Global Pulse Lets USAID, Participants Worldwide Collaborate on New Ideas, Solutions to Development Challenges

WASHINGTON, June 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ten thousand people around the globe took part in a recent on-line brainstorming event organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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USAID hosted Global Pulse 2010 from March 29-31 to generate discussion of critical global issues and ideas.  According to a just-completed analysis, people from nearly every country on earth logged on.

Global Pulse not only gave USAID and its partners the chance to identify new ideas and solutions, it enabled the Agency to help realize President Obama's commitment to listen, learn and seek common ground on topics of shared interest with people outside the United States.

And the participation statistics are in: 10,127 people from 172 countries registered to participate in the discussion; there were 9,654 posts, of which 62 percent were contributed by people who live outside the United States. Participants 34 years old and younger posted 44 percent of the posts; conversely, 11.7 percent of the posts were made by participants 55 to 64 years old.

Global Pulse encompassed ten simultaneous discussions in 72 hours. Topics and the number of posts by forum were:

• Empowering Women and Girls: 1,620
• Inspiring a New Generation: 1,515
• Enabling Essential Education: 1158
• Advancing Entrepreneurship: 1,029
• Promoting Global Health: 1,005
• Building Stronger Partnerships: 776
• Fostering Science, Technology: 769
• Exercising Political and Civil Rights: 625
• Pursuing Grand Challenges: 596
• Supporting a Sustainable Planet: 561

While the official Global Pulse event was time-limited, USAID is now combing through the data from the discussions and attempting to incorporate ideas as the Agency moves forward in its work around the world. Want to continue the discussion? Become a fan and follow USAID and Global Pulse 2010 on Facebook.

For more information about USAID's programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/.

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.

Public Information: 202-712-4810

SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development