Echoing the sentiments Jean Case shared on Twitter last week, while the nation this week was largely fixated on the partisanship going on in Washington over the healthcare debate, it was extremely heartening to see former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton come together during a trip to Haiti to assess on-the-ground needs in the aftermath of January's devastating earthquake.
Gary Edson, former Chief International Officer at the Case Foundation and recently named CEO of the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, joined the Presidents on their trip. He observed in a blog post for the ONE campaign that while in Haiti, they "saw the astounding courage and hope of the Haitian people - and their fierce resolution to rebuild." Upon returning from Haiti, the presidents shared their observations in a letter to supporters, noting that in addition to immediate relief needs, a big focus of their efforts is also on the long term:
And even as the immediate relief phase continues, we are looking ahead to long-term reconstruction. We are insisting on sound rebuilding and economic growth plans that will lead to a better life for the Haitian people.
Last Monday, I had the opportunity to see President Clinton speak at the Economist's Corporate Citizenship Conference, where he shared both his hopeful and realistic thoughts on reimagining Haiti with effective systems and government. He provided insights from his long history with Haiti and emphasized the focus of the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund on rebuilding a better Haiti in the long-term, sharing his personal hope to some day be able to visit Haiti as a tourist only.
Jean has had the opportunity to work personally with both Presidents Bush and Clinton and often talks of her tremendous admiration of their efforts. We have no doubt that this powerful combination, with their ability to ignore party lines and tireless dedication to this effort will lead to lasting effects for the future of Haiti.
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