First-Ever United Nations 'Women for Peace' Event
When the United Nations Delegations Women's Club and their producer, Annette Richardson, were in need of a production company for their 1st "Women for Peace" event, they selected Empire Entertainment to coordinate talent onsite and stage manage the evening at the world-renowned United Nations General Assembly Hall. Celebrating International Women's Day, the evening began with inspirational words from the Patron of "Women for Peace", the Honorable Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, wife of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. UN Delegations Women's Club President Anna Birgis Hannesson, wife of the Icelandic Ambassador to the United Nations, and Project chair Dr. Helene Yousfi, wife of the Algerian Ambassador to the United Nations, led the many distinguished guest speakers including Mrs Kerim, Wife of the President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Solveiga Silkalna, and world-renown humanitarian Jacqueline Murekatete, in their stories of peace and hopes for the future.
This unique cultural event featured over 90 performers from around the world, demonstrating through song and dance that differences among people can be overcome. Empire coordinated all of the artists and satisfied their technical needs to ensure that guests were treated to fantastic performances and that the evening flowed smoothly. The many acts included Indonesian dancers, Chinese acrobats, Latin dancers, French Quadrille dancers, African drummers, and Hawaiian dancers as well as more than one internationally-renowned opera diva. Internationally-acclaimed musician and composer Dr. Simon Shaheen brought his unique blend of Arab, Jazz, Classical, and Latin music to an ecstatic audience. And Swedish soprano Madeleine Kristoffersson moved the audience with her powerful performance of "Pace, pace mio Dio" accompanied by pianist Leon Livshin. Also performing was Magnus Martensson. Hailed as the successor of Victor Borge, this Swedish comedian/pianist is currently the Music Director of the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York. The evening's final performance featured a powerful rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" sung by award-winning songwriter Sylvia Tosun and former-Motown recording artist Kyla Upshaw. During the finalé the women delegates and spouses to UN representatives joined all of the evening's performers on stage in singing for peace.
Empire is a leading producer of international talent and has experience producing major events in many of the world's most prestigious venues.
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
