William J. Clinton Foundation News

Reuters: Bill Clinton Seeks Asian Donors to Ease Global Ills

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Bill Clinton says the global financial crisis likely will hurt fundraising at his first philanthropic summit in Asia, but the former U.S. president still hopes to encourage a culture of giving in the region.

His Clinton Global Initiative is a summit that gathers heads of state, celebrities, business leaders and humanitarians in a bid to tackle issues of poverty, energy and climate change, healthcare and education.

Four annual meetings have been held so far in New York where nearly 1,200 pledges have been made to take action worth $46 billion aimed at improving more than 200 million lives in 150 countries.

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UNT News: Clinton Global Initiative Awards Grant to UNT Student Nonprofit

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Hundreds of children growing up in Kroo Bay, an informal housing settlement located in Freetown, Sierra Leone, attend schools that operate without electricity and running water, are prone to flooding, and have a small selection of textbooks. Of the 6,000 residents of Kroo Bay, only 500 children are able to receive this minimalist education in its two schools. With the creation of the Kroo Bay Initiative, students and faculty at the University of North Texas are working to overcome the obstacles faced by Kroo Bay¹s educational facilities.

In October, the Clinton Global Initiative, which was founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005 to mobilize world leaders to take action on major global issues, awarded the Kroo Bay Initiative at UNT with the youth-focused CGI U Outstanding Commitment Award. Financed by the Wal-Mart Foundation, the $1,000 grant will be used to implement the Kroo Bay Initiative¹s Commitment to Action, a project of the...

News: After the Storm - Building Back Hope

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On October 14, former Presidents Bush and Clinton toured the devastation left by Hurricane Ike along the Gulf Coast. Flying over the Bolivar Peninsula and other hard-hit areas, the two former Presidents had a bird's eye view of the damage as Coast Guard Lt. John Moran described the scene below. On the ground, they toured a FEMA field office located in Galveston's Island Community Center, talked with local residents affected by the disaster, and walked through a water-swept community at Bermuda Beach.

A category 4 hurricane, Ike made land fall on September 13. More than a month later, 7,000 families were still unable to return to their homes, electricity had not yet been restored to some of the hardest hit areas, and more than 40 people still remained missing.

The former presidents announced the launch of the Bush Clinton Coastal Recovery Fund at the 2008 CGI Annual Meeting last month to raise money to help rebuild...

Press Release: President Clinton Announces Program for First Clinton Global Initiative Meeting Outside United States

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

CGI Asia Meeting to Address Education, Energy & Climate Change, and Public Health with a Focus on Asia

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Former Thai Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun, Yuriko Koike, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang, ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, Po Chung, Jack Ma, Victor Fung, Tulsi Tanti, and Jet Li, among Confirmed Attendees

President Bill Clinton today announced the program for the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Asia meeting. The Asia meeting will be the first in a series of CGI meetings to take place in different regions of the world and will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong on 2-3 December 2008. Many of the region's most influential leaders from government, business, and the non-profit sector are expected to attend.

"Asia's role...

Press Release: Clinton Foundation Announces Harlem Restaurant Program

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson will officially kick-off the Program on Monday, October 13th at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem.

Building on their long-term commitment to economic advancement, President Clinton and the William J. Clinton Foundation announced the kick-off of the Harlem Restaurant Program with an event Monday, October 13, at Sylvia's Restaurant highlighted by renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson.

The Harlem Restaurant Program - a program of the Clinton Foundation's Economic Opportunity Initiative (CEO) - is the latest effort between the William J. Clinton Foundation, Booz & Company, and NYU Stern School of Business. CEO is working to help people and communities in the...

Press Release: Clinton Global Initiative Announces Student and University Winners of CGI U Outstanding Commitment Award

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Wal-Mart Foundation will support philanthropic projects through forty-five student grants and two university grants.

On September 26, the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) and the Wal-Mart Foundation announced the winners of forty-four student grants and two university grants through the CGI U Outstanding Commitment Awards. The grants, made possible by the Wal-Mart Foundation, will support innovative, high-impact commitments to improve communities and lives around the world.

"CGI U is an empowering platform that brings together students and universities to make a positive difference, whether locally or on a global scale," said Bob Harrison, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). "The Outstanding Commitment Awards funding from the Wal-Mart Foundation will expand the impact and reach of these exceptional commitments,...

News: Kids’ Movement

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Go Healthy Month reaches an estimated 100,000 kids from "Punk Rope" demonstrations to farm fresh fruit and veggie stands; from the launch of the ‘myGo Healthy Challenge' to the Kid-Hosted Forums, the Alliance's second Go Healthy Month activated kids across the nation to Go Healthy!

In September kids throughout the U.S. were invited to take the pledge to Go Healthy and participate in an array of fun and healthy events including six Kid-Hosted Forums, 'Recess by the River' field day events and the launch of an exciting new interactive online gaming experience called ‘myGo Healthy...

Press Release: President Clinton Announces 2nd Annual Meeting of CGI University

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

President Clinton today announced the 2nd annual meeting of CGI University (CGI U) will be held February 13-15, 2009, at the University of Texas at Austin.

"The burden of solving many of our world's greatest problems will fall to the next generation, and the innovation and dedication of young people today shows they are up for the challenge," President Clinton said. "CGI U is based on the great success of our Clinton Global Initiative - through which members have made nearly 1,200 commitments valued at upwards of $46 billion. CGI commitments have already impacted 200 million lives in 150 countries, and commitments made at this year's Annual Meeting will impact 160 million. I am looking forward to the next meeting of CGI U to give students the opportunity to improve even more lives around the world."

CGI U, a project of the Clinton Global Initiative of...

Press Release: President Clinton Announces Global Impact of Clinton Global Initiative at Conclusion of 2008 Annual Meeting

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

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

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

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

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

25 million children will have access to...

Press Release: Winners of Clinton Global Citizens Awards Announced

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Former President Clinton Recognizes Remarkable Individuals for Outstanding Leadership and Innovation in Solving Global Challenges with the Second Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards.

Jennifer and Peter Buffett, Xiaoyi Liao, Julio Frenk of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Neville Isdell honored in a special ceremony tonight with appearances and performances by Maria Bartiromo, John T. Chambers, America Ferrera, Youssou Ndour, Robert F Kennedy Jr., Julia Ormond and James Taylor.

President Clinton recognized four remarkable individuals for their leadership and impact in improving the lives of millions around the globe at the second annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards tonight. The Clinton Global Citizen Awards ceremony concluded day two of the Clinton Global Initiative's fourth Annual Meeting, which convenes world leaders from government, the private sector, and NGOs to create lasting, positive change across the...