CNN founder and noted philanthropist Ted Turner donated an additional $25 million to the United Nations on Wednesday, providing a majority of financing for 18 upcoming UN projects. Turner, who in 1997 pledged $1 billion to the peace keeping institution, is the largest single benefactor of the UN, an organisation he feels is largely underfunded.
The UN operates on $2 billion a year – a figure which hasn’t increased in several years – “far less than the New York City police department”, says Turner. “That’s bad and that’s wrong. I think the United Nations should have a growing budget.”
With his $1 billion contribution – due to be paid out over ten years – Turner established the United Nations Foundation which focuses on environmental concerns, children’s health and human rights issues, among other hot topics. “A billion dollars is a lot more than you can spend intelligently, so why not spend it for children dying of preventable diseases?” he said at the time of the landmark contribution.
The media mogul believes the US government should provide more money to address global issues – many of which, he believes, contribute to worldwide violence. “A great deal of this terrorism around the world comes from helpless, hopeless people. We’ve got to start thinking about them,” he said this week. “We’re very concerned, as are leaders all over the world… about the growing gap between rich and poor. It’s a very destabilizing situation.
“There are a lot of angry people who don’t have hope out there… so much so that they’re willing to commit suicide just to hurt the wealthy countries.”
According to Turner, “only one tenth of of one per cent of US donations goes to overseas causes”.
On Wednesday the United Nations Foundation committed $35 million in grants on Wednesday to a series of projects, including a programme in aid of migrant workers suffering from AIDS in Central America and a plan to support Afghan refugee women.
On December 10, Ted Turner will be among the first-ever recipients of the Andrew Carnegie Medals Of Philanthropy. The awards, which also singled out Microsoft guru Bill Gates, will be presented at a luncheon in the New York Public Library.
For more information on Ted Turner's philanthropy check out our special, Cause Celeb.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
