CONVENTION DELEGATES TO UNITE IN A SINGLE
EVENT WITH FRIENDS OF NEW
ORLEANS
TO
COMMEMORATE EFFORTS TO REBUILD AREAS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA
Denver, CO - June 4, 2008 - After consultation with the
Democratic National Convention Committee, the Denver 2008 Host
Committee today announced that it will direct delegates to a single
celebration commemorating the recovery and rebuilding of areas affected
by Hurricane Katrina in lieu of individual delegate welcoming events.
The event, to be hosted by the Friends of New Orleans, will be held
Sunday, Aug. 24, three years after Katrina devastated New Orleans and
the Gulf Coast Region in August, 2005.
The single-event format provides a natural forum to unite delegates and
other convention guests in a festive environment for a worthwhile cause
on an important anniversary. Friends of New Orleans is an international
organization committed to supporting the ongoing recovery and
rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region.
"People across the country have poured their heart and soul into
helping rebuild New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast Region,"
said Host Committee President/Chair Elbra Wedgeworth. "This event will
recognize those efforts, and we hope all of the delegates and guests to
the Democratic National Convention will join in this commemorative
event."
This consolidation supported by the Democratic National Convention
Committee will enable the Host Committee to focus greater resources and
energy into activities taking place in and around the Pepsi Center,
where the actual Convention is being held Aug. 25-Aug. 28. This also
provides the City of Denver and Convention attendees a chance to honor
the three-year anniversary of Katrina.
Previous plans for delegate welcoming events included gatherings at 24
different locations around Denver, each of which would host anywhere
from one to five delegations. The consolidation of the delegate
celebrations will not, however, detract from Denver's efforts to
showcase itself to the tens of thousands of elected officials,
delegates, media and other guests who will be in Denver for the
Convention. Hundreds of events are planned in and around Denver that
will highlight the city's cultural diversity and rich history. The
Historic Five Points Jazz Festival, Media Welcoming Celebration and
Symposia of the Rockies are just some of the events taking place at
unique spots around the city during Convention Week.
In addition, the Host Committee and City of Denver are engaging
citizens across the country through its Call to Democracy efforts
highlighted by the America:Live and In Person initiative and
Cinemocracy Short Film Festival. People in Denver for the convention
will also be able to view the 10 site-specific art installations of
Dialog:City, which combines art, democracy and digital media.
Friends of New Orleans is a non-profit organization dedicated to the
ongoing recovery efforts in New Orleans and surrounding areas.
Following this event, which will invite all 56 delegations attending
the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Denver's Fillmore Auditorium
will present the "New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya," a concert featuring
both the music and food that made New Orleans famous.
About Denver 2008 Convention Host
Committee
The
Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee has four
contractual partners in its work. Those partners are the Democratic
National Convention Committee, the City and County of Denver, Kroenke
Sports and its own Executive Committee.