New York, New York, October 2, 2008 - Gustavo A. Cisneros, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the Cisneros Group of Companies, and Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, Founder and Chairman, Fundación Cisneros, tonight received the prestigious Global Leadership Award for Ensuring Environmental Sustainability from the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA). The award was among eight given by UNA-USA to honor non-profit organizations, businesses, and individuals who are effectively advancing the United Nations Millennium Goals.
The award was presented at the UNA-USA’s 50th Annual Global Leadership Awards Gala, in New York City. It specifically recognizes the Fundación Cisneros education program AME—Actualización de Maestros en Educación¬—for its special environmental curriculum. With this curriculum, AME trains teachers to instill environmental awareness in students, and to show them how to integrate this awareness into their daily lives.
Fundación Cisneros President Adriana Cisneros de Griffin said, “The Fundación Cisneros is delighted that its flagship education program AME has received this important recognition of its environmental curriculum. With AME, the Fundación is working to improve the quality of education for children throughout the Spanish-speaking world. To date, AME’s environmental curriculum alone has reached some 30,000 students, and that number is sure to grow as we continue and develop the program. We are grateful to the United Nations Association of the United States of America for this great honor.”
At the gala event, Gustavo and Patricia Cisneros accepted the award on behalf of the Fundación Cisneros. They were honored to be among the others who were recognized for their work in achieving the United Nations Millennium Goals. These include, in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Cisneros: Gregory J. Fleming, President and COO, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.; Dr. Lawrence B. Brilliant, executive director, Google.org; Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, hip-hop artist; the (RED)™ group of brands; Robin Hood Foundation; United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM); and Ted Turner, chairman, Untied Nations Foundation.
AME
The Fundación Cisneros, which is dedicated to improving education and promoting awareness of Latin America’s contributions to world culture, established AME in 1998. Offered free of charge, the program aims to improve the quality of teaching throughout Latin America. It combines the Internet with television to offer comprehensive professional-development courses for primary- and secondary-school teachers, working to improve their ability to offer instruction not only in the basic subjects, but in a broad range of areas that are critical to helping students become productive members of society.
To date, nearly 8,000 teachers and more than 900 schools in eleven countries have participated in AME, and the program’s certification is recognized by the regional and national educational authorities of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.
UNA-USA
The United Nations Association of the United States of America is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to building understanding of and support for the ideals and vital work of the United Nations among the American people. Its educational and humanitarian campaigns, including teaching students in urban schools, clearing minefields, and providing school-based support for children living in HIV/AIDS-affected communities in Africa, allow people to make a global impact at the local level. In addition, its policy and advocacy programs stress the importance of nations working together and the need for United States leadership in the United Nations. The association is affiliated with the World Federation of United Nations Associations.