Earth Pledge Foundation, Dr. Wally N’Dow, American Consul General and Mimar Sinan University
Artist and Dr. N’Dow to Hold Press Conference
Tuesday, June 11 at 12 noon
Rauschenberg, recognized by critics as one of the most significant artists of this century, contributed a limited edition of prints and posters of his latest work, Clan Destiny, to the Earth Pledge Foundation. The Foundation will present prints to the Mimar Sinan Museum and the US Consulate at the reception.
Prints and posters are being sold to raise funds in support of Habitat II. The original Clan Destiny can be seen in the main lobby of the Lutfi Kirdar Convention Center where posters are available. They are also for purchase at the Salipazari and NGO Forum bookstores.
Hailing Rauschenberg for “his equal gifts of generosity and talent,” Dr. N’Dow said “the creation of “Clan Destiny” represents an exciting and important step in building public awareness of the international nature of today’s urban crisis.”
The creation of “Clan Destiny” marks the third occasion on which Rauschenberg, a long-time contributor to international causes, has worked with Earth Pledge to support UN conferences.
In preparation for the Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) in 1992, Earth Pledge founder and president, Theodore W. Kheel was asked to chair the “UN Committee to Promote the Earth Pledge.” Bringing together the worlds of art and environment, he interested Rauschenberg, his friend and client, who created the painting “Last Turn, Your Turn,” the official artwork of the Earth Summit. The artist also created “Choices and Responsibilities” in support of the 1994 Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo, Egypt.
A press conference with the artist, Earth Pledge executive director, Leslie Hoffman, and Wally N’Dow will take place in the Press Briefing Room at Lutfi Kirdar Center on June 11 at 12:00 PM.
Rauschenberg’s works in support of UN conferences can be seen on the Earth Pledge web site http://www.earthpledge.org in the EPF mall/gallery.
Earth Pledge, a non-profit foundation, recognizes appropriate intersections between business interests and environmental, social, and cultural concerns. The Foundation builds mutually beneficial partnerships between these often competing forces by encouraging economic growth through the development of sustainable practices.
In addition to raising funds to support Habitat II, the Earth Pledge Foundation’s Business Coalition for Sustainable Cities (BCSC) has facilitated private sector participation in the Habitat II conference.
BCSC chairman William Lurie moderated a roundtable in the Private Sector Forum and presented Dr. N’Dow with a collection of White Papers from companies committed to the practices of sustainable development. Copies of the White Papers are available at the BCSC booth in the Exhibition Hall at Salipazari.
BCSC and Open Text Corporation (NASDAQ:OTEXF), a BCSC member, announced earlier this week the creation of a new, free, Internet service on the World Wide Web that will serve as an ongoing communications forum for the continued discussion, information exchange and community building around the issues of the Habitat II agenda. The project, code named Livelink Commons, has been endorsed by Dr. N’Dow as “a strong private sector initiative using information technology to continue the Habitat II process through time and across geographic boundaries.”
Contact to arrange interviews with Robert Rauschenberg:
Leslie Hoffman
In Istanbul at the Ceylan Inter-Continental: tel (212) 231-2121 (Room 904), fax 231-2180
Earth Pledge Foundation
485 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Tel: (212) 688-2216
Fax: (212) 758-0832
E-mail: lhoffman@earthpledge.org