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Festival of Humanity 2006 | Wesak FestivalFestival of Humanity 2006...the heartbeat of a New, Enlightened World organized and sponsored in part by The Divine Life Renewal Center, An Integrative Teaching Resource Center for Self-Actualization.
Mission:
The proposed Festival of Humanity is a new opportunity to gather individuals, organizations, and the arts, skills, & talents of people of multiple backgrounds, cultures, and faiths to celebrate the power & beauty of the human spirit. An underlying focus of this event and the process of creating it is our shared ability to overcome negativity and uplift the world for the better.
Theme of Festival of Humanity 2006:
Creating Peace and Well-Being In A Tumultuous World
Objective:
Our objective is to draw from the rich array of resources and talents here in our local community of greater Charlottesville to create a shared, beneficial experience of upliftment. We see this gathering as a means to strengthen the collective consciousness which honors the sacredness of life. Through the arrangement and focus of the festival, we will aim to support and highlight a range of efforts working to further peace and well-being within individuals and within our greater community.
In a post 9/11 world, we recognize the need for addressing differences in a positive, healthy way. This is an exercise to see how we can positively impact Charlottesville and beyond through gathering together in service of humanity as a whole. We will organically develop the Festival in coming years to include more from the global community.
Representation...Pieces of the Pie:
We hope to have the following represented:
a range of:
Cultures, Faiths, Generations, Races, Backgrounds.
a range of Disciplines & Areas:
Art & Music / Fitness & Movement / Care of the Earth, Environment, & Animals
Children's Activities & Involvement: their vital role
Humanitarian Concerns...Human & Civil Rights
Higher Consciousness Businesses
Local & Global Peacebuilding / Local Government Representation & Leadership in Our Community
More...
To the extent that we can gather these areas of focus cohesively.
Potential Date of Event: June 10 and 11, 2006
We are aiming at the weekend of June 10/11 to hold an event consisting of programs that potentially include interactive art booths, live music and dance performances, speakers, vendors, and other activities utilizing a wide rang of local businesses and organizations.
How to Unfold This:
We have begun visioning and planning meetings as of the Fall of 2004. As of the Fall of 2005, we have a planning committee of 8-10 individuals, some meeting more frequently. We aim to invite more individuals of different specializations and focus to help with the planning process, which may form a community advisory board. We are actively working to raise funds as another way of drawing on community support. Potentially through monies raised, honorariums will be offered to those holding leadership roles in evolving the festival. Currently all the individuals on our planning committee are working on this freely without compensation out of a belief in the mission.
Seeking Financial Contributions and Sponsors:
We are seeking larger benefactors and sponsors for this Festival. Any amount is welcome. Three tiers of sponsorship we are proposing are: $10,000, $5,000, and $1,000. As this is the first year for this event, we are determining the scope of it on a month to month basis, dependent on the amount of support we attract, in terms of volunteer, contributor, and financial support. The funds raised for the Festival of Humanity will be utilized for the expenses of creating the event, (such as renting spaces, advertising, staff salaries or stipends to organize and plan this undertaking, as well as paying musicians, artists, and speakers). A percentage of funds raised through the Festival of Humanity will go to a range of projects & charities in accord with the purpose of this Festival. Some shall be for local needs and some for needs in other parts of the world.
Co-Sponsors:
Are you part of a non-profit organization, a local business, or a corporation that would like to aid in the realization of a Festival of Humanity here in Charlottesville, VA? If so, consider becoming a Co-Sponsor.
For more information, contact Co-Chair, Geoff Robinson 434.242.3204 or gbr1107@adelphia.net.
We are also seeking business and individual sponsors to donate services, such as:
- design a poster
- provide live music
- provide a space downtown for some part of the event
- provide refreshments for volunteers and staff
- provide copies for our materials.
Do you have any of the above skills or resources to support the upcoming Festival of Humanity? If so, please let us know.
Possible Aspects and Parts of the Event:
• Live Music event with a range of artists and musicians (reflecting different cultures and influences)
• Lee Park, rented for representing local businesses: practitioners, non-profits, schools, and more dedicated to the betterment of the human experience, as well as performing arts, such as music, dance, etc.
• Tents with Demos (for participation) of different healing and fitness modalities: Yoga, Dance & Movement, Tai Chi, and other Martial Arts plus massage, sound healing, energetic healing, other offerings (could also be at Lee Park).
• International Foods...could have an open food court area next to Lee Park.
• Sacred Circle Gathering for the Earth
• InterFaith and InterRacial Ceremony of Unity and Respect
• Some Talks and Lectures provided at venues around Charlottesville, centering on themes such as Peacebuilding, Healing, Earth & the Environment, Multi-Culturalism, Global Awareness of the World's Religions, etc. These talks could be sponsored by different businesses, centers, non-profits in the area.
Arc of Festival's Evolution:
We envision the Festival occurring every 2 years, the first being in June 2006, then 2008, 2010, 2012, etc. Each year it occurs serves as 'the heartbeat of a new, enlightened world' expressed in our community, whereby we aim to expand on the vision and refine the program more and more. We will work within our means each year, allowing it to grow organically in a grassroots manner.
Contact Information:
Co-Chair, Tim Grubbs: grubbstimothy@hotmail.com
Co-Chair, Geoff Robinson: gbr1107@adelphia.net
We also welcome more community members to join the Planning Committee; we still need more help with several Coordinating Roles.
