UNEP-ECO JOINT PRESS RELEASE
UNEP CALLS ON ENTERTAINMENT
INDUSTRY FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS SUPPORT
LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK, 6 February 1997
-- At the request of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), the Earth
Communications Office (ECO) presented
its internationally acclaimed environmental
messages yesterday to environmental ministers
and senior officials from over 100 countries
at the 19th UNEP Governing Council session
currently taking place in Nairobi. ECO, the
entertainment industry-based environmental
organization that uses the power of communications
to improve the global environment, has made
four public service announcements (PSAs) available
for each of the UN member countries to air
in their home countries.
For the first time in ECO's seven-year history,
the organization's PSA programme has been
translated into the six official UN languages,
thanks to co-sponsorship from UNEP and the
Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation. The
annual movie theatre PSAs, shown on 90% of
the theatre screens in the United States and
Canada and seen by over 500 million people
worldwide, empower individuals to "do
something" to make a difference for the
environment. In addition to receiving virtually
every advertising award, including the prestigious
CLIO and Belding awards, ECO was honoured
with an EMMY nomination last year and recently
received a New York Festivals International
Gold Medal for its PSAs "Mother"
and "Neighbors."
ECO has already received commitments to air
the PSAs internationally from 25 countries.
Commenting on the new relationship with UNEP,
ECO Chairman Larry Kopald stated, "ECO's
messages are created with the same goal as
that of the United Nations ... to protect
our planet. Whether it be from warfare, hunger
or environmental destruction, we can only
solve these problems if everyone in the world
participates. ECO's partnership with UNEP
represents a powerful opportunity to reach
millions, perhaps billions, of individuals
and vastly increases our chance to protect
the environment."
The nineteenth session of UNEP's Governing
Council will shape the environmental agenda
of the 21st Century. Established as the environmental
conscience of the United Nations system, one
of UNEP's most important functions is the
promotion of scientific and public information
on the environment for decision-making and
action. Commemorating UNEP's 25th Anniversary,
ministers and high-level government representatives
are gathering during a two-week period which
culminates in a "high-level" segment
5-7 February.
UNEP's Executive Director, Elizabeth Dowdeswell,
as she introduced the PSAs to the Council
yesterday, noted that "if we are to inspire
individuals to take informed action to protect
their environment -- to create 'environmental
citizens' -- it is critical that we provide
information to as wide an audience as possible
in the most engaging and compelling form possible.
These PSAs exemplify the shared vision of
UNEP and ECO."
ECO is a non-profit, non-partisan entertainment
industry-based organization comprised of leaders
in film, television, music, radio, advertising
and virtually all aspects of communication.
Board members include Ed Begley, Jr., Pierce
Brosnan, John Paul DeJoria, Sara Gilbert,
Brian Grazer, Woody Harrelson, Tippi Hedren,
Debra Hill, Ron Howard, Michael Keaton, Tim
Matheson, Peter Max, Donna Mills, David Mirkin,
Esai Morales, Olivia Newton-John, Norman Pattiz,
Alexandra Paul, Ivan Reitman, John Ritter,
Mimi Rogers, Bob Talbot, Dennis Weaver, Hans
Zimmer and Daphne Zuniga.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Ruben Aronin/Ms.
Goli Gabbay
Earth Communications Office
Tel: 1-310-571-3141
Fax: 1-310-571-3143
E-Mail: ecooffice@earthlink.com
|
Mr. Jim Sniffen
UNEP Info Officer
New York
Tel: 1-212-963-8094
Fax: 1-212-963-7341
E-mail: sniffenj@un.org
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