The Fifth Annual Bicoastal Symposium
Commemorating the Anniversary of September 11

Virtue Foundation is pleased to announce its Fifth Annual Bicoastal Symposium in Los Angeles and New York commemorating the anniversary of September 11. Opening in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 9, at UCLA, the two-day symposium will conclude in New York at the United Nations ECOSOC Council Chamber on Monday, September 11, 2006. Featuring keynote speeches from leaders in various sectors of the global community, human rights documentary film debuts, and musical performances by several guests, the symposium is being co-sponsored by the NGO Section of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations.

In line with First Lady Bush’s anticipated visit to New York on September 18 to discuss the critical role of education, this year’s bicoastal symposium will primarily focus on the theme of rebuilding the lives of those impacted by devastating tragedies and ongoing conflicts around the world, from Katrina survivors to child soldiers to genocide victims, through progressive and far-reaching education and healthcare initiatives that will foster hope and ensure sustainable infrastructures both domestically and abroad.

Recognizing that the origins and sources of various tragedies and conflicts are often diverse and region specific, several common threads can nonetheless be clearly identified upon closer examination: loss of individual dignity and basic human rights; ignorance, intolerance, and despair; a lack of competent governance and primary institutions; social and ethnic repression; and loss of self-determination. A comprehensive and united approach addressing these various elements is necessary if we are to overcome the formidable challenges that lie ahead.

Through its broad range of educational programs and humanitarian initiatives worldwide, Virtue Foundation seeks to raise awareness of global issues and to motivate people to take action in order to assist those who are truly in need, especially voiceless women and children, by providing better education, better healthcare, and the observance of fundamental human rights.

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