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."

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