PATH participates in Clinton Global Initiative, UN summit in New York

PATH staff members took part in a number of high-level events in late September in New York as global leaders convened to discuss progress and challenges toward improving global health. The following paragraphs describe our involvement in the Clinton Global Initiative and the United Nations High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), also known as the MDG Summit.

PATH president and CEO Dr. Christopher J. Elias and vice president of External Relations Scott Jackson attended the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting from September 21 to 23. The annual meeting brought together heads of state, government leaders, scholars, and directors of nongovernmental organizations to analyze pressing global challenges, discuss the most effective solutions, and build lasting partnerships that enable them to create positive social change. On Monday, September 20, during the CGI Exchange, meeting attendees toured PATH’s exhibit about our ongoing CGI commitments.

The MDG Summit took place from September 20 to 22 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The summit aimed to accelerate progress toward all the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, undertaking a comprehensive review of internationally agreed development goals and refining strategies to achieve them.

Leading up to the MDG Summit, PATH co-sponsored the Global Health Council panel, “Looking Back and Looking Ahead: What Will It Take to Reach the Health MDGs,” on September 19 at the Princeton Club in New York. Dr. Elias served on a panel that examined investments in health systems strengthening and HIV/AIDS, including the investments’ impact (video of this event available on the Global Health Council Vimeo site). PATH also partnered with the Global Health Council to present a film screening and discussion. The film, titled The Test, featured an integrated care package that was able to transform the lives of a community in Kenya.

Jackson presented on PATH technologies at the US Agency for International Development’s Science, Technology and Innovation Event and Science Fair on September 22 as part of the MDG Summit.

Parallel to the summit, the UN’s Innovation Working Group for the Global Strategy for Women and Children posted its final set of working papers, including a contribution from PATH (922 KB PDF on WHO website), on September 22. Supported by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Global Strategy calls for commitments to maternal and child health.

• PATH’s MDG work.
• The Clinton Global Initiative website.
• More about the MDG Summit on the UN Non-governmental Liaison Service.
• More about the Global Strategy for Women and Children on the World Health Organization’s website.
• Working papers and other information from the Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Innovation Working Group, on the World Health Organization’s website.

Posted September 22, 2010; updated October 18, 2010.