Pro Systems joins with the World Culture Open in Celebration of Diversity

New York City, New York – September 21, 2004 – The World Culture Open, an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cultural awareness and celebrating diversity through the arts, introduced itself the world by conducting its first major event: the World Culture Open Awards at the Lincoln Center in New York City. The twelve-day festival began in New York City from September 8-10 and concludes in Korea from September 11-19. The video projection expertise of Pro Systems was enlisted to aid in bringing the WCO’s inaugural event to life.

The World Culture Open Awards, which will be held biennially, honor excellence in three different fields: the creative arts, holistic well-being and humanitarian service. Awards of $100,000 are given in each category to an individual or organization, which preserves culture tradition, promotes diversity and overcomes societal and cultural division.

Pro Systems provided one 16’ x 9’ screen and two 12,000 lumen digital projectors, which displayed magnified images of performances and graphics presentations during the ceremony.

The Peace Prize for Arts and Culture awards presentation, hosted by Val Kilmer, honored Dr. Antonio Jose Abreu of Venezuela in the Creative Arts category and Orcamento Participativo, a non-profit organization from Brazil, in the Humanitarian Service Category.

Dr. Abreu, UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Music and Peace, won the Creative Arts award for his instrumental involvement with the National Symphony Youth Orchestra. The NSYO has given thousands upon thousands of children from low-income Venezuelan families access to music and education.

Orcamento Participativo received the Humanitarian Service award for their work in promoting the voices of “vulnerable social sectors” to be heard by government. Literally translated orcamento means “budget” and participativo means “citizen participation” in Portuguese. The organization has helped many minority groups gain societal awareness of their existence and representation in government.

No award in the Holistic Arts category was presented this year because a lack of nominations in the category. Instead, the WCO will use the money to create the Holistic Arts Scholarship Fund, which will distribute grants to organizations, which foster peace and understanding through the use of holistic arts such as yoga or martial arts.

The World Culture Open was launched in response to the increasing divisions between different cultures, which resulted in response to the attacks on September 11. The WCO provides a forum within which the sharing of arts and culture between societies and nations can occur.

For more information about Pro Systems, please contact us at 860-646-2716 or visit www.prosystemsonline.com.

Pro Systems provides complete event technology solutions from pre-event consultation to seamless implementation for corporate meetings, functions, and special events. Our services include scalable video projection, graphics switching, I-MAG, LED walls, digital signage, audio, and lighting capabilities. Our job is to make your job easier.