November 21, 2005 == MEDIA ADVISORY
When Dr. Peter Okaalet was recognized as one of 10 Global Health Heroes during
the recent TIME Magazine Global Health Summit (held in early November in New
York City), his son Emmanuel, a Calvin College sophomore, was there.
Peter Okaalet was honored for pioneering a more redemptive response to the
HIV/AIDS epidemic among Christian leaders in an African continent devoured by
the disease.
As Africa director for MAP International, Okaalet has created seminars, a
curriculum, even master's degree programs to enlist pastors and church workers
as compassionate activists against the disease.
The three-day summit at which he was honored featured sessions on avian flu,
malaria, HIV/AIDS and clean water. Speakers included Bill Gates, Bill Clinton,
Bono, Paul Farmer and Kofi Annan.
"Movers and shakers in the world," says Emmanuel Okaalet.
He notes that the president and CEO of PBS was there and she suggested that
there should be more programming focused on the goals the summit set.
"She suggested that every year we have something in the media, on television
to show people where the situation is with relation to those goals and
deadlines," he says.
It's a prospect that appeals to Emmanuel, who is majoring in communication
arts and sciences and hopes someday to perhaps produce documentaries.
"I think it would be good to portray hope," he says. "There are problems, but
there are people who are working to help make the situation better."
Meanwhile, he is reveling in the joy of becoming a communicator.
"I want to try out everything that's there," he says. "Try out film, try out
broadcast, try out documentaries and sports and TV programs."
Emmanuel Okaalet says his dad was impelled into his current work by the words
of a friend who lay dying of AIDS.
Okaalet's quest to redefine his attitude to HIV/AIDS brought his entire family
from Uganda, where he was practicing physician, to Nairobi, Kenya where he
earned degrees in divinity and theology.
For the full story see
http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2005_06/okaalet.htm
For a photo of Emmanuel see
http://www.calvin.edu/news/photos/students/okaalet.jpg
-end-
Received on Mon Nov 21 22:15:16 2005
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