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NEWS RELEASE
June 29, 2007
CONTACT:
Phone: (202) 530-1000
Fax: (202) 530-1080
E-mail: media@icaf.org
Url: www.icaf.org
CHILDREN FROM AROUND THE WORLD CREATE MASTERPIECES FOR WORLD LEADERS
INCLUDING MANDELA, BUSH AND GATES
The most creative children from around the world gathered in Washington,
DC on June 23-25, 2007 to create spectacular artwork for global leaders,
including David Beckham, Jeffrey Bezos, President and Mrs. Bush, Bill
Gates, Herbert Hainer, Robert A. Iger, Jeff Immelt, Steve Jobs, Nelson
Mandela, Sheikha Mozah Al Missned, Pierre Omidyar, Larry Page, Prince
Alwaleed bin Talal and Jerry Yang.
This was part of the World Children’s Festival, a three-day celebration
on the National Mall that marked the tenth anniversary of the International
Child Art Foundation (ICAF). Approximately 10,000 people attended, making
it the largest celebration of children’s creativity and imagination
in the world.
Highlights of the Festival included:
· First exhibition of the Third Arts Olympiad winners: Winning
artwork by children on the theme My Favorite Sport, selected from more
than three million entries, was displayed across from the National Gallery
of Art. Seventy-four finalists from U.S. states and foreign countries
attended the Festival, accompanied by teachers and parents.
·
Performances by more than 200 young musicians, dancers and performers
from around the world: Also educators with leading universities and experts
from Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center and the U.S. Forest Service
gave workshops to create a unique learning experience.
·
LEGO’s Creation Nation: Children built LEGO mosaics to fill up
a map of the United States the size of a basketball court.
·
Distinguished Speakers and Sponsors: Including Representative Madeleine
Z. Bordallo of Guam; General Jim Campbell, Director of the Army Staff;
and Fred Lazarus IV, President of the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Sponsors included Adidas, Disney and LEGO.
·
Press Coverage from Around the World: Including CNN, Fox national and
local, Voice of America, Al Jazeera, Sharjah TV, Canal Futura, The Washington
Post, The Washington Times, and Kuwait News.
·
Kennedy Center: Performances by youth groups from Serbia and Nicaragua.
·
First World Children’s Award: Children nominated the following
creative leaders in the fields of business, academia, politics, community
relations and volunteerism to receive the inaugural World Children’s
Awards, designed by Tiffany & Co.: LEGO Systems Inc., UC State College
of Design, Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, Portia Davidson, and Salma Hasan
Ali.
“Over the past decade ICAF has been at the forefront of efforts
to foster children’s innate creativity,” said Dr. Ashfaq
Ishaq, ICAF executive director. “Our Arts Olympiad program and
educational festivals are designed to harness children’s imagination
for positive social change. The World Festival promotes trust, friendship
and cultural empathy by engaging American children, our finest ambassadors,
in the development of future global leaders.”
The ICAF integrates the arts with science, sport and technology for
the development of children’s creativity and empathy -- preconditions
for a more just, prosperous and nonviolent world.
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