VIP's attending the event included: Sting, composer, singer, author, actor, activist; Trudie Styler, actress, film producer, director, human rights activist, environmentalist and UNICEF Ambassador; Noella Coursaris Musunkam, model/entrepreneur, founder of The Georges Malaika Foundation; Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now; Jessye Norman, internationally acclaimed opera star; Joe Berlinger, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker; Cara Buono, Emmy® nominated actress, Mad Men; Cheyenne Jackson, actor, singer and song writer; Eric Goode, entrepreneur, conservationist; Mike Woods, meteorologist & reporter, Good Day New York;  Tim Morehouse, Olympic fencing silver medalist; Rachael Kun, associate producer, 60 Minutes & CBS Evening News; Ubah Hassan, model/entrepreneur/activist; Loreen Arbus, philanthropist, producer, founder & chair, Women Who Care; Faith Hope Consolo, chairman, Douglas Elliman Real Estate; Roxanne Mankin Cason, chair and chief executive officer, Cason Family Foundation; Nicole Sexton, philanthropist & author |  board member, FEED Project; Stacey Tisdale, TV financial journalist, PBS? Need to Know & founder, Winning Play$; Wendy Diamond, correspondent, The Today Show; Richard Ziegelasch, director, Credit Suisse; Richard O' Leary, executive vice president, McCann Worldgroup; Christopher Laul, senior principal, HOK; Tom Polucci, senior principal, HOK; Justin Brown, CEO, FGX;  Lori Sokol, The Huffington Post & publisher, Work Life Matters; Victoria Milne creative director, Department of Design and Construction; Alfredo De Diego Arozamena, senior director at Standard and Poor's; Marie Wilson, founder and president of The White House Project & former president of the Ms. Foundation for Women.

In 1989, Sting and his wife Trudie Styler founded the Rainforest Fund, an organization devoted to protecting rainforests and their indigenous peoples. 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.

"More than one billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. Addressing this basic human need lies at the heart of alleviating poverty, eradicating disease and reducing child mortality," said Rainforest Fund co-founder Trudie Styler in her acceptance speech at the event. "The indigenous people of the world's rainforests are the guardians of an essential life support system for our world. They are the first and last line of defense against the ravages of short-term exploitation of resources and wealth-pursuing companies."

"The consequences of climate change affect countries worldwide at a different level,? says State Secretary Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz, of Germany?s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. "Especially poorer countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia will suffer from droughts, extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels. Droughts and the access to drinking water already lead to tensions among countries. Therefore, successfully adapting to climate change is also a question of peace."

"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 industrialized societies. That is the tremendous achievement of the Fund's founders Sting and Trudie Styler," adds State Secretary Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz. "Moving forward, the BMZ is going to be supporting and cooperating with the Rainforest Fund too, because we share the same goals."

"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's focus was 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."

Joe Berlinger, the Academy Award®-nominated documentary filmmaker and Green-Oscar-winner for Crude, in which Trudie Styler appeared, presented the Green Oscar to Sting and Trudie Styler. "Trudie and Sting have used their platform as artists to really make a difference in many parts of our world and for many indigenous peoples," Berlinger told the audience. "The centerpiece of their human rights and environmental efforts is the Rainforest Fund, an organization they began in 1989 that is 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." 

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:

Ten years ago, following the tragedy of the 9-11 attacks, Cinema for Peace launched a worldwide initiative, promoting humanity through film, at the first Charity Gala Night held during the Berlin International Film Festival.

Founded by event producer Jaka Bizilj, Cinema for Peace brings together internationally known artists and global personalities from the world of film, media, politics, business and philanthropy, while celebrating the power of the moving image and its ability to unite cultures. The organization has created a powerful international platform for peace and tolerance and its inspirational events demonstrate the power of film to initiate important projects and provide a space for the free exchange of ideas. Cinema for Peace itself distributes, as well as produces, valuable movies with humanitarian messages. Additionally, the effects of the Cinema
for Peace galas continue to reach hundred millions around the globe, possibly making it one of the most relevant film events in
the world.

Previous hosts, chairs and speakers at the Cinema for Peace galas have included Leonardo DiCaprio, President Mikhail Gorbachev, Richard Gere, Buzz Aldrin, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Antonio Banderas, Sharon Stone, Catherine Deneuve, Forest Whitaker, Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Robert de Niro, Uma Thurman, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Sir Bob Geldof described the awards gala as "the Oscars with brains." Many gala guests have been moved to action from the presentations and speeches given at these events. George Clooney has gone as far as to credit the Cinema for Peace initiative for
inspiring his Oscar-nominated film Good Night and Good Luck.

In 2008, the Cinema for Peace Foundation was started in Berlin to further develop the goals and activities established by the annual Cinema for Peace Galas and events. An additional branch was created in Sarajevo in 2011 in order to develop the Genocide Film Library Bosnia. As part of the 10th anniversary strategic planning, the Cinema for Peace Foundation USA, a separate nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, was formed on 9-11-12 and is based in Los Angeles. www.cinemaforpeace-foundation.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
2011: "A Message From Pandora" and James Cameron
2011: "Harmony" and Julie Bergman Sender, Stuart Sender
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