PROGRAMME FOR UN OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR TOLERANCE (17 NOVEMBER) TO BE WEBCAST LIVE BY COURT TV

Note to Correspondents

PROGRAMME FOR UN OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR TOLERANCE

(17 NOVEMBER) TO BE WEBCAST LIVE BY COURT TV

In cooperation with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), Court TV –- the Courtroom Television network –- is to produce a programme for the United Nations Headquarters in observance next Monday of the International Day for Tolerance.  Entitled “We Are Family:  Educating Our Children for a Safer World”, the one-hour programme will take place in the Dag Hammarsjköld Library Auditorium on Monday (17 November) beginning at 1 p.m.  It will be webcast live on both the United Nations and Court TV Web sites.

The presentation, co-sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, the We Are Family Foundation, the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation and Operation Respect, is intended to promote unity and diversity while giving a voice to youth.

Nane Annan, the wife of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, will make welcoming remarks.  NBC’s Today show weather forecaster and personality Al Roker will “emcee” the programme, which will feature video clips and student presentations from workshops held earlier in New York City classrooms at the pre-school, elementary, middle school and high school levels to introduce new diversity curriculums.

There will be a musical performance by folk singer Peter Yarrow (formerly of Peter, Paul & Mary) and a concluding performance of the song “We Are Family” by songwriter-producer Nile Rodgers and his band, Chic, along with the United Nations International School Concert Choir.

Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a 13-year-old poet (Heartsongs) living with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, who has dedicated his life to promoting peace through poetry, will participate in the programme, as will children’s book author Timothy Bellavia (We Are All the Same Inside).

Among other speakers will be Henry Schleiff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Court TV; Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, President, Operation Respect; and Douglas Greenberg, President, Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.  Shashi Tharoor, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, will make concluding remarks. 

The webcast can be seen at http://www.un.org/webcast, http://www.courttv.com/saferworld, and wearefamilyfoundation.org.  For more information, please call:  (212) 963-7346; for media accreditation, (212) 963-6934; for Court TV coverage, (212) 973-3206.