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HITEC 2010

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President Bill Clinton, Leaders of the Travel Industry,
Celebrities Join to do MASSIVEGOOD


Save lives with a simple click when you travel
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MASSIVEGOOD

NEW YORK – February 26, 2010 –The travel industry joins political figures and celebrities, including President Bill Clinton to launch MASSIVEGOOD, an innovative fundraising movement that will enable travelers to make a “micro-contribution” towards major global health causes every time they buy a plane ticket, reserve a hotel room or rent a car.
 
Created by the Millennium Foundation, MASSIVEGOOD will be available at the point-of-sale in leisure travel agencies and on websites like Travelocity and Accor Hotels starting March 4th, allowing travelers to contribute $2 to fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and to improving the dismal state of maternal and child health in developing countries.
 
MASSIVEGOOD was originally announced on September 23, 2009, when industry leaders signed a declaration of principles committing their support. Signatories include the World Travel & Tourism Council; Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, which represent the leading Global Distribution Systems managing the world’s airline reservation networks; American Express Business Travel and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, as corporate travel management supporters; Voyageurs du Monde as a leisure travel agent supporter; Mondial Assistance, as a Call Center partner and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Since then, online travel agent Travelocity, Accor, the American Society of Travel Agents, the Travel Corporation and BCD Travel have pledged their support. Donors can rely on the security of Payment Service Provider (PSP) for MASSIVEGOOD, the Royal Bank of Scotland/Bibit.
 
Thanks to this vast partnership, the Millennium Foundation hopes to raise millions more for global health. Funds will be distributed to UNITAID, an organization that has already saved thousands of lives by lowering the price and increasing the availability of medicines in low-income countries. MASSIVEGOOD is a demonstration of the travel industry’s determination to address global health problems in addition to the environmental programs many already have in place.
 
“There are over 2 billion air passengers alone each year,” said Dr. Bernard Salomé, Managing Director of The Millennium Foundation. “Imagine if even a quarter of the people making those reservations decided to add just $2 to the price of their ticket. In one year, we would double the amount our sister organization UNITAID currently raises per year to fund life-saving programs.”
 
“Two dollars buys two treatments that can save the lives of two children infected with malaria,” adds Dr. Philippe Douste-Blazy, United Nations Under-Secretary and Special Advisor for Innovative Finance for Development. “It’s a powerful argument for each person buying a reservation to think about how much good they can do with so little.”
 
MASSIVEGOOD is designed to mobilize new sources of innovative funding to achieve the three health-related Millennium Development Goals agreed to by the United Nations in 2000: to treat and fight life-threatening diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; to reduce childhood mortality; and to improve maternal health.
 
The Millennium Foundation has established a “MASSIVEGOOD America Fund” at Charities Aid Foundation America (“CAFAmerica”), a U.S. registered tax-exempt charity that makes it possible for American donors to give safely and securely and obtain a tax deduction.
 
This initiative launches with a series of three events in New York City. Today, on February 26th, Managing Director Bernard Salomé will present MASSIVEGOOD at the New York Times Travel Show opening luncheon.  This will be followed by an event on March 2nd, where Grammy Award-winning recording artist Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas) will record a new song for MASSIVEGOOD, written and produced in collaboration with international DJ, David Guetta. Internationally acclaimed South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka will also participate in the recording. In addition, a new 1-minute film directed by Spike Lee will be premiered, “Masterpieces,” made for MASSIVEGOOD and featuring international recording artist Mary J. Blige, Hollywood stars Samuel L. Jackson and Susan Sarandon, writer Paul Auster and physicist Brian Greene.
 
The launch program culminates in an event on March 4th, 2010, where President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, will join Raymond Chambers, United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria, Graeme Wheeler, World Bank Managing Director, and other leaders in innovative finance and Non-Governmental Organizations to officially launch the initiative MASSIVEGOOD by making the first click¾the very first $2 micro-contribution of the campaign.

About Millennium Foundation 

The Millennium Foundation for Innovative Finance for Health ("Millennium Foundation") is a Swiss not-for-profit organization created in 2008 whose mission is to create a sustainable source of needed additional funding to achieve the three health-related Millennium Development Goals agreed to by the United Nations in 2000: to treat and fight life-threatening diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; to reduce childhood mortality; and to improve maternal health. To achieve its mission, the Millennium Foundation aims to inspire and empower citizens to join a global movement of solidarity dedicated to reducing the glaring inequalities in access to health care between rich and poor. The initial focus is the creation of MASSIVEGOOD, an innovative fundraising solution that makes it easy for all those who travel to make micro-contributions aimed at saving lives by fighting life-threatening diseases among the world’s most vulnerable populations. For additional information, visit: www.millennium-foundation.org
 
About UNITAID
UNITAID was launched 3 years ago as an innovative mechanism for scaling up access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Founded by Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the UK, today UNITAID has the support of 29 countries as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  UNITAID today supports partner programs in 93 countries worldwide, addressing HIV/AIDS in 49 countries; malaria in 29; and tuberculosis in 72 countries.  In less than three years UNITAID has committed more than 900 million dollars to the diagnosis and treatment of these three diseases, representing a total of over 11 million treatments provided to patients. UNITAID uses a market impact model that drives prices down, by guaranteeing a long-term market for large volumes of drugs and medical tools.  Reduced prices, in turn, help funds go further and help more people. UNITAID's funding model is based on an air ticket solidarity levy.  While some of its donors contribute through multi-year budgetary commitments, the air tax provides more than 70% of UNITAID’s funding. Visit www.unitaid.eu for more information.
 
About CAF America
Charities Aid Foundation America (www.CAFAmerica.org) was founded in 1992.  As a member organization of the United Kingdom based Charities Aid Foundation network of offices, which provide charitable financial services to individuals, global corporations, charities, and foundations.  In October 2009, CAFAmerica made the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy 400” list of U.S private fundraising charities.

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Contact:

Basia Irzyk
[email protected]
+347.526.0103
 
Jienna Foster
[email protected]
+41 789 33 1884


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