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New York, New
York –
On the occasion of the UN General Assembly, composer,
singer, author, actor, and activist Sting and
Trudie Styler, actress, film producer, director, human
rights activist, environmentalist and UNICEF Ambassador,
will be honored for their worldwide environmental work on
Tuesday, September 25 at The Harvard Club in New York
City by the Cinema for Peace Foundation and the
BMZ, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development.
Last year,
Cinema for Peace New York introduced the Universal Human
Rights Logo, and this year, an evening on Climate Change and
Development. During the program Germany’
s Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will
present support for the Rainforest Fund and the
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.
In 1989,
Sting and his wife Trudie Styler started the Rainforest
Fund, an organization devoted to protecting rainforests and
their indigenous peoples in South America, Africa and Asia.
To date they have raised more than $30 million for the cause
and have expanded to a network of interconnected
organizations working in more than 20 countries.
“The
mission of the Rainforest Fund is to protect the rainforest
and the rights of indigenous peoples. Through its work the
Fund has played a decisive role in improving the concrete
living conditions of many people – and it has made these
topics part of the mainstream in industrialised societies.
That is the tremendous achievement of the Fund’s founders
Sting and Trudie Styler,” says State Secretary Hans-Jürgen
Beerfeltz, of Germany’s Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“Moving forward, the BMZ is going to be supporting and
cooperating with the Rainforest Fund too, because we share
the same goals.”
Previous
Cinema for Peace Award recipients include Angelina Jolie,
George Clooney and Sean Penn.
The host for
Cinema for Peace New York will be Amy Goodman, Host &
Executive Producer of the award winning news show
Democracy Now.
“Last year
Cinema for Peace introduced on this occasion the Universal
Human Rights Logo with the help of such wonderful supporters
as Aung San Suu Kyi and Robert de Niro,” says
Jaka Bizilj, Founder of Cinema for Peace.
“This year the focus is on climate change, sustainable
development, and how artists may inspire others to create a
climate of change.”
“The fight
against Climate Change become one of the world’s greatest
challenges,” adds Bizilj. “The United Nations has called for
an 100-billion- annual fund for Climate protection and the
seat will be selected this year.”
In
2009, Cinema for Peace introduced the Green Oscar together
with President Mikhail Gorbachev and Leonardo DiCaprio
to honor inspiring achievement of a film artist in the
domains of environment and climate protection.
About Sting:
Composer,
singer, author, actor, activist - Sting was born in
Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form
The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band
released five albums, earned six Grammy awards, and in 2003
was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since
1985, Sting has released 13 solo albums; most recently,
25 Years, the definitive box set collection
commemorating the 25th anniversary of his solo career. He
has sold nearly 100 million albums from his combined work
with the Police and as a solo artist and has earned an
additional 10 Grammy awards, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and
three Oscar nominations. He has appeared in more than 15
films and as an accomplished author, his memoir, Broken
Music, spent 13 weeks on the New York Times Best
Sellers list. Sting’s support for human rights
organizations, such as Amnesty International and the
Rainforest Fund, mirrors his art in universal outreach.
Along with his wife Trudie Styler, he founded the Rainforest
Fund in 1989 to protect both the world’s rainforests and the
indigenous people living there. Since its inception, the
fund has diversified and expanded to a network of
interconnected organizations working in more than 20
countries.
About Trudie
Styler:
Trudie Styler
is an actress, film producer, director, human rights
activist, environmentalist and UNICEF Ambassador. In 1989,
Trudie and her husband Sting founded the Rainforest Fund,
and over the last 23 years they've raised over $30 million
to protect and support rainforest communities in 20
countries over 3 continents. In May 2011, Trudie and partner
Celine Rattray founded Maven Pictures, a New York-based film
development, production and financing company. She also has
a successful series of fitness DVDs released by Gaiam.
About Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz:
Hans-Jürgen
Beerfeltz learned the fundamentals of development policy
when working for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, his first
job after graduating from Hamburg University.
He conducted visiting and
training programs in Central and South America as part of
international civic education within the remit of the
Federal Ministry of the Interior.
As
Vice-President of the Federal Agency for Civic Education,
Mr. Beerfeltz was responsible for, amongst other things,
reconciliation with the Jewish people and, in particular,
programs for journalists visiting Israel. During his time as
federal party manager of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), he
accepted additional assignments as a development consultant
in the fields of local government, NGO professionalization
and promotion of democracy.
In addition, Mr. Beerfeltz
undertook more than 100 international assignments for a wide
variety of agencies, with the main focus on Central and
South America and Southeast Asia.
In October
2009 he was assigned
State Secretary of the
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
About Cinema
for Peace:
Since 2002
Cinema for Peace has been a worldwide initiative, promoting
humanity through film while inviting members of the
international film community to attend the annual Cinema for
Peace Award-Gala-Night during the Berlin International Film
Festival. Showcasing cinematic work which highlights the
human condition and human values, we have created a platform
for peace and tolerance. During the evening’s proceedings at
the Konzerthaus, while film clip from exemplary works are
screened, directors and producers are celebrated with the
Cinema for Peace Award for commendable works.
Cinema for
Peace brings together international star guests and global
personalities from the world of film, media, politics,
business and society, while celebrating the power of the
moving image and its ability to unite cultures. This
prestigious event is a symbol of peace, freedom and
tolerance, a symbol with a lasting effect on the world of
film and media, initiating important projects and the free
exchange of ideas. Cinema for Peace itself distributes, well
as produces, valuable movies with inspiring messages.
The aim of
Cinema for Peace is to promote peace and international
understanding through the medium of film. Since its
foundation in 2002 Cinema for Peace has invited members of
the international film community to a gala night which
highlights a selection of cinematic work in order to create
a platform for peace and tolerance, while also raising
significant funds for charity. During the course of the
gala, an award is presented to a director whose work has
served to cast a new focus on the human condition and human
values, and excerpts are screened from movies that make a
difference. The influence of the Cinema for Peace Gala
extends far beyond the events of just one night.
War,
terrorism and humanitarian catastrophes are sad realities in
many parts of the world. But artists can make a difference
to the state of the world, and film and filmmakers should,
perhaps more than any other art form, make a stand for peace
and humanity.
www.cinemaforpeace.com
“THE INTERNATIONAL GREEN FILM AWARD”- A GREEN OSCAR
“The
International Green Film Award” pays tribute to an
extraordinarily inspiring achievement of a film artist in
the domains of environment and climate protection. This
particular achievement may go far beyond the world of film,
thus motivation the pubic to develop their own commitments
to protect natural resources based on the general
understanding of the interconnectedness of all life on
earth. Patron and spiritual father of this award is
President Mikhail Gorbachev.
In 2009 the
first “International Green Film Award” was presented to
Leonardo DiCaprio for his long-lasting dedication to green
issues, as well as for his film “The 11th Hour”. Since then,
“The International Green Film Award” presented at our annual
gala has gone on to award members of the film community for
outstanding achievements in and dedication to raising
awareness for green issues.
The past
laureates of the Cinema for Peace International Green Film
Award:
2012:
“Burning in the Sun” and Dr. Richard Komp
2011: “Jane’s
Journey” and Jane Goodall
2010: “Crude” and Joe Berlinger
About the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development:
The German
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
is responsible for formulating the principles and strategies
of German development policy. These then form the basis of
the cooperation projects and programs developed together
with our cooperation countries and with international
organizations. The Ministry plays an active role in
international negotiations and in cooperation countries.
Within Germany, the BMZ supports the general public,
non-governmental organizations, churches, foundations and
businesses in their efforts in the development field.
About the
Rainforest Fund:
The Rainforest Fund is a
charitable foundation that fulfills its mission to protect
and support indigenous peoples, and traditional populations
of the rainforest in their efforts to protect their
environment and fulfill their rights. The Rainforest Fund is
convinced that accepted environmental and human rights
principles embody the right of everyone to a secure, healthy
and ecologically sound environment, and that environmental
degradation leads to human rights violations such as the
right to life, health and culture. Bearing in mind the
universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all
human rights, the Fund carries out its mission by funding
programs and projects aimed at supporting indigenous peoples
and traditional populations of the rainforest to assert and
defend their rights, to promote a sustainable development of
their communities, and to challenge government practices
which have a damaging effect on their environment.
http://www.rainforestfund.org/
About the
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation:
Dedicated to
People, Animals and the Planet.
Established in 1998 by Leonardo and his family, the
Foundation supports efforts to secure a sustainable future
for our planet and all of its inhabitants. The
Foundation works on a variety of environmental and
humanitarian issues including Wildlife Protection, Forest
Preservation, Healthy Oceans, Water Access, Renewable
Energy, Disaster Relief and Climate Change. LDF works
towards this goal by: providing grants to select
organizations and projects in the field; building
partnerships with select organizations; spearheading
creative campaigns and media pieces that shift the way
issues are communicated to the public; utilizing social
media for the causes we care about; and forming alliances
with other influencers to effect change.
www.leonardodicaprio.com |