GIGANTIC COEXISTENCE EXHIBITION OPENS IN BOCA RATON TO CELEBRATE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HUMANITY
MARCH 10-APRIL 11TH

Museum On The Seam, LEAH, And Florida Holocaust Museum Join Together To Educate And Unite The Community And World In Promotion of Coexistence As A United Global Culture

MEDIA COVERAGE INVITED AND ENCOURAGED

WHO:
Coexistence Exhibition at Mizner Park was made possible through a partnership with:
Museum on the Seam, LEAH, & Florida Holocaust Museum

WHAT:
COEXISTENCE, a gigantic, thought-provoking free and open-to-the-public outdoor billboard-size art exhibition and a related series of events and educational programs is on display in Boca Raton from March 10th and run through April 11th. LEAH has partnered with the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg to bring this traveling exhibition to Sanborn Square that features 39 visual image panels--that average about 10 feet high by 16 feet wide--that were created by artists from many different countries and cultures to promote non-violent solutions to conflict while supporting the significant need for tolerance and understanding.

Initiated and created by the Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem, COEXISTENCE is a result of an international competition and a prestigious international jury that selected the best works to form the nucleus of the exhibition. It has created a great deal of consciousness and conversation as it made stops around the world in such cities as Berlin, Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Prague, Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna and Cape Town, South Africa; Boca Raton is the 16th city on the international tour. The month-long exhibition will include special events, workshops, seminars and celebrations of diversity.

WHEN:
Open-to-the-Public Exhibition Run: From March 10 - April 11, 2004

WHERE:
Information Center: The former International Museum of Cartoon Art, Mizner Park, Boca Raton
Main Exhibition: Sanborn Square (across from Old Town Hall/Boca Raton Historical Society), Boca Raton-Located on Federal Highway, between Palmetto Park Road and NE 2nd Street.

WHY:
Utilizing art as a universal language that is understood by all ages, religions and cultures to accomplish the following:
Further LEAH's on-going, proactive mission and vision to eliminate racism, discrimination, and hatred in our children's lifetime. Educate the community that coexistence is more than a concept and a popular idea for our new global culture. It involves changing our lives and changing the way we think. Encourage viewers to welcome the message of coexistence and take it into their hearts and minds as an important step in eliminating hate crimes and terrorism that plague our neighborhoods and neighborhoods around the globe. Raise awareness of the need to promote understanding and appreciation of diversity within our family, social and business circles. Serve as the impactful catalyst for position thinking/dialogue about diversity in our community.Educate the community that coexistence is not necessarily learning to live together but perhaps learning to live side by side.

HIGHLIGHTS: These include:

• The colossal and striking billboard-size art will have tremendous impact on visitors and passers-by. By their mere size and theme, they compel viewers to explore the images and words and relate them to their life, their existence and that of future generations.
  
  
• Invitations have been sent to clergy of all faiths, other nonprofits, Broward and Palm Beach County teachers and students, city and country officials, Boca Raton Educational TV (BRET) and the business community-at-large for participation, sponsorships and promotion.
  
  
• Art students of Florida Atlantic University is currently hosting its own student-created on-campus display of "coexistence" art that coincides with the meaning and mission of the featured exhibition at Sanborn Square.· LEAH has purchased and donated classroom size posters that are reproductions of the billboards to 278 schools throughout Palm Beach County. The teachers will then have the opportunity to teach through art, through environment and stimulate the children to think about the world and their important role in it.March 18, 2004, a special tour and evening program celebrating Coexistence, Cooperation and Culture for more than 300 Palm Beach, Broward and Martin County teachers will be held at the Amphitheater at the Centre for the Arts, Mizner Park.
  

CONTACT: Connie Packman - President, LEAH
(561) 278-6565; fax (561) 278-6567; E-mail: [email protected]

MEDIA: Bonnie S. Kaye, Kaye Communications, Inc. www.kcompr.com
(561) 392-5166; mobile (561) 756-3099; fax (561) 392-5842; E-mail: [email protected]