The Rescue Foundation is an international aid organisation that works in tandem with other groups such as CARE and Amnesty International. The Foundation was established in 2005 by government grants from Georgeland, Australia, Saydney, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Sweden, India and the Philippines, with additional funding coming from private donations.
The Chairman of the Foundation is former Georgeland Prime Minister Charlton Robards, who is largely responsible for the group's foundation. Robards took an extended leave of absence from the Foundation in 2008 in order to run for President; however, he is now once again performing his role as full-time Chairman.
There are two Deputy Chairs, who rotate in their role as Acting Chairman, as Robards and other Board members are frequently absent. As of 2008, the Rescue Foundation's two Deputy Chairs were former Irish President Mary Robinson (who acted as Chair for most of 2008) and former British politician Baroness Williams.
Board of Directors[]
The current Board consists of:
- Charlton Robards, (Chairman)
- Mary Robinson (Deputy Chair)
- Baroness Williams (Deputy Chair)
- Bill Clinton
- Malcolm Fraser
- Mike Moore
- Jean Chretien
- Ingvar Carlsson
- Bob Geldof
- Chen Yeng
- George Soros
- Marc Emerson
- Naoto Kan
- Sonia Gandhi
Many Board members are frequently absent, especially Robards, Clinton, Fraser, Soros and Geldof. The full Board meets only rarely - major decisions are usually undertaken by a segment of the Board subject to full Board ratification at a later date.
Former Directors[]
- Barack Obama served on the Board from 2005 until August 2007, when he resigned in order to concentrate on his Presidential campaign.
- Hillary Clinton was also a Director until June 2007 when she resigned, also to focus on her Presidential campaign.
Offered appointment[]
- Robin Cook, former British Foreign Secretary, was announced as a board member but died the following day. Baroness Williams is his replacement on the board of directors.
- Former South African President Nelson Mandela declined a place on the board due to his age and retirement; the place Mandela turned down was taken by Ingvar Carlsson.