Title: U2’s Bono to Speak at GU Global Social Enterprise Event
The Irish musician and world activist will speak to more than 700 Georgetown students during the Global Social Enterprise Institute event Nov. 12.
Musician and activist Bono will speak to more than 700 Georgetown students and leaders in the corporate, nonprofit and political sectors Nov. 12 at an event hosted by the Global Social Enterprise Initiative (GSEI) at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Georgetown President John J. DeGioia will introduce Bono at the event.
The Global Social Enterprise Initiative, located within the university’s McDonough School of Business, advocates for solutions to global challenges in health and well-being, economic growth, the environment and international development.
The Atlantic also is the media partner for the event.
The event will be webcast live on georgetown.edu.
Fighting AIDS, Poverty
Beyond his fame as the lead singer of the Irish rock band U2 and winner of 22 Grammys, Bono is also known around the world as an activist in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty.
He is the co-founder of ONE, a grassroots advocacy organization with more than 3 million members that urges policymakers to support effective programs, including PEPFAR and the Global Fund, which are saving millions of lives in the poorest parts of the planet.
Bono also co-founded (RED), a private sector initiative involving some of the world’s most iconic brands. RED has channeled nearly $200 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.
Admirably Dedicated
Bono speaks with Abraham Mariita, station manager at 99.9 Ghetto FM, the community radio station in the Kibera area of Nairobi, Kenya, in 2010. Photo by ONE
Bill Novelli, professor of the practice at McDonough, former CEO of AARP and co-founder of Porter Novelli, founded GSEI with input from business students.
“We believe the business world and emerging business leaders have a tremendous opportunity to be a powerful force in creating social change around the world,” Novelli said, “Bono has admirably dedicated himself to eradicating AIDS in Africa and extreme poverty and shows how this belief can have a long-lasting impact.”
Bono has received numerous awards for his music and activism, including TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2005 (with Bill and Melinda Gates), the Legion D’Honneur from the French government and an honorary British knighthood.
Advancing Efforts
A founding partner of the Global Social Enterprise Initiative, Bank of America has instituted programs to strengthen the economic and social well-being of communities, created positive change, and promoted responsible business practices. The company supports GSEI events that generate ideas for public policy and business practices to increase public-private partnerships, employment and global economic stability.
“Bank of America is proud to support the Global Social Enterprise Initiative here at Georgetown because it aligns well with what we stand for as a company,” Moynihan said.“We believe in the power of connections and bringing together resources, diverse ideas, and dedicated teams to take on challenges and drive change.It’s the right thing to do and good business to be part of the solutions that make our communities and our world better.”