It was Chelsea who brought the young people to the fore, all the while conscious of how much older she felt. She has a natural way with young people, and the youth were truly core of this closing session.
Hillary brought Clinton Global Citizen awardee, Anglican bishop and former boy soldier Elias Taban, onstage to relate his story of transitions, resolving old enmities. and building for the future. You do not need a Clinton decoder pin to get the message.
President Clinton reminisced some with and about old friends.
He summarized much of the great work that has come out of CGI over the years, and announced new initiatives including a commitment from McDonald's to revise its menus for kids as well as advertising targeting children in an effort to combat childhood obesity and make affordable, healthful food more widely available in 20 countries - including this one as I understood it.
If you were unable to watch the livestream, you can see the full video here.
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Program:
Closing Plenary Session
3:30 PM -
5:00 PM
While the news is often focused on crises and disasters, and while half the world continues to live on less than $2 a day, it becomes too easy to overlook the progress made over the last 50 years. Investing in the present through continued and renewed optimism and action around proven solutions to global challenges—while being forward-thinking and envisioning how to best mobilize the right entities for the future—will greatly accelerate the advancements made in the recent past.
Hosted by President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton, this session will feature cross-sector leaders and CGI commitment-makers who will share the progress of their efforts and their view of a more equitable, stable, and sustainable future.
Remarks:
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Secretary of State of the United States
Chelsea Clinton , Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation
President Bill Clinton, Founding Chairman, Clinton Global Initiative; 42nd President of the United States
Participants:
Kelvin Doe, Student and Innovator, Prince of Wales School
Elias Taban, National Bishop, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Uganda
Musical Entertainer:
Esperanza Azteca National Youth Orchestra
President Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton Emphasize Optimism and Action on Closing Day of 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting
At ninth CGI Annual Meeting, members made over 160 new Commitments to Action, expected to impact nearly 22.2 million people and valued at more than $10.8 billion. To date, nearly 2,500 commitments have been made, improving the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $87.9 billion.CGI University 2014 to be hosted by Arizona State University March 21-23, 2014
New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton closed the ninth Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, emphasizing optimism and mobilizing for action to address the most pressing global challenges. Over three days, CGI members made over 160 new Commitments to Action, expected to impact nearly 22.2 million lives and valued at more than $10.8 billion when fully funded and implemented.
Through the CGI commitments announced this year, nearly 27 million metric tons of CO2 will not be released into the atmosphere, more than 2 million girls will be reached by efforts
specifically targeting female enrollment in schools, more than 11.6 million children will have a better education, nearly 4 million people will have increased access to health services, and more than $7 billion will be invested in or loaned to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
“This year’s commitments highlight the enthusiasm, creativity, and general characteristic of CGI members,” said President Clinton. “They also reinforced our theme of ‘mobilizing for impact.’ So many partners have come together, to increase their impact by drawing upon each other’s strengths and creating new partnerships to truly put ideas into action: this is what CGI is all about. I am so grateful to everyone who joined us this year, whether in person or online, and who continue to work with us to create a better world.”
Two major Commitments to Action were announced today, focusing on health and on animal preservation. President Clinton, joined by Don Thompson, President and CEO of McDonald’s, and Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association, announced a partnership to increase customers’ access to fruit and vegetables and help families and children to make informed choices in keeping with balanced lifestyles.
Former Secretary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, and African government leaders including the Presidents of Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ministers from Botswana and Zambia made an announcement with leaders of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the African Wildlife Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Save the Elephants, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the Jane Goodall Institute regarding Partnership to Save Africa’s Elephants, a new Commitment to Action aiming to end elephant poaching by addressing poaching, trafficking, and international demand.
CGI members will convene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil December 8-10, 2013 for CGI Latin America to form partnerships to create effective solutions to the region’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
Chelsea Clinton announced that Arizona State University has been chosen as the host campus for CGI University 2014. The gathering will convene students, youth organizations, topic experts, and civically-minded celebrities to explore innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. CGI U will take place March 21-23 and convene more than 1,000 students representing approximately 300 colleges and universities around the world.
Featured speakers on the closing day of the Annual Meeting included H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, Chairman, Ooredoo Group; Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson, BRAC; Maria Bartiromo, Anchor of CNBC's "Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo” and “On the Money with Maria Bartiromo”; Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA; Francis Collins, Director, National Institutes of Health; Kelvin Doe, Student and Innovator, Prince of Wales School; Esther Duflo, Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development, MIT and Director, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL); Regina E. Dugan, Senior Vice President, Advanced Technology and Projects, Motorola Mobility; Hikmet Ersek, President and CEO, The Western Union Company; Helene D. Gayle, President and CEO, CARE; Tony James, President and COO, Blackstone; Antony Jenkins, Group Chief Executive, Barclays PLC; Donna Karan, Founder, Urban Zen Foundation; Betty Liu, Anchor and Editor-at-Large, Bloomberg TV; Peter R. Orszag, Vice Chairman, Public Sector and Chairman, Financial Strategies and Solutions, Citibank; Bre Pettis, Chief Executive Officer, Makerbot Industries; Juliana Rotich, Co-founder and Executive Director, Ushahidi Inc; Bunker Roy, Founder and Director, The Barefoot College; Ricardo B. Salinas, Founder and Chairman, Grupo Salinas; Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank; Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google; S.D. Shibulal, Managing Director and CEO, Infosys Limited; Elias Taban, National Bishop, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Uganda. Esperanza Azteca National Youth Orchestra closed the session with a performance.
New commitments were announced in Plenary Sessions today:
Accelerating Access to Financial Services: Banking on Change
Commitment by: Barclays PLC
Partners: Plan International; Care International; Accenture Development Partnerships
In 2008, Barclays committed to forming the Banking on Change partnership to extend and develop access to basic financial services for poor people in Africa, Asia, and South America. To date, the partnership has reached 513,000 people, exceeding its original target. On average, each member has saved $58 per year. The Banking on Change initiative has also shown that very poor people do have the capacity to save and are highly creditworthy: repayment rates on the loans provided have ranged from 98 to 100 percent.
Enabling Education and Livelihood for 2M Rural Families
Commitment by: Drishtee Foundation
In 2008, the Drishtee Foundation committed to providing relevant educational opportunities that will create a clear path towards gainful employment to underserved rural communities in India. To date, Drishtee has launched two Dhruv Tara Kendra (DTK) training centers. Drishtee recently signed a ten-year partnership agreement with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) for capacity building and training of 758,480 rural youth.
Fashion Forward: Scaling Market Access for Rural Artisans
Commitment by: Mercado Global
Partners: Red Envelope; VivaTerra; Levi Strauss Foundation; Holt Renfrew
In 2013, Mercado Global committed to scaling its sustainable sourcing practices by recruiting 62 additional brands and retailers to partner with indigenous women’s artisan cooperatives in Guatemala, and better integrate women-owned SMEs into global supply chains. As a result, an additional 112 indigenous women artisans will gain income-earning opportunities in textiles and 40 additional artisans will have increased access to microloans and training to grow their small businesses.
Made in Africa: Jobs, Women, and Girls
Commitment by: Liberty & Justice
Partners: The Eleos Foundation; Serious Change; Humanity United; Root Capital, Inc.; Invested Development; TTSL Charitable Foundation; Sorenson Impact Fund
In 2013, Liberty & Justice committed to launching “Made in Africa,” a network of five African social enterprise apparel factories. Made in Africa will generate $45 million in revenue over three years and will create 2,000 jobs through supply chain partnerships with multi-national apparel companies to build Africa’s apparel manufacturing economy.
Rehumanizing Retail: Scaling Artisan Production
Commitment by: West Elm
Partners: Caribbean Crafts; HEINEKEN; The Aspen Institute; Better Cotton Initiative; Craftmark; Craft Link; Fair Trade USA; Caribbean Crafts; Etsy, Inc; Swahili Imports; Raj; Rupalee; Everest
In 2013, West Elm committed $35 million in purchase order financing paid directly to artisans who use handcraft techniques, a 40 percent increase from $25 million in 2013. In addition, West Elm committed to collaborate with over 20 artisan groups in 15 countries, making 3-5 year commitments to artisan manufacturers in the developing world, creating over 4,500 economic opportunities for artisans.
Partnership to Save the Elephants
Commitment by: Wildlife Conservation Society; African Wildlife Foundation; World Wildlife Fund; Conservation International; International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
Partners: African Parks Network; Association of Zoos and Aquariums; Freeland Foundation; International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF); Save the Elephants; TRAFFIC; The Howard G. Buffett Foundation; WildlifeDirect Inc.; National Geographic Society; WildAid; Frankfurt Zoological Society
In 2013, Wildlife Conservation Society, African Wildlife Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Conservation International, and their partners committed to preventing further elephant poaching by directly targeting the chief drivers of poaching. This commitment takes a triple pronged approach by dedicating funding to: stop the killing, the trafficking, and the demand. The coalition will work with African leaders to support their governments’ efforts to curb poaching and trafficking. It will also work to stop the demand internationally by building on current awareness campaigns and promoting engagement with consumer country governments.
Happy Meals & Helping Families Make Smart Food Choices
Commitment by: McDonald’s Corporation
Partners: Alliance for a Healthier Generation
In 2013, McDonald’s in partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation committed to a set of actions to increase families’ access to affordable fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy in 20 major markets by 2020.
The Freedom Fund: Galvanizing Resources to End Slavery
Commitment by: Humanity United
Partners: Legatum Foundation; Walk Free
In 2013, Humanity United committed to establishing a $100 million Freedom Fund to fight modern day slavery. The Freedom Fund will strategically coordinate current resources, galvanize new donors and interested parties, and align investments for highest impact in the fight against slavery.
Dedicating Sport Development to Improving Food Security
Commitment by: Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee
Partners: Qatar National Food Security Programme
In 2013, the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee (Q22) committed to investing in the research and development of adapting athletic cooling facilities into sustainable greenhouse food production infrastructure. This technology aims to impact the two million people living in Qatar, with the potential to expand into regions of the world that also suffer from food insecurity due to harsh climate.
The Girl Declaration: Girls in the Post-2015 Framework
Commitment by: Nike Foundation
Partners: International Center for Research on Women; United Nations Foundation; NoVo Foundation; Girls Not Brides
In 2013, The Nike Foundation committed to launch and mobilize action through the Girl Declaration, which will inform and influence the new global development framework to replace the Millennium Development Goals. The Girl Declaration is a call to action to embed adolescent girls in this Post-2015 development framework, amplifying the needs of adolescent girls, and building on the evidence base about the actions that are most critical to unleashing girls’ potential. The commitment will bring together politicians, industry leaders, private sector executives, and influential personalities to mobilize a series of actions to further these priorities through targeted outreach and dedicated resources for girls.
Progress reports were announced in Plenary Sessions today:
The WELL Building Standard
Commitment by: Delos Living
Partners: Jason F. McLennan; Deepak Chopra; Shangri-La Industries; Webcor Group
In 2012, Delos committed to developing and deploying the WELL standard, the first building standard focused exclusively on people’s health and wellness, prescribing construction techniques and technologies to address key parameters identified by Delos as impacting human health. The Standard is meant to operate alongside new and existing sustainability-based building standards, such as LEED and the Living Building Challenge. Delos is currently continuing to refine the WELL Building Standard as new technologies are developed and new health pathways are understood. The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently endorsed the Standard and encourages buildings to achieve it. Delos and the MGM Grand recently collaborated to launch a StayWell program in Las Vegas in over 170 hotel rooms. In addition, Delos is constructing a five unit wellness residence in New York City, with occupancy before the end of 2013. Delos is also helping CBRE create a wellness office for their headquarters in downtown Los Angeles and office in New York City.
PROMESA: Hope Azteca Symphony Orchestra
Commitment by: Fundación Azteca
Partners: Department of Public Education, Mexico; Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes; FESNOJIV; Estrella Blanca
In 2010, Fundación Azteca committed to establishing orchestras for young people throughout the 32 Mexican states, each serving a unique community and allowing children to learn about and experience music in a new way. To date, Fundación Azteca has successfully established working orchestras in 29 states in Mexico, serving nearly 12,000 young people, and is ready to reach 500,000 over the next ten years.
The 2013 CGI Annual Meeting is sponsored by Tom Golisano, Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos, Hult International Business School, Rockefeller Foundation, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Barclays, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Coca-Cola Company, Duke Energy, Ford Foundation, P&G, Shangri-La Industries, United Postcode Lotteries, Varkey Gems Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Cisco, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, NRG, APCO Worldwide, Aft, Booz Allen Hamilton, Delos, Deutsche Bank, Dow, ExxonMobile, HP, Fuel Freedom Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, InterEnergy, Laureate International Universities, Microsoft, Nike Foundation, Pfizer, Standard Chartered, Swiss Re, Toyota, unite4:good, Western Union, Diageo and Jive.
