Attending the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) on Tuesday, September 21 was the most outstanding experience of my life. The CGI Special Session began with President Clinton’s opening remarks and followed by an acknowledgment of programs doing great work around the globe. The first of these was the Open Hands Initiative. President Clinton spoke of the Summit in Damascus, Syria, highlighting the achievements of the initiative, the integration of Syrian and American youth with disabilities, and the overall comic book concept.
President Clinton announced Mr. Jay Snyder, Maxwell Snyder and myself, and awarded a certificate to the Open Hands Initiative for our progress with disabilities in the Middle East. President Clinton then sat down with President Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of Palestine, President Shimon Peres of Israel, and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain in a discussion about peace throughout the Middle East.
The discussion was unique among modern day roundtable talks because it was not about the way to create peace between Palestine and Israel, but rather the positive outcomes of what future peace would bring; not only to the Middle East, but across the world. The three established leaders spoke of flourishing economies, social growth and the benefits peace would contribute to all nations. The riveting roundtable came to an end with all three concluding that they hope for peace to be established in the near future and that all could benefit from the social and economic outcomes of peace.
After the session, the members of CGI interacted with one another. This is where I was fortunate enough to meet Jim Gibbons, CEO of Goodwill, who also happens to be blind. Mr. Snyder then asked me if I would like to meet Prime Minister Fayyad to which I was ecstatic. I was honored to meet and speak to Salam Fayyad about Palestine, where he told me he had heard of our Summit in Damascus and had seen pictures in the newspaper with Asma Al-Assad, First Lady of Syria. The fact that Open Hands was recognized not only by President Clinton, but the Prime Minister of another Middle Eastern nation, demonstrates the impact the organization has had in its one year of existence.
The day began and ended as a success. I am honored and know how privileged I am to have met so many amazing people. This honor does not just stem from meeting leaders of nations, but also through meeting individuals such as the Snyders, Dr. Karr, Mr. Smrikarov, and the entire Open Hands group. The week spent in Damascus and attending the Clinton Global Initiative changed my life. I hope these efforts may lead to positive change in the lives of youth around the world.