Blue Ribbon Campaign and Inspiration Spreads Globally to End Malaria

Stone Mountain, GA, November 20, 2006 --(PR.com)-- Have you seen them yet?  Blue Ribbons are making their way around the world, literally homeward bound to dozens of countries worldwide. Launched this past week by the Malaria Foundation International (MFI) as a universal symbol in the fight against malaria, Blue Ribbons with the message End Malaria are helping to ignite a sense of unity among individuals, organizations and global partnerships aiming to research and control malaria.

Malaria kills 3,000 people each day, mostly children. Business leaders and community groups are called to action. This is no longer a silent disease. “We are gaining momentum, and no one will want to be left out. Everyone counts who is suffering from this disease, and everyone counts who can help rid the world of this scourge”, said Dr. Mary Galinski, Founder and President of the Malaria Foundation International (MFI) and a Professor of Medicine and Global Health at Emory University, Atlanta GA.

The Malaria Foundation International officially launched the Blue Ribbon Campaign in Atlanta at the 55th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, held from November 12-16, 2006 at the Marriott Marquis, with the distribution of inaugural Blue Ribbons to all participants. Participants included scientists, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, insecticide treated net distributors, and educators. Over 4,000 ribbons were distributed by a team of Emory University student and faculty volunteers and by the end of the meeting the majority of participants were displaying a ribbon in their conference name badges.

The MFI’s 2006 Blue Ribbon Campaign launch will continue at the second annual Malaria Business Leadership Conference (MBLC) to be held at Emory University’s Law School on December 5, 2006 with the theme “Inspiring the World”, and then in Washington DC at the time of the December 14, 2006 Malaria Summit being organized by the White House. The Ribbons will also be presented at the “We Want No More Malaria in Liberia” campaign taking place from December 14-19, 2006 in Monrovia, Liberia.

Further information including photos from last week’s Blue Ribbon Campaign launch to End Malaria will be posted at the MFI Website, www.malaria.org.

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