Sunday, June 10th, 5:00-6:30 Council Chambers Rye Town Hall   Abridged Version of Closing Ceremony This year, our network includes groups in Albania, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Egypt, Haiti, Iraq, India, Italy, Jordan, Nepal, Peru, Russia, Samoa, Spain, South Africa, and many groups in the United States, including a preschool in Ricon, Puerto Rico.  Next year, groups in Israel, Liberia, Kenya, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia have expressed interest in joining our program. One of our Rye members will return to her homeland, where she hopes to launch BPF Korea. Other Rye kids have let me know their intention to reach out to friends in Hungary, England, Ireland, China, and Japan.   Mayor Cohn: The second annual Mayor’s Award for Civic Leadership goes to a Rye High School junior, Aidan Anderson.   Henri Heyne: The Haitian Relief Organization Arts Leadership Award is given to four students who are rising stars, each in their own areas of expertise, but who also collaborate on community building initiatives.  These kids are Connor Kelly, a middle school student from the Stratton Mountain School.  Rye High School freshman, Joey Montalto. Rye Middle School sixth grader, Felicia Ambrosi.  Rye Middle School eighth grader, Sean Yu.   Evan Wies: Our Humanitarian Leadership Awards are given to kids, teachers, and program leaders who make us aware of global issues, to those who encourage compassion about the struggles of fellow world citizens, and finally, to those who use the arts to develop solutions.   Our first Humanitarian Leadership award goes to the kids at the Vajra Academy in Nepal.   The second Humanitarian Leadership award is given to the girls and coordinators of the TIGER program at the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan.   Our third Humanitarian Leadership Award is given to children and teachers, in  Mamurras, Albania.   Our fourth Humanitarian Leadership Award is given to the high school students and their teachers in the visual arts program at Greenwich Academy.   Two local adults are also recipients of the award.  Our first Rye, NY honoree is Nancy Pasquale.   Our next honoree, Maria Tinedo.   Evan Wies: For their work to make the world a better place, the Humanitarian Leadership Awards go to: Seidi Gibbs,  Ben Laschever, Toma Sellar, Lucca Cristiano, Cassidy Pagan, Catia Lai, Sierra Desai, Camilla Vitale, Sadie Gibbs, Sally Eggers, Jessica Foster, Elle McKinnon, Katherine Iuliano, Carina Rudolph-Math, Tim Rudolph- Math, Giselle Rudolph-Math, Kate Seitz, Sydney Jones, Sally Lee, Sumin Lee, Dylan Deertz, Philip Alexopoulos, Ally Santia, Sophie Molitor, Cristian Ellis, Natalia Roman, Nick McGuire, Kevin Keane, Mark O’Brien, Erin Ellis, Jack Childs, Philip Alexopoulos, and Ayden Hufford.   Ariel Eckstein: The Big Picture Foundation Art Ambassador’s Award is given to: Emilia Vukasinovic, Camilla Leon, Sally Eggers, Jessica Foster, Elle McKinnon, Katherine Iuliano, Aine Kennelly, Adam Levi, Rosanna Brizio,  Bendis Mani, Henri Heyne, Julianne Corballis, Michael Gonzalez-Molina.   Rosanna Brizio: We give our Program Innovator’s Award to Tejas Mehta, Julianna Valez, Rob Pursell, Michael Farewell, Marion Roseberry, John O, Jonathan Rodriguez, William Rupp, Charlie Morris, Angelica Koutsoubis, Johnny Keenan, Michael Lavelle, Caden Whaling, Sean Mealey, Penelope Peters, Lila Capparelli, Riley Donahue, Karlee Schadt, Luca Strazzini, Alex Langley, Caroline Reidy, Lily Shabaan, Sierra Desai, Michelle Lahrkamp, Charlie Levine, Lucca Cristiano, Toma Sellar, William Weber, Philip Alexopoulos, Brendan Quinn, Emilia Vukasinovic, Maya Matthiasson and Axel Peters.   Video clip   Robyn Kaminer: The Community Maker’s Award is given to : Abigail Davies, Alex Yeh, Annie Davis, Audrey Porter, Ava Trevialli, Balthazar Bitran, Bella Berrocal, Bella Mazilli, Bobby Townsend, Caden Whaling, Carter Barford, Charlie Howard, Chloe Chavez, Chloe Nacson-Schechter, Chris Park, Connor Galligan, Consiglia Meloni, Diana Moschetti, Ellie Kruijtzer, Emery Tuch, Emily Greenhaw, Emily Moloney, Esther Yu, Francesca Brizio, Gaby Gomez, Gloria Mustafa, Gordon Hargraves, Greta Llshaj, Gretchen Angelich, Guendalina Girotto, Henry Bagley, Henry Simmons, Holbrook Langley, Isabella Correa, Jack Foreman, Jack Murphy, James Kennedy, Jock Allen, John Minio, Julia Carroll, Julian Pasquale, Kajol Khatri, Karis Repetto, Kate Doyle, Kyan Cox, Lainey Noga, Lara Oktay, Lean Arja, Lente Smits, Leonardo Brizio, Lila Byrne, Lila Caparelli, Lilly Saffer, Lily Macdonald, Marra Storey, Matthew Bremmer, Maya McQueeney, Megyn Coyne, Michael Lavelle, Michael Pecora, Molly Parker, Morgan Delizia, Nicole Jonassen, Nicole Rodriguez, Noel Regan, Olivia Quinn, Olivia Walker, Peter Nemeth, Piper Tenney, Rebecca Silverstein, Riley Doran, Rory Baer, Sara Arja, Scarlett Coll, Scotland Jenkins, Sofia Nunez, Sofia Rodriguez, Sophia Hofmann, Sophia Mohomedally, Spencer Swiader, Tanner Howson, Thomas Vanneck, Thomas Richardson, Trey Gallos, Val Aguilera, Vlada Kuldyaeva, Will McCullough, Will Puzzuoli, Will Olsen, Yuiko Hirata, Zoe Frenchman   Video, as kids get up to receive their awards.   Ned Kirk Rye High School 9th grader, Nate Froah, bestowed an incredibly helpful gift upon Big Picture Foundation, when he offered us 10 Samsung tablets.  The tablet will help our most underprivileged global kids to participate in the Friendlink International program. We commend Nate Froah for empowering global groups to make meaningful connection with each other.   Kim Tamalonis The Big Picture Foundation Community Leadership Award is given to:  Aidan Anderson, Amber Hufford, Alexandra Kirk, Delucia Lepore, Scarlett Karmilowicz, Alexandra Langley, Camilla Leon, Toma Sellar, Emilia Vukasinovic, Sally Lee, Charlie Levine, Jonathan Rodriguez, Catherine Williams, Lily Shabaan, Christian Ellis, Sophie Molitor, Joey Montalto, Brendan Quinn, Keira Baden, Barrett Regan, and William Weber.   Thank you to the Big Picture Foundation board, including Brit Foster Rothstein, Evan Wies, Daniel Kennefick, Ariel Eckstein, Rosanna Brizio, and Ned Kirk, without whom, we would never have received nonprofit status, who have given me the support necessary to build our program, and who will be instrumental in solidifying our structure, in the year ahead.   Thank you as well, to Mayor Cohn, Henry Heyne, Dr. Eric Byrne, Dr. Sheryl Goffman, Dr. Ann Edwards, Patty Taylor, Joe DiGiovanni, Nicole Levitsky, Sally Rogol, Adam Levi, Meg Rodriguez, Nancy Pasquale, Jessica Lodator, Beth Gallos, and Lisa Fairies.  Finally, thank you so much to every child who contributes to using art for outreach and global community building initiatives and to every adult who supports our efforts.   We give our final Global Teachers for Peace Award to Pragya Tank, Kiran Dutta, James Dean Conklin, Fred Gillan Jr., Julie Corballis, Laura Bowman, Peg Taylor, Elisa Zazzera, Chuantong Ma, Udit Bhatta, Melanie Smith, Rami Khalef, Nosipho Xulu, Gisela Flanigan, Steve Brown, Kerri Clayton Teramura, Brother Siaosi Ioane, Stewart Va’a, Debra Aronson, Tom Snowdon, Dan Brown, and Michaëlle de Verteuil.   We thank SONY/ATV, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Brenda Richie Music Publishing, the Jackson Family, Lionel Richie and his family, and Brenda Richie and her family for giving us the go-ahead to pursue our “We are the World” project.