STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — (Marketwire) — 09/23/12 —
* Ericsson joins forces with Forest Whitaker-s PeaceEarth Foundation
* Ericsson will provide Internet access via mobile broadband, computers,
and
ICT training to youth in conflict zones
* Initiative announced at Social Good Summit in New York
At the Social Good Summit in New York, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) announced
its
commitment to join Oscar-winning actor, humanist and Goodwill Ambassador of
UNESCO, Forest Whitaker, in a new foundation whose mission it is to promote
peace among youth everywhere, from troubled urban neighborhoods in the
United
States to rural conflict areas in Africa.
The PeaceEarth Foundation brings together public and private entities and
will
serve as a vehicle for an array of programs, initiatives and campaigns in
the
U.S. and around the world.
“Ericsson-s support to PeaceEarth will establish a truly connected program
in
South Sudan and Uganda,” said Whitaker. “The commitment will allow us to
advance
our shared goal to collectively move our world towards peace, one day at a
time.”
Ericsson-s engagement will begin by providing Information and
Communications
Technology (ICT) solutions to schools in two locations, South Sudan and
Uganda,
in conjunction with the global education initiative Connect To Learn. This
will
enable the PeaceEarth Foundation to establish access to the internet and
create
a collaborative environment among the participating youth and further
develop
the education initiatives.
Also through Connect To Learn, Ericsson will provide on-site project
management
resources, Wi-Fi coverage, and basic ICT training for teachers and students
on
the use of the Ericsson cloud computing solution.
At the Social Good Summit in New York, a panel was held with Whitaker,
Ericsson
President and CEO Hans Vestberg and Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth
Institute at Columbia University.
Ericsson-s Vestberg said: “Our work with PeaceEarth Foundation is a natural
extension of how we bring our competence to advocate for Technology for
Good
around the world. We know that our technology has a positive link to
development, where 10% of increased broadband penetration leads to more
than 1%
sustainable growth in GDP.
“You can-t have positive social and economic development where people are
suffering from conflicts or natural disasters. I hope that extending access
to
education will help enable the PeaceEarth Foundation further its goals,”
Vestberg concluded.
Currently, 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by violent
conflict,
and more than 8 million children have been killed or disabled through
violent
conflict. Working in partnership with local and regional experts, civil
society
and multilateral organizations, governments and businesses, PeaceEarth will
work
to promote peaceful conflict resolution through youth empowerment, access
to
knowledge, capacity-building and cultural diversity.
PeaceEarth Foundation recently launched an interactive website that gives
people
the power to learn, engage and act. It serves to connect and foster
dialogue
among communities, practitioners and scholars, giving people key
information
about conflict zones, best practices in peace-building, and solutions.
The work of the Foundation is also instrumental to further the mission of
Whitaker as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Reconciliation, and
co-founder of the International Institute for Peace.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The PeaceEarth Foundation website is live at:
For more information about Connect To Learn:
Photos Hans Vestberg:
Photos of Hans Vestberg and Forest Whitaker will be available on
Ericsson is the world-s leading provider of communications technology and
services. We are enabling the Networked Society with efficient real-time
solutions that allow us all to study, work and live our lives more freely,
in
sustainable societies around the world.
Our offering comprises services, software and infrastructure within
Information
and Communications Technology for telecom operators and other industries.
Today
more than 40 percent of the world-s mobile traffic goes through Ericsson
networks and we support customers- networks servicing more than 2.5 billion
subscribers.
We operate in 180 countries and employ more than 100,000 people. Founded in
1876, Ericsson is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2011 the company-s
net
sales were SEK 226.9 billion (USD 35.0 billion). Ericsson is listed on
NASDAQ
OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ, New York stock exchanges.
This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of
Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and
other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and
originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Ericsson via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1642937]
Ericsson brings mobile braodband to peace initiative PDF:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Ericsson Corporate Public & Media Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail:
Ericsson Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 00 00
E-mail:
PeaceEarth Foundation Media Contact
Phone: +1 212-691-2800
E-mail:
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