Save the Children Helps With East Africa's Drought

Children and families in Ethiopia, Somalia and Somaliland are struggling through the region’s worst drought in half a century. It has ruined harvests and devastated livestock – leaving 10.1 million people in urgent need of food aid and 5.7 million children at risk of hunger in Ethiopia alone. In Somalia 3.9 million people are facing food shortages, and 308,000 children under five years are at risk of acute malnutrition.

Save the Children is working in over 60 of the worst drought-affected districts in Ethiopia:

• providing food, water, medicine and crucial support to families who have lost their incomes, with immediate focus on increasing food aid
• treating child malnutrition
• trucking in water
• intervening to save livestock and crops where possible, and
• supporting families to keep their children in school through the crisis

Click here to donate and provide food to malnourished children.

Tune into our Innovate interview with Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children.

Net Impact Launches a Community Nutrition Project With Newman's Own Foundation

Net Impact is launching an innovative community nutrition project among college students, with support from Newman’s Own Foundation, the independent foundation created by the late actor and philanthropist, Paul Newman.

The Newman’s Own Foundation Challenge will enable emerging leaders to turn their ideas into reality. “We are excited to work with Newman’s Own Foundation to develop the next generation of nutrition leaders,” said Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact.

Participants will receive modest funding and mentorship from experts in food and nutrition to support them as they implement their projects. These experts – from corporate, nonprofit, community, and higher education backgrounds – will guide teams to ensure that their projects build upon some of the recent gains in nutritional outcomes and lead to meaningful improvements in the health of those in their community.

Once projects are completed in the spring, the cohort will share results from their projects and discuss how to build upon their successes. “Our network is passionate about nutrition and our food systems,” said Liz Maw. “We look forward to seeing them address nutritional deficits in their communities immediately, and hope that their work inspires others to help join the fight to turn around nutritional trends in the United States.”

Click here to learn more about the Newman’s Own Foundation Challenge.

Tune into our Innovate interview with Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact.

Kumi Naidoo Calls on Youth to Lead Action Against Climate Change

Following the COP21 climate conference in Paris, Greenpeace director Kumi Naidoo told Pavlos Georgiadis that we need the youth as our climate leaders, 'Because by tomorrow, there might be no tomorrow.' We need substantial, structural, systemic change - and this change can only be led by the youth, who are not infected by the political pollution of the past. 

Tune into our Innovate interview with Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International.

Save the Children and 100 Resilient Cities to Focus on Children in Resilience-Building Efforts

Save the Children and 100 Resilient Cities— Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation (100RC) have formed a partnership which will offer critical resilience building support to 100RC’s member cities initially in Asia. Through the partnership, Save the Children will work on an individual basis with 100RC member cities to build custom approaches to develop early childhood education services, improve children’s health and nutrition, address child poverty and ensure children’s rights. The partnership will bring tactical support to cities, enabling them to create new programs or expand efforts in member cities through Asia.

Tune into our Innovate interview with Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children.

For Carnegie Hall's 125th Anniversary, 'The Somewhere Project’ Explores ‘West Side Story’

For Carnegie Hall’s 125th Anniversary, the Weill Music Institute (WMI) launches The Somewhere Project, a citywide exploration of West Side Story. The event will include three full performances of West Side Story at the Knockdown Center in Queens, New York from March 4th-6th, 2016. The full performances will be accompanied by neighborhood concerts throughout all five boroughs of New York. 

Listen to our Innovate interview with Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. 

Save the Children Wins Australian Award for Tasmanian Juvenile Justice Program

A Save the Children program that works with young people as they transition from detention to help break the cycle of offending has received a national award recognizing its success in tackling crime. Federal Justice Minister, Michael Keenan, presented the Australian Institute of Criminology national 2015 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award to the Transition from Detention program at a ceremony at Parliament House, Canberra. Tasmanian State Manager Lisa Cuatt said the results of the program speak for themselves, with 25 percent of participants gaining employment and almost two-thirds not returning to Ashley Youth Detention Centre while involved in the program.

Listen to our Innovate interview with Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children.

ClientEarth and Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) Have Launched the Largest Ever Wave of Air Pollution Lawsuits Against Federal States in Germany

The lawsuits are against four federal states, which are responsible for air quality management in ten cities. In all of these cities, air pollution breaches legal limits set by the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive.

Read more about the lawsuits...

Listen to our Innovate interview with James Thornton, Founder and CEO of ClientEarth.

The American Red Cross Launches a Massive Relief Operation for Flooding in South Carolina

The American Red Cross has launched a massive relief operation to help those affected by the recent flooding and rainfall in South Carolina. The Red Cross opened 30 shelters and mobilized more than 400 workers and 23 emergency response vehicles to deliver food and supplies to families in need.

Tune into our Innovate CSR interview with Chef Nick Stellino, spokesperson and volunteer for the American Red Cross.

'Art of the Zo' Exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Art of the Zo: Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh will run from November 11th to March 20th at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibition will include woven textiles made by the Zo peoples of South Asia, including traditional weavings worn for daily life and ceremonial occasions, such as weddings, funerals and feasts. 

Listen to our Innovate interview with Timothy Rub, Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Ocean Conservancy Releases Groundbreaking Report: Stemming the Tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic-free ocean

Ocean Conservancy's report Stemming the Tide seeks to eliminate ocean plastic. Ocean Conservancy's plan could cut ocean plastic waste 45% by 2025 and entirely by 2035.

Read the report here.

Listen to our Innovate interview with Andreas Merkl, CEO of Ocean Conservancy.

ClientEarth Demands Urgent Action to Address Air Pollution in France

Following a successful Supreme Court case against the government of the United Kingdom, which required the government to create a new air quality plan by the end of 2015 aimed at meting EU limits for nitrogen dioxide, ClientEarth is now tackling France. Almost 2.5 million people "are likely to be exposed to dangerous levels of pollution until 2020" in 15 zones throughout all of France. ClientEarth explained, “A recent report [July 2015] from the Commission of Inquiry at the French Senate on the economic cost of air pollution seemed to have galvanised Ségolène Royal, the environment minister, who promised ‘extremely firm action.' To date, no policies to tackle this urgent issue have been announced.” Louis Cofflard, ClientEarth's clean air lawyer explained, “France absolutely must meet its obligations with regard to air quality and it’s now up to the government to make sure that, across the country, people are given the right to breathe clean air.”

Listen to our Innovate interview with James Thornton, Founder and CEO of ClientEarth.

Save the Children Launches a Child Refugee Crisis Appeal to Help Homeless Children and Their Families Fleeing the Middle East and Africa

"Every day, more and more traumatized children – including many children who have seen their homes destroyed and their loved ones killed -- are now streaming into Greece, Serbia and Hungary in hopes of ultimately finding safety and relief in Germany  and other European countries," commented Save the Children President and CEO Carolyn Miles. "These children have been on the move for months. They are sleeping in the open or in public places, suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition and are highly vulnerable to exploitation and harm," she added.  "The seemingly endless wars and conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq have reached a tipping point – many families see no alternative but to flee. We are appealing to the public to help us help these desperate children by contributing to our Child Refugee Crisis Appeal fund and adding their names to our petition for urgent action to address the crisis." She further explained, "Besides young children, pregnant mothers are especially at risk in these camps. Imagine trying to give birth while on the run."

Read more here. 

Donate to the Child Refugee Crisis Relief Fund here.

Read our blog pieces from Carolyn Miles here. 

Listen to our Innovate interview with Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children.

Carnegie Hall and the Philadelphia Orchestra Partner for National Youth Orchestra Two

Carnegie Hall is working on founding NYO2, a national youth orchestra to be comprised of 80 students between the ages of 14 and 17 who "have been traditionally underserved by local music programs." Several dozen musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra will serve as coaches and co-players as part of a five-year plan. Learn more here. 

Listen to our Innovate interview with Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall.

Listen to our interview with Ezra Wiesner, Managing Director of Information Technology for the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Draws Record Crowds in the Last Year

The Metropolitan Museum of Art had 6.3 million visitors over the past year, the largest number recorded since they began tracking these statistics over 40 years ago. This is the fourth year in a row that the Met reports attracting more than 6 million people. Each of the Met's featured 20 exhibitions over the past year drew more than 100,000 visitors. 

Listen to our Innovate interview with Dan Weiss, newly appointed President of the Met.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Goes Digital

With the help of Sree Sreenivasan, the Met's first chief digital officer, the Met is seeking to enhance its outreach to audiences around the world. The museum recently launched an app called Blippar, which brings art to life. Looking at an image via  Blippar unlocks relevant, real-time information about that image. The museum has upcoming apps in the works as well. The Met was a 2014 Webby Award Winner for its social media. 

Listen to our Innovate interview with Dan Weiss, newly appointed President of the Met, for more on his future plans for the museum and digital engagement.

Save the Children Receives $11 Million for Earthquake Relief in Nepal

The US Agency for International Development's (USAID) Acting Administrator, Alfonso Lenhardt, committed $11 million towards Save the Children's relief efforts following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal on April 25, which has affected more than 8 million people and caused tremendous damage and destruction. This generous donation will allow Save the Children to continue delivering much needed supplies, such as baby kits, blankets and tarps. 

Make a donation to Save the Children's Nepal Earthquake Children's Relief Fund

Listen to our Innovate interview with Save the Children's CEO Carolyn Miles to learn more about their crucial work.

Photo courtesy of Save the Children

Philadelphia Museum of Art's Teen Art Exhibition

Calling all artists between the ages of 14 and 19: do you have what it takes to have your artwork featured in the Philadelphia Museum of Art? Submit your original pieces to the PMA by April 6th for a chance to have your artwork hung up in the museum. Accepted media include drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and video. For more information on the exhibition and submission guidelines, visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art's website. 

UBUNTU: Music and Arts of South Africa Festival

Who: Carnegie Hall

When: Wednesday, 8 October 2014 through Wednesday, 5 November 2014

Why: The late Nelson Mandela was instrumental in enforcing a sense of community, reconciliation and inclusion in South Africa. "Ubuntu"—meaning "I am because you are"—celebrates the vibrant and diverse musical culture of the country.

Where: Carnegie Hall and other leading cultural institutions across New York City

Want to learn more about the annual international festivals at Carnegie Hall? Listen to our podcast interview with Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall.