UN – United Nations

Last week, you had the chance to hear directly from four of our Board members about what makes great global leaders and why they think the United Nations and global philanthropy are important. Now is your chance to ask them your questions around global philanthropy and how to create a future we want. Currently, our Board is in India to see first-hand how partnerships and innovation are powering a more sustainable future for India and […]

Today Nothing But Nets announced the launch of an emergency appeal to send 100,000 bed nets to refugees in the world’s newest country, South Sudan. Since last June, refugees have been fleeing into South Sudan and neighboring countries to escape fighting on the Sudan / South Sudan border, and are expected to continue doing so this year. The situation in this region is heartbreaking and these families need our help. Our great partners at the

Much of the discussion around the UN Foundation Board meeting today focused on how the UN Foundation can most effectively support the UN during Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s second term, especially as partnerships have been identified as one of the top priorities.  The Board underscored its commitment to helping the UN achieve this vision, and was pleased the UN Foundation has helped bring about a transformation in the way the private sector and public approach working

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