Many believe this is a ploy by Hillary Clinton to get attention on her so she can run for the White House.
In New York, the Clinton Global Initiative 2023 has unveiled a significant development – the CGI Ukraine Action Network, alongside substantial financial commitments, aimed at providing vital support to non-profit organizations operating in Ukraine. This initiative comes as the two-day annual conference kicks off on Monday.
According to Fox, scheduled for a formal announcement on Tuesday, the CGI Ukraine Action Network is strategically designed to galvanize the collective efforts of CGI’s existing partners and global leaders, all dedicated to generating and financing fresh commitments for the benefit of the Ukrainian populace.
The genesis of this endeavor can be traced back to a collaborative endeavor involving Hillary Clinton, the former U.S. Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate, and Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine.
The backdrop to this initiative is Russia’s incursion into eastern Ukraine in February 2022, an invasion that continues to have devastating consequences on Ukraine’s infrastructure, energy grid, and the safety of its citizens, including the shelling of schools and civilian areas.
The leaders in politics, business, and philanthropy attending the CGI conference have high hopes that this newly established organization will serve as a beacon, shining a spotlight on the efforts of non-profits operating in Ukraine, thereby amplifying their impact and encouraging increased financial commitments to their noble causes.
One such non-profit, Save Ukraine, which has been instrumental in setting up community centers across the country to provide aid to families, particularly children traumatized by the conflict, as well as to rescue Ukrainian children detained in Russia, is slated to receive substantial commitments of support during the conference.
According to Olga Yerokhina, the spokesperson for the charity, these funds will be directed toward expanding the number of community centers. She emphasized their unwavering dedication, stating, “We recognize that we have no choice but to work tirelessly, and we are fully prepared for that endeavor. However, we also implore, ‘Please, do not abandon us, as we wish to stand alongside you.’ For if we are left alone, Russia may very well erase us from the world map.”
Liev Schreiber, the actor and co-founder of BlueCheck Ukraine, an organization that vets small Ukrainian non-profits engaged in humanitarian work within their communities, facilitating donor confidence and support for these grassroots organizations, stressed that the primary objective of any non-profit striving to aid Ukraine is to remind the world that Ukrainians continue to endure hardships and struggle.
Schreiber remarked, “The ultimate goal is to keep people aware of the ongoing existential crisis they face. Democracies are designed to resist overwhelming odds, and they have done so admirably. This is nothing short of a David-and-Goliath tale – an extraordinary one at that. It’s crucial to remember that it’s not just their fight; it’s our fight alongside them. How can we abandon that commitment now?”
Last month, Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, had announced that the conference would be dedicated to securing additional commitments to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as well as issues related to climate change, healthcare, gender-based violence, and various other global challenges.
Former President Clinton summed up the essence of CGI’s mission, stating, “Every day, billions of people worldwide, even in the face of the direst circumstances, make a profound choice to embrace hope and persevere. At CGI, our focus is on moving forward in the face of daunting challenges – taking action, forging new partnerships, and persisting in our efforts to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”