Press Release Archive: 2008

Dec. 31, 2008
Carter Center Deploys Observers to Ghana's Brong-Ahafo Region to Observe Tain Constituency's Elections
The Carter Center has deployed 10 election observers to Ghana's Brong-Ahafo region to observe Friday's voting in the Tain constituency.

Dec. 31, 2008
Carter Center Urges Immediate End to Violence in Gaza
The Carter Center urges an immediate end to violence in and around Gaza.  The government of Israel must cease actions that endanger the civilian population of densely populated Gaza, and the de facto authorities of Gaza must halt rocket attacks.

Dec. 30, 2008
Carter Center Finds Ghana's Presidential Run-off Elections Credible and Peaceful
The Carter Center found that Ghana's voters participated in a transparent and relatively peaceful presidential run-off election on Dec. 28, 2008. Preliminary reports of the election, which was contested by John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress and former Foreign Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party, indicate that the administration of this election was well executed, illustrating the successful organization of the Electoral Commission and the determination of the Ghanaian public to ensure continued democratic consolidation.

Dec. 22, 2008
Carter Center Finds Côte d'Ivoire's Voter Identification and Registration Process Progressing Slowly
Carter Center observers in Cote d'Ivoire report slow progress in the ongoing population identification and voter registration due to significant logistical challenges and financial constraints as activities are expanded across the country. It appears that the scale of logistical challenges and their implications in terms of planning, organization, and financing might have been underestimated.

Dec. 11, 2008
Carter Center Calls for Release of Zimbabwe Human Rights Activists
The Carter Center calls on local authorities and the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately release Jestina Mukoko, Broderick Takawira, and Pascal Gonzo – human rights activists and leaders of the Zimbabwe Peace Project.

Dec. 9, 2008
Ghana Election Observation Mission Preliminary Statement: Ghana's Voters Renew Commitment to Open and Competitive Elections
The Carter Center congratulates the Ghanaian people for their democratic participation in the Dec. 7 presidential and parliamentary elections, which were conducted in a peaceful, transparent, and dignified manner.

Dec. 5, 2008
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to Visit Middle East
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will visit Lebanon and Syria next week.

Dec. 5, 2008
Guinea Worm Cases Hit All-Time Low: Carter Center, WHO, Gates Foundation, and U.K. Government Commit $55 Million Toward Ultimate Eradication Goal
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced today that cases of Guinea worm disease have reached an all-time low with fewer than 5,000 estimated cases remaining worldwide. To help eliminate the remaining cases, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) announced new commitments totaling US$55 million to support the historic Carter Center-led eradication campaign.

Dec. 4, 2008
GlaxoSmithKline and The Carter Center Reaffirm Commitment to Global Public Health With Expansion of LF Program
In a meeting today with former U.S. President and founder of The Carter Center, Jimmy Carter, as well as global health thought leaders from around the world, GlaxoSmithKline [LSE/NYSE: GSK] announced that it has made a $250,000 donation to The Carter Center to assist the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia with launching a program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF).

Dec. 3, 2008
Human Rights Leaders Urge President-Elect Obama to Renew U.S. Commitments to Human Rights 
An international group of human rights organizations and human rights defenders meeting at The Carter Center today issued an urgent appeal for President-elect Barack Obama to renew U.S. commitments to human rights principles and practices that have been abandoned since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks against the United States.

Dec. 2, 2008
Press Conference: Jimmy Carter and Carter Center Partners Announce Major New Progress Toward Guinea Worm Eradication
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Guinea worm disease eradication partners will address the critical juncture facing the international Guinea worm eradication campaign with a major announcement of new progress and funding on Dec. 5, 2008, at The Carter Center in Atlanta.

Dec. 1, 2008
Carter Center Delegation Arrives in Ghana Dec. 2  to Observe Sunday's Elections
Carter Center election observation leaders and short-term observers will arrive in Ghana tomorrow to observe election preparations and voting on Dec. 7.

Nov. 14, 2008
Carter Center Statement on Nicaragua Elections (English and Spanish versions)
The Carter Center calls on all actors, leaders, and civil and state authorities to seek an expeditious, legitimate, and mutually respectful solution to the claims of electoral irregularities and doubts that have arisen about the administration of Nicaragua's municipal elections. Public accusations and violence are jeopardizing political stability and peace. The Carter Center reiterates its commitment to peace, justice, the rule of law, and democracy in the country.

Nov. 12, 2008
New Findings on Nation's Delivery of Children's Mental Health Care to be Released at Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy
New research by the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University reveals that state by state policies continue to hinder children's mental health delivery 25 years after the strong recommendation of a federal plan to address the issue. The complete findings of this research will debut at this year's 24th annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy on Nov. 20-21, 2008, at The Carter Center in Atlanta.

Nov. 11, 2008
Carter Center Hosts Human Rights Leaders to Propose New U.S. Human Rights Agenda
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay will host human rights leaders from around the world on Dec. 2-3 to develop recommendations for President-elect Barack Obama's human rights agenda for the United States.

Nov. 7, 2008
Carter Center Launches Election Observation Mission to Côte d'Ivoire
The Carter Center deployed three teams of observers to regions around Côte d'Ivoire this week to formally launch its international election observation mission. Observers will focus on ongoing voter registration and assess overall preparations for the presidential elections.

Nov. 5, 2008
U.S. Presidential Election - Statement From Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
I congratulate Senators Obama and Biden on running a campaign that inspired millions of Americans in the midst of difficult times.

Oct. 31, 2008
Carter Center: Time Remains to Resolve Ghana's Pre-Electoral Problems
A Carter Center delegation that assessed Ghana's pre-electoral environment this week concluded that problems arising from the limited registration period, including the registration of minors and multiple registrations, have resulted in serious concerns leading to decreased confidence in the electoral process.

Oct. 29, 2008
Carter Center Hosts Chinese Delegation to Observe U.S. Elections
The Carter Center will host a Chinese delegation to observe U.S. elections in the San Francisco and Washington, D.C., areas on Nov. 4, 2008.

Oct. 27, 2008
Carter Center Delegation to Assess Pre-Electoral Climate in Ghana
A Carter Center delegation will visit Ghana from Oct. 27 –31 to assess the ongoing difficulties and irregularities with voter registration processes and other concerns ahead of the Dec. 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Oct. 23, 2008
Statement on the Status of Democracy in Nicaragua by the Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter
We, the undersigned Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, committed to the promotion and defense of the values and principles in the Charter and attentive to democratic development in the Western hemisphere, express our deep concern for the recent events and acts in Nicaragua.

Oct. 10, 2008
Statement by Former U.S. President and Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter on the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize
Rosalynn and I congratulate Finland's former president, Martti Ahtisaari, on receiving
the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize.

Oct. 7, 2008
Pan American Health Organization Passes Resolution to Interrupt Transmission of River Blindness in Latin America by 2012
In an effort to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis) from the Western Hemisphere, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an urgent call to interrupt the disease's transmission by 2012.

Oct. 3, 2008
Statement From Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter on Mental Health Parity Success
We have won a major victory today for millions of people who long have been discriminated against because they have a mental illness or substance use disorder. By passing mental health and addiction parity legislation, Congress has made an important statement that these diseases should be treated like any other physical illness.

Sept. 30, 2008
Carter Center Launches Effort to Spur Elimination of Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
The Carter Center, in partnership with Haiti and the Dominican Republic, announced today a one-year initiative to try to accelerate elimination of malaria and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) from the island of Hispaniola, which the countries share.

Sept. 29, 2008
Ecuador Constitutional Referendum: Preliminary Statement by The Carter Center 
The Carter Center congratulates the Ecuadorian people for their democratic participation in the Sept. 28 constitutional referendum, which expressed their civic and peaceful will in a transparent manner.

Sept. 24 2008
A Clearer Picture of Trachoma in Southern Sudan: Bacterial Eye Disease Devastates Ayod County
The burden of trachoma in Ayod county, one of the most severe ever documented, is a crucial threat to public health in Jonglei state, Southern Sudan according to a recently conducted survey. These alarming results, published today in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, were uncovered through a collaborative survey between The Carter Center, University of Cambridge, and health officials from the government of Southern Sudan.

Sept. 19, 2008
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Calls for Clemency for Troy Davis
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called today on the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to reverse its decision to deny clemency to Troy Anthony Davis, convicted for an alleged murder of a Savannah police officer in 1991.

Sept. 17, 2008  
Watch Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter in Live "Conversations" Webcast Sept. 23   
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will discuss their recent activities and take audience questions at the sold out opening of the annual Conversations at The Carter Center series on Sept. 23, 7-8:30 p.m. The event will be webcast live at www.cartercenter.org.

Sept. 15, 2008
Statement on the First Annual International Day of Democracy 
We are pleased to commemorate the first annual International Day of Democracy, established by U.N. General Assembly resolution as a unique opportunity for inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations "to focus attention on the promotion and consolidation of democracy at all levels and to reinforce international cooperation in this regard."

Sept. 14, 2008
The Carter Center Calls for a Definitive End to Violence in Bolivia (English and Spanish)
The Carter Center calls for an end to violence in Bolivia in light of the grave situation facing the country.  The Center urges political and social leaders to sustain territorial integrity and national unity as the pillars for a peace that guarantees democracy, full respect for human rights, and a return to tranquility for all inhabitants.

Sept. 8, 2008
The Carter Center to Observe Ecuador's Constitutional Referendum
The Carter Center will field an electoral observation mission during Ecuador's constitutional referendum to be held on Sept. 28, 2008, in response to an invitation by Ecuador's Supreme Electoral Tribunal.

Aug. 26, 2008
Carter Center Releases Findings From its Observation of Ghana's Voter Registration
Carter Center observers in Ghana found the voter registration process that took place July 31 – August 12 to be generally successful but hampered by several irregularities.

July 30, 2008
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to Launch 2008-2009 Season of Conversations at The Carter Center
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will open the upcoming season of Conversations at The Carter Center on Sept. 23, 2008. The annual speaker series features panel discussions of current world topics and Carter Center work.

July 25, 2008
Carter Center Launches Election Observation Mission to Ghana
The Carter Center launched an international election observation mission in Ghana this week with the deployment of four teams of observers to four regions around the country.

July 18, 2008
The Carter Center Awards 2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism
The Carter Center Mental Health Program has named the 10 recipients of its twelfth annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including six from the United States, two from southern Africa, and two from Romania.  Each domestic fellow will receive a $10,000 stipend to study and report on a particular issue within the mental health field for one year. International fellows will receive a comparable stipend.

July 14, 2008
Democratic Republic of the Congo: The Carter Center Expresses New Concerns In Response to Announced Mining Contract Renegotiations
The Carter Center is deeply concerned by the recent announcement that the Democratic Republic of the Congo will begin renegotiating critical mining contracts in mid-July without policy or procedures to guide this process or indication of whether requisite expertise will be secured.

June 27, 2008
Carter Center to Continue Ecuador-Colombia Reconciliation Efforts 
The Carter Center will continue working for dialogue and the improvement of the relationship between the people of Colombia and Ecuador and remains ready to collaborate with both governments in the manner the presidents deem to be most appropriate and opportune.

June 23, 2008
The Carter Center Appoints Atlanta Leaders to Board of Councilors
The Carter Center, a not-for-profit organization advancing peace and health worldwide, recently appointed 26 new members to the Board of Councilors, bringing its total membership to 184.

June 18, 2008
Soccer as a Symbol of Brotherhood Between Colombia and Ecuador 
At the initiative of a group of citizens belonging to the Binational Dialogue Group—composed of Colombians and Ecuadorians and supported by The Carter Center and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a series of messages geared specifically toward promoting camaraderie between the two countries will be released at their World Cup qualifying match today.

June 13, 2008
Statement from Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Regarding Governor Perdue's Decision to Cut Necessary Funding for Children's Mental Health Services
I am shocked by the announced $8.4 million dollar cut in funds for mental health services for children in the state of Georgia, particularly considering the current crisis state mental health services face.

June 13, 2008
Statement by Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Guantanamo
The Carter Center and I welcome the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Boumediene v. Bush, restoring the constitutional rights of habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.

June 9, 2008
Schalit Family Receives Letter from Captive Son, Gilad
Representatives of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter delivered today a handwritten letter from Cpl. Gilad Schalit, held in Hamas captivity for two years, to his parents, Noam and Aviva.

June 6, 2008
Ecuador and Colombia Presidents Accept President Carter's Proposal to Renew Diplomatic Relations at the Level of Chargé d'Affaires, Immediately and Without Preconditions (English and Spanish)
The founder of The Carter Center and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Jimmy Carter, together with the United Nations  Development Programme (UNDP), have supported the work of a dialogue group composed of distinguished citizens from Ecuador and Colombia to improve relations between the two countries since September 2007.

May 30, 2008
The Carter Center Congratulates Nepal's New Constituent Assembly
The Carter Center congratulates the people of Nepal, the government, and the political parties on the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on May 28, 2008. This is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the Nepali people and their political leadership to sustainable peace and multi-party democracy.

May 23, 2008
Statement of Support for National and International Election Observation in Zimbabwe
The government of Zimbabwe has a democratic commitment to ensure the freedom of movement and association of domestic and international election observers during the upcoming second round of the country's presidential election.

May 16, 2008
Statement From The Carter Center on Upcoming  U.N. Human Rights Council Elections
The Carter Center calls on the General Assembly not to re-elect Sri Lanka to the Human Rights Council in the upcoming Council elections.  Recently adopted reforms of the former Commission on Human Rights, including competitive elections, call for the conduct of a government to be a factor in whether it is selected for a seat on the Council.

May 15, 2008
The Carter Center Condemns the Recent Rocket Attack on Ashkelon
The Carter Center condemns in the strongest terms the rocket attack launched from the Gaza Strip against Israeli civilians in Ashkelon yesterday. According to reports, the "Grad-type" rocket injured at least 14 civilians, including a mother and her three-year-old daughter, when it struck the Hutzot shopping center.

May 9, 2008
5,000 Sign Petition Supporting Dialogue with Hamas
Jewish Voice for Peace and Just Foreign Policy have presented former U.S. President Jimmy Carter with a petition signed by 5,000 of their members supporting his meeting with Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal. The petition is being delivered to the three remaining Democratic and Republican presidential candidates this week.

April 23, 2008
Statement From The Carter Center on President Carter's Middle East Trip
President Carter has the greatest respect for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and believes her to be a truthful person. However, perhaps inadvertently, she is continuing to make a statement that is not true. No one in the State Department or any other department of the U.S. government ever asked him to refrain from his recent visit to the Middle East or even suggested that he not meet with Syrian President Assad or leaders of Hamas.

April  22, 2008
Solving the Shortage of Health Care Providers: Panelists to Discuss Ethiopia's Response to an Urgent Global Crisis
A critical shortage of health care workers plagues sub-Saharan Africa. Without access to health care provided by qualified professionals, people suffer daily from fully preventable maladies such as diarrhea, malnutrition, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. An expert panel will address a sold-out audience on the Carter Center's work to alleviate the problem in Ethiopia through its Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative, and prospects for applying the model elsewhere.

April 15, 2008
Declaration on Ecuador-Colombia Relations
Statement issued by The Carter Center clarifying press communiqués issued in recent days by the governments of Ecuador and Colombia.

15 de abril de 2008
Declaración sobre las Relaciones Ecuador – Colombia
En referencia a los comunicados de prensa publicados por los gobiernos de Ecuador y Colombia en días anteriores, en los cuales se menciona al Centro Carter,  nos permitimos aclarar lo siguiente.

April 12, 2008
Nepal Constituent Assembly Election - Preliminary Statement by The Carter Center
The Carter Center found that the majority of Nepali voters participated in a remarkable and relatively peaceful constituent assembly election on April 10, 2008.

April 10, 2008
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to Lead Study Mission to Middle East
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will lead a study mission to Israel, the West Bank, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan April 13-21, 2008, as part of the Carter Center's ongoing effort to support peace, democracy, and human rights in the region.

April 3, 2008
Declaración para Promover a Nivel Mundial el Derecho de Acceso a la Información Pública,   publicada el día de hoy.
Los participantes en una conferencia global sobre el derecho de acceso a la información publicaron hoy día la "Declaración de Atlanta y el Plan de Acción" para promover el acceso a la información pública como un derecho humano fundamental.

April 3, 2008
Declaración de Atlanta y Plan de Acción para el Avance del Derecho de Acceso a la Información (PDF)
Nosotros, más de 125 miembros de la comunidad global del acceso a información provenientes de 40 países distintos, representantes de gobiernos, organizaciones de la sociedad civil, agencias e instituciones financieras internacionales, agencias donantes y fundaciones, compañías del sector privado, medios de comunicación y académicos, nos reunimos en Atlanta, Georgia del 27 al 29 de febrero de 2008 con el auspicio del Centro Carter y asumimos la siguiente declaración y el siguiente plan de acción, a fin de promover la promulgación, la implementación, el cumplimiento, y el ejercicio del derecho de acceso a la información.

2 April 2008
Campaign to Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease Reports Lowest Case Levels to Date, President Carter Observes  Recent Successes During Special Ceremony
The countdown to complete elimination of Guinea worm disease is ticking closer to zero. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter helped the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program celebrate a major milestone today by honoring four new countries that ended transmission of Guinea worm disease in 2007 at a special ceremony. Ethiopia, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo join 11 others in reporting an end to the parasitic infection.

April 2, 2008
La campagne d'éradication de la dracunculose signale les niveaux de cas les plus faibles jamais atteints, Le Président Carter fait l'éloge des réussites récentes lors d'une cérémonie spéciale
Le compte à rebours s'approche de zéro : la dracunculose est sur le point d'être éliminée. L'ancien Président américain Jimmy Carter a aide le Programme mondial d'éradication de la dracunculose à faire un autre grand pas en avant. En effet, aujourd'hui quatre nouveaux pays qui ont mis fin à la transmission de la dracunculose en 2007 ont été à l'honneur lors d'une cérémonie spéciale. L'Ethiopie, la Côte d'Ivoire, le Burkina Faso et le Togo sont venus se joindre à 11 autres pays qui ont indiqué qu'ils avaient mis fin à l'infection parasitaire.

April 2, 2008
Mali's President Touré,  Southern Sudan Program Director Logora Honored With The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award
Of the original eleven Guinea worm endemic Francophone countries in West Africa, only Niger and Mali remain, with both aiming to eliminate the disease by the end of the 2008.

2 April 2008
Prix Jimmy et Rosalynn Carter Décerné Au Président Touré du Mali, Directeur de Programme Makoy Samuel Yibi Logora
Des onze pays francophones de l'Afrique de l'Ouest où la dracunculose était endémique au départ, seuls restent le Niger et le Mali dont les deux visent à éliminer la maladie d'ici la fin de 2008.

April 1, 2008
Jimmy Carter to Lead Delegation to Observe Nepal's April 10 Elections
The Carter Center announced today that its founders, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will lead the Center's international election observation delegation to Nepal. Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister of Thailand, will co-lead the delegation with the Carters. The Carter Center mission will also include more than 60 observers representing more than 20 different nations deployed throughout the country.

April 1, 2008
President Carter Congratulates Ghana on Lower Case Numbers of Guinea Worm Disease, Warns Against Complacency
One year after witnessing the horrific Savelugu Guinea worm outbreak in northern Ghana, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter returned to Accra today to congratulate the national program for its recent effective efforts in reducing the incidence of Guinea worm disease.

March 26,  2008
Declaration to Advance the Right of Access to Public Information Worldwide Released Today
Participants in a global conference on the right of access to public information released today the Atlanta Declaration and Plan of Action to advance access to information as a fundamental human right.

March 21, 2008
The Carter Center Welcomes Publication of Congo Mining Report
The Carter Center welcomes the decision of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to release the final report of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on the Revisitation of Mining Contracts and the decision to name a Task Force with political responsibility for the review.

March 18, 2008
Carter Center Urges an End to Election-Related Violence in Nepal
The Carter Center's international election observation mission in Nepal has observed the pre-electoral environment in the country for the past 14 months.

March 10, 2008
Carter Center Urges International Community to Support Congo Mining Review Efforts
The Carter Center welcomes recent steps taken by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to advance the review of natural resource contracts negotiated during and immediately following its years of deadly conflict.

March 3, 2008
Carter Center Names Former Mediator as New Conflict Resolution Program Director
Hrair Balian, an attorney with background in international conflict mediation and democratic governance for organizations including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, United Nations, and International Crisis Group, is the new director of the Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Program.

Feb. 21, 2008
Freedom of Information to be Discussed at Two Live Webcasts, Including Former U.S. President Carter, Other Experts
The Carter Center will offer two live webcasts at www.cartercenter that will explore challenges facing the right to information in the United States and around the world.

Feb. 17, 2008
Carter Center Calls on Nepal's Government and All Parties to Focus on April 10 Elections
The Carter Center has heard from Nepalis nationwide that they want peace, prosperity, and a representative, transparent, and accountable government. Nepal's political leaders need to respond to these expectations by holding a credible election for the constituent assembly on April 10, 2008.

Feb. 15, 2008
The Carter Center Condemns Recent Violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip  
The Carter Center condemns the recent Palestinian suicide bombings and rocket fire against Israel and calls on the Palestinian leadership in Gaza to take urgent and immediate measures to halt the spiraling cycle of violence.

Feb. 12, 2008
2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism: Applications Being Accepted
Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center Mental Health Program. Designed to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses, the fellowships begin in September 2008. Applicants must be U.S. residents.

Feb. 11, 2008
Winter Weekend Auction Raises $1.2 Million for Carter Center Peace and Health Programs
A bench of hard maple wood handcrafted by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter sold for $300,000 at an auction in Port St. Lucie on Feb. 9 to benefit the nonprofit Carter Center's initiatives to advance peace and health worldwide. Items in the silent and live auctions combined raised $1.2 million for the Center.

Jan. 26, 2008
The Carter Center Calls for Ceasefire and Dialogue in Gaza
After two years of almost complete isolation, the people of the Gaza Strip breached the iron wall along the border with Egypt, pouring over the border to seek basic supplies, receive needed health care, and some said, to "breathe a breath of freedom." Although Egypt seems poised to close the border again, most Gazans are giving Hamas credit for relieving their misery, even if the relief is temporary.

Jan. 23, 2008
Lions, Carter Center Celebrate 10 Millionth Dose of Zithromax, Health Gains Against Trachoma in Ethiopia
Today a group led by Lions Clubs International Foundation Chairperson Jimmy Ross witnessed a historic moment in trachoma control when the 10 millionth dose of azithromycin (Zithromax®) was dispensed to a person in  Awi Zone. The antibiotic, donated by Pfizer Inc, is a main strategy in the fight against the blinding disease in poor, rural areas.

Jan. 18, 2008
President Carter Memorabilia Offered at Auction to Benefit Global Peace
and Health Work of The Carter Center
A bench of hard maple wood handcrafted by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and an array of rare presidential memorabilia will be auctioned Feb. 9, 2008, to help support the work of the not-for-profit Carter Center, advancing peace and health worldwide.