From the conference rooms of Abuja to the communities in and around Accra, I consistently heard the phrase ‘you are welcome’ during my recent trip to Nigeria and Ghana. I thought it was just a formal acknowledgment to my ‘thank you’, but as I later heard Radha Muthiah, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, explain, West Africans are often known not just for their statements of welcome, but for their actions of welcome as […]

As the father of two boys, visiting hospitals and health clinics in the developing world, and seeing kids struggling to make it to the next day, is always difficult. But when I met with Dr. Julius and Dr. Asha at Hrudayalaya Hospital as part of the UN Foundaton Board meeting in Bangalore, I was instead filled with hope. They are part of Hrudayalaya’s innovative effort to dramatically expand access to affordable pediatric heart surgery to

Today our Board had a rich discussion with India’s United Nations team and civil society leaders on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and lessons learned for the next phase post-2015. Several strong themes emerged such as the critical role of women as drivers of change, finding ways to address the poorest of the poor who are currently being left behind, and quality of services vs. just access to them. As several of our guests reiterated,

I’m in India this week with the United Nations Foundation’s Board of Directors – some of the smartest minds I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with – to discuss how we can help the UN solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. As we are in India, polio eradication is an issue that figures prominently in our discussions. India went from having half of the world’s polio cases in 2009 to becoming free of

With only a few days to go, I’m eagerly anticipating TEDxChange: The Big Picture and putting the finishing touches on my talk. The TEDx speakers I have watched online this year have certainly set a high bar. This close to an event it’s always a little nerve-wracking. But there’s no greater honor than to take to the stage alongside a line-up of individuals from around the globe for whom I have such great respect. This

As we prepare to return from India and the semi-annual UN Foundation Board meeting, I am struck by one of the themes that emerged from discussions this past week:  the need for long-term investments in humanity.  This is more than just a lofty phrase.  It is a call for a fundamental shift in the way people think about philanthropy, partnership, and working with the United Nations. When Ted Turner founded the UN Foundation fourteen years

Today’s speech by Melinda Gates at TedXChange is a bold and timely call-to-action on family planning. As Melinda rightly points out, there is no controversy about building better lives for our children. The time to act is now — the investments we make today will greatly impact the future we leave our children. By empowering women with the tools they need to make decisions about their health and their families, we invest in a better

As part of the itinerary in India last week, United Nations Foundation Board members participated in a televised conversation with one of the country’s leading journalists, NDTV’s Barkha Dutt.  She interviewed UN Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner, Foundation President Senator Timothy E. Wirth, and Co-chairman of Infosys Technologies Kris Gopakakrishnan on issues ranging from the evolution of philanthropy, the role of the United Nations, and how partnerships and innovation are powering a more sustainable