2008 United Nations Millennium Development Goal Awards to Take Place in February
Celebrities Join International Movement to End Global Poverty
New York, NY (PRWEB) September 12, 2008 -- Indiana businessman Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Awards Committee, in association with United Nations' General Assembly President Srgjim Kerim and Actor-Director Danny Glover announces the production of a series of global entertainment events to galvanize public support for the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The MDGs are an eight-point road map with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people. World leaders have agreed to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
The MDGs target major issues such as universal primary education, gender equality and disease reduction -- problems that impact the world community. Each of the UN member states has signed a UN resolution to help achieve these goals.
With the participation of international celebrities, entertainers and world leaders, the awards ceremony and concerts will be broadcast globally to create a high profile for the MDGs and increase public understanding of how the goals can be accomplished. Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of the Awards Committee, spoke confidently about international support for the historic event.
"The first year it will take place at the most dramatic venue in the world--the United Nations General Assembly. For guidance, we are able to reach into the experienced hands of collaborating organizations like the Global Youth Action Network, the Humanitad Foundation and the UN's ECOSOC," said Jacobson. "When it comes to reaching out to the entertainment and business community, the UN has incredible reach we can call on ranging from Goodwill Ambassadors such as Danny Glover and Nicole Kidman to a cross section of the business community that includes the leadership of almost every corporation and financial institution in the world. My job is pretty much just to answer the phone."
The announcement event reflected the global nature of the effort. In addition to comments from Ambassadors from multiple Missions including the US, Australia, Belgium and Japan, webcast messages were delivered by H.R.H. Prince Hassan of Jordan and Nobel Peace Laureates calling in from a special meeting on the MDGs in Norway.
This unprecedented effort is comprehensive in its scope and includes a global site for citizen interaction and humanitarian networking:
| | - The global broadcast is anticipated to reach half a billion viewers.
- An humanitarian social networking site is expected to average 5 million unique visitors a month.
- A unique web-based network site will match the investment criteria of corporations with social entrepreneurship opportunities developed by NGOs and governments.
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Jacobson described the vision and expertise that will help to make this effort a reality and success.
"We have assembled an incredible team to pull all this together. We have Hal Uplinger, Smithsonian Award recipient for the LiveAid broadcast to handle the broadcast and network arrangements, Super Bowl half-time producer Chris Wrango to manage the entertainment, and Oscars director Louis Horvitz to direct the event," noted Jacobson.
The MDG Awards are scheduled for February 26, 2009 and will be edited for broadcast in all 192 member states of the United Nations. Entertainment and participants will be announced in January. The general public will be able to participate in the awards by voting for special categories of award winners, and in a unique twist, anyone can register their humanitarian activities and post their information on the Committee's website. After the posting is verified, the general public will be able to vote for Special Recognition Awards that will be given every ninety days at partnership events in nations around the world. Recipients of the Special Recognition Awards will become Finalist Nominees and will be eligible to participate in the annual broadcast.
About the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
End poverty by 2015. This is the historic promise 189 world leaders made at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 when they signed onto the Millennium Declaration and agreed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are an eight-point road map with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people. World leaders have agreed to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
The Millennium Development Goals are a unique opportunity to finally end poverty. For the first time, commitments have been made at the highest political level to see these Goals achieved and end extreme poverty. The Goals are achievable; they have timelines and deadlines; they are locally defined and measurable. For the first time, there is an agreed global compact in which rich and poor countries recognize that they share the responsibility to end poverty and its root causes. The world has the money, resources and technology to achieve these Goals. But only if governments take urgent and concrete action now. To learn more about the Millennium Development Goals visit: www.un-mdgawards.org/
MDG Awards Committee Contact:
Cárdenas Grant Communications
Luz Cárdenas, (215) 520-8850; Luz @ cgcimpact.com
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