The Health and Happiness Project
This Earth Day, the beat of Brazilian drums will be heard on city streets, shamans will be seen hailing taxis and thousands of New York City residents and tourists will be transported to the heart of the rainforest as part of Amazonia Brasil, a city-wide event to promote sustainability and show the interdependence between the Amazon and New York City.
Amazonia Brasil's flagship event is a one-of-a-kind, 13,000-square-foot interactive exhibit at South Street Seaport. On launch day (April 22nd) pedicabs will offer free trips from many city locations to the exhibit, which runs until July 13.
"Amazonia Brasil is a mystical transformation that allows visitors of all ages to see, smell and experience first-hand the beauties of the rainforest," said Dr. Eugenio Scannavino Neto, Amazonia Brasil's co-creator. "These exhibits help New Yorkers understand the environmental and social value of the Amazon and enable them to make positive changes to protect their own environment."
Spanning more than two million square miles, the Amazon is one of the earth's most complex and sophisticated ecosystems. Although headlines focus on deforestation, the Amazon remains a thriving region with an abundant creative and entrepreneurial spirit. To many around the world, the Amazon already is a model of sustainable living. Exhibit-goers will learn about the history and biodiversity of the rainforest, its culture and demographics, and how the region helps regulate the earth's climate.
Amazonia Brasil is the vision of The Health and Happiness Project, an organization co-founded by Dr. Scannavino Neto, and the Amazon Working Group. Fare Arte handles creative execution of the traveling experience. The New York tour involves several of the city's major institutions including the New York City Department of Education, Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, New York Botanical Gardens, arts>World Financial Center and the Brazilian based non-profit organization, BrazilFoundation.
For three months, New Yorkers will have the chance to slow down their hectic schedules to visit the following exhibits, workshops and more:
-- Pier 17 - South Street Seaport: A literal walk through the Amazon
designed by Gringo Cardia, the famed Brazilian art director. Visitors
will be transported to the forest through life-size panels, photos,
sounds and installations that recreate the multifaceted Amazonian
environment, including its biodiversity, people, villages and cities.
The exhibition will also be a venue for hands on workshops, lectures
and cultural activities.
-- arts>World Financial Center: Amazonia Design, Fashion & Sustainable
Economy: Under the direction of prominent Brazilian designer Debora
Laruccia, the Amazonia Design, Fashion and Sustainable Economy exhibit,
will feature top fashion and furniture designs from renowned Brazilian
artists and designers who have developed products from natural and
sustainable materials from the Amazon.
-- Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian: "Guardians of the
Forest" photography and video exhibits offer an unprecedented glimpse
into the rich lives and complex cultures of indigenous people who have
lived harmoniously with the natural world for centuries. The photo
exhibit is the result of a partnership between the organizers and the
Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon
(COIAB).
-- Seminars climate change and indigenous people: A series of eight
seminars will be held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the
American Indian. It will include prominent representatives from the
Amazon, U.S. specialists on the region, and local community leaders who
will discuss a variety of topics on the Amazon from preserving the
indigenous culture to climate change.
-- New York City Board of Education: Lessons about the Amazon have been
developed and included in the curriculum of third and sixth grade New
York City school students to introduce them to the region's geography,
biodiversity and people. More than 150 New York City classrooms will
visit Amazonia Brasil throughout the three months to enrich their
classroom education. They will experience firsthand the beauties and
history of the forest, meet artisans from the region and communicate
with people living in the forest via the Internet to better understand
the traditional communities and culture.
"These exhibits provide a hands-on, interactive and innovative way to teach New York City's children about sustainability, conservation and the environment," said Dr. Marcia Lyles, deputy chancellor for teaching and learning for the New York City Department of Education. "Integrating lessons about the Amazon into curricula will help our children better understand and appreciate the vast beauty and culture of the rainforest, as well as the importance of protecting and preserving the environment in which we live."
Amazonia Brasil at the World Financial Center will showcase Brazil's foremost furniture and fashion designers along with the traditional arts of the Brazilian Amazon's indigenous people. Both ancient and modern artists share the Brazilian Amazon as their source and inspiration for their designs. The exhibition will also have highlights of Brazilian fashion with the special collection from Sao Paulo Fashion Week, an initiative from In Mod - Brazilian Institute of Fashion.
"Brazilian designers' creations are unexpected and innovative, from rubber dresses on this year's runways to modern furniture made from exotic woods," said Debra Simon, executive and artistic director of arts>World Financial Center. "The Amazonia Design, Fashion and Sustainable Economy exhibit offers New Yorkers the opportunity to discover furniture and fashion made from materials found in the Brazilian Amazon in an environmentally responsible way."
The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York, the George Gustav Heye Center, will feature a photo exhibit, a four-day video showcase and interactive seminars featuring indigenous Amazon leaders and will introduce New Yorkers to the diverse and vibrant cultures of the region. "Native Amazon people are actively protecting the richness of their homeland for all of us," said John Haworth, director of the Heye Center. "Their leadership provides insight and inspiration on how we all can work to protect the future of the earth."
Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York, the George Gustav Heye Center, is hosting Amazonia Brasil's seminars, the photography exhibit "Guardians of the Forest", and is the organizer of "Video Amazonia Indigena: A View from the Village," a showcase of award winning works by indigenous video makers. The museum is dedicated to strengthening the native voice throughout the Americas.
Amazonia Brasil is the culmination of extensive research and collaborations with more than 610 organizations and research institutes. Since the project began in 2002, more than 500,000 people visited the Amazonia Brasil exhibit in France, Switzerland, Germany and Brazil. After its New York City tour, the exhibit will go to Tokyo, Monaco and the Netherlands.
Amazonia Brasil is sponsored by Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation and has the support of IBM, Brazilian Exporting Agency and Havaianas, Brazilian Ministry of Culture and the Brazilian Ministry of Environment. It has partnerships with arts>World Financial Center, the BrazilFoundation, Central Park Conservancy, New York City Department of Education, Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, South Street Seaport and The New York Botanical Gardens.
For exhibit details and more information, log onto www.amazoniabrasil.org.br and www.mercadoamazonia.org.br .
About the Health and Happiness Project (Projeto Saude e Alegria)
Amazonia Brasil co-creator, the Health and Happiness Project (Projeto Saude e Alegria) has been working since 1987 in rural Amazonian communities surrounding the municipalities of Santarem, Belterra and Aveiro on the Amazon and Tapajos-Arapiuns in the western region of the state of Para. Its social and environmental projects reach 30,000 people in 143 communities. For more information, visit www.saudeealegria.org.br .
About the Amazon Working Group (Grupo de Trabalho Amazonico)
Amazonia Brasil co-creator, the Amazon Working Group (GTA) has more than 600 affiliates. Founded in 1992, it is divided into 14 regional groups and is composed of NGOs and social movements representing rubber tappers, Brazil nut pickers, coconut-breaking women, artisan fishermen, indigenous communities and small farmers. For more information, visit http://www.gta.org.br .
About Fare Arte
Amazonia Brasil's presenter is Sao Paolo-based Fare Arte, which means, to "make art." Since its inception, it has been transformed from a company that believed that "culture is good business" to a company that also believes that art can be a powerful element of transformation in society, and that access to knowledge is the guarantee of a democratic society. For more information, go to www.farearte.com.br .
About the BrazilFoundation
BrazilFoundation, a non-profit public organization incorporated in New York, as partner of Saude and Alegria, will be the recipient of all gifts and contributions raised through Amazonia Brasil events. All donations must be made to the BrazilFoundation and will be held in a special Amazonian Community Account established by the foundation. These resources will be distributed to carefully selected social projects in the Amazonian region by Saude e Alegria and the BrazilFoundation.
BrazilFoundation raises awareness of the initiatives of the Brazilian non-profit organizations and raises funds in the U.S. for the purpose of sponsoring qualified social investments in Brazil. It makes annual grants in the fields of education, health, human rights, citizenship (including local community development) and culture.
Sponsors
Alcoa is the primary sponsor of Amazonia Brasil and the world's leading producer and manager of aluminum products, serving several global industries.
The Alcoa Foundation is a separate not-for-profit foundation that invests in the quality of life in Alcoa communities around the world.
IBM is a globally integrated enterprise focused on bringing its talent, innovation and technology to communities and society at large. As a corporate citizen, improving public schools is IBM's top social priority.
Partners
Alliance for Downtown New York provides a productive atmosphere in Lower Manhattan's historic financial district for businesses, residents and visitors.
Central Park Conservancy will host workshops for Amazonia Brasil. The Conservancy works with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to manage and preserve Central Park, helping it become the most frequently visited urban park in the United States.
Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian is hosting Amazonia Brasil's seminars, the photography exhibit Guardians of the Forest, and organizing Video Amazonia Indigena: A View from the Village, a showcase of award winning works by indigenous video makers. The museum is dedicated to strengthening the native voice throughout the Americas.
The New York City Department of Education has developed third and sixth grade curricula about the Brazilian Amazon with Amazonia Brasil. The Department of Education governs New York City's public schools, educating 1.1 million students.
The New York Botanical Gardens will be consulting and caring for the plants featured in the Amazonia Brasil exhibit as well as participating in the seminars series. Founded in 1891, the New York Botanical Gardens is one of the world's greatest collections of plants and a center of education and research.
arts>World Financial Center is co-presenting the exhibition Amazonia Design, Fashion and Sustainable Economy with additional 20th anniversary support provided by American Express. arts>World Financial Center is one of the largest, year round, free public arts presenters in the country, commissioning, producing and presenting works of art crossing all disciplines for all the World Financial Center public spaces. The program is sponsored by American Express, Battery Park City Authority, Brookfield Properties, and Merrill Lynch.
South Street Seaport is hosting the exhibit Amazonia Brasil in a 13,000-square-foot area at Pier 17. Located in the old district area, Pier 17 is recognized as the stage for large-scale annual-events and a tourist hotspot.
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