@clintonfoundation.org
American Heart Association, Patricia Beatty Gonzalez: (214) 706-1285, patricia.gonzalez@heart.org
Alliance for a Healthier Generation,Doug Cavarocchi: (646) 775-9150, doug.cavarocchi@HealthierGeneration.org
About the American Beverage Association The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.
About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation's leading public health threats: childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices and communities. For more information please visit www.healthiergeneration.org.
Clinton Foundation - 55 W125th Street, New York, NY 10027
Friday, February 5, 2010
Message From Bill Clinton From Haiti
Flying into Port-au-Prince for the second time since the earthquake -- I was pleased to see continued signs of an expanding relief effort.
Today, I'll help my team deliver the emergency supplies we brought with us on our plane. Donation by donation, it's the generosity of people like you that is keeping this relief effort going.
And your continued dedication is what will make sure the Haitian people have the tools and supplies they need to rebuild. I am so grateful that you have responded to this devastating crisis.
As you read this, work is underway to deliver meals, set up temporary shelters, and restore access to health services for earthquake survivors.
I'm proud that today we were able to deliver laptops, generators, plastic sheeting, protein bars, and 1,900 lbs of medical supplies. And it's not going to stop there.
Long after the television crews have gone and emergency response teams have returned to their home countries, I can promise you the Clinton Foundation will remain committed to Haiti's long-term rebuilding and recovery.
We will work with reputable organizations, the Haitian government, and most importantly the people of Haiti to ensure that they are empowered to create more opportunities for jobs, education, and health care than existed the day before this tragedy occurred. There is a Haitian proverb, "Men anpil chay pa lou," which translates as "Many hands lighten the load."
It's going to take a lot of help and a long time, but I know that together you and I can lighten the load that the Haitian people have carried on their own for far too long. Thank you for being part of that work with me today.
I'll continue to be in touch as our work continues here in Port-au-Prince and beyond. Bill Clinton
PS. Only with your continued generosity will we be able to sustain these efforts.
Please make a donation of any size today: www.clintonfoundation.org/haitiearthquake
Today, I'll help my team deliver the emergency supplies we brought with us on our plane. Donation by donation, it's the generosity of people like you that is keeping this relief effort going.
And your continued dedication is what will make sure the Haitian people have the tools and supplies they need to rebuild. I am so grateful that you have responded to this devastating crisis.
As you read this, work is underway to deliver meals, set up temporary shelters, and restore access to health services for earthquake survivors.
I'm proud that today we were able to deliver laptops, generators, plastic sheeting, protein bars, and 1,900 lbs of medical supplies. And it's not going to stop there.
Long after the television crews have gone and emergency response teams have returned to their home countries, I can promise you the Clinton Foundation will remain committed to Haiti's long-term rebuilding and recovery.
We will work with reputable organizations, the Haitian government, and most importantly the people of Haiti to ensure that they are empowered to create more opportunities for jobs, education, and health care than existed the day before this tragedy occurred. There is a Haitian proverb, "Men anpil chay pa lou," which translates as "Many hands lighten the load."
It's going to take a lot of help and a long time, but I know that together you and I can lighten the load that the Haitian people have carried on their own for far too long. Thank you for being part of that work with me today.
I'll continue to be in touch as our work continues here in Port-au-Prince and beyond. Bill Clinton
PS. Only with your continued generosity will we be able to sustain these efforts.
Please make a donation of any size today: www.clintonfoundation.org/haitiearthquake
Thursday, February 4, 2010
President Clinton to Make Second Visit to Haiti Following Earthquake
New York, NY – President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti, will travel to Haiti on Friday to meet with Haitian leaders, visit Gheskio clinic in Port-au-Prince, and deliver essential supplies.
President Clinton traveled to Haiti two weeks ago, days after the devastating earthquake, to meet with Haitian and UN officials and deliver relief supplies including water, food, medical supplies, solar flash lights, portable radios, and generators donated by Home Depot, Walmart, and purchased with funds raised by the Clinton Foundation Haiti Earthquake Fund, and to help begin the process of recovery and reconstruction.
“More than three weeks after the earthquake, the relief efforts in Haiti have been increasing to meet staggering needs, but the long road to recovery has just begun,” President Clinton said. “Tomorrow, I will return to Port-au-Prince for the second time since the disaster to unload supplies and talk to Haitian officials to ensure assistance continues to be effective, coordinated, and sustained in the weeks and months to come.”
President Clinton has been leading Haiti relief efforts through the Clinton Foundation Haiti Earthquake Fund, which is helping to provide immediate financial assistance to NGOs working on the ground in Haiti, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
President Clinton traveled to Haiti two weeks ago, days after the devastating earthquake, to meet with Haitian and UN officials and deliver relief supplies including water, food, medical supplies, solar flash lights, portable radios, and generators donated by Home Depot, Walmart, and purchased with funds raised by the Clinton Foundation Haiti Earthquake Fund, and to help begin the process of recovery and reconstruction.
“More than three weeks after the earthquake, the relief efforts in Haiti have been increasing to meet staggering needs, but the long road to recovery has just begun,” President Clinton said. “Tomorrow, I will return to Port-au-Prince for the second time since the disaster to unload supplies and talk to Haitian officials to ensure assistance continues to be effective, coordinated, and sustained in the weeks and months to come.”
President Clinton has been leading Haiti relief efforts through the Clinton Foundation Haiti Earthquake Fund, which is helping to provide immediate financial assistance to NGOs working on the ground in Haiti, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, President Barack Obama asked President Clinton and President George W. Bush to raise funds for immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts to help those who are homeless, hungry, and hurt. In response, the two Presidents established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (CBHF) to identify and fulfill unmet needs in the region, foster economic opportunity, improve the quality of life of those affected over the long term, and assist the people of Haiti as they build back better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)