http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2005/04/15/davos-bednets-and-movie-stars Comments for "Davos, Bednets, and Movie Stars" en http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2005/04/15/davos-bednets-and-movie-stars <p>Inspired by this <a href="http://www.time.com/time/europe/davos2005/celebs.html">Time Europe</a> article.</p> <p>Many commentators have noted how movie stars turned heads at the World Economic Forum meeting at Davos, in their efforts to drum up support for dealing with poverty. They also shifted attention away from—and may have undercut—perhaps the most promising attempt to reduce poverty and improve quality of life, namely efforts by large and small companies to find sustainable business solutions to the conditions that plague the poor. While Sharon Stone was galvanizing a packed house with her pledge to give $10,000 for bednets in Africa—she raised more than $1 million on the spot—a much smaller audience heard the Chairman of Unilever, the CEO of the 2nd largest bank in India, the CEO of Visa, and Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer talk about what their companies are already doing—business activities on a far larger scale—that will improve opportunities for or bring benefits to tens of millions of low income<br />households. </p> <p><a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2005/04/15/davos-bednets-and-movie-stars">read more</a></p> http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2005/04/15/davos-bednets-and-movie-stars#comment Health The Policy Agenda Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:19:50 -0400 Al Hammond 202 at http://www.nextbillion.net