President Ruth Simmons will lead former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft founder Bill Gates in a panel discussion about effecting social change tonight at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City. Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto and former President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who is a professor at large at the Watson Institute for International Studies, will also be on the panel, titled "Effective Actions, Lasting Results."
Clinton invited Simmons last spring to speak at the event - his foundation's second annual gathering for global leaders in diverse fields - according to Marisa Quinn, assistant to the president.
The non-partisan event focuses on four themes: energy and climate change, mitigating religious and ethnic conflict, poverty alleviation and global health. Though participants take part in discussion sessions and ponder global issues, the event is also designed to be a "catalyst for action, bringing together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges," according to its Web site.
Each participant is required to make a "commitment" to a project related to one of the four focus areas. Those who do not pledge a commitment and follow through within a year are not invited back.
Last year's 300 commitments included microfinance programs sponsored by Wall Street investment banks and Starbucks' pledge to increase fair trade standards in its coffee purchases. Commitments made in 2005 totaled more than $2.5 billion.
Quinn said she was not sure Simmons had a planned commitment, but she told The Herald in an e-mail, "There may be opportunities for Brown that arise out of President Simmons' participation."
Simmons' appearance at the global media event comes in the wake of her increased focus on "internationalizing" Brown. Though Simmons did not attend last year's conference, Cardoso, who joined the Watson Institute in 2003, spoke on the dangers of globalization.
A sociologist and former professor at the University of Sao Paolo, Cardoso served as foreign minister and economy minister for Brazil before being elected president in 1994. His administration is credited with economic policies that helped control inflation and open up Brazil for increased foreign investment. Cardoso came to Brown shortly after his second presidential term ended.
The 5 p.m. event will be shown live on the Clinton Global Initiative's Web site. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke '62 and Ira Magaziner '69 P'06 P'07 P'10, head of the Clinton Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative, will also speak at the conference.
First Lady Laura Bush will open the conference with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and others.
