Arts Olympus at Queen Mary June 17-20

Arts Olympus, an international non-profit arts organization committed to promoting unity through art, will hold four days of free public intercultural events hosted aboard the world’s most famous ship, The Queen Mary, taking place June 17-20, 2010, in Long Beach, Calif., where The Queen Mary is docked.

The landmark celebration is a preview of the upcoming launch of the Arts Olympus floating ship that is due to set sail from New York Harbor in the Spring of 2011 with the goal of bringing free cultural performances to port-to-port destinations worldwide – a veritable travelling cultural world’s fair.

Arts Olympus is the brainchild of Robert Slaughter, who conceived the concept 12 years ago and has worked tirelessly to engage performers, politicians, celebrities, intellectuals and artists from all corners of the world, without receiving any compensation (note his Scotch-taped lap top and 23-year-old car). Recognizing that funding of the arts continues to be cut, his vision is a “ship of global goodwill,” with the purpose to enhance “global unity, understanding and friendship through the cultural arts.”

The four-day event will offer live dance performances, concerts, intellectual salons, poetry readings, children’s films, amusements, art displays, a global film festival and one of the world’s largest and most diverse international food buffets. Guests are requested to make a contribution of any amount at the door (www.artsolympus.org for more information). A gala event, including a tribute to several celebrity humanitarians, will take place on June 19th.

The public celebration will set the stage for the actual launch of the Arts Olympus floating ship due to set sail from the New York Harbor Spring, 2011. At each stop, events will take place for free in parks, public schools, universities, and on public stages, among other venues. The Arts Olympus is inviting countries to host as well as to send their most talented artists and performers to participate in other country visits.

Humanitarians being honored include:
· Jane Russell, Hollywood legend, who turns 89 at this event, has for over 50 years worked to help children in need all over the world, including lobbying Congress to pass laws that allow Americans to adopt orphan refugee children from war torn countries
· Linda Gray, actress, a “Goodwill Ambassador” for the United Nations, has a passion for wanting to help children living in desperate conditions in poor countries world wide.
· Ed Begley Jr., actor, has been a trailblazer in environmental issues since the early 1970s, living an eco-friendly lifestyle ever since. He has traveled and spoken extensively on issues dealing with all aspects of preserving the earth from riding bicycles to generating his own electricity at his home.
· Soheir Khashoggi, best-selling author, creates in-depth novels of the lives of woman hidden behind the veil. Though born in Egypt and a member of one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent families, she has used her influence to highlight the plight of women across the Arab world. She is one of the founding board members of “Women for Women” that has reached out to help destitute woman globally.
· Romina Arina, Italian pop-opera star, is being honored for her involvement with Orphans International, among other charities. In conjunction with the United Nations, she received the 2010 Global Citizenship of Humanity Award.
· Robert Muller, known as the “Philosopher of the United Nations” Robert had been working for the UN for forty years as advisor to the Secretary General. Upon his retirement he founded an institution that assembles exceptional thinkers from all over the world the University of Peace in Costa Rica.
Many prominent figures from around the world have endorsed this groundbreaking humanitarian effort. David Wayne of London’s Arts & Business funding source said this is “the sexiest intercultural event I’ve seen.” It will be an event that “unites diverse cultures to create a universal soul,” said Teemu Virtanen, noted TV personality and spokesperson for Nokia, Finland, and “Count me in, Indian television will love this,” said Girish Madhu, TV producer and director, Mumbai, India.

Performance Highlights: (schedule available)
Among some of the performances slated to take place on the Queen Mary:
Contemporary Russian exhibition
Multi-cultural straw art
Panel discussion of prominent women in the arts
Live performances
Poetry reading, puppets and exhibits
International film festival of socially conscious documentaries

For more information and to view the full schedule of events, please visit: http://artsolympus.org/queen_mary_event.html

About Arts Olympus
The Arts Olympus is a nonprofit multinational organization with a long track record in the cultural arts. Throughout the years, the Arts Olympus has staged countless free public arts events and intellectual salons that run the full spectrum of world culture with children being a major focus. The organization produces vehicles that educate, encourage and spark the creative imaginations of audiences in the thousands and soon in the millions. It believes that the arts matter and that exposure to artistic expression in all forms is an important component in developing harmony of body, mind and soul, which increases the all-around vitality of individuals and groups and better enables them to perform as peaceful, joyous members of the human race.