Clinton sets sights on inspiring Asian philanthropy

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bill Clinton will take his philanthropic summit to Hong Kong next year, hoping that Asians will keep issues such as poverty, health and climate change on the agenda as economies from India to China grow rapidly.

On Wednesday, the former U.S. president kicks off his third annual Clinton Global Initiative in New York, rubbing shoulders with everyone from U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.

And at a meeting that rates action over talk, he will push those attending to commit to do good, hoping to build on $10 billion of pledges made in the first two years of his summit.

Ben Yarrow, a spokesman for Clinton, said next year's Hong Kong summit is "to spark the same spirit of philanthropy and engagement in the business community in Asia."

"The idea is to have a truly global initiative," Yarrow told Reuters. "Given the explosion of growth in several Asian economies and the rapid pace of development in the region it made perfect sense to host a separate event in Asia."

At this year's New York meeting, Yarrow said Clinton will unveil www.mycommitment.org, a database of about one million volunteer groups globally to help people find a way to do good in their own communities.

Clinton will also target U.S. university students in a discussion with rock star and activist Bono, comedian Chris Rock and singers Alicia Keys and Shakira, to be aired by MTV.

This year's three-day brainstorming session is set to attract more than 1,200 people from 72 countries -- including 52 current and former heads of state, celebrities, aid workers and company chiefs.

Born out of his frustration while president from 1993 to 2001 at attending conferences that were more talk than action, Clinton has described the initiative as matching "people with ideas and those who have the means to see them through."

Last year British billionaire Richard Branson pledged to spend about $3 billion over 10 years fighting global warming.

But a commitment unveiled by Clinton in 2006 to create a green fund to raise up to $1 billion that would be managed by former World Bank President James Wolfensohn to support renewable energy investments "did not get off the ground due to complications," Yarrow said.

RESTORING AMERICA'S 'SOFT POWER'

Despite leaving office six years ago, Clinton's successful humanitarian work, which has also included a role as the U.N. special envoy for the tsunami, saw him come in at No. 6 on Vanity Fair magazine's 2007 top 100 power rankings.

Devin Stewart, director of Global Policy Innovations at the New York-based Carnegie Council, said the Clinton Global Initiative was helping restore America's "inspirational power," which he said was damaged by an overreaction from Washington after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

"It captures the America that people around the world respect, instead of the America that exports its own fear and paranoia after 9/11," Stewart said. "America will be admired if it tackles global issues and works for the greater good."