Gawad Kalinga 2024 Global Summit

[Sant]

Hello,

I recently join the crossings community coming from Mexico City
through Chicago. Do not worry I was long gone before the flu outbreak.
I am here in Boston organizing a global conference on alleviating
poverty. Knowing that most people are fully committed to social
justice issues in the crossings and that I believe very much in this
movement and organization, I am taking teh liberty to invite you to
this event. Here is some information.

Gawad Kalinga 2024 Global Summit, is a historic event that we will
take place in Cambridge on June 12-14, 2009.

GK has been quietly rebuilding nations and restoring the dignity of
the poorest of the poor in the Philippines and other countries, a
family and a community at a time. Through its integrated,
sustainable, and holistic approach, GK has transformed individuals,
families and communities through its shelter, child and youth
development, productivity, health, values formation, environment, and
community empowerment programs. GK ANCOP USA has helped build over
1,700 communities in the Philippines; through generous partners in the
US, Gawad Kalinga communities also exist in Indonesia, Cambodia and
Papua New Guinea and are being planned in South Africa, India,
Colombia, Nigeria and other countries.

Each year, more people and institutions are recognizing the value and
impact of GK’s community development model. GK participated in the
Clinton Global Initiative at the latter’s invitation and expense. GK
was awarded Asia’s 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Foundation Award. With the
blessing of its President S.R. Nathan, Singapore sends 5,000 students
to the Philippines each year. US Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney brings
U.S. Navy Sailors regularly to GK sites to build homes for the poor.
The City of London and the Canadian governments have channeled their
aid through GK for the mudslide victims in Southern Philippines.
International Corporations such as FedEx, UPS, Ford, PNG, Prudential,
etc, have become GK sponsors. Student organizations from MIT,
Harvard, Boston University, Tufts, Northeastern, Boston College, Yale,
Seaton Hall, Cornell, Bentley, Georgetown and UCLA participate in home
building or fundraising events for GK villages.

Through the GK 2024 Global Summit, we want to share the GK way with
like-minded global citizens who would like to contribute towards
worldwide peace and prosperity. We hope to achieve the following
specific goals:



1. To showcase the GK best practices and launch Gawad Kalinga as a
global template of social development consistent with the UN
Millennium Development Goals and to engage more partners in scaling up
the work.

2. To honor outstanding individuals partners from government,
business, and civil society from GK participating countries, including
GK village builders of North America, who have made heroic sacrifices
to grow the GK movement and to attract more patriots and partners to
our cause of nation-building and building a better world.

3. To receive feedback, input, information, and suggestions from
academic institutions and practitioners in the US that could help GK
achieve its long term goals.

The Summit will be attended by 650 specially invited people including
current and former Cabinet secretaries, governors and mayors from the
Philippines, GK supporters from different countries, head of
international corporations in Asia and their counterparts in America,
and GK advocates. Vice President Noli de Castro and possibly former
President Fidel V. Ramos will speak during the Summit. The Summit’s
plenary sessions will be at the Boston Marriott Hotel in Cambridge,
Massachusetts and the breakout sessions at Harvard and MIT.

It will be great to count with your presence.