YouthNet blog
An insight into youth issues, volunteering trends, charity life and more from the UK charity YouthNet
All | Events | Youth | Technology | Volunteering | YouthNet | Charity World
Monday Feb 27, 2006
Google to save the earth with Infectious Disease Early Warning System
Dr Larry Brilliant (surely one of the best names ever), newly appointed Executive Director of Google's philanthropic arm, has won a $100,000 prize from the Technology, Entertainment and Design group (an invitation only community packed full of tech and media celebs like Peter Gabriel and Co-Founder of Google, Larry Page).As well as the cash prize, the group also awards the prize winner with one "wish" that the group must commit to fulfil.
Dr Brilliant's wish is to set up an internet based global early-detection and early-response system for infectious diseases, and he plans to gather support from other companies and foundations like the Bill Gates Foundation to make it happen. Last year Bono was one of the winners - his wish was to publicise his campaign to stamp out poverty in Africa and to set up a text-messaging system to pressure leaders of the G8 summit into dedicating money to Africa (he must have been granted an extra wish for being Bono).
I'm sure Dr Brilliant's plan will serve an excellent purpose and will no doubt be delivered using the best available technology, with the best available brains working behind it. He is also perfectly placed to work on a system like this, with a background in both infectious disease and technology.
However, I can't help but feel there's something slightly wrong with celebs and industry leaders granting 'wishes' to other celebs and industry leaders via an invitation only group - the problems they're trying to tackle are hugely complex and existing NGO's and non-profits have been dealing with them on a daily basis for many years. Maybe they'd be better off granting wishes to organisations on the ground - or maybe those that don't have a celebrity behind them just aren't part of the club?.. Posted by Sam Thomas ( 10:56 AM ) Link to this post Comments[1]
Post a Comment:
But I don't agree. The people who work for these NGOs along with academics who have committed their lives to working on issues WILL know more than an aged musician or tech millionaire. The celebs' hearts might be int he right place but they should play a support role, not lead.
Posted by Dom Waghorn on February 27, 2006 at 11:40 AM GMT+00:00 #