1.The Global Summit 2012 – London Pleasure Gardens – www.theglobalsummit.org

The Global Summit 2012 Calls Upon Community Champions and Olympics Athletes to Achieve the 8 (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

The Global Summit 2012, third of its kind, leverages the world’s largest outreach platform to unite influential leaders with those working on the front lines of the critical social, economic, and environmental issues

Co-developed and launched by hundreds of social innovation and sustainability pioneers in San Francisco in 2008 & 2008, now preparing for its third biennial meeting, The Global Summit™, will set the course of its 2020 plan to coincide with both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, in London, UK on August 15th-17th, just three days after the close of the Summer Olympic Games.

Made possible by a generous in-kind venue donation by its directors, The Global Summit 2012 will be held at the London Pleasure Gardens (www.londonpleasuregardens.com), London’s 24 hour entertainment park which was developed specifically for the Olympics with the support of the London Mayor. Across the Thames River from the ExCel center, athletes, media, and attendees of the Games will preview The Global Summit’s venue on their way to the Games right in the Olympic Last Mile Route.

To make the most of this one of a kind space and historical theme of the Pleasure Gardens, The Global Summit presents a special “Future Faire” to encompass core program elements of The Global Summit including a Sustainable Technology Showcase, Art Installations from local and international artists, live music, film and family activities for kids (during the day). The keynote speaker forum will be held in the London Pleasure Garden’s new geodesic dome, and at night, the 3000 capacity Hub (Club Venue) will offer night owls a sneak preview of what’s to come at this 3 year venue in 2013.

From August 15-17, over three days of social impact training, innovation showcases, solution councils, and cultural celebrations, The Global Summit 2012 delegates will identify shared values, discover synergies, reduce duplication of efforts, and advance year-round initiatives ensuring collective impact.  

Featured speakers and thought-leaders in this year’s Summit include Polly Higgins (the Earth’s Lawyer), Dr. Helen Caldicott (Nuclear Peace Hero), James Greyson (Systems Thinker / blindspot. org. uk), Professor Jan Black, PhD (Human Rights Leader/Amnesty International), and Dr. Saurabh Kwatra (Innovation Expert, Indian Institute of Technology), Jenny Huang, (Strategic Standards, AT&T/ Board Chair, Empowerment WORKS; Media Maverick, Nick Jankel (wecreate.cc); and many others.

Dedicated to sourcing locally-led solutions to solve critical global issues, The Global Summit began raising awareness in Africa this year with the launch of the first African Local Summit, a preparatory event held April 1 - 4 in Kumasi Ghana.  Presentations in this 3 day forum included UNDP Ghana Country Director on the status of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); a joint panel discussion by the African Climate Research Institute from Nigeria; South African Economist, Chris Hart and others.  www.AfricanLocalSummit.org.  The Global Summit will be spread by a wide array of program and community outreach partners.

While attracting many global thought-leaders who are already converging for London Olympics, The Global Summit 2012 (www.TheGlobalSummit.org) is continuing its effort to expand a platform for grass-roots voices. The Millennium Solutions Campaign is a collaborative solution building program created to leverage the Olympics spotlight to raise awareness of and support for community-based leaders working to achieve the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - the UN Challenge to End Poverty by 2015 www.mdgs.un.org.

The Global Summit is inviting one high profile Olympic Athlete to bring attention as an official spokesperson for the winners of the Challenge. For each of the 8 Millennium Development Goals, a "Bronze, Silver & Gold" Community Champion, will be selected based on the innovative use of local resources, collaboration, and scalability of their solutions.

Through the Campaign, 24 winning Champions will have a chance to earn:  A full travel scholarship to The Global Summit 2012 in London; A fund-raising platform and Team Partners in Empowerment in "Millennium Solution Councils"; On-going Capacity Building education and mentoring from leading experts and organizations

Raising awareness of International AIDS Orphan Day, submissions for Full Travel Scholarship Close on May 7th.  Join the Millennium Solutions Challenge: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mdgs2012  

In addition to sourcing social solutions to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Sustainable Technology Showcase sources innovation in green and grass-roots friendly or appropriate technologies across the globe.  Using both online and offline fundraising, The Global Summit links innovators with impact oriented investors as well as traditional funding sources live as well as online.

“London is home to many of the world’s top sustainability organizations, and is considered the capital of the global sustainability movement,” said Melanie St. James, co-founder of Empowerment WORKS, which is producing The Global Summit.    

“People worldwide expect companies, governments, and nonprofits to be actively involved in sustainability efforts,” continued Melanie. “We are giving all the ‘players’ in the London Olympics the opportunity to contribute to sustainability as well, by participating in The Global Summit.”

The Global Summit promotes best practices in locally-led sustainable development through collaboration in the 7 Stages to Sustainability framework. All proceeds of The Global Summit support sustainable development initiatives, tools & education.

Participants can expect cross-cutting social, economic & environmental topics, such as:

• Food Security & Forestry
• Water, Oceans & Biodiversity
• Women’s Health & Child Development
• Free Speech & Media and the Internet
• Local Sovereignty &  Global Leadership

Unique program features of The Global Summit include:

· Drawing together and exchanging the best solutions around each of the Millennium Development Goals

  (MDGs)

· Multi-sector “Partners in Empowerment” participatory framework uniting Artists, Social Entrepreneurs,

  Educational Intuitions, Media Groups, Sustainable Businesses, and Public Benefit Organizations

· Delivery of tools empowering impact from the ground up with “7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) track -

  emphasizing Asset Based Community Development (ABCD)    

Submissions for Full Travel Scholarship Close on May 7th.  Join the Millennium Solutions Challenge: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mdgs2012  

 1PIE Convergence Registration is by invitation or participation as a session presenter. Request for invitation and Submissions for Speakers, Art & Technology: www.theglobalsummit.org

 General Inquiries for The Global Summit:

Contact: Melanie St.James (USA/ EU), Executive Producer

Telephone: USA +001-310-392-6909                            

For Information about The Global Summit 2012, see www.TheGlobalSummit.org /

Press & Media Partnership Inquiries, please contact: press@theglobalsummit.org

For inquiries in Africa, please contact Kofi Kankam, Africa Regional Director, Empowerment Works, Co-Chair, The Global Summit 2012: kofi@theglobalsummit.org

Telephone: +233-247-661-440

For all other inquiries, please contact: contact@theglobalsummit.org