NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 21, 2008
Best-selling author Cokie Roberts on the change in women’s
leadership roles, U.S State Department’s
Director of Policy Planning Dr. David Gordon, and Arab-Israeli community
activist Amal Elsana Alh’jooj address
award-winning scholars from 22 countries at annual week-long event
The Goldman Sachs Foundation and the Institute for International
Education gathered 75 outstanding college students selected from five
continents for a remarkable week of high-level lectures, networking and
leadership workshops.
Since its inception in 2000, the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Program
was designed to identify and cultivate the next generation of world
leaders through its annual Global Leadership Institute (GLI). The
program provides life and leadership lessons from leading political,
philanthropic and business figures to the outstanding sophomore students
that the program gathers from across the globe. The theme of this year’s
event was globalization.
Stephanie Bell-Rose, Managing Director and President of the
Goldman Sachs Foundation said,“The Global
Leaders Program is a vital one, we are proud to support initiatives like
this and are hopeful the overall result will be nothing short of a more
peaceful and prosperous world.”Dina Powell, Managing Director and Global Head of the Office of
Corporate Engagement at Goldman Sachs, and Dr. Allan Goodman,
President of the Institute of International Education, opened the
Institute on Monday, July 14, welcoming the 2008 global leaders who hail
from 22 countries.
“It is our responsibility as a global
community to foster these young minds,” said
Dina Powell. “By investing in the leadership
potential of exceptional young people around the world, Goldman Sachs
also hopes to invest in the well-being of many people whose lives will
be touched by their vision, skills and compassion.”
Dr. Allan Goodman spoke of the remarkable journeys ahead of these
students and reminded them that, as global citizens, they can learn a
great deal from the global community and from the wide network of
Goldman Sachs Global Leaders alumni worldwide.
The Ecuadorian Ambassador to the U.S., Luis Gallegos, was the
opening speaker of this year’s event. A
passionate advocate for Human Rights, the Ambassador was instrumental in
the formation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities. Ambassador Gallegos shared with the Institute how he has,
over the course of his diplomatic career, evolved from being an idealist
into a realist. The week progressed with remarks by journalist
and author Cokie Roberts, who shared insights about her career and the
challenges women still face in the workplace, and Jean-Marc Coicaud,
Head of the United Nations University, who spoke about education and
leadership at the United Nations.
Goldman Sachs arranged an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the United
Nations during which the GLI honorees lunched alongside UN Ambassadors
and were addressed by Ann Veneman, Director of UNICEF, who spoke
on a range of topics including how the world must first acknowledge its
problems, like the AIDS crisis, in order to fully address them. This was
followed by a timely discussion on the state of ‘New
China’ by the renowned author and Washington
Post contributing editor John Pomfret, who spoke about China’s
likely impact on the future of every country represented by the Global
Leaders.
Several alumni of the program attended this year’s
event and shared their personal stories of success. Their panel provoked
dynamic discussions about the program’s
long-running Social Entrepreneurship Fund which gives participants the
opportunity to collaborate and apply for further funding from the
Goldman Sachs Foundation. American Andrew Cunningham (class of 2006),
Delhi-born Anurag Gupta (2004) and South African Kopano Matlwa (2005)
all have established remarkable projects which leveraged the Goldman
Sachs investments to produce broad social benefits for orphans of AIDs
victims in Thailand, literacy programs in Burma, and community medical
clinics in South Africa. The session proved to be an inspirational
opportunity highlighting how social entrepreneurship can use modest
investments of capital to produce global and local change, if
administered with imagination and perseverance.
The director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department, Dr.
David Gordon discussed effects of a rapidly globalizing world and
reminded the students that “individuals have
the power to shape solutions to some of the world’s
most daunting challenges.”
This year’s GLI was hailed as “a
celebration of talent, a celebration of hard work, and a celebration of
what it means to lead” by Stephanie
Bell-Rose, who introduced the week’s keynote, Amal
Elsana Alh’jooj.
Ms. Elsana Alh’jooj is herself a remarkable
example of the leadership ideals that form the founding principles of
the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Institute. She is one of the key
shapers of public opinion in the Arab community in Israel. She began her
career as a community organizer at age 14, and at the age of 17
established the first Arab Bedouin woman’s
organization. She used the leadership template that forms the framework
of this initiative to speak on the issues faced by minorities in Israel
saying that in order to succeed we need not to be the victims of
circumstance and that the key to moving forward was building the
self-esteem of the community-at-large. Speaking to the 22 nations
represented at this year’s Global Leaders
Institute, the Arab-Israeli encouraged those present to “believe
in themselves, be part of the solution, work hard to promote change and
always ask questions.”About the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Program
Nine hundred students from around the world have been named as Goldman
Sachs Global Leaders since the program began in 2000. The Global
Leaders have built an extensive alumni network and, with modest seed
funding from the program’s Social
Entrepreneurship Fund, have joined forces to launch innovative social
ventures. Funded projects to date have assisted with the creation of a
community school in India, stopping the spread of malaria in Africa, and
providing scholarships for children orphaned by AIDS in Thailand.
About The Goldman Sachs Foundation
The Goldman Sachs Foundation is a global philanthropic organization that
was funded in 1999 with a $200 million donation from The Goldman Sachs
Group, Inc. The Foundation’s mission is to
promote excellence and innovation in education worldwide. The Foundation
is an important extension of the tradition of philanthropy and public
leadership at Goldman Sachs. Grants have been awarded in excess of $114
million since its inception, providing opportunities for young people in
more than 20 countries. The Foundation awarded a $5 million grant to the
Institute of International Education in 2007 to continue to build the
program. Visit the Foundation’s website at www.gs.com/foundationAbout the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education administers the Goldman Sachs
Global Leaders Program in partnership with The Goldman Sachs Foundation.
IIE is a leading nonprofit organization specializing in the
international exchange of people and ideas. Its expertise enables
institutions and individuals to build capacity in their home countries
and regions. IIE designs and implements over 200 programs of study and
training for students, educators, young professionals, and trainees from
all sectors with funding from government and private sources. These
programs include the Fulbright Student and Scholar programs and the
Humphrey Fellowships, administered on behalf of the U.S. Department of
State, as well as corporate- and foundation-funded scholarships and
training programs. IIE also conducts policy research and provides advice
and counseling on international educational opportunities. The Institute
of International Education has a network of 20 offices worldwide, over
CONTACT: Press
Brown Lloyd James
Andrew Kirk, 212-486-7070 / 646-250-1114
AndrewK@brownlloydjames.com
or
Goldman Sachs
Gia Moron, 212-902-4307
gia.moron@gs.com
or
IIE
Mary McBride, 718-813-1373
212-984-5462
MMcBride@iie.org
Best-selling author Cokie Roberts on the change in women’s
leadership roles, U.S State Department’s
Director of Policy Planning Dr. David Gordon, and Arab-Israeli community
activist Amal Elsana Alh’jooj address
award-winning scholars from 22 countries at annual week-long event
The Goldman Sachs Foundation and the Institute for International
Education gathered 75 outstanding college students selected from five
continents for a remarkable week of high-level lectures, networking and
leadership workshops.
Since its inception in 2000, the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Program
was designed to identify and cultivate the next generation of world
leaders through its annual Global Leadership Institute (GLI). The
program provides life and leadership lessons from leading political,
philanthropic and business figures to the outstanding sophomore students
that the program gathers from across the globe. The theme of this year’s
event was globalization.
Stephanie Bell-Rose, Managing Director and President of the
Goldman Sachs Foundation said,“The Global
Leaders Program is a vital one, we are proud to support initiatives like
this and are hopeful the overall result will be nothing short of a more
peaceful and prosperous world.”Dina Powell, Managing Director and Global Head of the Office of
Corporate Engagement at Goldman Sachs, and Dr. Allan Goodman,
President of the Institute of International Education, opened the
Institute on Monday, July 14, welcoming the 2008 global leaders who hail
from 22 countries.
“It is our responsibility as a global
community to foster these young minds,” said
Dina Powell. “By investing in the leadership
potential of exceptional young people around the world, Goldman Sachs
also hopes to invest in the well-being of many people whose lives will
be touched by their vision, skills and compassion.”
Dr. Allan Goodman spoke of the remarkable journeys ahead of these
students and reminded them that, as global citizens, they can learn a
great deal from the global community and from the wide network of
Goldman Sachs Global Leaders alumni worldwide.
The Ecuadorian Ambassador to the U.S., Luis Gallegos, was the
opening speaker of this year’s event. A
passionate advocate for Human Rights, the Ambassador was instrumental in
the formation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities. Ambassador Gallegos shared with the Institute how he has,
over the course of his diplomatic career, evolved from being an idealist
into a realist. The week progressed with remarks by journalist
and author Cokie Roberts, who shared insights about her career and the
challenges women still face in the workplace, and Jean-Marc Coicaud,
Head of the United Nations University, who spoke about education and
leadership at the United Nations.
Goldman Sachs arranged an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the United
Nations during which the GLI honorees lunched alongside UN Ambassadors
and were addressed by Ann Veneman, Director of UNICEF, who spoke
on a range of topics including how the world must first acknowledge its
problems, like the AIDS crisis, in order to fully address them. This was
followed by a timely discussion on the state of ‘New
China’ by the renowned author and Washington
Post contributing editor John Pomfret, who spoke about China’s
likely impact on the future of every country represented by the Global
Leaders.
Several alumni of the program attended this year’s
event and shared their personal stories of success. Their panel provoked
dynamic discussions about the program’s
long-running Social Entrepreneurship Fund which gives participants the
opportunity to collaborate and apply for further funding from the
Goldman Sachs Foundation. American Andrew Cunningham (class of 2006),
Delhi-born Anurag Gupta (2004) and South African Kopano Matlwa (2005)
all have established remarkable projects which leveraged the Goldman
Sachs investments to produce broad social benefits for orphans of AIDs
victims in Thailand, literacy programs in Burma, and community medical
clinics in South Africa. The session proved to be an inspirational
opportunity highlighting how social entrepreneurship can use modest
investments of capital to produce global and local change, if
administered with imagination and perseverance.
The director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department, Dr.
David Gordon discussed effects of a rapidly globalizing world and
reminded the students that “individuals have
the power to shape solutions to some of the world’s
most daunting challenges.”
This year’s GLI was hailed as “a
celebration of talent, a celebration of hard work, and a celebration of
what it means to lead” by Stephanie
Bell-Rose, who introduced the week’s keynote, Amal
Elsana Alh’jooj.
Ms. Elsana Alh’jooj is herself a remarkable
example of the leadership ideals that form the founding principles of
the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Institute. She is one of the key
shapers of public opinion in the Arab community in Israel. She began her
career as a community organizer at age 14, and at the age of 17
established the first Arab Bedouin woman’s
organization. She used the leadership template that forms the framework
of this initiative to speak on the issues faced by minorities in Israel
saying that in order to succeed we need not to be the victims of
circumstance and that the key to moving forward was building the
self-esteem of the community-at-large. Speaking to the 22 nations
represented at this year’s Global Leaders
Institute, the Arab-Israeli encouraged those present to “believe
in themselves, be part of the solution, work hard to promote change and
always ask questions.”About the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Program
Nine hundred students from around the world have been named as Goldman
Sachs Global Leaders since the program began in 2000. The Global
Leaders have built an extensive alumni network and, with modest seed
funding from the program’s Social
Entrepreneurship Fund, have joined forces to launch innovative social
ventures. Funded projects to date have assisted with the creation of a
community school in India, stopping the spread of malaria in Africa, and
providing scholarships for children orphaned by AIDS in Thailand.
About The Goldman Sachs Foundation
The Goldman Sachs Foundation is a global philanthropic organization that
was funded in 1999 with a $200 million donation from The Goldman Sachs
Group, Inc. The Foundation’s mission is to
promote excellence and innovation in education worldwide. The Foundation
is an important extension of the tradition of philanthropy and public
leadership at Goldman Sachs. Grants have been awarded in excess of $114
million since its inception, providing opportunities for young people in
more than 20 countries. The Foundation awarded a $5 million grant to the
Institute of International Education in 2007 to continue to build the
program. Visit the Foundation’s website at www.gs.com/foundationAbout the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education administers the Goldman Sachs
Global Leaders Program in partnership with The Goldman Sachs Foundation.
IIE is a leading nonprofit organization specializing in the
international exchange of people and ideas. Its expertise enables
institutions and individuals to build capacity in their home countries
and regions. IIE designs and implements over 200 programs of study and
training for students, educators, young professionals, and trainees from
all sectors with funding from government and private sources. These
programs include the Fulbright Student and Scholar programs and the
Humphrey Fellowships, administered on behalf of the U.S. Department of
State, as well as corporate- and foundation-funded scholarships and
training programs. IIE also conducts policy research and provides advice
and counseling on international educational opportunities. The Institute
of International Education has a network of 20 offices worldwide, over
CONTACT: Press
Brown Lloyd James
Andrew Kirk, 212-486-7070 / 646-250-1114
AndrewK@brownlloydjames.com
or
Goldman Sachs
Gia Moron, 212-902-4307
gia.moron@gs.com
or
IIE
Mary McBride, 718-813-1373
212-984-5462
MMcBride@iie.org