President Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, And Chelsea Clinton Call Members to Action on Final Day of 10^th CGI Annual Meeting

Members made 188 new Commitments to Action, expected to impact nearly 4.9 million people. To date, more than 3,100 commitments have been made, improving the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.                                                

NEW YORK, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton closed the 10^th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting by announcing new Commitments to Action and issuing a call to action to members in four critical issue areas: addressing energy poverty around the world, tackling food insecurity and hunger in the United States, increasing access to water, and responding the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Over three days, CGI members made 188 new Commitments to Action, expected to impact nearly 4.9 million lives around the world when fully funded and implemented.

Highlights from the final day of the Annual Meeting included:

• Featured speakers included: President Bill Clinton, Founding Chairman, Clinton Global Initiative, 42nd President of the United States; Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator from New York; Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation; Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan; Cady Coleman, Astronaut, NASA; Katie Couric, Global Anchor, Yahoo News; Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman and Founder, X PRIZE Foundation; Melinda Gates, Co-chair and Trustee, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 2011, President, Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa; Hikmet Ersek, President, CEO and Director, The Western Union Company;  David Leonhardt, Editor, The Upshot, The New York Times;  Graça Machel, Founder, Graça Machel Trust and Foundation for Community Development;  Nilofar Sakhi, Chief Executive Officer, American University of Afghanistan; and Reid Wiseman, Astronaut, NASA , Commander, U.S. NAVY
• Melinda Gates joined Secretary Clinton to examine the progress that has been made since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and what challenges remain.
• CNN’s Erin Burnett hosted a retrospective conversation on lessons learned since CGI was founded. Participants included President Bill Clinton, Founding Chairman, Clinton Global Initiative; 42nd President of the United States; Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister, United Kingdom; Ashley Judd, Actor, Author, Advocate, Population Services International; Zainab Salbi, Founder, Executive Producer and Co-Creator, Women for Women International; The Trials of Spring.
• The Haiti Action Network joined together to highlight the work of the group and debate how members can continue designing and implementing Commitments to Action that build local capacity and have clear exit strategies to enable Haiti to prosper far into the future.
• A discussion hosted by CNN’s Sanjay Gupta discussed the importance of investing in early childhood education and development. Participants included Geoffrey Canada, President, Harlem Children’s Zone; Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Nadine Burke Harris, Founder and CEO, Center for Youth Wellness; Cindy McCain, Founding Member, Eastern Congo Initiative; and Rosemarie T. Truglio, Senior Vice President, Global Education Content, Sesame Workshop.
• CGI members discussed their current efforts underway to combat the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa and explored ways to leverage partnerships in response to the outbreak.
• At the closing, Secretary Clinton had a conversation with Graça Machel, Founder, Graça Machel Trust and Foundation for Community Development, and presented her with the Clinton Global Citizen Award for Civil Service

In the closing plenary, Secretary Clinton issued calls to action to members to develop innovative commitments in four issue areas:

• Committing to make dramatic progress on energy access and energy poverty. As many as 1.3 billion people around the world do not have access to electricity today;
• Helping communities around the world get the clean water they need. In the majority of developed countries, access to clean water is often taken for granted, but worldwide 780 million people lack access because of poor quality or insufficient supplies;
• Increasing access to and improving the affordability of healthy food in low-income communities across America. An estimated 15 percent of all American households, or roughly 49 million Americans, experience food insecurity or hunger;
• Providing immediate assistance and strengthening health systems to respond to the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The Annual Meeting is sponsored by Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Hult Prize Foundation, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Victor Pinchuk Foundation,  Barclays, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Foundation, Monsanto, P&G, Rockefeller Foundation, United Postcode Lotteries, Varkey Gems Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Cisco, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, NRG Energy, PWC, Blackstone, Deutsche Bank, ExxonMobil, HP, Inter-American Development Bank, InterEnergy, Laureate International Universities, Microsoft, Standard Chartered Bank, Swiss Re, Western Union, APCO Worldwide, Diageo, Jive, and Knoll.

Commitments announced in Plenary Sessions today include:

CHARGE: Collaborative for Harnessing Ambition and Resources for Girls’ Education

At the 2014 CGI annual meeting, the Center on Universal Education at the Brookings Institution will commit to create CHARGE (The Collaborative for Harnessing Ambition and Resources for Girls Education), a global collective of public, private, and grassroots organizations working to advance the “second generation” of global girl’s education. With more than 30 partners, including the United States, Nepal, the United Kingdom, No Ceilings, Pearson, CHIME for Change, and Discovery Communications – CHARGE has already pledged nearly $600 million to reach 15 million girls over the next 5 years. Working to develop and advance solutions for the most pressing challenges, the partners commit to closing persistent gaps and improving the quality, safety, and security of girls’ secondary education worldwide. The collaborative will chart a new path in this pursuit by focusing on a unique five-step agenda that will: Keep girls in school; Ensure school safety and security; Improve quality of learning; Support transitions from and out of school; and Support girls’ education leaders/workers in developing countries to fulfill these goals.

Connected Women: Driving Gender Equity Through Digital Economy
Commitment by: GSM Association
Partner(s): Ooredoo, Qualcomm, A.T. Kearney

In 2014, GSM Association and its partners committed to develop the Connected Women program to increase women's participation in the mobile economy. The first part of the program includes a comprehensive research project to assess women's wants and needs surrounding mobile technology. Upon completion of the research, the mobile network operators working in partnership with Connected Women, including Ooredoo, Qualcomm, Roshan, and Smart Communications, will utilize the information collected to implement programs and services for their female customers. In 2010, research found that 300 million fewer women than men owned a mobile phone and women are 21 percent less likely to own a phone in low and middle income countries. The Connected Women program will generate information about the socio-economic benefits of greater inclusion of women at all points in the mobile industry continuum from consumer to employee to leader, and then work with industry players to create opportunity.

Dhaka to Harlem: Empowering Women as Engines of Growth
Commitment by: Grameen America

In 2014, Grameen America committed to opening a new branch of its micro-lending service in Harlem, New York, pledging to provide $50 million to 7,000 women business owners in the area over 5 years. Since 2006, when Grameen opened its first New York branch in Queens, the organization has expanded to 18 branches in 11 cities, lending $171 million to nearly 33,000 low income women entrepreneurs across the country. Starting in October with 500 women, Grameen will provide entrepreneurs with funding and financial training on savings, credit maintenance and interest rates.

Rework America: Markle Economic Future Initiative
Commitment by: The Markle Foundation

In 2014, the Markle Foundation made a $50 million commitment to launch the “Rework America” Initiative, providing technological training for the modern business world to college age and continuing education participants later in life. Students will have access to a classroom and online learning environment utilizing models developed by the University presidents of Arizona State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, providing participants with real world skills they might not learn in a university environment.

Ebola Response: Air Bridge Support
Commitment by: Airlink
Partner(s): Paul G. Allen Foundation; Greenbaum Foundation; ChildFund International; AmeriCares; Direct Relief; AFYA Foundation; LIFT; ALAN (American Logistics Aid Network); Brussels Airlines; Western Global Airlines

In 2014, Airlink committed to transporting between 100 and 500 tons of material aid cargo by air to Western Africa by year-end 2014 with the help of its partners. The actual amount that Airlink will ship will depend on the length of time that an air bridge is called for in Western Africa before slower forms of transportation become sufficient to serve the requirement for material aid.

Emergency Solar Lighting for Ebola Relief Teams
Commitment by: Econet Wireless Group

Econet Wireless, a global telecommunications company with operations and investments in a dozen African markets, and its subsidiary company, Solarway, will provide $100,000 worth of solar power lanterns (totaling 5,000 lanterns) to support relief teams working to treat, contain and prevent the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the three worst affected countries – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The solar power lanterns will provide medical and relief workers with lighting in areas where there is limited or no access to electricity. The lanterns, which come with a solar panel, can be hung as room lights and provide up to 20 hours of light from one full charge. The lanterns also come with a port for charging all types of mobile phones to support improved communications and coordination. Econet Wireless will partner with relief agencies on the ground to ensure 5,000 solar power lanterns are delivered and distributed to frontline public health workers most in need of sustainable lighting solutions.

Combating Ebola: Airlift of 100 Tons of Medical Aid
Commitment by: Direct Relief
Partner(s): Wellbody Alliance – Sierra Leone; Medical Research Centre – Sierra Leone; CDC – Sierra Leone; Last Mile Health – Liberia; Christian Aid Ministries – Liberia; CDC – Liberia; Africare – Libreria; Ministry of Health/National Drug Services – Liberia; Merck; Becton, Dickinson and Company

In response to the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, Direct Relief committed to sending more than 100 tons of urgently needed personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies, and medicines to its partners on the ground in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Partners on the ground will team up with the respective Ministries of Health to deploy an effective distribution channel to get supplies to clinics, health facilities, and hospitals in regions heavily affected by the outbreak. In addition, more supplies will be secured in other locations as precautionary and emergency preparedness measures.

Fighting Ebola: Strengthening Rural Health
Commitment by: Partners in Health and Last Mile Health
Partner(s): Wellbody Alliance; Direct Relief

Partners In Health, Last Mile Health (Liberia) and Wellbody Alliance (Sierra Leone) have launched a coalition to scale-up rural Ebola response efforts and rebuild primary health systems in two of the most-affected countries: Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Coalition builds on over 40 years of collective experience (including 15 combined years in Liberia and Sierra Leone) in strengthening public health systems in partnership with Ministries of Health; and integrating research, teaching, and service to deliver high-quality, comprehensive health care to the poor.

The Hult Prize
Commitment by: Hult International Business School

In 2010, the Hult International Business School committed to bring together MBA and undergraduate business students from schools around the world together to come up with innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing social problems. Every year, teams from around the globe compete to win recognition for their consulting efforts and $1 million dollars in funding to put their project into practice. Past winners include Cambridge University’s 2011 mPanni plan, now a functioning company in Mumbai, India that provides mobile technology for increased social impact to underserved communities. The 2014 Challenge was to find solutions to non-communicable diseases in urban slums. This year’s winner was NanoHealth, which will be awarded $1 million in start-up capital for their proposal to use innovative technology to create micro-insurance health networks for slum dwellers. After presentations, NanoHealth was announced as the winner at the Hult Prize Dinner on Tuesday.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative - Peru
Commitment By: Goldman Sachs Foundation

In 2009, the Goldman Sachs Foundation committed to build on their global 10,000 Women initiative by joining with the Inter-American Development Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund and the Thunderbird School of Global Management to provide women entrepreneurs in Peru with quality business education and enhanced access to capital. In cooperation with Mibanco, a leading provider of loans to small and micro entrepreneurs, this training will offer more than 700 high-potential small business owners with the specialized training, access to capital, networking, and mentoring necessary to significantly grow their businesses.  Today, 728 women are certified, exceeding the target of 700; 200 women entrepreneurs received one-on-one mentoring, exceeding the target of 120.

About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,100 Commitments to Action, which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

Clinton Global Initiative to Host Inaugural CGI Middle East and Africa Meeting in Spring 2015 in Marrakech
International convening will bring together leaders from business, government, and philanthropy to address regional and global issues

New York – At the 10th CGI Annual Meeting today, President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton announced that the Clinton Global Initiative will hold its inaugural CGI Middle East and Africa Meeting in the Spring of 2015 in Marrakech with a focus on economic development.

“CGI brings together leaders from all sectors of society, highlighting successes and creating opportunities to build partnerships to further social, economic, and environmental goals,” said President Clinton. “The Middle East and Africa have a youthful workforce, fast-growing economies, untapped natural resources, and enormous potential to thrive in the coming years.”

In addition to CGI’s Annual Meeting in September, CGI hosts a number of convenings throughout the year, including CGI America and CGI University. In recent years, CGI has brought its model of dialogue and commitment-making to an international setting, tailored to a specific region. This will be the third CGI International Meeting. In December 2008, CGI Asia in Hong Kong brought together several hundred leaders from across the continent to further strengthen social and global responsibility in Asia. In December 2013, CGI Latin America brought together key leaders from the private sector, government, civil society, and NGOs to address to the region’s most pressing challenges.

Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for upcoming meeting news and highlights.

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About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,100 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world.

Clinton Global Initiative to Host CGI Mediterranean in June 2015 in Athens, Greece

First CGI meeting in Greece will bring leaders from business, government, civil society, and philanthropy to address economic and social challenges in the region

New York, NY — Today at the 10th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton announced the CGI Mediterranean meeting, to be held in Athens, Greece in June 2015.

“The CGI Mediterranean meeting will bring leaders together to address critical regional challenges such as youth unemployment and social and economic volatility through new Commitments to Action, and to showcase the region’s enormous potential for growth,” said President Bill Clinton.

“I’ve been honored to serve as a CGI convening sponsor for the past five years. I love the CGI ethos of turning ideas into action. That’s why, today, I am proud to announce I will sponsor the first CGI Mediterranean event to bring the Clinton Global Initiative legacy of leadership and action to my own country,” said Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos, who joined President Clinton for the announcement and is the founding sponsor of CGI Mediterranean.

In addition to the CGI Annual Meeting in September, CGI hosts a number of convenings throughout the year, including CGI America and CGI University. For the past two years, Ambassador Angelopoulos has encouraged Greek students to submit proposals to CGI University, and funded their projects after launch. CGI has also brought its model of commitment-making to international settings, as well as hosting issue-focused meetings to create partnerships and develop new Commitments to Action on a global challenge.

CGI Mediterranean continues that tradition. Participants will develop solutions for long-term economic growth and competitiveness for countries in the Mediterranean region by generating commitments in areas such as youth employment, economic development, job creation, and green growth.

Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for upcoming meeting news and highlights.

About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,100 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world.

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No Ceilings Announces CHARGE: Collaborative for Harnessing Ambition and Resources for Girls’ Education

NEW YORK, NY – Today, at the 10^th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Julia Gillard, Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, announced a collaboration of more than 30 companies, civil society organizations, multilaterals and governments to improve learning and leadership opportunities for young women and girls.  This collective effort, CHARGE – Collaborative for Harnessing Ambition and Resources for Girls’ Education – has committed over $600 million dollars to reach 14 million girls over five years.  The initiative will:

• Ensure that girls can attend and complete primary and secondary school;
• Make schools safer and more secure;
• Improve the quality of learning for girls;
• Support girls’ transition to higher education and employment; and
• Cultivate local country leaders to champion this work at the grassroots level. 

“We know when girls have access to quality education in both primary and secondary schools, cycles of poverty are broken, economies grow, glass ceilings crack and potential is unleashed," said Secretary Clinton. “The scale of this commitment matches the gravity of the challenge. Ensuring every girl receives a quality secondary education will take all of us, governments, civil society, the private sector, multilateral organizations, the entire international community working together.”

"I am so proud and grateful to all who have joined this exceptional initiative” said Julia Gillard, Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Universal Education. “We are here today to make a difference, to tackle head-on the next generation of girls education issues. It is our job to ensure that girls not only have access to education, but also to a quality education and unbounded horizons for future opportunity. Our work begins now."

The number of children attending primary school has significantly increased in the past two decades, and the gap between boys and girls has narrowed in many countries.  However, there are still significantly fewer girls than boys in secondary school in some regions, and girls face many barriers to completing secondary school with the skills they need -- including threats to their safety and inadequate quality and learning opportunities. This initiative will address these “second generation” issues, particularly in some of the most difficult to reach and marginalized communities across the globe.

NGO partners include BRAC International, which will work to improve learning and life transitions for more than 2.7 million girls and invest $280 million across Bangladesh and seven other countries.  Camfed will spend $100 million to help marginalized girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete secondary school and transition to secure livelihoods.  Plan International will commit more than $16 million to help prevent and respond to school-related gender-based violence in Asia.  And Room to Read will invest $12 million to serve an additional 15,000 girls in nine countries to ensure that girls transition to secondary school and then from school to the workforce or higher education.

Local non-governmental organizations have also made commitments.  GRACE Association will work to transform 50 schools in Pakistan’s most remote and impoverished areas to be inclusive, safe learning environments for 17,000 girls.  The Study Hall Foundation will expand its efforts to promote girls’ secondary school completion in the Uttar Pradesh region of India.  And emerging leaders will be supported by Echidna Giving, the Malala Fund and the Nigerian development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) to ensure local challenges are tackled by empowered, local leadership.

Several private sector partners have also offered support for this initiative.  Mastercard Foundation will commit $30 million to help girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in Sub-Saharan Africa enter and complete secondary school.  Discovery Communications will invest more than $19 million, in partnership with the UK’s Department for International Development, to advance learning outcomes for girls in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.  Other private sector partners include Gucci/Chime for Change, Intel, and Microsoft.

Multilateral organizations have also joined including UNICEF, UNESCO and the Global Partnership for Education.  Key government partners include Nepal, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the governments of Japan, Norway, and Malawi will endorse this initiative.

This impressive alliance will contribute significant resources, direct services and training, and innovative policy solutions to improve education and give greater opportunities to girls and young women across the globe over the next five years.

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President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton Unveil New Commitments to Action on Second Day of 2014 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting

NEW YORK, NY – During the second day of the 10^th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton announced new Commitments to Action that will address pressing global challenges. Speakers discussed the importance of valuing social and environmental efforts, innovation in a rapidly urbanizing world, and education to employment pathways globally.

Highlights from the second day of the Annual Meeting included:

• Featured speakers included: Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State, United Arab Emirates; Uridéia Andrade, Alumna, Gastromotiva; Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer, General Motors Company; John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco; Emmanuel Chiezie, Project Co-ordinator, Dr. Aloy & Gesare Chife Foundation; Gesare Chife, Executive Director, Dr. Aloy & Gesare Chife Foundation; Matt Damon, Co-founder, Water.org; David Hertz, Founder and CEO, Gastromotiva; Nicholas Kristof, Columnist and Author, The New York Times; Jack Ma, Executive Chairman, Alibaba Group; Nisreen Mitwally, Alumna, Education For Employment (EFE); Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister Federal Republic of Nigeria; Mohammad Parham Al Awadhi, Co-founder, Peeta Planet; Peyman Parham Al Awadhi, Co-founder, Peeta Planet; Ashish Thakkar, Founder, Mara Group, Founder, Mara Foundation; Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation; Gary White, CEO and Co-founder, Water.org.
• President Obama discussed how the Administration - in partnership with other governments, non-governmental organizations, and the philanthropic community - is deepening its commitment to defend and strengthen civil society globally.
• CNBC hosted a CGI Conversation asking “Do Consumers Care” which was streamed live online and will be part of a CGI special on CNBC. Becky Quick, Co-anchor, Squawk Box, CNBC, moderated conversations with President Bill Clinton; John P. Bilbrey, President and CEO, The Hershey Company; Lisa Jackson, Vice President, Environmental Initiatives, Apple; Tony James, President and COO, Blackstone; Hugh Grant, Chairman and CEO, Monsanto Company; Antony Jenkins, Group Chief Executive, Barclays; and Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce.
• Fareed Zakaria, Host, Fareed Zakaria GPS, CNN moderated a conversation with Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation; Paul Farmer, Co-founder and Chief Strategist, Partners In Health, Kolokotrones University Professor, Harvard Medical School; and Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Liberia about the emerging Ebola crisis and the global response. The session closed with a one-on-one conversation with Shimon Peres, Former President of the State of Israel.
• Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos was joined by President Clinton to announce the CGI Mediterranean meeting, to be held in Athens, Greece in June 2015.
• President Clinton announced a new commitment made by The Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Beverage Association to reduce beverage calories consumed per person nationally by 20 percent by 2025.
• Secretary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton announced the Elephant Action Network, which includes 21 different commitments made by 16 individual organizations, which reach 58 different countries and touch upon three programmatic pillars: Stop the Killing, Stop the Trafficking, Stop the Demand.
• Concluding the evening, regional business school finalists pitched their solutions to address non-communicable diseases in urban and peri-urban communities to a panel of judges at the Hult Prize Award Dinner. President Clinton announced the winning team, NanoHealth, which will be awarded $1 million in start-up capital for their proposal to use innovative technology to create micro-insurance health networks for slum dwellers.

President Clinton, Former Secretary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and CGI commitment-makers also announced new Commitments to Action and reported progress of commitments made at past CGI Annual Meetings:

Commitments announced in Plenary Session today include:

Solar Energy for Housing and Education in Rural Mexico
Commitment by: Ilumexico (Manuel Wiechers, Founder, ILUMEXICO)

In 2014 Ilumexico committed to aiding the 3 million people living in Mexico without electricity, installing 1,500 solar home electricity systems throughout the rural countryside. Hoping to provide every Mexican with electric light by 2025, Ilumexico has already helped 17,000 people since 2009. Their unique microloan system allows for the introduction of affordable, renewable power in places with no traditional means of distribution. Ilumexico has committed to outfitting 22 schools with solar arrays, lighting, and computers as well as establishing training programs to keep those systems running in the years to come.

Improving Livelihoods in Post Conflict & Disaster Areas
Commitment by: The American Jewish World Service (Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service)
Partner(s): Mouvman Peyizan Bayone 2eme Section Communale des Gonaives (Mouvman Peyizan Rankit (MPR); Sevis Finansye Fonkoze; Oganizasyon Gwoupman Peyizan pou Devlopman 8eme Seksyon Komi; Lambi Fund of Haiti; Groundswell International; Association of Disabled Females International (ADFI); Committee for Peace and Development Advocacy (COPDA); Liberian Rural Women Association (LIRWA); Mano River Women Peace Network Liberia (MARWOPNET); Save My Future Foundation (SAFMU); Self-Help Initiative for Sustainable Development (SHYMPI); Self-Help Initiative for Sustainable Development (SHYMPI); West Africa Network for Peacebuilding Liberia (WANEP)

In 2010, the AJWS committed to partnering with grassroots organizations in three countries, providing $1.5 million in grants to those working on the ground addressing each community’s unique problems. Today, the commitment is complete. In post-earthquake Haiti, AJWS partnered with local farming organizations to improve food security, building seed banks, and increasing agricultural education. In Liberia, their partner, the Sustainable Development Institute, educated forest dwelling villagers about land rights to defend them from logging companies, and in Sri Lanka their partners engaged with the Tamil and Sinhala communities to promote peace and reconciliation after years of sectarian violence.

Partnership to Scale Enterprises Serving the Poor in Africa
Commitment by: Acumen, Dow Chemical, Dow Chemical Company Fund (Bo Miller, Global Director for Corporate Citizenship, Dow Chemical Company)
Partner(s): Barclays PLC, Unilever

In 2012 Acumen, with Dow Chemical and the Dow Company Fund, committed $1 million over 5 years to accelerating the distribution of improved products and services throughout East and West Africa. By expanding the reach of social enterprises serving agricultural, sanitation and energy efforts, the commitment will boost development across sectors. In 2014, Acumen hosted the first Technical Assistance Summit in Nairobi, Kenya inspiring innovation, collaboration and partnership between global corporations and social enterprises, receiving 8 applications for assistance and four more for the Dow Sustainability Corps skill-based volunteerism program, and distributing four $200,000 assistance grants to social enterprises.

Building Democratic & Economic Empowerment: Bhutan’s First Law School
Commitment By: White & Case (Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, Kingdom of Bhutan; Hugh Verrier, Chairman, White & Case LLP)
Partner(s): Royal Institute

White & Case LLP will partner with the Kingdom of Bhutan to form the country’s first law school, further enhancing their legal system since forming their first stable democracy in 2008.  The goal of the law school is to eventually support and enroll 200 full time-students, 100 faculty, staff, and visiting researchers, aiming to build and strengthen Bhutan’s democratic governance and legal expertise.

Start Empathy: Equipping Every Child to be a Changemaker
Commitment By:  Ashoka: Innovators for the Public (Bill Drayton, CEO and Founder, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public)
Partner(s):  Einhorn Family Charitable Trust; Peace First; Playworks; Roots of Empathy US; Girls on the Run International; New Teacher Center; Whole Child International; Public Broadcasting Service; Deportes para Compartir; Greater Good Science Center; Prezi; TeacherTube; TeacherTube; Advisory Board Company

In 2012, Ashoka committed to launching a global Start Empathy initiative which will bring the development of empathy into schools, making it as fundamental as reading and math in early education. Through this commitment, Ashoka and its partners will equip future generations with the ability to understand the feelings and perspectives of others and to guide their actions in response - enabling them to find solutions, lead effectively, and drive change.  Ashoka has now elected 15 new Empathy Fellows in the U.S. and more globally, recognizing their fit with Ashoka's long-standing Fellow selection criteria and the powerful insights they bring to Ashoka.

Advancing Child Health Through Mobile Technologies
Commitment by: Samsung (Irwin Redlener, President and Co-founder, Children’s Health Fund; David Steel, Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Samsung Electronics America, Inc.; Charles Basch, Professor of Health and Education, Columbia University; Jane Pauley, Co-host, NBC Dateline)
Partner(s): Children’s Health Fund; Columbia University

In 2014, Samsung is partnering with the Children’s Health Fund committing to create the Samsung Innovation Center at Children’s Health Fund, a New York City based center focused on improving children’s access to quality health care. Over the next 2 years, the partners are pledging $2 million to enhance the Health Fund’s preexisting pediatric programs with mobile technology, bringing together experts from Columbia University and over 2,000 doctors to update 50 mobile care clinics and develop telehealth access for isolated communities, allowing for both increased face to face and remote doctors’ visits for thousands of underserved children.

American Beverage Industry Calorie Action Plan
Commitment by: The American Beverage Association, The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., PepsiCo and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Howell Wechsler, CEO, Alliance for a Healthier Generation; Susan Neely, President and CEO, American Beverage Association; Wendy Clark, Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing Communications and Capabilities, Coca-Cola North America; Rodger Collins, President of Package Beverages, Packed Beverages Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.; Albert Carey, CEO, PepsiCO Americas Beverages PepsiCo)

In 2014, The American Beverage Association (ABA) and its member companies, including The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and PepsiCo (Beverage Companies) and in partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation committed to reduce per person calories consumed from beverages nationally by 20% by 2025. The Beverage Companies will leverage their marketing, innovation and distribution strength to increase and sustain consumer interest in and access to beverage options that help them reduce their calories, including smaller portion sizes, water, and other no or lower calorie beverages, as well as engage in consumer education and outreach efforts.  In addition to each companies’ product, packaging and ingredient innovation, to help achieve this goal, the companies will launch a national initiative as well as have a special focus on communities where there has been less interest in/or access to such options.

FITE Future Entrepreneurs: Salon Industry Careers for Women
Commitment by: Dermalogica (Salon Industry Careers for Women – Jane Wurwand, Co-Founder, Dermalogica)
Partner(s): The International Dermal Institute; Dermalogica Academy

In 2014, Dermalogica committed, under the FITE initiative, to launch FITE Future Entrepreneurs in partnership with the International Dermal Institute in order to create a pathway to entrepreneurship for at-risk young women who inspire to work in the skin care industry. Through a scholarship application process, Dermalogica will identify and select up to ten young women in the New York area to go through a complete industry education and on the job training program over the next two years that includes undergraduate education, necessary materials and supplies, mentorship, secondary/graduate study, and apprenticeship/job placement.

Improve Western Shoshone Educational Performance
Commitment by: Barrick Gold Corporation (Tim Buchanan, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Barrick Gold Corporation)
Partner(s): Great Basin College; British Council

In 2014, Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick) commits to implement an intensive and multi-faceted approach to improve educational performance, access to higher education, and employment opportunities for members of the Western Shoshone communities located in northeastern Nevada. Barrick aims to improve high school graduation rates, improve college and vocational school entrance and completion rates, and increase employment rates. For 17-24 year olds, specifically, Barrick and its partners will launch training, mentoring, and hiring programs that will serve as pathways for future employment opportunities and create a career-ready pipeline of talent available to local employers.

Community Hub for Opportunities in Construction Employment
Commitment by: North America’s Building Trades Union (Mark Coles, Executive Director, Building Trades)
Partner(s): Choice; DC Jobs; National Urban League and local affiliates; Department of Employment Services – Washington DC; So Others Might Eat; Wider Opporutnities for Women (WOW); YouthBuild USA and their local affiliates; Helmets to Hardhats; National Electrical Contractors Association; Mechancial Contractors Association; Iron Workers Employers Association; Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association

In 2014, North America's Building Trades Unions committed to implementing a structured, demand-driven, apprenticeship-readiness program in close cooperation with key local community-based partners to prepare 125 local young adults in the Capitol Region for the registered apprenticeship programs that lead to long term, sustainable careers in construction. The Building Trades' CHOICE apprenticeship-readiness program will be developed based on the best practices drawn from similar Building Trades programs in Milwaukee, New York City, Boston, New Orleans, and, most recently, in Detroit. The Building Trades community-based partners will assist in the recruitment, assessment, referral and mentoring of local residents in preparation for registered apprenticeship programs.

Global Investigative Support to Address Wildlife Crime
Commitment By: Interpol (Salvatore Amato, Biodiversity Coordinator, Interpol)
Partner(s): Conservation International; International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

In 2014, INTERPOL's Environmental Crime Sub-Directorate (ENS) committed to establishing a comprehensive program to effectively disrupt and dismantle the major transnational criminal syndicates engaged in poaching and illegal trade of African elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn in Africa and destination countries in Asia. This commitment will extend their capacity building and operational support program in the given continents by coordinating efforts and establishing a network of investigators and analysts with the purpose of developing effective multi-disciplinary and multi-national approaches to wildlife crime. Through a series of trainings and associated operations, INTERPOL commits to a significant scaling up of their past efforts through development and delivery of a Standardized Enforcement Training (SET) curriculum that includes modules on information collection, operational planning, crime scene investigation, searches, interviewing techniques, and court room testimony. The SET is delivered as a "train-the-trainer" course designed to enable participants to return and pass on knowledge and techniques learned. By design, a significant outcome of these training events is development of a network of trained investigators and analysts capable of working across borders to effectively address wildlife crime and trafficking.

Horn of Africa Enforcement Network (HAWEN)
Commitment By: International Fund for Animal Welfare (Andy Wilson, Vice President of Foundation Relations, Conservation International)
Partner(s): Freeland Foundation; African Wildlife Foundation; Government of Ethiopia; Republic of Kenya; State of Eritrea; Federal Republic of Somalia; Republic of Uganda; Republic of South Sudan; Republic of Djibouti; Republic of Sudan

In 2014, The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), committed to working with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Freeland Foundation (FF) to form "the Partnership" - a five-year program aiming to reduce wildlife crime in the Horn of Africa (HoA). HoA countries have created the "Horn of Africa Wildlife Enforcement Network" (HAWEN) to strengthen wildlife enforcement. IFAW will support HAWEN through the "Africa's Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking" (ARREST) program. ARREST will provide the tools that are crucial success, such as capacity-building and law enforcement training, community education, regional communication mechanisms, and livelihoods projects.

MADE for Saving Africa's Elephants
Commitment By: MADE Fashion (Jenne Lombardo, Co-Founder, MADE for New York Fashion Week)
Partner(s): Conservation International; The Nature Conservancy; Wildlife Conservation Society

In 2014, Made Fashion Week at Milk Studios committed to raising awareness of the African elephant-poaching crisis through its highly visible and most trafficked event of the year, MADE Fashion Week. This event brings together artists, designers, consumers, media, non-profits, philanthropy leaders, and many others for a common cause. Rather than limiting the exposure of the cause to a single-time event, MADE will commission a piece of large-scale artwork inspired by the elephant poaching crisis to be displayed in the gallery of Milk Studios for the entire duration of MADE Fashion Week, September 4 - 10, 2014. This will result in approximately 12,000 people viewing and interacting with the display in-person. In order to build a sustained campaign that results in maximum impact both in the fashion community and a more mainstream audience outside of cosmopolitan New York, the installation initiative in September will be followed by a unique retail experience in October, when MADE designers will produce limited-edition items inspired by the CGI Elephant Action Network and the work of its members to combat the poaching crisis. The products will be upscale, garnering significant media exposure, and forging artistic alliances for NGOs committed to the anti-poaching cause.

Promise for Elephants: Increasing Security in Africa
Commitment By: The Nature Conservancy (Glenn Prickett, Chief External Affairs Officer, The Nature Conservancy)
Partner(s): Northern Rangelands Trust; Lewa Wildlife Conservancy; Save the Elephants; Honey Guide Foundation; Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association; Tanzania National Parks Authority; Zambia Wildlife Authority; Space for Giants

In 2014, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) committed to addressing three primary challenges to protecting African elephants in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia: 1) the scale of the problem is vast and conditions on the ground vary tremendously, including variations in elephant population status and ever changing political stability of range states; 2) wildlife security forces often lack the most basic tools for patrolling and prosecuting poachers; and 3) poverty and growing conflict for resources threaten the long-term survival of elephants. TNC, in partnership with park agencies and other NGOs, will address these challenges using several approaches. They will increase the size and safety of community-run and private protected areas, focusing on wildlife corridors that link protected areas in order to allow for safe elephant migration. TNC will also increase security in these areas by providing local NGOs, community conservancies, and park agencies with funding and technical support. This includes cutting-edge technology to support community watch programs, and assistance in training and equipping wildlife rangers to better patrol millions of acres of elephant habitat. This protection effort is designed as a near term tactic to help improve management capacity and protection at this critical time when the price of ivory makes even the best protected elephants at risk. This commitment will also empower local communities by creating financial incentives for conservation for local people, such as support for wildlife scouts and efforts to strengthen local enterprises. TNC will also support community conservation alliances called "community wildlife conservancies" to improve resource tenure for local communities, increase their management capacity, and improve the benefit flow from sustainably managed resources.

Promise for Elephants: Reducing Demand for Ivory
Commitment By: The Nature Conservancy (Glenn Prickett, Chief External Affairs Officer, The Nature Conservancy)
Partner(s): Tencent Holdings Limited; Alibaba Group; Sina Corporation; Baidu, Inc.;

In 2014, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) committed to address the challenge of high ivory demand in China by engaging with civil society, the private sector, and the government through a variety of activities. TNC seeks to influence top-level policy perspectives of government leaders through leveraging TNC's China Board of Directors and other high-level connections to bring the ivory issue to the Africa-China dialogue. They also will erode ivory's prestige through a signed statement to not buy ivory by TNC's China Board members and influential donors in China. Illegal online sales of ivory will be reduced by setting up an anti-ivory alliance to unite key B2C websites in China and by tracking misconduct on ivory sale websites in collaboration with other NGOs. TNC will also assess current elephant protection work by key organizations and conduct focus group interviews about how to reduce ivory consumption in China and will include sponsoring Chinese experts for field investigation on market consumption.

Protecting Elephants: Law Enforcement and Conservation
Commitment by: Frankfurt Zoological Society (Peyton West, Director of Help for Threatened Wildlife, Frankfurt Zoological Society)                                                                                      
Partner(s): Tanzania National Parks Authority; Tanzania Wildlife Division; Zambia Wildlife Authority; Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority

In 2014, Franklin Zoological Society-US committed to expanding conservation support in four African wilderness areas with globally significant elephant populations: the Serengeti ecosystem and the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania; the North Luangwa ecosystem in Zambia; and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. Activities will be specific to the wilderness area and are in partnership with local and national authorities. Activities include new and upgraded infrastructure (operations hubs, command centers and other ranger facilities), increasing the number of rangers trained and deployed, implementing advanced ranger training, increasing areas patrolled, instituting a ranger-based monitoring system (SMART), providing computers for expanding intelligence networks, surveys of park boundaries, increasing aerial surveillance, and expanding the ranger vehicle fleets. Simultaneously, FZS-US and their agency partners will expand community conservation efforts that provide opportunities for local communities living in these areas. As an organization dedicated to protecting biodiversity and wilderness, with 90 percent of its resources going to support on the ground conservation in Africa, FZS-US has long engaged in efforts to protect elephants and their habitats. At the end of this two-year commitment, FZS-US expects to see measurable signs of improvement in security and a corresponding decrease in poaching in these key African landscapes.

Protecting Girls & Nature: Using Culture to Change Behavior
Commitment By: S.A.F.E. (Pham Binh Minh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam)
Partner(s): Save the Elephants; Monsanto Company

In 2014, S.A.F.E. committed to expanding their highly successful performance-based and culturally appropriate model for decreasing the practice of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in Maasai communities. S.A.F.E. uses high-caliber theatre performances by local Maasai and community programs to inspire social change in the Loita Hills Maasai communities in Kenya. To date, S.A.F.E.'s community theatre has led to over 20 percent of Maasai girls now undergoing an Alternative Right of Passage (ARP) instead of FGC and 80 percent of the local community has accepted that FGC practices will be replaced by ARP. This commitment will expand their work in Loita Hills as well as replicate their model to change community attitudes and behavior in additional traditional tribal communities in Kenya. Additionally, at the request of local Maasai leaders, S.A.F.E. will use theatre performances and workshops to help shift Maasai attitudes on forest resource use, wildlife conflict, and livestock practices. The change required to transform people into environmental champions is a deeply cultural one and S.A.F.E.'s model will be used to address the cultural shift needed to protect the Loita Hills environment.

Protecting Priority Elephant Populations in Africa
Commitment By: African Wildlife Foundation (Laly Lichtenfeld, Executive Director, African Wildlife Foundation)
Partner(s): Conservation Lower Zambezi; Kalahari Conservation Society; Kenya Wildlife Service; Dja Conservation Services

In 2014, African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) committed to scaling their work in sub-Saharan Africa reducing elephant poaching, targeting ten areas for enhanced capacity to combat and thwart poaching. AWF will partner with NGOS, government, and local bodies to strengthen and expand their counter poaching capacities and will directly support the capacities of the rangers and communities working on the ground. This commitment is expected to reduce the poaching to below the annual growth rate of 5-6 percent over the three-year period of the implementation. They will expand upon their previous capacity building work with existing partners, while also building new partnerships with organizations in expanded elephant territories. The funding will be used to compensate park rangers and community scouts, hire additional field personnel as needed, organize training in counter-poaching and law enforcement strategy and tactics, procure essential field equipment and supplies, and test new technologies and approaches for monitoring areas where poaching is prevalent. In each landscape, AWF will look for the best combination of tools and approaches that can protect elephants in an efficient and cost-effective way. In particular, they will focus on the number of trained rangers necessary to offer adequate coverage and protection of the elephant range.

Ranger Anti-Poaching Training & Widow Support
Commitment by: International Rangers Federation/Thin Green Line Foundation (Sean Willmore, Founder, The Thin Green Line and President, International Ranger Federation)
Partner(s): Elephant Action League; The International Anti-Poaching Foundation; Patagonia Works; PAMS Foundation; Scarab Management

In 2014, the International Rangers Federation (IRF) and The Thin Green Line Foundation (TGLF) committed to actively training and equipping wildlife Rangers on the frontline of conservation in National Parks, Protected Areas, and Community Conservation Zones in nine African countries. The commitment focuses on the training of Government and Community Rangers in advanced anti-poaching techniques as well as in leadership skills and professional development. Through the "Train the Trainers" program, TGLF will ensure the consistency and sustainability of ranger training over time. They will also provide key equipment to the Rangers undertaking anti-poaching work, including water filtration, backpacks, mosquito nets, and smartphones. This commitment will also expand TGLF's Widow Support Program, focusing on assisting the family members of rangers killed on patrol with educational, health, and employment needs. This commitment is designed to concentrate on the immediate solution of anti-poaching in the field to sustain Ranger and wildlife survival.

Ranger Anti-Poaching Training & Widow Support
Commitment by: International Rangers Federation/Thin Green Line Foundation (Sean Willmore, Founder, The Thin Green Line and President, International Ranger Federation)
Partner(s): Elephant Action League; The International Anti-Poaching Foundation; Patagonia Works; PAMS Foundation; Scarab Management

In 2014, the International Rangers Federation (IRF) and The Thin Green Line Foundation (TGLF) committed to actively training and equipping wildlife Rangers on the frontline of conservation in National Parks, Protected Areas, and Community Conservation Zones in nine African countries. The commitment focuses on the training of Government and Community Rangers in advanced anti-poaching techniques as well as in leadership skills and professional development. Through the "Train the Trainers" program, TGLF will ensure the consistency and sustainability of ranger training over time. They will also provide key equipment to the Rangers undertaking anti-poaching work, including water filtration, backpacks, mosquito nets, and smartphones. This commitment will also expand TGLF's Widow Support Program, focusing on assisting the family members of rangers killed on patrol with educational, health, and employment needs. This commitment is designed to concentrate on the immediate solution of anti-poaching in the field to sustain Ranger and wildlife survival.

Securing and Protecting Critical Habitat in Amboseli
Commitment By: International Fund for Animal Welfare (Azzedine Downes, President and CEO, International Fund for Animal Welfare)
Partner(s): Amboseli Trust for Elephants; Kenya Wildlife Service; The School For Field Studies; Olgulului Ol'rarashi Group Ranch

In 2014, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) committed to implementing innovative community-based approaches to protect the Amboseli elephant population in Kenya. They will establish community conservancies by leasing selected critical elephant migration corridors and dispersal areas and train Maasai community members as scouts to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. IFAW will also build the capacity of local communities through investments in a community center, water access pipeline, and educational scholarships for community youth.

Stop the Poaching, Trafficking, & Demand For Ivory
Commitment By: Save the Elephants (Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Founder, Save the Elephants)
Partner(s): WildAid; WildlifeDirect Inc.; Kenya Wildlife Service; Northern Rangelands Trust; Wildlife Conservation Network; Born Free; Stop Ivory

In 2014, Save the Elephants, in partnership with Northern Rangelands Trust, Kenya Wildlife Service, Wildlife Direct, WildAid, Stop Ivory, BornFree, and Wildlife Conservation Network, committed to work with government authorities and other nongovernmental organizations to contribute to resolving the current ivory crisis that is decimating elephant populations throughout the continent. Over three years, Save the Elephants aims to: 1) stop the killing of elephants through facilitation of anti-poaching enforcement in African range states; 2) stop the trafficking of ivory by supporting efforts to strengthen legislation, law enforcement, and judiciary in range states and monitor unregulated domestic ivory markets; and 3) stop the demand for ivory by raising awareness about the impact and risks of ivory sales to the survival of the African elephant, and urge behavioral changes that will reduce consumption in key ivory-consuming countries.

Technology and Innovation to End Poaching and Wildlife Crime
Commitment By: The Stimson Center (Brian Finlay, Managing Director, The Stimson Center)
Partner(s): Linköping University; Dinbar Associates; IHUB; African Wildlife Foundation; SAAB Technologies

In 2014, The Stimson Center, in partnership with local and global partners and the Kenyan government, committed to designing and implementing a gold standard integrated wildlife protection technology system that provides appropriate detection and communication technologies to assist enforcement teams mitigating poaching in the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary in Kenya. In the past two years, about 60,000 elephants and more than 1,600 rhinos have been killed by poachers. Sharply declining wildlife populations have significant economic consequences for these countries in addition to the impact on species population viability. Approximately 13 percent of Kenya's GDP comes from the tourism sector, where elephants and rhinos are star attractions, making their disappearance an economic threat. Poaching and wildlife crime is no longer only conservation challenge; it is also a serious socio-economic and security issue. This multi-stakeholder commitment will bring more robust protection measures to wildlife conservation in Kenya and the technology capacity-building and training will be locally driven and designed from the bottom-up. This pilot project will bring conservation, development, and security communities together to collectively combat the challenge of poaching and wildlife crime.

Women and Walls to Save Tanzania's Wildlife
Commitment By: African People and Wildlife Fund (Patrick Bergin, Chief Executive Officer, Africa People and Wildlife Fund)
Partner(s): National Geographic; Communities of Simanjiro, Babati, Monduli, Longido Districts; Loibor Siret and Narakauwo Women's Associations

In 2014, the African People & Wildlife Fund (APW) committed to both preventing human-wildlife conflicts (most notably via its highly successful Living Wall program) and providing local incentives for sustainable natural resource management in Tanzania. Via this two-pronged strategy, APW will work with community members to protect valuable livestock (and therefore community wealth) through the installation of environmentally friendly predator-proof corrals, and to assist in the recovery of important wildlife populations through community-driven environmental management. In particular, APW believes Maasai women are uniquely positioned to both become shepherds of the environment and to work for the long-term sustainability of environments on behalf of their children and communities. Recognizing the strong linkages between women, girls, and their impacts on the environment, APW will link conservation incentives to the improvement in women's income. Through APW's microfund, investments in environmentally friendly and women-owned small businesses, such as bee-keeping, will be made. In return for accepting micro-grants, community women develop and deliver community-based projects, such as village clean-ups, tree planting, watershed restoration work, and environmental education outreach. In addition to their on-the-ground conservation outcomes, these projects improve local attitudes toward conservation, ultimately bettering conditions for coexistence with elephants and lions.

About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,100 Commitments to Action, which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

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10^th Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting Opens with the 8^th Annual Clinton Global Citizens Awards^TM

Seth Meyers hosted 8th Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards™ honoring Leonardo DiCaprio, Founder, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation; Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo; Hayat Sindi, Founder and CEO, i2 Institute; Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, Founding Chairman and CEO Emeritus, Qualcomm Incorporated; and Greg Asbed and Lucas Benitez, Co-founders, Coalition of Immokalee Workers; with appearances by Madeleine Albright, Eva Longoria, Randy Jackson and musical performances by Aloe Blacc, Natalie Merchant, Jason Mraz with special guests Raining Jane, and The Roots

New York, NY —Today, President Bill Clinton, Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton kicked off the 10^th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting with the Clinton Global Citizen Awards^TM, hosted by Seth Meyers, of NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”

 

                                                                             
The awards, which honor outstanding individuals who exemplify global citizenship through their vision and leadership, recognized Greg Asbed and Lucas Benitez for their work on behalf of farm workers throughout the United States, Leonardo DiCaprio for his dedication to environmental causes and preservation efforts of the world’s oceans, Hayat Sindi for her work to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among young people in the Middle East, Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs for bringing the transformative power of wireless technology to underserved communities globally including developing women’s access to wireless technology and their economic empowerment, and President of the Republic of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga for promoting reconciliation in the region and building Kosovo’s political and economic institutions to gain EU membership.

“These honorees represent some of the most visionary leaders in the world and embody what it means to be a true global citizen,” said President Bill Clinton. “Having brought together and lifted a nation, given a voice to marginalized populations, worked to protect our fragile environment, and equipped our next generation with the skills they need to succeed, I’m encouraged by their efforts and optimistic about our collective future.”

The event featured musical performances by Aloe Blacc, Natalie Merchant, Jason Mraz with special guests Raining Jane, Harlem Samba, Jeremy Ellis, and The Roots, with appearances by Madeleine Albright, Eva Longoria, Former All-Pro NFL Player and Chairman & Co-Founder of The Asomugha Foundation Nnamdi Asomugha, President and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund Carter Roberts and Randy Jackson, who served as music director for the event.

The Clinton Global Citizen Awards have honored outstanding individuals in civil society, philanthropy, public service, and the private sector who exemplify global citizenship through their vision, leadership, and impact in addressing global challenges since the first Clinton Global Citizen Awards^TM in 2007. The 2014 Clinton Global Citizen Award recipients include the following outstanding leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector:

                                                               Leadership in Philanthropy

Leonardo DiCaprio, Founder, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
Leonardo DiCaprio, an award-winning actor and a four-time Academy Award® nominee, has been an outspoken advocate for environmental issues throughout much of his career. In 1998, at the age of 24, DiCaprio established his foundation with the mission of protecting the Earth’s last wild places and implementing solutions to build a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world. Through grantmaking, public campaigns, and media projects, DiCaprio has worked to bring much-needed attention and funding to three focus areas — protecting biodiversity, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change. Over the last several years, his foundation has rapidly scaled up its grantmaking operation, allocating over $10 million to projects that protect fragile ecosystems and key species around the globe, while also improving the lives of local communities. Recently, he led several innovative fundraising events, raising over $60 million for projects the foundation is developing and supporting. Additionally, in an effort to empower his fans to make a difference, DiCaprio uses digital media to inform and inspire the public, offering them ways to take action on an array of issues – from protecting sharks in California and Elephants in Africa to supporting the transition of our society to clean, renewable energy.

                                                              Leadership in Public Service

Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo
Atifete Jahjaga is the President of the Republic of Kosovo. Before assuming this position, President Jahjaga was the deputy general director of the Police of Kosovo. She graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Prishtina and pursued postgraduate programs at the University of Leicester, the University of Virginia, the George C. Marshall Center, and the FBI National Academy. Since taking office, President Jahjaga has contributed to strengthening democratic institutions, normalizing relations with neighboring countries, and changing Kosovo’s image abroad. She is very active in promoting a European reform agenda and is determined to fight corruption and consolidate the rule of law in Kosovo. Under her leadership, women empowerment in Kosovo has advanced. She has taken a firm stance on the issue of victims of rape during war, with a focus on the acknowledgement of their legal status. President Jahjaga has worked hard to build bridges between Kosovo’s estranged communities, and she has been very active in interfaith dialogue among Kosovo’s different religious communities, viewing it as a way to address radicalization and promote reconciliation.

                                                              Leadership in Civil Society

Hayat Sindi, Founder and CEO, i2 Institute
One of the first female members of the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia, Hayat Sindi is the founder and CEO of i2, Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, which is a nongovernmental organization aiming to create an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and social innovation for scientists, technologists, and engineers in the Middle East and beyond. Dr. Sindi is also the co-founder of Diagnostics For All, which offers cost-effective point-of-care diagnostic tools that enable treatment for people who don’t have easy access medical care. The first Saudi woman to be accepted to study biotechnology at Cambridge University, where she received her PhD, and the first woman from the Arabian States of the Persian Gulf to complete a doctoral degree in the field, Sindi is a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board and is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her efforts in promoting science education in the Middle East, especially for girls.

Greg Asbed and Lucas Benitez, Co-founders, Coalition of Immokalee Workers
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a worker-based human rights organization recognized for its achievements in the fields of corporate social responsibility, community organizing, and sustainable food. Over the past several years, CIW has become an important national and statewide presence and, as co-founders, Lucas Benitez and Greg Asbed are continuing this growth. Asbed is a principal author of the CIW’s Fair Food Program, a breakthrough, worker-driven approach to verifiable corporate accountability recognized by the United Nations and the White House for its unique effectiveness. He also works closely with Benitez on the CIW’s Anti-Slavery Campaign, recognized by the U.S. State Department for its pioneering work in the prevention of forced labor. Benitez is a key organizational leader and member of the Fair Food Program worker education team, and is one of the earliest farmworker leaders in the Fair Food movement. He also works with consumer allies to organize national actions—renowned for their creativity and effectiveness—designed to bring pressure on the large retail purchasers of Florida produce to join the Fair Food Program. The CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food is the subject of a feature-length documentary directed by Sanjay Rawal entitled “Food Chains,” set for nationwide release November 21st.

                                                              Leadership in the Private Sector

Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs
Irwin Mark Jacobs is the founding chairman and CEO emeritus of Qualcomm, a company he co-founded in 1985. As CEO through 2005 and chairman through 2009, he led the growth from start-up to Fortune 500 Company, which now employs over 30,000 people worldwide. Qualcomm pioneered the CDMA wireless technology used by all third-generation cellular networks to deliver broadband Internet access to over 2.2 billion customers, and is the leader in supplying fourth-generation technology. Through continuing innovation, Qualcomm has become the world’s largest semiconductor supplier for mobile devices. For 15 consecutive years, it has been named to FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Since 2006, Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach program has brought wireless technology to underserved communities globally and invests in projects that foster entrepreneurship, aid in public safety, enhance the delivery of health care, enrich teaching and learning, and improve environmental sustainability. Many projects place emphasis on women’s empowerment through cell phones. Personally, Jacobs and his wife Joan support the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute and have been recognized by Business Week and Chronicle of Philanthropy for being among the 50 Most-Generous Philanthropists in the United States.

Please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/2014 regularly for the latest program details and list of participants. Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #CGI2014.

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About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 2,900 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

About the Clinton Global Citizen Awards^TMEstablished in 2007, the Clinton Global Citizen Awards embody President Bill Clinton’s call to action by honoring outstanding individuals who exemplify global citizenship through their vision and leadership. These citizens have proven that diverse sectors of society can work together successfully to devise solutions that effect positive, lasting social change. Nominated by Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) members and other global leaders, honorees are chosen based on their innovative approaches, and on the demonstrated results and sustainability of their work. Through their uncommon abilities to strengthen civil society, these visionaries inspire us all to take action and to become true global citizens.

The 2014 Clinton Global Citizen Awards will be presented during a special ceremony at the CGI Annual Meeting, on the evening of September 21. The evening’s program will include special appearances by individuals who embrace the mission of an integrated, shared world. In past years, special appearances have been made by Ben Affleck, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Barbra Streisand, Ben Stiller, President Festus Mogae, Iman, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Prime Minister MorganTsvangirai, Salma Hayek, General Wesley Clark, and more. Musical entertainment has included: Sting, K’Naan, Alicia Keys, James Taylor, Juanes, Youssou N’Dour, The Roots, Elvis Costello, and Angelique Kidjo.

CGI Members Airlift 100 Tons of Medical Supplies to Fight Ebola from JFK to West Africa

 
Direct Relief, Last Mile Health Join Clinton Health Access Initiative and Other Groups to Distribute Medical Supplies and Protective Equipment

NEW YORK – Ahead of the 10th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, Direct Relief and several U.S. aid organizations have made a Commitment to Action to airlift 100 tons of medical supplies to West Africa to combat the Ebola outbreak in the region. The airlift, the largest single emergency shipment from the U.S. to West Africa to date, contains personal protective equipment and medical supplies valued at $6 million wholesale.

The charter left for Sierra Leone and Liberia on Saturday afternoon. Representatives from CGI and Direct  Relief were joined by philanthropists and representatives from the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone.

"This airlift, organized by several CGI members and led by Direct Relief, truly exemplifies the spirit of the Clinton Global Initiative - to see a pressing issue in the world, and work together to commit to bringing their specific resources and specialties to bear on the problem," said Bob Harrison, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative. "I also want to recognize the work of the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Partners in Health in coordinating our response on the ground in Africa. I'm looking forward to seeing the additional work and commitments at our 10th CGI Annual Meeting this week, that will provide immediate and long-term assistance on the ground in West Africa to fight the Ebola Outbreak."
The airlift contains 100 tons of medical supplies and equipment, including:

• 2.8 million surgical and exam gloves
• 170,000 coverall gowns
• 120,000 masks
• 40,000 liters of pre-mixed oral rehydration solution
• 9.8 million defined daily doses of essential medications

Through CGI, Direct Health organized this airlift with several partners, including Last Mile Health, Wellbody Alliance, and Africare. Partners on the ground, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) will team up with the respective Ministries of Health to deploy an effective distribution channel to get supplies to clinics, health facilities, and hospitals in regions heavily affected by the outbreak.

In addition, more supplies will be secured in other locations as precautionary and emergency preparedness measures. Beyond the chartered airlift, Direct Relief will continue to mobilize medical resources into West Africa to combat the spread of Ebola.

“We must do all we can to reduce further the human tragedy caused by this deadly outbreak and help communities avoid an even deeper setback than has occurred already,” said Thomas Tighe, CEO of Direct Relief.  “Direct Relief mobilized this airlift in recognition that the failure to act now will make the crisis all the more severe."
 
Liberia and Sierra Leone are currently facing the worst Ebola outbreak in history and the first outbreak of its kind in West Africa. As of September 6, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported more than 4,293 confirmed cases and 2,296 deaths throughout West Africa. WHO also stated that the outbreak could infect more than 20,000 people.

About Direct Relief

Direct Relief is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides medical assistance to people around the world who have been affected by poverty, natural disasters, and civil unrest. Thanks to generous material and financial contributions from individuals, pharmaceutical companies, and medical equipment manufacturers, Direct Relief can work with healthcare professionals and organizations on the ground and equip them with the essential medical supplies and equipment that they need to help people recover from a disaster.

About the Clinton Global Initiative

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 2,900 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. Follow CGI on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for upcoming meeting news and highlights.

CGI 2014 Speakers Announced

President Bill Clinton, Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton to Host 10^th Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, to be held September 21-24 in New York City

Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; José María Figueres Olsen, Former President of the Republic of Costa Rica and President, Carbon War Room; Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, The White House; Ashley Judd, Actor, Author; Nnamdi Asomugha, Former All-Pro NFL Player/Chairman & Co-Founder, The Asomugha Foundation; David Leonhardt, The New York Times; Shimon Peres, The Ninth President of the State of Israel; Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce; Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland; Anders F. Rasmussen, Secretary General, North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Gesare Chife, Executive Director, Dr. Aloy & Gesare Chife Foundation; Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme; Andre J. Gudger, Director, Office of Small Business Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, U.S. Department of Defense; Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRA; Nadine Burke Harris, Founder and CEO, Center for Youth Wellness; Afsaneh Beschloss, CEO, Rock Creek Group; Geoffrey Canada, President, Harlem Children’s Zone; Cady Coleman, Astronaut, NASA; Lisa Jackson, Vice President Environmental Initiatives, Apple; Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, Founding Chairman and CEO Emeritus, Qualcomm Incorporated; Alisa Miller, President and CEO, Public Radio International; Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Carter Roberts, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Wildlife Fund; Bunker Roy, Founder, The Barefoot College; Zainab Salbi, Founder, Women for Women International and Executive Producer and Co-Creator, The Trials of Spring

• The 2014 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting will convene more than 1,000 global leaders in business, government, and civil society on September 21-24 in New York City
• Media accreditation is now open. To apply, please register online at https://cgi2014.iworldreg.com/public/apply/press   
• More information about the Annual Meeting is available here: www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/2014
• Daily schedules and a complete breakdown of activities available for credentialed press can be found here: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

New York, NY – The 2014 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting will convene more than 1,000 global leaders in business, government, and civil society on September 21-24 in New York City. A schedule of activities open to the press and press logistics are available here: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

Hosted by Seth Meyers, of NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the 8^th annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards^TM will open CGI on Sunday, September 21, honoring outstanding individuals in civil society, philanthropy, public service, and the private sector who exemplify global citizenship through their vision, leadership, and impact in addressing global challenges. The event will feature musical performances by Aloe Blacc, Harlem Samba, Natalie Merchant, Jason Mraz with special guests Raining Jane, and The Roots and appearances by Madeleine Albright, Eva Longoria, and Randy Jackson who serves as music director for the event.

Previously announced participants include: President Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States; His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Lubna b. K. Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, United Arab Emirates; Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile; Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer, General Motors Company; Deborah Birx, Ambassador-at-Large and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); Cherie Blair, Founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Lauren Bush, Founder and CEO, FEED; John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco; David Crane, President and CEO, NRG Energy, Inc.; Matt Damon, Co-founder, Water.org; Hikmet Ersek, President and CEO, The Western Union Company; Melinda French Gates, Co-chair and Trustee, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Hugh Grant, Chairman and CEO, Monsanto Company; Tony James, President and COO, Blackstone; Antony Jenkins, Group Chief Executive Officer, Barclays; Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group; Jack Ma, Executive Chairman, Alibaba Group; Tom Malinowski, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, Labor, U.S. Department of State; Cindy Hensley McCain, Founding Member, Eastern Congo Initiative; Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Chairman, The Paulson Institute, Former Secretary of the Treasury of the United States; Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President & CEO, IBM; Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation; Muhammad Yunus, Chairman, Yunus Social Business; and Fareed Zakaria, Host, Fareed Zakaria GPS, CNN.

Media accreditation is now open and those planning to cover the 2014 Annual Meeting must be approved and credentialed by the Clinton Global Initiative. To apply, please complete this form http://cgilink.org/1p6bAaD. Members of the media are encouraged to submit an online application in advance of this deadline, as credentials will be approved processed on a rolling basis. Members of the press who have received email confirmation from CGI to attend the meeting are encouraged to pick up their credentials on Sunday, September 21 between 11 AM and 8:30 PM at the press registration desk located on 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Executive Conference Center at the Sheraton. To pick up your credential, a valid government-issued ID is required. Please send questions regarding media registration to press@clintonglobalinitiative.org.

Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #CGI2014.

USEFUL LINKS:

• Follow this year’s Annual Meeting online at www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/2014
• Find press releases and other press information at press.clintonglobalinitiative.org/
• Pictures from the Annual Meeting will be available on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cgiphotos
• Watch live webcasts of the sessions on Livestream at http://live.clintonglobalinitiative.org/
• Watch the sessions on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/CGIVideos
• Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative  
• Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/clintonglobal
• Read the Blog at www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/stories
• Download the app on the iPhone here: http://cgi2014.quickmobile.mobi/ (username: press@cgi2014.com, password: press)