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Press Release: On Day Two Clinton Global Initiative Passes 100 Commitments Worth over $450 Million


Specific Topics Covered Include the Middle East, Breaking the Impasse on Trade and a Special Session on Media in Developing Nations.

 

On its second day, the Clinton Global Initiative achieved the 100 commitments mark with an overall value totaling more than $450 million. The day's program featured Dr. M. Nasser Al-Kidwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Palestinian National Authority; His Excellency Shimon Peres, Vice Prime Minister of Israel; Mr. James Wolfensohn, Special Envoy for Gaza Disengagement; His Excellency Fernando Henrique Cardoso; Mr. Richard Parsons; Mr. Rupert Murdoch and Mr. Howard Stringer. President Clinton played an active role in all of the day's activities.

“I'm very pleased by the great success of the Clinton Global Initiative so far,” said President Clinton. “The conversation we are having and the commitments achieved have been great. As the world moves rapidly and inexorably toward being more and more interconnected, I think a more open conversation between the world's haves and have-nots will benefit both. We need to move forward together. That is why we are all gathered in smaller groups today and tomorrow to talk out our differences and resolve to unite in affecting change.”

Examples of commitments: City Year announced the establishment of City Year Louisiana, which will bring together a diverse corps of 50 City Year volunteers to engage in the relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; Deutsche Bank pledged $50 million to create microcredit funds; The Center for American Progress established the Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative, which will convene religious leaders to address the interrelated concerns of AIDS and poverty worldwide; the Young Arab Leaders Forum committed to create, launch and develop the Arab Entrepreneurship Initiative within the year resulting in 30 concrete business projects; the Solar International Management's creation of the SolarBank Program will assemble a team of senior international financiers to oversee the planning and development of a global capital fund for the financing of end-use applications of solar energy around the world.

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