Prince Harry, actor Matt Damon, and World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andrés are scheduled to speak at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York on September 23 and 24, as announced by the Clinton Foundation on Thursday.

The theme for this year's gathering of political, business, and philanthropic leaders is “What Works” – an initiative to highlight potential solutions and effective assistance during a turbulent period characterized by war, escalating income inequality and food insecurity .

Former President Bill Clinton announced that this year's Clinton Global Initiative would "redouble" its efforts to advance progress on the climate crisis, global health, gun violence, and other critical issues.

"We established CGI because we wanted a forum where individuals wouldn't just discuss major challenges, but where we could actively participate in finding solutions," he said in a statement to The Associated Press. "Now more than ever, it's crucial to remain optimistic and acknowledge that we all possess the ability to make a difference."

Since its return in 2022 after a six-year absence, CGI has strived to maintain an optimistic outlook while exploring new avenues of support. This includes launching The CGI Ukraine Action Network last year, a joint venture between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine.

"Bill, Chelsea, and I are profoundly inspired by the undeniable impact of the CGI community – 500 million people positively affected through programs, partnerships, and solutions tackling our climate crisis, economic disparities, global gender equality, and more," Secretary Clinton stated.

This influence helps CGI attract a diverse array of prominent figures, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.

The Duke of Sussex intends to discuss the launch of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network, an initiative supporting families whose children have been affected or lost their lives due to online harm. He also plans to address his nonprofit's collaboration with the World Health Organization and other entities to eliminate violence against children, an issue he and his wife Meghan highlighted during a recent trip to Colombia .

Water.org co-founder and Oscar winner Damon is expected to discuss the progress of the $1 billion initiative he announced in 2022 to provide 100 million individuals in Africa, Asia, and Latin America with lasting access to water and sanitation.

Business leaders scheduled to participate in the conference, held concurrently with the United Nations General Assembly week, include Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, Gap CEO Richard Dickson, IKEA CEO Jesper Brodin, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach, Moderna Chairman Noubar Afeyan, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Andrés is expected to discuss his transformation of World Central Kitchen into one of the fastest growing humanitarian nonprofits, focused on rapidly providing meals in the aftermath of disasters or during wartime. Earlier this year, seven World Central Kitchen workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza . Andrés expressed, "Their sacrifice should inspire us to strive for greater good and improvement.”

Other prominent philanthropic leaders scheduled to speak include Emerson Collective Founder Laurene Powell Jobs, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, Hispanic Federation CEO Frankie Miranda, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, International Rescue Committee CEO David Miliband, and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Sam Bencheghib, co-founder of Indonesia-based Sungai Watch, plans to attend this year's CGI, seeking funding for his non-profit organization. Sungai Watch focuses on placing barriers in rivers to prevent pollution from reaching the ocean and then removes the collected trash. Prior participation in CGI led to impactful connections that resulted in Sungai Watch becoming one of The Elevate Prize Foundation's 2024 winners.

Last year, Bencheghib participated in CGI, pledging to expand Sungai Watch's operations to Jakarta and its rivers. This year, his non-profit organization will fulfill that commitment.

However, Bencheghib expressed pride in bringing a tangible element to this year's CGI, especially considering the “What's Working” theme. He intends to present furniture crafted from plastic bags retrieved from the polluted rivers by his newly established social enterprise, Sungai Design.

The company transforms 500 plastic bags into a bench, and 2,000 plastic bags into a lounge chair.

“Tackling plastic pollution feels like a never-ending battle,” Bencheghib stated. “Forty percent of the waste we collect is made up of plastic bags, and they can't be recycled in this country. We sought a solution to transform plastic bags into something more aesthetically pleasing, something that sparks conversation and raises awareness about the potential of plastic bags if they aren't discarded in rivers, provided the right system is in place.”

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