All eyes and cameras were on Christy Turlington Burns dancing in the front row with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, managing director of the World Bank, to Emmanuel Jal’s music. Jal is a Sudanese former child soldier turned hip-hop artist and activist who along with Christy, was at World Bank headquarters to support the Bank’s Adolescent Girls Initiative.
World Bank President Robert Zoellick and Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iwaela hosted the event marking the second anniversary of this unique initiative which co-sponsored by the Nike Foundation. The program highlights the global struggle with maternal mortality and actress Anne Hathaway, Haitian Finance Minister Ronald Baudin and girls from around the globe who have have been empowered by this special program all spoke at the event. Dr. Iwaela described how the World Bank will ultimately work with all Bank member countries to implement the Adolescent Girls Initiative.
Leaders from 140 countries will gather in Washington, D.C., for the next three days to discuss one of the most important Millennium Development Goals: maternal health and empowering women. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to address 3,500 participants by video today and Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, will announce major funding for new initiatives.
Actress and advocate Ashley Judd will speak today along with former president of Chile Michelle Bachelet and former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.
Christy Turlington Burns will screen her new documentary, No Woman, No Cry later this evening which will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Suellen Miller, Nan Strauss, Lisa Russell, and Mary Olive Smith, moderated by Tammy Haddad.
Watch the live stream above and check out other upcoming speakers and events here.
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