Millennium Development Goals Awards Tribute

Online, June 23, 2010 (Newswire.com) - New York: NFL great Jack Brewer of Minnesota Vikings fame joined the Millennium Development Goals Awards Committee yesterday to headline a tribute to a constellation of major league sports figures at the Waldorf-Astoria. Those who attended included Marion Barber of the Dallas Cowboys, Israel Idonije of the Chicago Bears, David Clowney of the New York Jets, Abram Elam of the Cleveland Browns, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, Barrett Green of the New York Giants, Nate Jones of the Denver Broncos and Seth Stammler of the New York Red Bulls soccer team.

All of the athletes who were honored are helping to fund achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through their personal philanthropic foundations. Taken together, the eight MDGs are designed to end extreme poverty in the world by 2015.

After expressing appreciation to South South News for underwriting the event, Brewer, who is Chairman of the MDG Athletes Board of Advisors, said, "Athletes are working globally to create opportunities for individuals to empower and sustain themselves. We are funding educational, health, gender equality and microfinance programs around the world."

Michael Jacobson, executive director of the MDG Awards Committee, sponsor of the tribute said, "It's unusual to see professional athletes from the US funding philanthropic work in the developing world. Their leadership in this area is very welcome, as it signals to American fans that ending poverty is possible. The action and commitment of these athletes sets a powerful example for us all."

A highlight of the event was a performance by rapper Blitz the Ambassador, who specializes in live instrument hip hop and has written a song about the importance of the MDGs. Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, Blitz's innovative style has been hailed by music critics as "testing the limits of hip hop" and his recent album Stereotype is considered one of the best albums of 2009 by the hip hop cognoscenti in the blogosphere. "His support represents another untold story. The positive support of hip hop artists to achieve the MDGs. There is more to the culture than 'gangsta'" said Heidi Walters, managing director of the Awards Committee.

Other performers included African singers Celia Faussart of Les Nubians and Awa Sangho of Les Go. Along with her sister, Helene, Faussart is one of the most successful French-language singers in the U.S. Best known for their Billboard R&B Top Ten Single "Makeda," Les Nubians was nominated for a Grammy and has received a number of recognitions, including two NAACP Image Awards. Sangho is one third of the Côte d'Ivoire band Les Go, which means "The Girls." Critics have called the band's second album, Dan Gna, "a perfect mix of African roots and American sheen [bound to] appeal to jaded journos and bring a grin to hardcore traditionalists."

Also featured at the tribute was a sneak peek at a new social media campaign created in partnership with graduate students Tam Do, Melissa Holmes and Andrea Kelsey of The New School. The campaign is designed to educate the public about the goals and to promote the MDG Awards Gala scheduled for September 19 in New York. The gala takes place in conjunction with the High Level Review Summit on the MDGs that will be chaired by Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade and Denmark's Prime Minister Anders Rasmussen. Heads of state from around the world are expected to attend to discuss how progress toward the MDGs can be accelerated so they can be achieved within the five years remaining until 2015.

The Millennium Development Goals:
1) Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
2) Achieve Universal Primary Education
3) Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
4) Reduce Child Mortality
5) Improve Maternal Health
6) Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases
7) Ensure Environmental Sustainability
8) Develop a Global Partnership for Development