I’m estatic to announce that Global Kids will be officially launching the International Justice Center in Second Life on March 20 at 3PM EST. We just finalized the press release, which is hitting the wires now. But here’s the highlights:
- From 3-4PM EST, Luis Moreno-Ocampo the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court will be appearing in avatar-form at the International Justice Center to officially launch the venue. Afterwards he will take questions from the virtual attendees, as well as those in Teen Second Life.
- Those who can not come in-world for whatever reason can view the event on the web at http://justicecenter.net, courtesy of SLCN.tv
- From 4:30-6PM you can view a MacArthur Foundation panel discussion on "The Emerging International Justice System" taking place live from New York. The panel will feature some of the most prominent human rights figures from the United Nations and NGO community.
- At 9PM, the Center will host a live video stream of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan receiving the first ever International Justice Award from the MacArthur Foundation. Mr. Annan will deliver a keynote speech after receiving the award.
It’s going to be an intense day of insightful discussions on global justice and human rights issues. Stay tuned at http://justicecenter.net for the latest info, or sign up for our email list here.
You can find the full text of the press release after the jump…
Press Release
CONTACT: Barry Joseph
Global Kids
Tel: +1 212-226-0130 ext. 120
Email: barry@globalkids.org
GLOBAL KIDS TO OPEN INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE CENTER IN SECOND LIFE WITH ADDRESS BY THE ICC PROSECUTOR
(March 18, 2008) Global Kids, the foremost nonprofit in virtual world education, is set to launch the International Justice Center
within Second Life on March 20 at 3PM EST. The inaugural event will
feature a presentation and discussion by Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the
prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Later that same
day, the center will host a simulcast of an address by Kofi Annan,
former United Nations Secretary General.
Since 2005, Global Kids has leveraged the educational potential of
virtual worlds to inform and involve people in pressing international
and public policy issues. The International Justice Center builds on
Global Kids’ groundbreaking work by establishing an online hub
supporting the ICC and the global justice concerns it addresses.
Developed and administered by Global Kids with funding from the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, this innovative online learning
center will provide resources for people to learn about the ICC,
connect with ICC officials and advocates, and take action in support of
human rights and international justice.
During the launch, the ICC Prosecutor will appear in avatar form to
give a brief statement, answer questions from the audience, and
introduce the Center. This will be broadcast live by SLCN.TV.
Later that same day, the International Justice Center will host a
simulcast of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan as
he receives the first MacArthur Award for International Justice and
gives a keynote address on international justice. Global Kids will
stream a number of other live videos into the Center, including:
• 3:00-4:00 PM: In-world remarks and Q&A with ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo
• 4:30-6:00 PM: Panel discussion by major human rights officials on the topic of “The Emerging International Justice System”
• 9:00-9:40PM: Award ceremony and keynote address by Mr. Kofi Annan
All of these events can be viewed from the International Justice Center in Second Life and on the web at http://justicecenter.net.
Participants in the virtual Q&A with the ICC prosecutor must be
Second Life members and can teleport directly to the Center at this
link.
About Global Kids
Founded in 1989, Global Kids’ mission is to transform urban youth into
successful students and global and community leaders by engaging them
in socially dynamic, content-rich learning experiences. Through its
leadership development and academic enrichment programs, Global Kids
educates youth about critical international and domestic issues and
promotes their engagement in civil life and the democratic process.
In 2006, Global Kids became the first non-profit to develop a
dedicated space for programming in the virtual world of Teen Second
Life (TSL). Global Kids brings students from its New York-based
programs into the organization’s headquarters to conduct youth
leadership programming and stream audio and video of major
international events. This innovative program is conducted in
collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum, Youth Venture, and the International Criminal Court,
among others. More information on this program can be found on the blog
http://holymeatballs.org/second_life/ and on Global Kids’ website at www.GlobalKids.org.
About the International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is the world’s first international
human rights tribunal, designed to investigate and try those accused of
committing some of the worst violations of human rights, including
genocide, mass rape and war crimes. The ICC, headquartered in The
Hague, Netherlands since 1998, is investigating and trying crimes
committed in Sudan, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the
Central African Republic.
About the MacArthur Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private,
independent grantmaking institution helping to build a more just,
sustainable, and peaceful world. Through the support it provides, the
Foundation fosters the development of knowledge, nurtures individual
creativity, strengthens institutions, helps improve public policy, and
provides information to the public, primarily through support for
public interest media. With assets of $6.8 billion, the Foundation
makes approximately $260 million in grants annually.
The IJC is a project of Global Kids and is supported by a generous
grant from the Digital Media and Learning Initiative of the John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The IJC is an independent initiative
and does not purport to represent or imply any formal association with
the International Criminal Court. For more information, see http://www.justicecenter.net.
The Second Life Cable Network (SLCN.TV),
a media partner of this event, is the premier virtual television
network providing live coverage of a range of business, entertainment
and sports events.
* * *