CGI 2009 with President Barack Obama

September 22nd, 2009 | Uncategorized | 6 Comments

I had a walkabout in New York City early this morning. It was lovely. It was exciting. What a great city to host the UN General Assembly starting this week and the Clinton Global Initiative starting today. My spontaneous walkabout led me to a 5 foot marble slab with these words etched in it:

“I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that every right implies a responsibility, every opportunity an obligation, every possession a duty.” – John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

As I read each word, they rang true for me at this place, at this time. This is why I’ve come to the CGI … for myself and for others’ worth and rights. This is why I’m here today, now …  Attending a Clinton Global Initiative is a magnificent event. It’s sort of a combination of a rock concert, a town hall , the Academy Awards, a political convention, and a giant shareholders meeting all wrapped up into one enchilada. It’s quite an enchilada! This is my third CGI and I’m still thoroughly awestruck by the experience. The model that Bill Clinton has created, as I’ve referred to it before, is without precedent. I always leave inspired and expanded from my participation. Today was no exception.  

This afternoon’s plenary session included Mike Duke and Muhtar Kent, CEOs of Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola, respectively, as well as Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. They discussed the scope of problems such as climate change, water shortage and economic collapse. But it didn’t stop there. They publicly announced commitments in place that their countries and businesses are doing to meet social, economic and climate crisis head on. For example, Coke has vowed to become water neutral by 2020, and Australia is committed to generating 20% of its energy from renewables by 2020. Wow!

Bill Clinton facilitated this conversation earnestly and effortlessly. We also had a presentation by actor Matt Damon on his organization, water.org, that provides safe drinking water and sanitation to developing countries. Additionally we had a sweet, authentic and moving presentation by three young girls from Kenya singing a song of gratitude for a CGI-inspired group that gave them a chance to continue their education (Microsoft among others providing funds for this).  

However, the highlight for me was hearing my own President, Barack Obama, deliver a message to us CGI members. With the world at a moment with “great promise but also with great peril,” he told us the mission of the CGI is more critical than ever. “We need a new spirit of global partnership,” the president said. “That is the spirit that guides this [CGI] organization. I hope that is the spirit that guides my administration.” He went on to comment that the CGI proved that “you don’t have to hold a public office to be a public servant.” This comment resonated well with me. While I am not an elected public official in my community, I’m a community leader through my CGI commitments, including PNE’s developing commitment for Sustainable Boulder by 2020.

The president ended by validating what PNE has consistently stood for, and that is the opportunity inherent in our current crises. “We stand at a transformational moment in world history,” he said. Paradigm Nouveau stands for people leading and leaders following in this global transformation. It’s our responsibility, just like Rockefeller said so long ago. “That’s how we’ll confront the challenges of our time,” the president said. “Standing together, working together, building together… That’s the spirit that I see here tonight.”

Here’s to the human spirit!