Presidential Fellows Lecture by Peter D. Bell, President and CEO, CARE USA Connection Speed:    : Presidential Fellows Lecture Series : 4/4/2005 : 00:56:25    : English / : World :  Economic Development  Poverty  Globalization : Peter Bell James Wolfensohn | Related Material | Recommendations |Related B-SPAN Videos |    On April 4, 2005 President and CEO of CARE USA, Peter Bell, delivered a lecture entitled “My Decade at CARE: A Journey of Challenge and Change” at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC. The event was part of the World Bank’s Presidential Fellows Lecture Series. World Bank President James Wolfensohn provided introductory remarks, noting the similarities in the history and current operational objectives of the two organizations and the importance of establishing an open exchange of ideas between the World Bank and CARE. Reinforcing this point, Wolfensohn introduced Bell as a “mentor” to the Bank. Bell’s remarks focused on the transformation of CARE USA from a “technical and apolitical” organization into a rights-based organization that emphasizes the inherent link between human rights and poverty reduction. Bell noted that CARE USA is no longer solely focused on treating the symptoms of poverty; it is committed to eradicating extreme poverty from its roots by targeting underlying causes such as gender inequality, social exclusion and failing systems of governance. Additionally, he commented that the organization no longer emphasizes institutional growth or increased funding levels as a measure of success, but rather more values-driven indicators that measure the impact of projects on poverty reduction. A discussion period followed the presentation. During the discussion, Bell commended the World Bank for its transformation under the tenure of President Wolfensohn, including its willingness to address previously taboo topics such as corruption and social accountability, and its efforts to engage with civil society and non-governmental organizations.  RELATED MATERIALS   Related World Bank and Other Links: CARE USA Related B-SPAN Events: Presidential Fellows Lecture Series RELATED B-SPAN EVENTS Economic Development (420) Poverty (266) Globalization (71)