GFDD, FUNGLODE and UNA-DR Participate in 2009 Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting in Austin, Texas

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) and the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic (UNA-DR) participated in the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U)
2009 Meeting in Austin, Texas. At CGI U meetings, young people and universities do more than simply discuss the world’s challenges – they take concrete steps towards solving them.

Almost 1,000 students representing 318 schools, nearly 60 countries, and all 50 states attended the CGI U Meeting, along with nearly 80 university presidents and administrators and almost 70 leaders of National Youth Organizations. Other attendees included social entrepreneurs, youth
leaders, NFL ALL-Star Nnamdi Asomugha, FSU Student-Athlete Myron Rolle, the Daily Show’s John Oliver, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Luke Russert, and Morgan Spurlock, among many others.

More than 1,700 CGI U commitments to date have been made through CGI U to impact pressing global affairs. The fostering of cooperation between Dominican and Haitian youth has become an institutional priority for GFDD, FUNGLODE and ANU-RD. Thus, the commitment brought forth by the
GFDD, FUNGLODE, UNA-DR and its partners was heavily focused on the situation in Haiti.

The student group sponsored by GFDD, FUNGLODE and UNA-DR at CGI U 2009 had 29 students from 7 different universities in the Dominican Republic: Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE), Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE),
Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), Universidad Acción por la Educación y la Cultura (APEC), and Universidad Católica Nordestana (UCNE). 6 Haitian students were part of the group as well, from L’Institut des Hautes Etudes Commerciales et Economiques (IHECE), la Faculté de Droit et des Sciences Economiques (FDSE) de l’Université
d’État, l’Université Notre Dame d’Haïti (UNDH), and l’Université Quisqueya (UQ).

The following authorities were also present: Ms. Pilar Sandoval, Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic and GFDD and FUNGLODE Representative; Mr. Franklin García Fermín, President of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), the first university in the Americas;
Mr. José A. Aybar, Vicepresident of the Universidad del Caribe; Mr. Gérard Dorcély, President of l’Université de Port-au-Prince; and Mr. Phenil Gordon Déssir, President of Haitian Action for the United Nations.

The Dominican-Haitian delegation proved to be instrumental in the development of a truly thorough and comprehensive Commitment proposal. The potential for a future in which Haitian youth is more
involved in partnerships and joint initiatives to improve their situation was asserted by their determination and active participation in different working sessions. Dominican and Haitian students have manifested their eagerness to work together in an exemplary manner, going beyond words and actually working together to act on their convictions.

The institutional commitment brought forth by GFDD, FUNGLODE and UNA-DR and its partners made the participation of the
aforementioned students and university presidents possible. This coming May, a Youth of the Americas Forum for Haiti will be held at Port-au-Prince, Haiti to engage youth from both countries, as well as students from the United States, to share best practices and become<