UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Commends Nigeria on Bakassi Peninsula

President Goodluck Jonathan shaking hands with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

11 Oct 2012 06:52 Africa/Lagos

SECRETARY-GENERAL, MARKING 10 YEARS SINCE BAKASSI PENINSULA DECISION, COMMENDS CAMEROON, NIGERIA ON COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE RULING

NEW YORK, October 11, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the ruling of the International Court of Justice on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria, the Secretary-General commends the commitment of the Governments of both countries to honour the obligations of the ruling. He also congratulates the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission for the commendable efforts it has made in implementing the International Court of Justice ruling. The success of the Commission is an embodiment of an innovative approach to conflict resolution. By peacefully resolving their border dispute, Cameroon and Nigeria have provided a positive example for countries around the world facing similar challenges.

Bakassi Peninsula.

The Secretary-General stresses the importance of addressing the socio-economic, humanitarian and security needs of the populations affected by the demarcation process, including in the Bakassi area. He also highlights the importance of implementing confidence-building measures and fostering cross-border cooperation.

Finally, he encourages both countries to reach an early agreement on the remaining 200 kilometres of land boundary in order to conclude the demarcation process. The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to continue its support to Cameroon and Nigeria in implementing the International Court of Justice ruling through the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission and the Follow-up Committee on the Greentree Agreement related to the Bakassi peninsula, both chaired by the United Nations.


Source: United Nations - Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General

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Malala Yousafzai Survives

The BBC reports that surgeons have removed a bullet from the head of Malala Yousafzai the gifted 14-year-old Pakistani girl a day after she was shot by Taliban gunmen in north-western Pakistan's Swat Valley.

The operation on Malala Yousafzai, a campaigner for girls' rights, went well, her father told the BBC.

The attack sparked outrage among many Pakistanis, who gathered in several cities for anti-Taliban protests and held prayers for the girl's recovery.

The militants said they targeted her because she "promoted secularism".

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Top 10 Film Schools in the World

1. American Film Institute

NOTABLE ALUMNI Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life), David Lynch (Blue Velvet), Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
"I love AFI and would be nowhere without it." -- David Lynch

2. University of Southern California

NOTABLE ALUMNI George Lucas (Star Wars), Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind), Jon Landau (Avatar)
"USC is run in many ways like a studio. The challenges that were given to us had to do with the realities of the industry and financing, and I think those were important lessons to learn." -- Lee Unkrich, director, Toy Story 3

3. Beijing Film Academy

NOTABLE ALUMNI Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers), Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine), Tian Zhuangzhuang (The Blue Kite)

4. New York University Tisch School of the Arts

NOTABLE ALUMNI Todd Phillips (The Hangover), Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men), Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich)
"Getting accepted to Tisch meant one thing to me: hope. It validated all of my dreams and made the concept of becoming a filmmaker a tangible possibility. Teachers like Tom Drysdale and Haig Manoogian inspired me, infusing me with a lifelong passion for cinema history. I carry their artistic philosophy with me on every film: Never compromise, never stop asking questions and never stop being a student of film." -- Chris Columbus, writer-director, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

5. University of California Los Angeles

NOTABLE ALUMNI Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather), Tim Robbins (Dead Man Walking), Alexander Payne (Sideways)
"The key is having a point of view -- which is very much the UCLA approach. You could say UCLA filmmakers try to bring an indie attitude even to studio pictures. We always try to find some kind of subjectivity." -- Justin Lin, director, Fast Five

6. California Institute of the Arts

NOTABLE ALUMNI Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland), Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), John Lasseter (chief creative officer, Pixar)
"I have so many great memories of CalArts. Sitting in the dark, hunched over the old Oxberry camera, shooting my film. The giant papier-mache butt from someone's art installation in the main gallery. Playing Lazer Tag in the empty halls in the middle of the night. But what I remember most are all the great friends that I made, many of whom I work alongside today." -- Don Hall, co-director, Winnie the Pooh

7. The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague

NOTABLE ALUMNI Milos Forman (Amadeus), Emir Kusturica (Black Cat, White Cat), Agnieszka Holland (The Killing)
"I believe deeply that in any film school, you can learn as much, or even more, from the fellow students as from the teachers. But in FAMU in the late 1960s and early '70s, when I was studying, some of the teachers were great. My main instructor Karel Kachyna was indeed one of the most skilled directors of his generation. Jan Matejovsky in the television directing department taught us how to be diplomatic with actors, crew and producers. I still use his very useful advice." -- Agnieszka Holland

8. Columbia University School of the Arts

NOTABLE ALUMNI Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right), Nicole Holofcener (Walking and Talking)
"My years in the film program taught me the craft of screenwriting as well as the business of making movies. In so many ways, Columbia was the perfect combination of arts: conservatory and trade school, a place where I could read Aristotle and Eisenstein on narrative theory and analyze budgets and box office like a science. The lessons learned at Columbia -- how to analyze and synthesize perspectives, how to treat your work as an ever-evolving document -- serve me every day." -- Simon Kinberg, screenwriter, X-Men: The Last Stand

9. Wesleyan University

NOTABLE ALUMNI Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl), Michael Bay (Transformers), Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand)

10. The National Film and Television School

NOTABLE ALUMNI David Yates (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2), Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit), Beeban Kidron (Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason)
"I would not be making films in Hollywood without it. The NFTS was absolutely vital." -- Michael Caton-Jones, director, Scandal


See the complete details on the Hollywood Reporter.

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The Nollywood Phenomenon

Celebrating the Creative Industries in Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria. October 3, 2012 –

The Nigerian film industry has become one of the principal forces of popular art on the continent. Colloquially known as “Nollywood, it has over the years grown to be a world phenomenon, ranking third in the global movie industry in terms of revenue and value after Hollywood (USA) and Bollywood (India).

The production of the now classic “Living in Bondage” by Mr Kenneth Nnebue was as response to the lack of quality productions in the local television stations due to budget cuts and mismanagement.  That movie sold hundreds of thousands of copies and established Nollywood’s standard theme: Marital Discord, Greed, A Conflict between Christianity and Juju. Indeed, from these accidental origins, a cultural phenomenon emerged.

The Nollywood film industry has evolved a lot since these humble beginnings and as these days, normal films are usually made on budgets ranging from 1.5 million naira to 2.5 million naira spanning 7 to 10 days. The film industry accounts for 5 per cent of GDP and 11 per cent of non-oil exports and is the country's second largest employer after agriculture. The most popular locations to shoot movies are Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. In 2009, about 75% of Nigerian films were produced in local languages, such as Yoruba (55%), Hausa (16%), Bini (3%) and Igbo (1%).

As imperfect as it may seem, Nigeria's film industry has established itself as a major cultural and economic force in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, and its impact goes beyond what could be measured by numbers. At present, Nollywood is second only to Bollywood in terms of the number of film productions.

Against this background, NOI Polls, an opinion polling and research organization, conducted a nationwide poll to establish the level of interest of the average Nigerian towards Nollywood, their reasons for this cultural phenomenon and suggestion about how the quality can be improved.
 
Methodology
The opinion poll was conducted from August 7^th to 9^th. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample.  1,176 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geopolitical zones in the country, were interviewed. With a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained are statistically precise - within a range of plus or minus 3% of what they would have been if the entire population had been surveyed. The questionnaire was designed in English and the survey was conducted in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, and Pidgin, to ensure coverage of relevant geographical and demographic groups. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive statistics, mainly frequencies and percentage distribution, charts (pie, component and bar) and cross tabulations were used in data analysis.

Demographic Distribution of Respondents

Only 34% of females completed the survey, compared with 66% of males who did.
Majority of respondents (54%) interviewed were resident in the South-West geopolitical zone, followed by 15% in the South-East, 14% resident in the North-Central and 12% in the South-South. The North-West had 3%, while the North-East had 2% only.

In addition, majority of respondents were aged 18 - 21 (69%) and 22- 29 (37%). 9% of the respondents were aged 46-60, while 7% were aged 18-21. Also a large percentage of respondents were income earners as compared to students who were 20%.

Findings
Avid Nollywood Movie fans
An overwhelming majority (98%) of the respondents interviewed responded affirmatively on watching Nollywood movies whilst only 2% said they do not watch Nollywood movies.

Movies preferred to watch
Most respondents (40%) prefer watching movies with a comedy theme as compared to 39% who prefer to watch movies with a drama theme, 14% of the respondents prefer romance movies whilst 2% prefer horror and a period piece.

Attraction to the Nollywood movies
Respondents were asked for the main factor that attracts then to watch certain Nollywood movies. The vast majority (56%) said they are attracted to watch films because of the actor or actress involved. A further 34% said they are attracted by the storyline and 6% by the director.

Nollywood movie ratings
The majority of respondents (48%) said they currently rate Nigerian movies as good while 31% rate them average. This is followed by 17% that rated them very good, only 2% rated Nollywood films as poor.

Areas Nollywood Movies could improve on
When asked for the area where Nollywood movies could improve on, the majority (48%) by far said it is the storyline. This is followed by 19% who said the production/picture quality and 17% who said the acting could be improved on. 8% of the respondents said costume while 5% said soundtrack respectively.

Conclusion
Results from the snap poll indicate that Nollywood films are very popular among Nigerians since 98% of the respondents surveyed acknowledged that they watch them. Results also show that comedy (40%) and drama (39%) are the most preferred genres of film in Nigeria followed by romance (14%). The major factor that attracts people to watch certain films is the Actor/Actress involved. This clearly shows that casting the right actor/actress in a Nollywood is a key success factor. Even though the majority (48%) rate Nigerian films as good, the majority also agree that the main area films have to improve on is their storyline. In addition, our poll found that the most favourite Nollywood actors in Nigeria are Nkem Owoh, Emeka Ike and Jim Iyke (all tied at 20%); while the most favourite Nollywood actresses are Genevieve Nnaji (20%), Mercy Johnson (19%) and Omotola Jolade Ekehinde (17%).
Also, only 25% of the respondents interviewed watch movies at the cinemas; the key reason why 75% do not go to cinemas is because they can buy the DVD and just watch it at home. This is in line with findings from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics that shows that the majority of Nollywood films go directly to DVD and Nigeria only has 0.4 cinema screens to 100,000 people.
However, most respondents (44%) would go to a cinema to watch a Nollywood movie as compared to 37% who would go to watch a Hollywood movie. This is an interesting statistic and should be noted by cinema owners across the Nation.

Download full survey results @ www.noi-polls.com

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HICC To Empower Nigerian Men at 2012 5Ms Conference

The Harvesters International Christian Centre (HICC) had a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the main church in Gbagada, Lagos.
The press conference was coordinated by the Royals of the HICC to inform the public of the goals and objectives of their 2012 5Ms Conference with the theme: INPOWERED, coming up on October 20, 2012, at the main church on Plot 7, Gbagada Expressway, Gbagada, Lagos. The 5Ms conference specifically addresses the exemplary leadership role of Man in Marriage, Market Place, Mentoring Ministry and Money Matters.

Pastor Deji Agboade.

The press conference attracted leading Nigerian journalists including Collins Talker from Galaxy TV and Mary Ekah from This Day newspaper and others came from Silverbird TV, Channels TV, Daily Sun, The Punch, Vanguard, National Life, Business Day and Nigerians Report.

The members of the Royals of HICC putting heads together after the press conference.

The Assistant Pastor of HICC Deji Agboade said members of the Royals have been called to raise leaders in all the five major areas of life as defined by the 5Ms Conference. Other members including Eng Ayodeji Soyemi, Darlington Njoku, Toyin Idowu and Tope Roluga also spoke on the challenges of the new generation of Nigerian men to reform the youths and transform Nigeria. Among the Royals are outstanding young role models of remarkable accomplishments like Rogba Arimoro, CEO of Knight House studios, a production, management, and branding company, and a record label that produced the international award winning Nigerian hip hop star Mo'Cheddah, Chike Ibekwe, leading filmmaker and writer whose film Eternal shared the Golden Screen Grand Dor at the 2010 Ecrans Noir Film Festival in Yaoundé, Cameroon and Christian Nwankpa, a managing partner of GIP Group and executive producer of the multiple award winning Gugu Michaels movie Dangerous Men and Pastor’s Wife among other productions.


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

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Creating a Sustainable Cocoa Industry For Farmers Will Require Billions In Investments

Mars Committed to doing its part with $30 million Investment in 2011, will Continue to Invest through 2020 and Work Pre-Competitively with Industry Peers

Hussin Bin Purung, a Mars cocoa expert, meeting with farmers on the demonstration plot near Koda, Cote d'Ivoire.

Inside the pods that grow directly from the trunk and main branches of the cocoa tree are the cocoa beans used to make chocolate.

Announcement made in conjunction with publication of Mars’ Principles in Action summary detailing the company’s commitments to make a difference for people and the planet through their performance

MCLEAN, VA (October 8, 2012) /PRNewswire/ — Creating a sustainable cocoa sector that can meet the chocolate industry’s long-term demand for cocoa, the essential raw material for chocolate, while providing economic opportunities to cocoa farmers will require billions of dollars in agricultural investments across research, third-party certification and technology transfer to farmers, according to Mars, Incorporated, one of the world’s leading chocolate manufacturers.

Although many groups and individual companies have made singular investments towards a more sustainable sector, to benefit a significant portion of the world’s five to six million cocoa farmers, Mars believes the industry must work together even more closely to scale up positive impacts for farmers and achieve higher yields without compromising limited natural resources.

Cocoa sustainability is a large-scale issue that needs large-scale effort and investment
Announcing that it invested approximately $30 million in cocoa sustainability efforts in 2011, after spending more than $20 million annually in the previous two years, Mars is calling for an expansion of previous, smaller scale programs and a renewed focus on farmer benefit as the industry’s chief priority. Mars will likely match 2011’s investment each year during the next decade.

Earlier this year, the company announced that it had met its 2011 goal of purchasing 10 percent of its total cocoa supply as certified sustainable, and in 2012 it will exceed its original target of 20 percent, making it the largest user of certified cocoa in the world. Based on current buying arrangements, Mars projects that this will be nearly 90,000 metric tons of certified cocoa this year.

Mars is calling upon the sector to collaborate for the common good
“We believe that the best approach to cocoa sustainability is to partner with our industry peers, governments, certification organizations and NGOs for the common good,” said Barry Parkin, Mars Global Chocolate Procurement and Sustainability Head. “The billions of dollars of investment needed requires the large global manufacturers to work together to make this happen at meaningful scale. We can see that the industry is taking this challenge very seriously, as there is a lot of good work happening, but we strongly believe that all of these efforts can be combined as part of a sector-wide effort to achieve the results we all want to see.”
The announcement coincides with the publication of Mars’ second annual Principles in Action summary, which details the company’s approach to business and its commitment to put its Five Principles into action to make a difference to people and the planet through their performance. Mars remains a private, family-owned business dedicated to the objective first expressed by Forrest E. Mars, Sr. in 1947 – to ‘create a mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders.’

This objective was evident in 2009 when the business pledged to purchase 100 percent of its supply from certified sustainable cocoa sources by 2020. Mars estimates that demand for cocoa will outstrip supply by one million metric tons by that date, and therefore is making this direct investment in research, technology transfer to farmers, and certification over the next decade to address this industry challenge.

“Revitalizing the cocoa sector for the world’s five to six million cocoa farmers will likely require billions of dollars of investment over the next 10 years – everybody in the industry will have to do their part,” said Andrew Harner, Mars’ Global Cocoa Vice President. “Reaching farmers at scale requires significant financial investment, innovative programs, and industry cooperation. For instance, Mars’ Vision for Change initiative will help farmers in Côte d’Ivoire learn updated agricultural methods to strengthen their communities and to increase their productivity, which, in turn, will enhance their economic opportunities. The program is also pre-competitive, which means that the entire industry can benefit from the efforts we are making there. We are eager and willing to work with others in the industry who are pursuing sustainability initiatives.”
Mars’ Sustainable Cocoa Initiative focusing on research, certification, and direct intervention programs to boost productivity

The Sustainable Cocoa Initiative is focusing on three critical elements: cocoa science research, including mapping the cocoa genome in conjunction with the IBM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; transferring technology and agricultural methods to cocoa farmers through the Vision for Change initiative; and third-party certification. Mars is working with three certification organizations: Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, and UTZ Certified.

The company’s technology transfer program is centered around the Vision for Change initiative, which focuses on cocoa farmers in the Soubré region of Côte d’Ivoire. Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s largest cocoa producer, and farmers in the Soubré region grow the most cocoa within the country. Mars is in the process of establishing Cocoa Development Centers (CDCs) in Côte d’Ivoire, which will provide growers with planting material and technology to improve their farms. By 2020, they hope to build 75 Ivorian Cocoa Development Centers that will reach 150,000 farmers.

In addition to building these demonstration centers, Vision for Change will work to channel economic success into significant improvements in the quality of life in cocoa communities through community empowerment and better access to public and private development funds. Additionally, CDCs are being built in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines to help farmers in those countries.

As well, Mars is making greater investments in cocoa science that will help farmers have more productive trees and farms. The focus is on helping farmers triple their yields with more effective practices, good agronomic skills, improved germplasm and fertilizer, which, in turn, will allow them to triple their incomes and give them opportunities they may not have otherwise had. Long considered an orphan crop, cocoa has gone without the kind of study and research that has helped to generate more productive crops in other sectors. With its Mars Center for Cocoa Science in Brazil, the company is developing more productive, more disease- and pest-resistant trees. In 2010, working with IBM and the USDA, Mars mapped the cocoa genome, which is publicly available to cocoa researchers and all interested parties at the Cocoa Genome Database.

Finally, the company is working with international third-party certification organizations to make sure their direct investments will have greater reach throughout the cocoa growing community. Beyond meeting the environmental goals laid out by certifiers like Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, and UTZ Certified, Mars has worked with these certifiers to include important labor and productivity standards. Mars believes that, in order to be successful, sustainability standards must include increased productivity to drive improved living conditions for farmers, their families, and their communities.

For more information on the company’s effort supporting cocoa sustainability, please visit www.mars.com/cocoasustainability. Additionally, you can read about the sustainability team’s ongoing initiatives at the blog www.cocoasustainability.com.

About Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 70,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA™, WISDOM PANEL™ and SERAMIS®.
For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars.


Media Contact:

Ryan Bowling
+1 908 914 1702
ryan.bowling@effem.com

Suzanne Morse
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CNN Announces Creation Of CNN Films

8 Oct 2012 14:20 Africa/Lagos

CNN Announces Creation Of CNN Films
First CNN Film, Richard E. Robbins's "Girl Rising," to air Spring 2013 on CNN, CNN International, alongside Theatrical Release
Projects from Acclaimed Filmmakers Alex Gibney and Andrew Rossi

NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CNN, the worldwide leader in news, today announced the creation of CNN Films to secure feature-length documentaries for air on CNN and CNN International, alongside theatrical distribution. The move is part of a wider strategy to acquire original non-fiction content to complement CNN's award-winning news programs; it was announced by CNN Worldwide Managing Editor Mark Whitaker.

"Girl Rising," the first documentary acquired by CNN Films, will air in spring 2013. The film, which inspired a global action campaign to promote girls' education called 10x10, tells the extraordinary stories of several girls from around the globe fighting to overcome impossible odds to realize their dreams. The film includes voice performances by Academy Award Winner Meryl Streep, Academy Award Nominee Anne Hathaway , Kerry Washington , and Selena Gomez . "Girl Rising" is directed by Academy Award Nominee Richard E. Robbins ("Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience") and executive produced by Tom Yellin and Holly Gordon of The Documentary Group and Paul G. Allen of Vulcan Productions.

CNN Films has also signed development deals with Academy Award Winning Director and Producer Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side," "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," and "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer") and Director Andrew Rossi ("Page One: Inside the New York Times"). Both will develop original documentaries to air on CNN.

"CNN Films will bring distinguished, thought-provoking documentary programming to our global audiences on all our television, online, and mobile platforms," said Whitaker. "We want these documentaries to tell compelling stories and stimulate important discussions across CNN's other programs and websites."

The original feature-length documentaries will examine an array of political, social, and economic subject matters. The films will premiere in primetime and will re-air in order to increase exposure. Surrounding the premiere of each documentary, acclaimed CNN programs will run dedicated programming that sheds light on the topics and issues discussed in each film. In-depth interviews, expert commentary, roundtable discussions, debates, and behind-the-scenes footage will be featured across all of CNN's broadcast and online platforms.

Amy Entelis, senior vice president of talent and content development for CNN Worldwide, and Vinnie Malhotra, senior vice president of development and acquisitions for CNN Worldwide, will oversee the acquisition strategy of documentaries under the CNN Films banner. Malhotra will manage the day-to-day operation of CNN Films, and work directly with filmmakers to develop original projects.

CNN Films also plans to bring the documentaries beyond the small screen by developing strategic partnerships to leverage distribution opportunities at film festivals and in theaters.

To learn more about "Girl Rising" and to view the trailer, please visit: http://10x10act.org/presenting-girl-rising.

For more information on CNN, please visit www.cnnpressroom.com.

About CNN
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

About 10x10
10x10 is an ongoing global campaign to raise awareness and support for girls' education. For more information, visit www.10x10act.org.


SOURCE CNN

CONTACT: Abi O'Donnell, +1-212-691-2800, odonnell@sunshinesachs.com; or Jennifer Dargan, +1-404-885-4638, jennifer.dargan@turner.com

Web Site: http://www.cnnpressroom.com

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Princewill Receives Royal Blessings As He Commissions Micro-Finance Equipment To Empower Rural Women In Rivers State

Prince Tonye Princewill and HRH Prof. Raymond Woko, Paramount ruler of Rumowa Community in Riveers State.

PRINCEWILL RECEIVES SPIRITUAL AND ROYAL APPLAUSE AS HE EMBARKS UPON A LOCAL GOVERNMENT TOUR TO COMMISSION MICRO-FINANCE SKILL ACQUISITION EQUIPMENT TO EMPOWER RURAL WOMEN IN RIVERS STATE

3rd day of October, 2012, the day, Prince Tonye Princewill visited Obio Akpor and Tai Local Government Areas under the banner of Princewiil’s Trust remains indelible. He was there to commission the multi-million naira Skills Acquisition Equipment he had procured and distributed to various Local Government Areas in Rivers State to train and empower rural women to enable them cater for their families and make them financially viable. While at Obio Akpor LGA, he paid a courtesy call on His Royal Highness, King Prof Raymond Woko the Paramount Ruler of Rumowha Community and was blessed before he left to join the crowd that came to welcome him at the PPA Secretariat, Obio Akpor where he commissioned the skill acquisition equipment for the training of the women in the area.

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Princewill at the commisioning of the Obio-Akpor LGA Secretariat.

Prince Tonye Princewill, commisioning the Obio Akpor LGA PPA secretariat.

Prince Tonye Princewill commisioning the new Tai LGA PPA secretariat

Prince Tonye Princewill being dressed by executives of PPA Obio-Akpor LGA.

Prince Tonye recieving prayers from HRH Prof Raymond Woko, Paramount ruler of Rumowa Community in Rivers State.

The sequence of events was repeated in Tai where His Royal Majesty, King G.N.K. Gininwa OFR, Gbenemene Tua-Tua Tai, Chairman Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers was on hand to receive him to his palace. Prince Tonye Princewill after briefing the King of his mission in his Kingdom thanked him for the great reception accorded him and his entourage and told the King that he truly is at home just as if he is in his father’s house. He told the King that based on his long relationship with the Tai people that apart from the Skill Acquisiti

Princewill at the formal opening of the Obio-Akpor LGA, PPA secretariat.
 

Prince Tonye Princewill, inspecting his skills aquisition project equipment at the newly commisioned PPA secretariat   in Obiakpor LGA, Rivers State.

Prince Tonye Princewill warmly recieved at Tai LGA, Rivers State

HRM King G.N.K Gininwa OFR, Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, hosting Prince Tonye Princewill at his Palace.

Prince Tonye Princewill interacting with supporters in Obio-Akpor LGA.

on Equipment he has donated to empower the women of Tai, he is ready to provide a bus for the PPA in the area and offer scholarship to ten children of Tai to study in any university of their choice in Nigeria. The elated King prayed and blessed the Prince describing him as a blessing not only to Tai people but to the entire people of the State.

Prince Tonye Princewill and HRH Prof. Raymond Woko, Paramount ruler of Rumowa Community in Riveers State.

Hon Emmanuel Owhor the PPA Coordinator for Obio Akpor and Lady Peace Teerah the PPA. Coordinator for Tai Local Government Area both described Prince Tonye Princewill as a leader of the common man and that they are ready to sacrifice whatever it will take to promote the Prince and his Trust to the people of their Local Government Areas. The Prince concluded the day with a formal presentation of a Hummer Air-conditioned Bus to the Women Wing of PPA to assist the women in their mobilization efforts in the State. Dr Mrs Edith Wele the women PPA Leader assured the Prince that his investment in the lives of the Rivers State Women will never be in vain.

~ Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, Media Consultant PPA


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World's Foremost Poets Descend Upon Newark, New Jersey

5 Oct 2012 16:32 Africa/Lagos

Philip Levine

Dozens Of The World's Foremost Poets Descend Upon Newark, New Jersey Next Week, October 11-14, 2012 For The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival

North America's Largest Poetry Festival Includes Readings, Performances, and Conversations By Dozens of the Leading, International Voices in Contemporary Poetry, Including:

Natasha Trethewey

C. K. Williams

Nikky Finney


U.S. Poets Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-Winners Philip Levine and Natasha Trethewey, Pulitzer Prize-Winner C. K. Williams, National Book Award Winners Nikky Finney and Terrance Hayes, Chilean National Literature Prize winner Raul Zarita, Ireland's Most Honored Woman Poet Eavan Boland, California Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, and Founder of the Black Arts Movement Amiri Baraka.

NEWARK, N.J., Oct. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation will present more than 100 poetry events at the 14th biennial Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, presented in partnership with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the City of Newark, NJ from October 11 through 14, 2012. The Dodge Poetry Festival is the largest poetry event in North America. Called "Wordstock" by The New York Times, audience members have the opportunity to hear performances from and interact with dozens of the world's foremost poets with an extraordinarily wide range of backgrounds and styles. Single day, weekend and four-day passes to the Festival are available at www.njpac.org, at the NJPAC box office at One Center Street in downtown Newark, or by calling 1-888-466-5722.

Poets returning to the Festival include former U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine and current Laureate Natasha Trethewey , Pulitzer Prize-winner C. K. Williams , National Book Award winners Terrance Hayes and Thomas Lux , and T.S. Eliot Prize-winner Jane Hirshfield. Poets making Festival debuts are: Pulitzer Prize finalist Henri Cole , Chilean National Literature Prize winner Raul Zurita , Ireland's leading woman poet Eavan Boland , California Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera , National Book Award winner Nikky Finney , Fanny Howe , and Gregory Orr . Other notables include Newark resident and Black Arts Movement founder Amiri Baraka and National Book Award finalist Dorianne Laux . The Festival will also present a world premiere performance of selections from four-time National Grand Slam Champion Patricia Smith 's book-length sequence Blood Dazzler, about Hurricane Katrina, set to Wynton Marsalis' "At the Octoroon Balls" string quartet and performed by members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. In addition to readings and performances, all Festival poets will participate in discussions and other multi-poet events.

Anchored by events at NJPAC, the Festival will transform downtown Newark into a "Poetry Village," with many of the performances and readings occurring at alternate venues and cultural destinations in Newark, all within easy walking distance of the Center, including Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, First Peddie Baptist Memorial Church, the New Jersey Historical Society, the Newark Museum, North Star Academy, and Trinity & St. Philip's Cathedral.

The complete lineup is available at: www.dodgepoetry.org

Prudential is the presenting sponsor of the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.

SOURCE New Jersey Performing Arts Center

CONTACT: Julia Kirchhausen, Resnicow Schroeder Associates, +1-212-671-5161 jkirchhausen@resnicowschroeder.com; or Aga Sablinska, Resnicow Schroeder Associates, +1-212-671-5177, asablinska@resnicowschroeder.com; or Joshua Balber, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, +1-973-353-8051, jbalber@njpac.org; or David Mayhew, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, +1-203-533-5621, david@davidmayhew.net

Web Site: http://www.njpac.org

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