Building a Better World Summit
April 6, 2006 – Hollywood: Artists For A Better World International participated in the “Building a Better World Summit” in the Garden Pavilion at Celebrity Centre International. 145 attendees were briefed by representatives from many of CCI’s social betterment and community service organizations and visited 25 table displays for the various groups. Attendees were also entertained with live musical performances from a number of AFABW Int artists as well as song and dance routines from Kids On Stage For A Better World.
The messages repeated throughout the evening were about help: helping individuals affected by natural disaster; helping to forward human rights; helping to get drug addicts off drugs forever; helping criminals to become productive members of society; helping to rid the world of psychiatric abuse; helping to bring harmony to the Mideast; helping the environment; helping to get study technology into more learning institutions around the world; helping to spread The Way To Happiness around the globe; helping to build a better world through aesthetics; and helping the problems of mankind through the solutions of Scientology.
Actor, visual artist and MC for the evening, Jim Meskimen, said “Tonight you will hear from leaders of Celebrity Centre’s various groups, who are actively helping to change conditions for the better, and are speeding the clearing of the planet.”
The Volunteer Ministers were represented by sisters Alissa & Sarah Sears who were on the scene in Sri Lanka and Brazil helping those affected by natural disasters, and opening up these countries to humanitarian solutions by L. Ron Hubbard. They showed a video presentation of the VM’s in action.
Two representatives spoke of making human rights a reality: Michelle Seward, President of the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance and 15-year-old Claire Kevitt, Youth President of Youth for Human Rights. The groups are forwarding easy to understand human rights education to adults and children so that they are able to grasp what fundamental human rights are, as aligned with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They are also working to effectively combat violations of human rights, focusing on the issues of children and religious freedom.
Mick Coventry briefed the audience on the worldwide expansion of Narconon International and their successes helping drug addicts become drug free with the most successful drug rehab program in the world as well as the successes of their drug prevention and education programs.
The Hollywood chapter of Citizens Commission On Human Rights is made of a group of artists who decided to band together to investigate and expose psychiatric human rights abuse, especially in the area of arts and entertainment. Drew Noel, who spoke of their work since their inception just last year, said they have found over 450 abuse cases, and have gotten 886 million media impressions revealing the truth about the psychs.
CC Kids On Stage For A Better World was founded by Honorary LRH Public Relations Officer, Jean Dale. They have been bringing messages of hope of a better world to the LA Community for over 15 years and have performed nearly 1000 shows. Tonight they performed an anti-psych song and dance routine, “Vitamin R.”
Celebrity Centre International’s Boy Scout Troop 8 performed a Flag Ceremony for the crowd. They have been active for 12 years and have set a great example in the scouting community by their numerous community projects and they have also made 12 Eagle scouts, which is more than average for a troop. They are currently working on getting religious recognition for Scientology in the scouting world.
Rachel Hutcheson gave a talk on the successes of CCI’s OT Committee and their work helping to create the 2006 International Artists Convention which will occur later this month aboard the Freewinds in the Caribbean. Their members have also helped raise 2 million dollars to help create Ideal Orgs.
President of Artists for a Better World International, George Alger, spoke of the global artists connecting up to AFABW Int to participate in the AFABW Int creative productions, including poetry books, a short story book, music CDs, visual arts calendars, as well as the annual AFABW Arts Festival at CCI. He also spoke of the distribution of the AFABW Int The Way To Happiness booklet.
Ray Korns spoke on behalf of CCI’s Toastmasters club, the Renaissance Speakers. He presented their successes training participants in the technology of public speaking and of their most noteworthy example, Lance Miller, who became the Toastmasters World Champion Of Public Speaking after continuously winning a series of competitions against a field of 25,000 contestants from 90 countries. Lance is also President of The Way To Happiness International.
Singer/Songwriter Dee Dee O’Malley spoke about the CCI Musician’s Association which has been joining up with musicians and music groups in the community, and producing The Music Industry Showcase events at Celebrity Centre. DeeDee also performed one of her original songs.
Freewinds Representative, Gavin Potter, gave a presentation about the upcoming Freewinds International Artists Convention that will take place in the Caribbean later this month as well as the educational services on the ship to help artists and attendees to become more causative and successful in their lives and careers.
Criminon is dedicated to addressing the causes of criminality and restoring the criminal’s self-respect through effective drug detoxification, education and common sense programs. Criminon plays a vital role in achieving the aims of Scientology, due in great part to the leadership of IAS Freedom Medal Winner 2002, Greg Capazorio. Greg has addressed government leaders from several countries and has met with over 25 Congressmen and Senators in the US. Tonight Greg spoke about the expansion of Criminon and their current work with the California Department of Corrections.
Representing The Way To Happiness Outdoors Club, Bob Sullivan spoke of their activities taking youth groups on outdoor adventures and putting on sporting tournaments to raise funds for the distribution of The Way To Happiness booklets. To date they have funded 808,000 booklets. Bob presented a video of a recent fishing expedition for inner-city kids and said their motto is “Have Fun – Help Others!”
President of the Earth Organization, Barbara Wiseman stated they are a group dedicated to bringing effective solutions to the world’s environmental problems. The group was founded by IAS Freedom Medal Winner, Lawrence Anthony, who became world renown for his rescue of animals in the Baghdad Zoo, during the Iraq war. Barbara is overseeing a massive campaign in New Orleans to clean up toxic wastes resulting from Hurricane Katrina and also presented a video documenting environmental problems and spoke of their solution.
Executive Director, Avi Lonstein, represented the Association for Peace and Understanding in the Middle East, which was founded by IAS Freedom Medal Winner, Joan Lonstein. Avi spoke of their funding of 2.4 million The Way To Happiness booklets that were distributed in the Mideast. They have also broadened their activities to help coordinate the introduction of a large scale Study Tech project in the area.
Bernard Percy, of Applied Scholastics, spoke about helping people find their purpose in life through the Foundation Of Brilliance. He also introduced Brendon Merrick, from Applied Scholastics who flew in from Australia, to show a video about their dissemination in Asia, and to speak about their setting up Arts and Culture Centers to help artists get Study Tech to help them succeed.
CCI Rep, Eric Meyersfield, sang the evening’s concluding song, “You Are My Freedom Building A Better World.”
Attendee Dottie Livengood stated, “What I got out of the event was a much better understanding of how Scientology activities are expanding around the world.”