Sen. Clinton First to Confirm Participation at Global Summit on AIDS and the Church:

Third Annual Saddleback Church Event Works to Bring Together Presidential

Hopefuls for Conversation on HIV/AIDS Crisis

    LAKE FOREST, Calif., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Sen. Hillary Clinton
 (D-N.Y.) is the first of six invited presidential candidates to confirm
 participation at the third annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church to
 be held Nov. 27 through Dec. 1 at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.
 and hosted by pastor and "The Purpose Driven Life" author Dr. Rick Warren
 and his wife Kay.
     The Warrens have extended invitations to leading presidential
 candidates. Five invitees, including former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.),
 former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen.
 Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, have
 expressed a desire to participate and are currently working on scheduling
 issues.
     "Inviting politicians from different perspectives to the Summit is not
 a political decision -- it is a humanitarian and Christian action," said
 Rick Warren. "When millions are dying each year, we're interested in lives,
 not labels. We want everyone to become concerned about the AIDS pandemic."
     Sens. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Obama spoke at last year's Summit due
 to their previous work with AIDS and poverty. The Global Summit on AIDS and
 the Church was established on the conviction that AIDS cannot be ended
 without mobilizing the Churches' global distribution network, massive pool
 of volunteers and local credibility in villages around the world. This
 year's Summit will feature more than 50 world-class speakers and experts.
 Sessions will include leaders from business, government, medicine,
 non-profit and ministry sectors who are working locally and globally in an
 attempt to arrest the growing AIDS pandemic.
     "The HIV/AIDS pandemic is so large that it can't be stopped without the
 combined efforts of leadership in the public, private/profit and faith
 sectors," said Kay Warren. "Obviously, that includes whoever is elected as
 the next President of the United States. We are urging all of the current
 presidential candidates to continue and expand the international efforts of
 AIDS relief of the current administration. To stop what has been started
 would mean the deaths of literally millions of women, children and men who
 are alive today solely because of treatment and prevention strategies
 available through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)."
     The HIV/AIDS initiative of Saddleback Church is a key part of the
 P.E.A.C.E. plan, an overarching humanitarian strategy launched three years
 ago. This worldwide effort is to mobilize 1 billion church members to
 Promote Reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for
 the sick and Educate the next generation. One session of the Summit will
 feature a report about the P.E.A.C.E. plan progress and the lessons learned
 over the past three years as a result of sending out more than 7,500
 members to test the plan in 69 countries.
     "I commend Rick and Kay Warren for their work to fight HIV/AIDS,"
 Clinton said. "Our churches have a powerful role to play in raising the
 consciousness of the nation and the world to this pandemic and urge
 compassion for the sick and the suffering. When we come together, seeking
 the common good, we can find solutions to our biggest challenges and
 reinforce our faith that a call to action can change lives. I am honored to
 participate in this 'coming together' at the third annual Global Summit on
 AIDS and the Church."
     Rick and Kay Warren are international advocates for the HIV/AIDS
 crisis. Kay chronicles her journey into the world of HIV/AIDS advocacy in
 her debut book "Dangerous Surrender" (Zondervan, November 2007). For more
 information about the Warrens and the 2007 AIDS Summit, visit
 http://www.AIDSandTheChurch.com.
     EDITOR'S NOTE: To pre-credential for attendance and to gain additional
 information, please visit the media Web site at
 http://www.AIDSandTheChurch.com.
     FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
     Larry Ross                  972.267.1111
     Vicki Morgan                469.774.6377
                                 vicki@alarryross.com
 
 

SOURCE  Global Summit on AIDS  & The Church