UNESCO Initiative for Haiti to be funded by Clinton Initiative

Jacmel scene after the earthquake

UNESCO's Commitment to Action for the cultural recovery of Jacmel (Haiti) has been accepted by the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). The project was seeking USD 500,000 matching funds to an initiative of USD 1,000,000 to support the culture sector in Jacmel, which was badly affected by the earthquake of January 2010.

In a project building on various assets of the culture sector, UNESCO committed to help rebuild and safeguard the cultural heritage of the town of Jacmel and its annual carnival, as well as to improve economic development in the region through tourism and cultural industries. As result, sustainable jobs in tourism and cultural industries will be created, especially for the young people of the Jacmel area. The project accepted by the CGI is building on earlier efforts financed by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID). Integrated, these action will allow for a substantial support to Jamel, as also identified in UNESCO's strategy: Haiti - Making Culture a Motor for Reconstruction.

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the CGI convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place in New York City from 20 to 22 September 2011.