22 September 2009 -- New York, New York -- A crowd of more than 200 people including high-level government representatives from dozens of countries and heads of UN Agencies gathered at a reception here tonight to celebrate the millions of lives saved though the support of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The reception was hosted by the Stop TB Partnership, the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM), UNAIDS and UNITAID.
The assembled dignitaries were greeted by fashion icon and public health advocate Christy Turlington Burns; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Chair of the Board of the Global Fund and Minister of Health of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; and Yvonne Chaka Chaka, songstress and public health advocate. Ms Chaka Chaka also treated the guests to a song, delivered a capella.
Stop TB was represented by Dr Lee Reichman, leading champion in the global fight against tuberculosis, on behalf of Executive Secretary Dr Marcos Espinal. RBM, UNAIDS and UNITAD were represented respectively by Executive Director Dr Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director Dr Michel Sidibe and Executive Secretary Dr Jorge Bermudez. Dr Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund was in attendance; as were Dr Jorge Sampaio, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop TB; and Ray Chambers, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria.
The event took place amid the flurry of activity related to the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly this week.