Media Advisory: Campaign Launch Heralds New Approach to Malaria in Africa

Ambassador Susan Rice, Josh Dubois and African First Ladies to Headline World Malaria Summit in DC on Friday

Campaign Launch to Herald Unprecedented Partnership between African and U.S. Faith Leaders, Policymaker and Global Health Experts in Combating Malaria

MEDIA ADVISORY- April 17, 2009

WHAT: On the eve of World Malaria Day, April 25, 2009, a powerful gathering of African and U.S. faith leaders will join UN Malaria Envoy Ray Chambers, Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty Founder Ed Scott, Quincy Jones, policymakers, and other high-level global health visionaries to launch the One World Against Malaria Campaign. Malaria kills 3,000 African children a day, and the campaign was launched because interfaith cooperation at the local level in Africa will be the key to progress towards ending these deaths. The campaign will center on unlocking the full potential of faith institutions in Africa by providing support and resources to help create interfaith partnerships, particularly between oft-divided Christians and Muslims, who will work together to defeat a common enemy. These partnerships will focus on mosquito net distribution, prevention and net utilization education, and treatment in local communities where houses of worship are the most trusted institutions.

Major announcements and commitments expected from UNICEF, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Malaria No More, World Vision, Islamic Relief USA, the United Nations Foundation & Nothing but Nets, The Tony Blair Faith Foundation, and others.

WHO:

• Dr. Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the United Nations (9:30 am keynote speech)
• Ray Chambers, United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria
• Ed Scott, Founder and Chairman, Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty
• Quincy Jones
• Pastor Josh Dubois, Director, White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Initiatives
• Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization
• Admiral Tim Ziemer, Coordinator, President’s Malaria Initiative
• Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF
• Rajat Gupta, Chairman, Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
• Dr. Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director, Roll Back Malaria Partnership
• Archbishop John Onaiyekan and Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, Co-Chairs of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council

WHEN: April 24, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: The National Geographic Society, 1145 17th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 (M Street Entrance)

LIVE WEBCAST AT: www.ustream.tv/channel/odyssey-networks

MEDIA: MEDIA MUST RSVP and request one-on-one interview opportunities ahead of time. DEADLINE for broadcast camera set-up and photographer positioning is 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the event. Live web feeds will also be available.

Contact: Deb Greenspan or Lindsey Pasternak / worldmalariaday@gpgdc.com or 202-337-0808

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. We serve the world’s poor regardless of a person’s religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org/press