Date:  1 May 2021 

Platform:  Zoom  

Industry Speakers:

  • Kate McCallum, PGA Social Impact Entertainment (SIE) Task Force
  • Madeline DiNonno, President & CEO, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
  • Elaine Bogan, Director of the upcoming Dreamworks animated film Spirit Untamed
  • Wendy Calhoun, Executive Producer & Writer, Edgewood Place Entertainment(Empire,Nashville,Justified)
  • Holly Gordon, Chief Impact Officer, Participant Media(Judas and the Black Messiah, An Inconvenient Truth, Contagion)
  • Michelle K. Sugihara, Executive Director of, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in  Entertainment(CAPE)
  • William Nix, Producer and PGA SIE Task Force Member

UN Speakers: 

  • Ramu Damodaran, Chief, United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), United Nations Department of Global Communications, United Nations
  • Nahla Valji, Senior Gender Advisor, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, United Nations
  • Dani Zapotoczny, Senior Director of Partnerships & Communications for the United Nations Foundation and a Strategic Advisor to the UN Creative Community Outreach Initiative
  • Andi Gitow, Head of Advocacy, Entertainment Industry Engagement, and Civil Society,UN United Nations Department of Global Communications
  • Pernille Ironside, Deputy Director, UNICEF
  • Joung-Ah Ghedini-Williams, Head, Global Communications Service, UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

Event Summary:  “Generation Equality: Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Stories” was the theme of the third in an ongoing series of virtual workshop series jointly organized by CCOI and the Producers Guild of America(PGA). The workshop, which took place on 1 May 2021, explored how film and television producers, writers, directors, and other creatives can work together with the UN to explore some of the most “UNique” stories and pressing challenges facing the world today. 

The event showcased important, yet untold issues facing women, and the speakers and panelists discussed how storytellers can highlight women’s’ voices in a global context. The women working for the UN shared their personal experiences from the field and gave a compelling inside look at what it means to be on the front lines of some of the most dangerous places in the world.

The event was attended by PGA members and other creative professionals. 

CCOI's Role:  In collaboration with the PGA, CCOI created the events programme, identified themes for discussion, and secured industry and UN experts as panelists for the virtual workshop. 

Related UN Issues: SDG 5 and SDG 10

Link to Event: https://youtu.be/aN7kFcZ9GmI