Honoured As Global Ambassador to The White Ribbon Alliance For Safe Motherhood

Patron Sarah Brown Presents Prestigious Award to Naomi Campbell in Los Angeles during the African First Ladies Health Summit
(Los Angeles, USA, Tuesday, April 21st) – Naomi Campbell has been appointed global ambassador to the White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) by Sarah Brown, Global Patron of the WRA and Theresa Shaver, President of the WRA at the influential African First Ladies Health Summit in Los Angeles today.
Naomi Campbell, in the past year through Fashion For Relief (FFR), her charity catwalk show, has helped to attract new supporters to the cause from all over the world. Her extraordinary contributions through public efforts, fundraising and awareness has gone towards ensuring mothers and their newborn babies survive childbirth and give birth to healthier families, communities and nations.
At the Skirball Center in Los Angeles today, Naomi Campbell accepted the award in front of the African First Ladies, global leaders and pioneers in women’s health. Naomi says:

“When I met with Sarah Brown at Downing Street over a year ago, Sarah explained in detail the staggering statistics around maternal mortality. I was deeply moved. We decided I would host Fashion For Relief 2008 in aid of the White Ribbon Alliance. The catwalk is a stage like any other and having walked the catwalk for almost 25 years it’s one I am very familiar with. Fashion For Relief’s stage was designed as a platform to reach a new audience driving awareness for the work of the White Ribbon Alliance.

Naomi adds, “Top models, celebrities, sports stars, TV legends, socialites, international music artists and many more took to the catwalk in designs by iconic international designers…and it goes without saying it was a backstage as you have never seen! It was a collaboration of the fashion world and without everyone coming together in support this event it could not have happened.

Through late nights, hard work and I learned much more about the important work of The White Ribbon Alliance. The White Ribbon Alliance spans 114 countries with an extensive network of on the ground partners. This enables them to reach women and children directly making an impact. It is with great pride that I accept my role as global ambassador. I hope you will join me in continuing to support the important work of the White Ribbon Alliance.”
Theresa Shaver, President; Executive Director, White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood said, “Naomi’s immense contribution through FFR has been to hugely increase awareness of this issue which has been neglected and little known. She has also offered solidarity and support, as one very beautiful woman to all the other beautiful women of the world, in a way that no one has done before, to an audience that has never been reached before.”
Brigid McConville, UK Director for White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood says, “Naomi will be a great Ambassador for White Ribbon Alliance because she is the embodiment of this great spirit of creativity, positive energy and womanhood!”
**Event taking place 4:30pm Pacific Coast time today, 12:30am UK time

Naomi Campbell Honoured
As Global Ambassador to The White Ribbon Alliance, For Safe Motherhood
Patron Sarah Brown Presents Prestigious Award to Naomi Campbell in Los Angeles during the African First Ladies Health Summit
(Los Angeles, USA, Tuesday, April 21st) – Naomi Campbell will be appointed global ambassador to the White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) by Sarah Brown, Global Patron of the WRA and Theresa Shaver, President of the WRA at the influential African First Ladies Health Summit in Los Angeles today.
Naomi Campbell, in the past year through Fashion For Relief (FFR), her charity catwalk show, has helped to attract new supporters to the cause from all over the world. Her extraordinary contributions through public efforts, fundraising and awareness has gone towards ensuring mothers and their newborn babies survive childbirth and give birth to healthier families, communities and nations.
At the Skirball Center in Los Angeles today, Naomi Campbell will accept the award in front of the African First Ladies, global leaders and pioneers in women’s health. Naomi says:

“When I met with Sarah Brown at Downing Street over a year ago, Sarah explained in detail the staggering statistics around maternal mortality. I was deeply moved. We decided I would host Fashion For Relief 2008 in aid of the White Ribbon Alliance. The catwalk is a stage like any other and having walked the catwalk for almost 25 years it’s one I am very familiar with. Fashion For Relief’s stage was designed as a platform to reach a new audience driving awareness for the work of the White Ribbon Alliance.

Naomi adds, “Top models, celebrities, sports stars, TV legends, socialites, international music artists and many more took to the catwalk in designs by iconic international designers…and it goes without saying it was a backstage as you have never seen! It was a collaboration of the fashion world and without everyone coming together in support this event it could not have happened.

Through late nights, hard work and I learned much more about the important work of The White Ribbon Alliance. The White Ribbon Alliance spans 114 countries with an extensive network of on the ground partners. This enables them to reach women and children directly making an impact. It is with great pride that I accept my role as global ambassador. I hope you will join me in continuing to support the important work of the White Ribbon Alliance.”
Theresa Shaver, President; Executive Director, White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood said, “Naomi’s immense contribution through FFR has been to hugely increase awareness of this issue which has been neglected and little known. She has also offered solidarity and support, as one very beautiful woman to all the other beautiful women of the world, in a way that no one has done before, to an audience that has never been reached before.”
Brigid McConville, UK Director for White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood says, “Naomi will be a great Ambassador for White Ribbon Alliance because she is the embodiment of this great spirit of creativity, positive energy and womanhood!”
This year Naomi will be supporting the WRA’s Million Mums campaign. To sign up and show support for women’s maternal healthcare worldwide visit http://www.millionmums.org.
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More About Fashion For Relief
Fashion For Relief was created by Naomi as a way of moblising the fashion industry to raise awareness and money for critical causes. Top faces in film, TV, sports, society, music all take to the catwalk in a charity fashion show wearing designs by top international designers. Founded in 2005 for the aid of Hurricane Katrina victims there have been four Fashion For Relief’s to date held in New York City, London and Mumbai.

Past participants, contributors and guests of Fashion For Relief have included Alec Wek, Cheryl Cole from Girls Aloud, Claudia Schiffer, Duchess of York, Elle MacPherson, Estelle, Faye Dunaway, Kate Moss, Rio Ferdinand, footballer, Tyson Beckford, Victoria and David Beckham to name a few.
More About The White Ribbon Alliance
The White Ribbon Alliance is an international coalition of safe motherhood organisations and individuals, active from grassroots to government level in saving the lives of pregnant women and newborn babies around the world.

Every minute, a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications; that’s nearly 600,000 women each year. Most of their deaths could be prevented.
The White Ribbon Alliance launched “Million Mums” on Mother’s Day to raise awareness about maternal mortality, and to bring together an active group of people to campaign for healthcare for pregnant women worldwide and speak out against needless maternal mortality.
Million Mums aims to:
• To join together a million mums (or more)
• To raise a million pounds (at least)
• To provide a united voice to speak out against maternal mortality

Please sign up to the campaign and support the work of the White Ribbon Alliance at http://www.milionmums.org when you sign up and pledge £1 you will receive a special Million Mums White Ribbon pin designed exclusively for the campaign by Sarah Ferguson.

What We Do
To reduce maternal and newborn death and disabilities we
raise awareness around the world
influence government policies
mobilise communities
empower local organisations
share what works
spark renewed action

National alliances are active in
• Bangladesh * Burkina Faso * Indonesia * India * Malawi * Nepal * Pakistan * Rwanda * South Africa * Tanzania * Uganda * Yemen * Zambia

More About the African First Ladies Health Summit
In an historic moment, 15 First Ladies have traveled from countries throughout Africa to Los Angeles to meet with other political leaders, healthcare policy experts, as well as aid organizations and leaders in business for a first-ever African First Ladies’ Health Summit held in Los Angeles April 20-21st. The Summit will assist the First Ladies of Africa in their leadership roles addressing such critical issues as HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, and girls' education throughout Africa.
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Naomi Campbell Contact:
Debora Cunha, Outside Organisation
+44 20 74363633 /
http://www.outside-org.co.uk

For More Information on The White Ribbon Alliance:
Deb Clark (USA): / +1 202 554 3474
Brigid McConville (UK): / +44 207 922 7797

http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org