CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY

Building on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative, which brings together world leaders to take action on global challenges, President Bill Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world.

Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting where students, university representatives, topic experts, and celebrities come together to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. CGI U 2017 will take place at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts from October 13-15, 2017. The meeting will bring together more than 1,000 students to make a difference in CGI U's five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health.

But CGI U is more than just an event. It is a growing community of young leaders who don't just discuss global challenges--they take real, concrete steps toward solving them. Throughout the year, and as a prerequisite of attending the CGI U meeting, students develop their own Commitments to Action: new, specific, and measurable initiatives that address pressing challenges on campus, in local communities, or around the world. Commitments range from manufacturing wheelchairs for developing countries to establishing campus bike share programs, from creating free vision clinics to developing e-learning applications for mobile phones.

MoyoMedical was invited to present a poster on the EPED strip to explain our Commitment to Action: Improving maternal health through home-based early detection in Uganda and around the world. 

As part of CGI U, MoyoMedical heard from change makers in various fields, including former Secretary of the State Madeleine Albright, former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, U.S. Representative Joe Kennedy III, and Chelsea Clinton, and had the opportunity to shake hands with former President Bill Clinton. 

CGI U is proof that young people have the power to make a significant impact by confronting some of the world's most urgent challenges. Since 2008, students have made more than 6,250 Commitments to Action, and nearly $3 million in funding has been awarded to these commitment-makers through CGI U.

"Being a part of CGI U 2017 was a whirlwind of meeting passionate; inspiring people dedicated to turning their ideas for social change into action and listening to highly renowned people share their thoughts on an optimistic future. 

What truly sets CGI U apart from other conferences is the Day of Service, where students have the opportunity to start taking action right then and there, and giveback to the local community that hosted CGI U. One of my favorite moments was introducing myself to Chelsea Clinton over a box of bananas during a community service project at Inner City Sanctuary for the Arts in Boston. We were packaging ‘Blessing Bags’ full of fruit and hygiene supplies for people who are homeless. What struck me about working alongside Chelsea during this event was how normal it seemed; She walked in just like all of the students, introduced herself, and began talking to everyone about their commitments to action while bagging fruit. This moment of human connectedness exemplified the idea that whoever you are, wherever you are in life you can make a difference – and at this moment we were just a group of people working to have a small, positive impact in the Boston community." - Denali Dahl