Former President Bill Clinton will speak Friday at the opening ceremony of the fourth annual Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting at UC-San Diego, a three day program meant to bring together students to create change.
About 1,000 students from around the world are scheduled to gather with nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs and celebrities involved in creating positive change.
Each student will make a commitment to change in one of the initiative's major areas of concern: education; environment and climate change; peace and human rights; poverty alleviation; and public health.
"Since 2008, CGI-U has brought together more than 2,500 students from 575 schools in 99 countries, all of them dedicated to addressing the great global challenges of our time,'' Clinton said in a statement.
"Their work has improved the lives of thousands of people around the world, I am looking forward to convening the next generation of global leaders once again, so they can learn from each other and gain practical skills that will help them turn their ideas into real change.''
The conference, which runs through Sunday, will include sessions on financial aid for higher education; civil rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; violence and poverty along the U.S.-Mexico border; and challenges and opportunities brought about by rapid urbanization around the world.
Actor-activist Sean Penn, actress Mandy Moore, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, UCSD Chancellor Marye Anne Fox and television personalities Raquel Diaz and Lorena Garcia are also scheduled to participate in the event, which will conclude with a day of service at the San Diego Food Bank.
