WASHINGTON, March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Grameen Bank Founder Muhammad Yunus*, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer, and Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation Soraya Rodriguez Ramos are slated to join microfinance expert Larry Reed and Microcredit Summit Campaign Director Sam Daley-Harris to launch the State of the Microcredit Summit Campaign Report 2011. The report will address recent controversies within the field of microfinance and announce a new initiative under development that is designed to recognize those institutions that are committed to doing the most to help families lift themselves out of poverty. The report is the largest and most comprehensive annual report on the outreach of microfinance to the poor and very poor.

WHO:       Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Grameen Bank Founder Muhammad Yunus*

U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer

Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation Soraya Rodriguez

Author of the State of the Microcredit Summit Campaign Report 2011 Larry Reed

Microcredit Summit Campaign Director Sam Daley-Harris (Moderator)

WHEN:       Monday, March 7, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET (3:00 PM GMT)

WHERE:       National Press Club, Murrow Room

529 14th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20045

Metro Center

Panelists will also discuss the Global Microcredit Summit to be held November 14-17, 2011 in Valladolid, Spain.  The Summit is being designed to allow more than 2000 delegates from over 100 countries to address the major challenges to the field and their solutions.

For more information, or for an embargoed copy of the report, Jeanne Gessa, W 202-637-9600 ex. 122/M 347-277-3281, gessa@microcreditsummit.org

*Note: Prof. Yunus has planned to speak at this news conference for months, and as of 3-2-11 this was still the plan.  However, given changing circumstances in Bangladesh, he might be required to participate by video conference.

Report author, Larry Reed, Campaign Director, Sam Daley-Harris, and Grameen Foundation President, Alex Counts, will be available for interviews.

www.microcreditsummit.org

SOURCE Microcredit Summit Campaign