FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A Panel Discussion sponsored by The Light Millennium
Website: http://www.lightmillennium.org
Email: info@lightmillennium.org
Date: August 6, 2014
Pdf
The Light Millennium will present a panel at the
65th Annual UN/NGO Conference
The Light Millennium (LM) is proud to announce its participation to the upcoming 65th Annual United Nations Department of Public Information’s Conference (UN-DPI/NGO) (August 27-29, 2014) at the UN Head Quarters in New York City. The conference’s overarching title is:
“2015 and Beyond: Our Action Agenda: The Role of civil society in the post-2015 development agenda.“
The organization will lead a workshop/panel titled “A Quest to Fulfill Hunger of the Body and Mind Post-2015: Is Genetically Modified Food A Solution?” at the UN’s Trusteeship Council(*) (UN’s Conference building – 3rd floor) on Thursday, August 28, 2014 11:45 – 13:00pm. This workshop (panel with an interactive session) is co-sponsored by Advancing Eco Agriculture, and Stirring the Pot Productions
The panel will explore whether Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are a solution towards eradicating world hunger, especially in the context of the secrecy that surrounds them. Their proprietary nature, the ineffectiveness of mainstream media, private sector influence, are some of the factors that work against full transparency. The panel will benefit from a diversity of voices, from diplomat to nutritionist to scientists, including one who has found a way to increase yield by reverting to and building upon less toxic tools. As far as we are aware, this topic is being raised for the first time in the UN DPI/NGO forum!
The LM is greatly honored to feature the following esteemed panelists within the context of the aforementioned 65th Annual UN-DPI/NGO Conference:
H.E. Mr. Carlos Garcia, Founder & CEO, CG Global Consultant and former Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations; Michael K. Hansen, Ph.D., Senior Scientist with Consumers Union; John Kempf, founder and CEO of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA); Stefanie Sacks, MS, CNS, CDN, Culinary Nutritionist, author of What the Fork Are You Eating? (Tarcher/Penguin, Jan 2015), host of Stirring the Pot radio; Bircan Ünver, Founding President of The Light Millennium; and Permanent Representative to the UN; and Deborah Carlin, youth representative, Muhlenberg College and The Horticultural Society of New York.
Moderator Julie Mardin, Artist-Activist, is also the content coordinator of the LM’s current web issue with its companion dedication theme, now calling for submissions on the topic from all walks of life.
She and the LM will also present a panel exhibition, under the same title, which will run for the duration of the conference on the 1st Floor of the main conference building of the UN. The exhibit will feature works from a series on wrapped fruit, a takeoff on the traditional still life form, that likewise aims to illustrate the sense of secrecy and censorship that this technology has introduced into our food system, health and environment.
Within the context and goals of the 65th Annual DPI/NGO Conference and the current dedication theme (issue#30) of the organization, each of the panelists will attempt to answer all or part of the following baseline questions:
∞ How would you measure the performance of genetically modified foods over the past 20 years?
∞ What alternative solutions do you see to eradicating world hunger?
∞ What are the primary changes you would advocate to how genetically modified foods are handled now?
∞ What effect does biotechnology and intellectual property rights have on our right to
Freedom of Expression and Information?
∞ What would be your global action plan to promote these solutions, imagining a partnership
that could span the world, but especially involve the youth, as they will be the ones who will be in charge of the Post 2015 agenda? |
The workshop, single panel exhibition along with the LM’s GMO-themed website are all part of the organization’s efforts to create awareness, and remove some of the secrecy surrounding genetically modified foods, and to raise the possibilities of change for a more healthful food system paradigm.
About the leading organization: The Light Millennium (officially formed in NYS in 2001), a
non-governmental, non-religious public benefit multi-media and culture organization associated with the UN/DPI (2005) has been facilitating the free exchange of information and experiences for over fifteen years. For the Mission of the organization, please click on here.
Conceived and Directed by: Bircan Ünver, The Light Millennium and Julie Mardin, Julie Mardin Photography
How to attend? You must register through The Light Millennium organization.
Current deadline: August 13. However, as capacity is filling up, please email
info@lightmillennium.org ASAP so that we can send you the required information sheet.
[*] Venue: subject to change, check on the day at the UN premises.
For more information please contact: Bircan Ünver and Julie Mardin
Email: info@lightmillennium.org - Tel: 718-441-3816 – 917-653-3618
Website: http://www.lightmillennium.org
For more information on the Co-sponsoring organizations:
Advancing Eco Agriculture
Stirring the Pot Productions
As Pdf
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE: Co-Chairs of the Workshop Sub-Committee of the 65th UN DPI/NGO Conference
For the Full List and Schedule of the WORKSHOPS
Conference's page on the Lightmillennium.Org
