​Following its successful involvement in the Sailing the Nile Program, leading regional investment bank EFG Hermes, and the EFG Hermes Foundation, are looking to build upon the messages developed during the initiative. Established with the goal of spreading awareness of the 8 Millennium Goals (MDG), announced at the United Nations Millennium Summit 2000, the Sailing the Nile initiative educates citizens of Egypt about the importance of the Goals and what they can do to achieve them. Through the Sailing the Nile initiative – a collaboration between the United Nations Development Program, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the Youth Association for Population and Development – eight feluccas, each representing one of the MDG’s, sailed from Aswan to Cairo over 45 days beginning October 17, stopping at Aswan, Luxor, Qena, Souhag, Assiut, Minya, Beni Suef and Cairo. During the stops, workshops, seminars and events were held to build understanding of the MDGs, which are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/Malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development. 'Understanding the importance of achieving the goals is only part of the process,' says EFG Hermes Foundation CEO Hanaa Helmy. 'What we hope is that citizens will now become involved in activities that promote the principles behind the MDGs, and in so doing encourage others to follow suit.' She added, 'the MDGs emphasize the basic rights of each of us and by traveling through the governorates of Egypt, Sailing the Nile ensures that the message of the MDGs reaches citizens of all ages and standards of living. The EFG Hermes Foundation, which was established in 2006, features as one of its main priorities the reduction of poverty throughout Egypt – a key element of the MDGs. 'The Foundation, since its inception, has provided funding to more than 10 projects, all of which aim to reduce poverty through various means,' adds Helmy. 'These projects work hand-in-hand with the MDGs – it is projects such as these that will continue to benefit the general population.'