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Supermodels Launch Arctic Jungle Fashion Gala and Live Auction to Benefit Mass Rape Victims at Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo
For tickets and donations: www.finlandcenter.org, or email info@finlandcenter.org.
”˜Haute couture’ takes on a fresh meaning as Finnish supermodel Angelika Kallio and top model Rosa Korhonen gather designer garments to benefit Congolese victims of mass rape and sexual assault. Bolstered by celebrities like Marcia Gay Harden, Rupert Everett, and TRUE BLOOD’s Deborah Ann Woll, the upcoming Arctic Jungle Fashion Gala and Live Auction will harness fashion’s power as an art form to be ”˜haute’ not only in beauty and elegance but also in moral character and generosity of spirit. Established designers such as Nicole Miller, Anna Sui, Issey Miyake, and IVANAhelsinki , and up-and-coming ones such as Camilla Mikama and Finsk shoes, will harness fashion’s potential to empower women to benefit those in one of the most desperate corners of the world, where even the most basic freedoms are systematically denied. All items will be auctioned live after the performance; proceeds from the evening will benefit the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which treats victims of the endemic sexual violence in the area—described by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as ’evil in its basest form’. The Panzi Hospital gives these women back their bodies, and neighboring Dorcas House gives them a life beyond the violence, teaching skills such as microfinance.
The event will be a sign of solidarity to women in all places where they are subject to violence and oppression; it will also be a celebration of beauty in all its forms. Arctic Jungle Fashion Gala seeks to promote intercultural dialogue, with the belief that the coming world is global, open, tolerant, and diverse. Rejecting the frequent portrayal of Scandinavia and Africa as opposite poles of human existence, the event seeks to acknowledge the plurality within these regions and to uphold the belief that through contact one can uncover shared values, such as the assertion of human rights, and the belief that every person deserves a life free from violence, oppression, and discrimination. The evening will therefore revolve around an ’Africa meets Scandinavia’ theme, seeking to fuse two distinct aesthetic traditions in a fashion show that is guaranteed to be unexpected, unique, and powerfully beautiful.
Arctic Jungle Fashion Gala and Live Auction will take place on September the 28th 2010 from 6-9 pm at La Pomme, 37 West 26th St., NYC. The show will be followed by a live auction of all featured clothing as well as additional designer clothing and accessories: all beginning at a fraction of their retail value. Open bar, food, and entertainment will also be provided. The event will be sponsored by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB), and hosted by Finland Center Foundation (FCF); proceeds will be sent through Norwegian Church Aid to ensure accountability. Further information on the event can be found at http://arcticjungle.wordpress.com/.
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