Bill Clinton Seeks Designs for a Better World

 Bill Clinton Seeks Designs for a Better World

NEW YORK — Designing for Impact is the theme of the 8th annual Clinton Global Initiative which began Sunday in New York City.  What former president Bill Clinton means by design has nothing to do with fashion, but rather a more prosperous and sustainable world. 

Global leaders and innovators in government, business and civil society are participating in three-day conference focusing attention on environmental protection, women’s empowerment, sustainable energy, and health.  The host, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, asked design expert Tim Brown to explain how design relates to global problem solving.  Brown said it means more than just the appearance of products and services.

“Whether it be the business system, the business model that’s around it; whether it be the organizational models that you’re using to get things done - they’re all design opportunities - the processes used to get things done," said Brown.

Clinton said that most problems in the world have been solved somewhere by somebody.  The difficulty, he said, is implementing¹ existing solutions on a global scale.

“That, it seems to me, requires not just putting more money into a given technological² fix, but designing a strategy that will maximize the spread beyond what you, or you, or I, or any of us do," said Clinton.

The Clinton Global Initiative seeks to address problems ranging from sanitation³ and education to violence against women and clean energy.

Jordan's Queen Rania Al Abdullah addressed the conference, saying that one of the most striking problems in the Arab world is youth unemployment.  She said education must be made relevant to current needs and that the design of solutions must be tailored to each Arab nation.

“In designing for the future, we need to be inclusive - make sure that the youths' voice is being heard.  We need to, as I mentioned, harness technology, and we really need to lead with learning," said Queen Rania  Al Abdullah.

Among the panelists at the opening session were U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.  Mr. Clinton jokingly referred to them as the "Korean Bloc⁴."

Jim Yong Kim recalled the 1960s, when South Korea often was referred to as a “basket case," without hope for development.  He said South Korea’s success since then proves that no nation is without hope.

Ban Ki-moon said world leaders have a collective responsibility to address what he called "an era of injustice⁵, inequality and intolerance."  He included business leaders in that call.

“Business leaders should have clear visions that what they do is not only for gaining profits; what they do is for humanity," said Ban.

The conference runs through Tuesday, with sessions on topics such as change in Africa, women in the economy, college affordability⁶, youth, philanthropy, and the environment.  The annual event has garnered⁷ billions of dollars in charitable donations since 2005 and several million dollars more were added on the opening day this year.

1 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

2 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

3 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

4 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

5 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

6 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。

7 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句