Clinton Global Initiative, Mashable Social Good Summit and, uh, that other major UN event, all collided this past week to tackle the world's most pressing problems.
Check out eight moments below from CGI and Social Good Summit that restored our belief in the doyens of doing good.
1. When Bill Gates Called On Philanthropy To Get Sh*t Done.
If problems that charities tackled were easy, business and government could step in and solve them, Bill Gates said at CGI. But, clearly that's not happening, so "philanthropy should be taking much bigger risks than business," the Microsoft co-founder explained during a panel at the conference.
2. When Malala Humbled The Crowd, As Per Usual.
She was shot and nearly killed by the Taliban, but the indefatigable Malala Yousufza still considers herself to be the “most lucky girl,” she said at the Mashable Social Good Summit on Monday. Malala said that the overwhelming support she’s received throughout her recovery has helped to propel her forward in her campaign to bring education to every child, and for that –- she’s eternally grateful.
3. When Hillary Talked Major Dollars And Cold Hard Facts Like A Boss.
Hillary Clinton announced three new commitments at CGI to help women in need, including a $1.5 billion effort over the next five years to help businesses owned by women, in partnership with Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobil. The Bill, Hillary And Chelsea Clinton Foundation also announced this week that it had helped more than 5 million people with AIDS access medication in 70 countries, helped 4,300 farmers feed 30,000 people, and helped plant 4.5 million trees in Rwanda and Malawi. Not too shabby.
4. When Bono Took On Big Oil And Wowed Us All.
Bono aired some serious complains with the oil and gas industry at a CGI panel. Really, all you need to know is that this quote from the U2 frontman wins: "As we know corruption is killing more kids than TB, AIDS, and malaria put together," he said. "There is a vaccine ... and it’s called transparency."
5. When J.J. Abrams Made Us Realize That Hey, Maybe We Can Binge On Netflix And Feel OK About It.
J.J. Abrams was our hero when he declared at the Mashable Social Good Summit that films and television shows should both entertain viewers and inspire action. The acclaimed producer talked about how he used “Star Trek Into Darkness” to both honor veterans and raise awareness about the issues they face. He’s now also hoping to educate his “Revolution” fans about issues such as the harsh realities of refugee life and the atrocities committed by warlords.
6. When Bill Clinton And Bono Had That Moment.
It’s not always easy to find a reason to crack a smile while discussing how to end poverty, AIDS and bring education to the poorest countries. But Bono and Clinton showed us how -- and that it’s something we should probably make a habit of. While waiting for Bill Clinton to come on stage at CGI, the U2 frontman decided to take the former president’s seat and do a little impersonation. The next day, Clinton reciprocated, though it was, uh, not quite as spot-on.
7. When We Realized Bill And Melinda Gates Are Actually Our New Hipster Role Models.
Millennials were the oft-discussed topic on many panels at CGI and Social Good Summit. But we noticed that at these two gatherings, Bill and Melinda Gates themselves actually fashioned themselves into millennials. So ICYMI, we spliced together a pic for you above of Melinda's hipster plaid shirt and Bill's oversized glasses.
8. Oh, And When We Learned About Genius Solutions To Horrible Problems.
World hunger is expected to worsen, up to 20 percent – according to Oxfam – a serious concern that has advocates hunting for innovative ways to feed those in need. But a group of MBA students from McGill University believes their plan, for which they won an award at CGI, to farm year-round access to nutritious insect food (including cricket-based chips and baking flour) could help solve the issue.