EMILE HIRSCH JOINS KENNA’S SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: KILIMANJARO ALONG WITH JESSICA BIEL, ISABEL LUCAS, LUPE FIASCO, SANTIGOLD AND MORE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE GLOBAL CLEAN WATER CRISIS
Today, Kenna, Grammy-nominated musician, philanthropist, “actionist” and mastermind behind SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro, has confirmed that actor, Emile Hirsch, will be joining Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco, Isabel Lucas, Santigold as well as many of the world’s brightest minds and major cultural influencers, for the ascent to raise awareness of the global clean water crisis, beginning January 7, 2010. Since originally announcing SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro in September 2009, the project has begun to raise awareness of the global clean water crisis as well as funds on www.summitonthesummit.com for The Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Water For People’s Playpump Technology. All funds raised by SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro will be managed and distributed through the United Nations Foundation, the project’s charitable advisors.
“When Kenna called me about joining the team for SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT, I could hardly contain my excitement-combining an epic adventure with an educational process on the global water crisis, and finding a creative way to engage people towards an important and charitable cause, this climb is something special I couldn’t miss” said Emile Hirsch. “I hope we can inspire as many people as possible in doing this, as well as learn more about the water crisis ourselves, and what we can do in our everyday lives. And put this on the books; I’m making it to the top.”
For Kenna, the vision behind SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro stems from his drive to create a greater good for our youth and has personal meaning as his father was deeply affected by water-borne illness as a child in Ethiopia as his father’s own brother had passed away from the illness’ as well. Kenna has inspired his influential friends to join the climb which in addition to Hirsch include Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco, Isabel Lucas, Santigold, plus educators such as Alexandra Cousteau, National Geographic Emerging Explorer and grand-daughter of famous explorer and filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Elizabeth Gore, Executive Director for Global Partnerships for the United Nations Foundation, Simon Isaacs, international development and water expert, award winning photographers Michael Muller and Jimmy Chin, Kick Kennedy, environmental activist and granddaughter of Robert Kennedy, and Bernise Ang, avid social entrepreneur and recipient of the YouthActionNet Award & Fellowship from the International Youth Foundation. All of the SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro participants have been in intense physical training to prepare for the seven day, fifty mile experience to the highest freestanding mountain in the world. The climbers will discuss the issue of water alongside educators who are leaders at the forefront of global issues. As a team they will be learning of solutions to the problem, discussing how to improve social awareness and embracing the idea that they are now the example for showing ways to take action and give back to those with little or nothing.
Supporters will have an opportunity to follow the action as it is happening and interact with the climbers through the SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro website with additional communication through Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. Visitors can also get a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation and training that went into the climb from a series of web videos, keep track of climbers’ progress on the mountain with the help of GPS trackers, plus stay informed and interact throughout the climb. From the mountain, the team will be communicating with blogging, status updating, uploading photos and videos from Mt. Kilimanjaro with fans at Kilimanjaro website. Those who wish to contribute to the cause may sponsor a foot on the site or purchase products with proceeds going towards the cause.
In addition to HP, the official technology partner, P?R Water Filtration, providing financial support and water filtration solutions, and First Ascent by Eddie Bauer, outfitting the entire climb, Microsoft has joined SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT as the official Expedition Software of SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro, joining in support of raising awareness of the global clean water crisis. The base camp will be outfitted with the high-powered HP TouchSmart PC featuring Windows 7 touch enabled software to help track each climber’s progress, monitor weather conditions and capture every aspect of the climb.
About Expedition Software by Windows 7
Windows 7 was designed to make your PC simple and the things you do every day easier. Simplicity was our mantra. So when we understood from Kenna just how difficult it was for millions around the world to access clean drinking water, we wanted to help by bringing the performance and reliability of Windows 7 to the expedition and help raise awareness for the Cause. Windows 7 is proud to join our partner HP as the official Expedition Software of Summit on the Summit.
HP’s Thin and Light notebooks and high-performance PC’s will run Windows 7 software. Windows 7 with advanced power management technology provides superior computing performance while extending the battery life for portable computers—crucial during the climb. Power enhancement technologies significantly reduce power usage and CO2 emissions. On a global scale, Windows 7 offers consumers and enterprises dramatic ways to reduce their environmental impact. Learn more We support the climb for clean water and urge you to do the same. Discover Windows 7 here
About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.
About P?R and the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program
P?R™ Water Filtration Systems, a Procter & Gamble (NYSE: P&G) brand and a leader in the water filtration category, is committed to providing clean drinking water in the U.S. and improving lives around the world along with P&G global corporate cause, the Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program. The CSDW Program utilizes a water purifying technology developed by P?R scientists to help prevent water-related diseases by providing clean drinking water to children in developing countries. This technology is a small, easy-to-use powder sachet that removes impurities from dirty water. With every purchase of a home P?R Water Filtration System P?R donates a week’s worth of clean drinking water to a child in the developing world. For more information on P?R, visit www.P?Rwater.com. To make a donation to Children’s Safe Drinking Water or see how the technology works, visit www.csdw.org.
About Procter & Gamble
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including PUR®, Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
About UN Foundation
The UN Foundation, a public charity, was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner’s historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. The UN Foundation is an advocate for the UN and a platform for connecting people, ideas, and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems. We build partnerships, grow constituencies, mobilize resources and advocate policy changes to support the UN’s work for individual and global progress. The UN Foundation’s work – focused on select global problems – is decreasing child mortality, improving disaster relief, protecting diverse cultures and environments, creating a clean energy future, empowering women and girls, and improving U.S.-UN relations.
About Water For People’s Playpump Technology
Water for People’s Playpump Technology is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping improve the lives of children and their families by providing access to clean drinking water, enhancing public health, and offering play equipment to millions across Africa. Water for People’s Playpump Technology has donated PlayPump water systems to schools and communities in South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia. For more information, visit www.playpumps.org.
About UNHCR
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people. In more than five decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. Today, a staff of some 6,600 people in more than 110 countries continues to help about 34 million persons.
About First Ascent
First Ascent is Eddie Bauer’s new line of expedition quality mountaineering gear and apparel developed by some of the world’s best mountain guides. First Ascent will provide all of the climbing apparel and gear for the “Summit on the Summit” expedition. For more information, visit firstascent.com.