More than 20 partner organizations joined JCI members in June 2011 to reemphasize their commitment to empowering young citizens to change the world.
On a hot summer day in New York, meeting individuals from countries throughout the world is not a rare occurrence. The global city attracts diverse people looking to achieve greater goals in their chosen field. There is, however, no greater goal than world peace and prosperity, brought about by the collaboration among businesses, governments and civil society organizations. This was the purpose of the 2011 JCI Global Partnership Summit, led by Summit Chairperson Toshinari Fujii of JCI Japan. The international delegates enjoyed the unprecedented opportunity to learn from and engage with thought leaders, innovators and executives from around the world.
Powerhouse Partners Among the speakers were representatives from seven UN agencies including David Donaldson, Director of Education with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF; Martin Rendón, Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Rob Jenkins, Associate Director of Policy and Practice at UNICEF. JCI friends Christopher Drasbek of the Pan American Health Organization and Wayne Clark of the Best Companies Partnership also shared their insights and experiences.
2010 JCI Global Partnership Summit speaker Gillian Sorensen once again represented the UN Foundation, and applauded the efforts of JCI members throughout the world whose projects continue to aid in the advancement of the UN Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGS).
Executive Head of the UN Global Compact Georg Kell spoke to members about promoting corporate responsibility. “The more the world is interdependent, the more there is a need to explore the overlapping areas between the public interest on the one hand and the private on the other."
Framework for Impact On Day Four, delegates participated in two of three panel discussions featuring more experts and influential leaders, who discussed best practices. The three panel themes highlighted the phases of the JCI Active Citizen Framework: Health and Wellness, Education and Economic Empowerment and Sustainability. With each interaction, delegates learned more about how to effectively create change while panel speakers discovered the depth of JCI members’ knowledge of global needs and the strength of their passion for creating a powerful impact. As many participants sought to integrate new lessons into their local activities, each speaker expressed the desire to explore broader collaboration with JCI, thereby amplifying the effects of each JCI Local Organization project.
Collaboration for Change Every delegate took part in a working lunch on Day Three, where groups developed creative solutions to common problems to communities most in need. Operating within the JCI Active Citizen Framework, JCI members combined perspectives that would lead to more comprehensive approaches to problem solving. Each group shared their results, explaining how the collective knowledge of all the group’s members played a part in their final decision regarding specific community action.
The outcomes of these group discussions formed the basis for the 2011 JCI Global Partnership Summit Resolution, which will guide JCI’s activities throughout the world. The resolution states:
Delegates hope to meet again in 2012 to evaluate their progress on the resolution and exchange stories of their challenges and successes.
Lending a Hand While Learning Extra lunches during the first full Summit day provided delegates the opportunity to exercise spontaneous generosity by feeding individuals in need at St. Paul’s House, a local homeless shelter, Through the sweltering New York heat, nearly 40 delegates took as many boxed lunches as they could carry several blocks to the shelter, where the proprietor greeted and thanked the members. While simple gestures of kindness and boundless enthusiasm for sharing solutions, the participation of all delegates throughout the 2011 Summit demonstrated a sincere appreciation of the need for collaboration to enact sustainable change.
"Throughout the four-day summit, I was amazed by the unwavering enthusiasm and energy of attendees. There were many memorable moments and I left feeling energized and inspired." wrote Ananda Grant of the NGO team at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in the blog Field Notes.
By following the Summit Resolution, you too can help advance our ambitious goal of achieving the UN MDGs and lead the way for global peace and prosperity.
Download the 2011 JCI Global Partnership Summit Resolution now.
Catch up with the speeches and presentations by watching the recorded live stream on the JCI Ustream page.
