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RUSSELL SIMMONS, DR. BENJAMIN CHAVIS, D. ANTHONY "CHIP" LUMAR AND MR. GARY FOSTER NAMED UNITED NATIONS GOODWILL AMBASSADORS IN CEREMONY TO BE PERFORMED JULY 25

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MEDIA ALERT

RUSSELL SIMMONS, DR. BENJAMIN CHAVIS, D. ANTHONY "CHIP" LUMAR AND MR. GARY FOSTER NAMED UNITED NATIONS GOODWILL AMBASSADORS IN CEREMONY TO BE PERFORMED JULY 25

WHO: Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) Chairman Russell Simmons; Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President/CEO of HSAN; D. Anthony "Chip" Lumar, Managing Partner, Pinnacle International Partners, Inc.; Mr. Gary Foster, Chairman, Upliftment Jamaica; H.R.H. Ms. Luna Al-Husseini Abu Khadra and Ms. Meera T. Gandhi.

WHAT: Ceremony to induct Russell Simmons, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, D. Anthony "Chip" Lumar, Mr. Gary Foster and others as CISRI-ISP Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors.

WHERE: UNCA Club room, United Nations Secretary Building, Headquarters, 3rd floor, (enter through visitors entrance, 1st Avenue at 46th street)

WHEN: Tuesday, July 25, 2006; 11 a.m. EST

WHY: To launch an awareness campaign utilizing hip-hop as a vehicle to address the problems of war, poverty and HIV/AIDS, in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals as well as the CISRI-ISP fight against severe poverty and malnutrition.

COMMENTS:

Russell Simmons — "The underlying goal of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network is to end poverty and ignorance. Our appointments to become United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors to end Poverty and Malnutrition will significantly enhance HSAN's global reach to further fulfill our mission. We're going to help save lives. We will not be silenced in the face of the awful fact that more than 40,000 people die every day from malnutrition and poverty. That is unacceptable to the hip-hop community."

Dr. Benjamin Chavis — "This is a great opportunity to expand the effectiveness of our work, both domestically and internationally. Hip-hop culture is global and, as we strive to take back responsibility, the life saving issues of ending poverty and malnutrition are most urgent. The proper distribution of the perfect food spirulina can save thousands of lives per day. Our job is to wake more people up to this reality. Being a Goodwill Ambassador is not just ceremonial. We're rolling up our sleeves and look forward to working with the United Nations on these issues."

D. Anthony "Chip" Lumar — "My expertise and experience as an international entrepreneur makes me welcome the opportunity to accept the appointment as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. The business sector, joined together with the genius of hip-hop culture, is a formula that will help enhance fulfilling the goals of the United Nations to end poverty and malnutrition."

Mr. Gary Foster — "In my native Jamaica, as well as throughout the Caribbean and other parts of the developing world, the struggle to overcome poverty and malnutrition is vital toward improving the quality of life of millions of people. As United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors, we will work together on projects like providing access to spirulina to the malnourished and access to water through the Oil For Water project."

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