The United Nations Hosted A Press Conference On Fashion 4 Development (F4D) Thursday, June 28, 2012

NEW YORK, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fashion 4 Development (F4D), a global platform that works to advance the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, presented new developments for the UN Secretary-General-led initiative Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) at a Round Table Discussion and Press Conference at the United Nations, with the support of the Mission of Italy to the UN, on June 28th. 

The Round Table Discussion and Press Conference was led by H.E. Ambassador Cesare Ragaglini, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Planning, UN, Ray Chambers, MDG Advocate and Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria, Evie Evangelou, Co-founder and Global Chair of F4D, and Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia and Goodwill Ambassador for F4D.

The discussion expounded on the synergies between private sector engagement, particularly within the fashion industry and the UN.  Sozzani presented and discussed the groundbreaking May/June 2012 issue of L'Uomo Vogue, which was dedicated to the topic of Rebranding Africa, and which featured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the cover. Ki-moon launched Every Woman Every Child in 2010.

New commitments to F4D and EWEC were announced by Janice Sullivan, CEO of EDUN; Ruth deGolia, Executive Director of Mercado Global; Karen Giberson, president of The Accessories Council; Alejandra Cicognani for Illaria Venturini Fendi, president of Carmina Campus; Mimi Crume, VP of Global Communications for Assouline Publishing; Esther Tavor, Co-founder of Frenchway Travel; Alexandra Taylor of the Alexandra Taylor Collection; Voguevert.com; and Fashion Designers Without Borders.

Evangelou announced that the 2nd Annual First Ladies Luncheon, F4D's premiere awareness event, will take place this year on September 25th at the Pierre Hotel in NYC. Evangelou named H.E. Toyin Saraki, and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway as co-hosts of the First Ladies Luncheon, in addition to co-host Franca Sozzani, who was named Goodwill Ambassador for F4D by Evie Evangelou on September 19th, 2011 during the inaugural First Ladies Luncheon. 

Evangelou and Sozzani presented the organization's new initiatives and partnerships, including:

• World Fashion Development Programme's (WFDP) Giving Back Bazaar series in Asia, to be led by Kija Chung, Vice Chair of WFDP
• Beauty 4 Empowerment, an initiative to be led by Dr. Shirley Madhere
• F4D Founding Women's Circle, a select group of forward-thinking women led by Cassandra Seidenfeld
• F4D's partnership with Sustainia to launch the Sustainia Fashion Shoppe
• Yoox.com's distribution deal for African designers
• F4D's partnership with Pinko retail locations to showcase young designer talent
• F4D's partnership with Fcubed to bring clean water to Africa

Evangelou completed the conference by reminding fashion leaders and the media alike that the mission of F4D is to harness the power of the fashion industry and implement creative strategies for sustainable economic growth and independence for communities worldwide through the expression of fashion.

As the co-founder and visionary of F4D, Evie Evangelou, a spokesperson, entrepreneur, philanthropist, international relations expert and multimedia journalist, explained that the global platform does, however, go beyond fashion and seeks to unite diplomacy, media, business and the creative industries to enact sustainable change.  Utilizing fashion as a platform, F4D has successfully united organizations and people alike to create awareness and improve the livelihood of societies at a large, in close cooperation with the Office of the United Nations' Secretary-General Ben Ki-moon since its inception two years ago. The F4D brand, which is currently in development, holds the potential to become a fixture in fashion and socially conscious communities alike worldwide.

To learn more about Fashion 4 Development, please visit www.fashion-4-development.com.

CONTACT: Malisa Meresman, +1-212-580-0835

SOURCE Fashion 4 Development