Each year since 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative’s gathering in New York City has been like an alternative universe – one of possibility, progress, inclusivity, equity. The positivity and possibility so starkly contrasted with what was happening outside: intractable problems of poverty, illiteracy, abuse, climate crisis, disease and hardship, homelessness, eternal war and crimes against humanity, with those with the power and influence to make changes simply throwing up their hands, ignoring their responsibility. But here, for the two days of the conference, there are real solutions, ones that were making actual progress until Trump came into the most powerful office in the world – the first time, halting progress, the second time reversing progress, and actively putting up cruel obstacles. As only one example, literally making investment in clean renewable energy illegal, canceling ongoing projects, ordering the recommissioning of old coal plants and declaring proudly that no windmill will be constructed during his term.
But we still gather together, hearing what has succeeded, what does work, trying to work around what is hoped to be a blip in the onward course of civilization. While the conference brings together the philanthropists, civil society, government leaders, the powerful and the experts, ordinary people can listen in and learn and become armed with the information to make their own communities more successful, and know what to demand of those they elect – Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com
This year’s CGI will once again bring together public, private, and philanthropic leaders to take action on democracy, economic and energy security, climate, health, affordability, humanitarian aid, freedom of the press, women’s equality.
Attendee registration is now open at https://clintonglobal.org/register2026
NEW YORK — The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), a signature program of the Clinton Foundation that unites global leaders to take action on the world’s most pressing challenges, announced that the 2026 Annual Meeting will take place September 22–23, 2026 in New York City.
2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Clinton Foundation opening its doors in Harlem. Last week, Inside Philanthropy ran an in-depth assessment of President Clinton’s philanthropic legacy, concluding “Clinton has compiled a record of philanthropic impact since leaving office in 2001 that is unmatched by any former president and far more extensive than most people realize… CGI remains one of the more innovative and potent philanthropic efforts of our time.”
CGI’s Annual Meeting brings together heads of state, business leaders, philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, and representatives from civil society to forge new partnerships, develop solutions to urgent global challenges, and drive measurable progress. Since its founding in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, members of the CGI community have mademore than 4,300 Commitments to Action in partnership withover 13,000 organizations across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors that have touched the lives of more than 500 million people in more than 180 countries.
The 2025 CGI Annual Meeting marked a key moment for the community of doers, concluding with more than 100 new Commitments to Action.
Highlights from last year’s program included:
- A groundbreaking global health agreement on HIV prevention led by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) with partners to expand access to a new HIV-preventive medicine in 120 countries by 2027.
- A landmark policy roadmap to advance women’s rights into the next decade, announced by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her historic UN speech on women’s equality.
- Strategic discussions on democracy, media literacy, and AI’s role in public life, featuring experts such as Dr. Chelsea Clinton and Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s cyber ambassador.
- A focus on Working Groups – new, carefully curated, intensive sessions designed to develop collaborative solutions in finance, health, education, human rights, climate, and humanitarian response.
About the Clinton Foundation
Building on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together. For two decades, those values have energized the work of the Foundation in overcoming complex challenges and improving the lives of people across the United States and around the world.
The Clinton Foundation works on issues directly or with strategic partners from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service. Our programs are designed to make a real difference today while serving as proven models for tomorrow. The goal of every effort is to use available resources to get better results faster – at the lowest possible cost.
“We firmly believe that when diverse groups of people bring resources together in the spirit of true cooperation, transformative ideas will emerge to drive life-changing action.”
Learn more at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ClintonFoundation, and on Twitter @ClintonFdn.
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