clinton global initiative university 2009
Friday, Feb 13th - We made our way to Austin in high spirits, looking anxiously at the agenda before us hoping that we could make it on time to catch the Opening Penary Session. In my haste, I forgot to bring my camera! The Opening Plenary was facilitated by President Clinton and featured Actress and Activist - Natalie Portman, Founder of TOMS Shoes - Blake Mycoskie, Graduate Student of Biomedical Engineering -Mambidzeni Madzivire, and President of Dell Global Public - Paul Bell. I was especially moved by the work of Mambidzeni and Blake. Mambidzeni is working on her CGI U commitment to provide restoration and repair of medical equipment to countries where repair and access to medical equipment is limited. Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS shoes after witnessing children of Argentina excluded from access to education because they lacked shoes. His work has extended to South Africa, where lack of shoes not only excludes a child from schooling, but it also puts them at risk for foot diseases that are disfiguring, stigmatizing and debilitating.
Saturday, February 14th - The day openned with President Clinton highlighting some of the work done by students and a facilitated panel discussion with participants from Foundations, International NGOs, Student Initiated organizations and the like. I was especially excited to see Zainab Salbi, Founder and CEO of Women for Women International. Women for Women International is an amazing organization that mobilizes women to change their lives through a holistic approach that addresses the unique needs of women in conflict and post-conflict environments.
After the morning Plenary, we got broken up into our working sessions. The sessions were topic-specific and attendees had a chance to sign up for them prior to the conference. For the first session, Erin and I were in Peace & Human Rights: Women's Protection & Empowerment; Sandra was in the Global Health session. The working sessions consisted of a 30-minute facilitated panel of experts on the given topic, 30 minutes of table discussion (more on this later) and 30 minutes of grouping the ideas and getting more panel feedback. The table discussions were quite interesting, since we were each given a specific issue to address. We had to come up with an agreed upon strategy, from a list of strategies and discuss the strengths, limitations, resources and collaborations that would be needed to make the intervention possible. The conversations were dynamic, because they included perspectives from creative students from a variety of backgrounds. At one table you could have a few graduate students, some undergraduate students, all from different fields - public health, social work, international affairs, women's studies, etc. Each person came at the problem with a different perspective, but each had a collaborative spirit to work together. At the end of our table discussion, the facilitator presented our discussions and integrated the panelists to address questions. As a student, I appreciated the interactive, solution-focused and engaging quality of the working sessions.
During the mid-day break, one of the rooms at the Austin Convention Center became a Student Exchange area. There we were able to meet other students with similar interests and discuss commitments to action. In addition, the exhibit hall was showcasing the work of student organizations and select commitments to action. While we were there, I learned more about the Raise Hope for the Congo a campaign of the Enough Project, Face AIDS, and Students Taking Action Now: Darfur. Having the opportunity to talk one-on-one with students leading commitments, such as supporting and expanding Project Peanut Butter, had to be the highlight of my day.
The the second round of working sessions ended close to 5pm and we had more networking time before the closing panel. The panel consisted of Matthew MacConaughey, Marie Tillman and Nnamdi Asomugh. The evening was punctuated by President Clinton's closing remarks, in which he talked about the need to work together to achieve social and economic justice, the importance of cultural understanding and bridging the efforts created locally to a more global audience, and the influence of gratitude in our personal and professional lives. By the end of this very long day, I walked away feeling inspired and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of CGI U, but I also felt reinvigorated about creating change.
Sunday, February 15th, gave us an opportunity to engage in community service. The morning started off cold and we were tired from early mornings and late nights, but as it warmed up, I realized that this was the perfect way to leave Austin.
SAISW