National Events

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH LOCAL ZOOS FOR SECOND ANNUAL WORLD ANIMAL DAY PROMOTION

2009-09-30

WASHINGTON (Sept. 30, 2009)—Following a successful debut in 2008, National Geographic Kids Entertainment (NGKE) has partnered with five U.S. and Canadian zoos for the second North American World Animal Day promotion to introduce kids to the natural world, utilizing animal content from National Geographic Kids magazine and popular characters from two of NGKE's animated preschool properties, "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies" and "Toot & Puddle." Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Movies for Mommies/Toons for Toddlers, Zoo Pals and Sandylion Stickers are marketing partners for this year's events.

The promotion, geared toward children ages 2-12 and their caregivers, will take place throughout October and will be directed toward World Animal Day on Sunday, Oct. 4. Three of the five zoo events will lead off with a hands-on workshop with National Geographic photographers, who will introduce the children to photography and send them "on assignment" to observe animals at the zoo. All five zoo events will include enrichment activities with the zoo animals and their keepers. Kids will be encouraged to visit the craft zone to make masks and other take-home projects, sit in on book readings and watch special screenings of "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies" and "Toot & Puddle." The events will conclude with a parade and cupcake ceremony celebrating all of the zoo animal friends.

"We're excited to be back in the zoos this fall to celebrate our second annual World Animal Day promotion," said Darren Metzger, director, franchise marketing, NGKE. "It's the perfect partnership, as it fulfills our goal at National Geographic to excite kids to explore their world, while zoos can take advantage of the great National Geographic Kids Entertainment properties to promote their education and conservation efforts to their local communities. It's entertaining and educational and it encourages children to take a proactive role in caring for their world."

The scheduled events are:
-Oct. 3: Roger Williams Park Zoo (Providence, R.I.), with photographer Darlyne Murawski
-Oct. 3: Valley Zoo (Edmonton, Alberta), with photographer Ian Nichols
-Oct. 3-4: Calgary Zoo
-Oct 4 Toronto Zoo, with photographer Ian Nichols
-Oct. 25-26: Phoenix Zoo

"Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies" currently airs in the United States on PBS Kids! and in Canada on TVO, TFO and Knowledge Network. "Toot & Puddle" airs in the United States on Nick Jr. (formerly Noggin) and in Canada on TVO and TFO.
"Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies" stars Vanessa Williams ("Ugly Betty") as the voice of Mama Mirabelle. The weekly half-hour show introduces preschoolers to the animal kingdom through stunning wildlife footage from the National Geographic archive and helps kids learn about themselves and the world around them. Visit www.mamamirabelle.com for interactive games, videos, coloring pages and postcards. Episodes from season one are now available on DVD at stores where videos are sold and on iTunes. Series companion books are available online and at area bookstores. A new line of plush, figurines and puzzles are now available for the holiday season and available at www.shop.nationalgeographic.com.

"Toot & Puddle" encourages exploration and adventure, both at home and afar, by piquing kids' natural curiosity about the world around them. Based on the best-selling book series by author Holly Hobbie, "Toot & Puddle" is the heart-warming story of two best friends from Pocket Hollow, who find adventure wherever they go. Series companion books are available online and at area bookstores. For more about "Toot & Puddle," visit www.tootandpuddle.com.

NGKE is an independent production and U.S. distribution entity of National Geographic Ventures. Established in 2003, NGKE brings the renowned National Geographic brand to children's entertainment through the development, production and distribution of quality animated and live-action, entertainment-driven programming that excites kids to explore their world. NGKE will work with all major broadcast outlets in the United States and abroad. For more information about National Geographic, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ENTERTAINMENT KICKS OFF SCREENING TOUR FOR 'AMREEKA' WITH UNPRECEDENTED LIST OF PARTNERS

2009-08-18

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 17, 2009)—With the release of the acclaimed feature film "Amreeka," National Geographic Entertainment announces an unprecedented array of community and cultural partners committed to bringing the film to audiences everywhere. An 11-city film screening tour co-presented by these partners will run from Aug. 17 to Sept. 24. Cherien Dabis, "Amreeka"'s writer-director, will travel with the tour.

"Amreeka" premiered in the dramatic competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. It was also the opening night film at New Directors/New Films, a program of the Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center in New York City, and at the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival it won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize. "Amreeka" opens in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, with a national rollout to follow.

"'Amreeka' is one of the rare films that tells a story of courage and heart with a healthy dose of humor and perfectly captures the universal story of American immigrants through the lens of a brilliant Arab American filmmaker," said Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Cinema Ventures. "We are proud to present this film to as many audiences as possible with the support of a large and impressive group of cultural partners, so that this story can be shared by communities everywhere."

"Amreeka" chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with her 16-year-old son Fadi, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small-town Illinois. Told with heartfelt humor by Dabis in her feature film debut, "Amreeka" is a universal journey into the lives of immigrant families and first-generation teenagers caught between their heritage and the new world in which they live, and the bittersweet search for a place to call home. Written and directed by Dabis and loosely based on her own family's story, "Amreeka" stars
Nisreen Faour as Muna; Melkar Muallen plays her son. Also in the cast are Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat, Yussef Abu-Warda and Joseph Ziegler. "Amreeka" was produced by Christina Piovesan and Paul Barkin. Alicia Sams, Dabis and Gregory Keever were executive producers; Liz Jarvis and Al-Zain Al-Sabah were co-producers.

National Geographic Entertainment presents a National Geographic/Imagenation Abu Dhabi release in association with Levantine Entertainment, a First Generation Films Production, an Alcina Pictures-Buffalo Gal Pictures/Eagle Vision Media Group Production, produced in association with Manitoba Film & Music, Rotana Studios and Showtime Arabia.

SCREENING SCHEDULE
New York City
Aug. 17
Location: Walter Reade Theater
Partners: Film at Lincoln Center; ArteEast; Sundance Institute; Alwan for the Arts; Muslim Public Affairs Council

New York City
Aug. 18
Location: Museum of Modern Art (members' screening)

Irvine, Calif.
Aug. 19
Location: Edwards Westpark 8
Partners: Levantine Cultural Center; Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greater Los Angeles Area; Muslim Public Affairs Council; Access California Services

Los Angeles
Aug. 20
Location: Writers Guild Theater
Partners: Levantine Cultural Center; Muslim Public Affairs Council; Sundance Institute; Film Independent; Progressive Jewish Alliance; ImaginAction; Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greater Los Angeles Area

San Francisco
Aug. 27
Location:
Partners: Arab Film Festival; San Francisco Jewish Film Festival; San Francisco Film Society; American Friends Service Committee, Middle East Program

Dearborn, Mich.
Aug. 29
Location: Arab American National Museum
Partners: Arab American National Museum; Green Light Film Funding; National Outreach; ACLU of Michigan; Arab Detroit; Mike Mosallem

Chicago
Aug. 31
Location: Gene Siskel Film Center
Partner: Chicago Palestine Film Festival

Washington, D.C.
Sept. 2
Location: National Geographic Society Headquarters
Partners: National Geographic All Roads Film Project; Arabian Sights Film Festival; Washington Jewish Film Festival; Muslim Public Affairs Council; Embassy of Jordan; Arab American Institute; The Jerusalem Fund

Boston
Sept. 3
Location: Museum of Fine Arts
Partners: Boston Palestine Film Festival; Grassroots International; Center for Arabic Culture; American Jews for a Just Peace; Northeast Regional Office, Amnesty International USA; National Association of Arab Professionals - Boston

San Diego
Sept. 8
Location: AMC La Jolla 12 Theatres
Partner: Cinema Society of San Diego

Dallas
Sept. 10
Location: Angelika Film Center
Partner: Dallas Film Society

Houston
Sept. 12
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Partners: Levantine Entertainment; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Houston Palestine Film Festival; Women in Film & Television, Houston

Boston (pending)
Sept. 24
Location: Harvard Film Archives (pending)
Partners: Middle East Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School; Harvard Society of Arab Students (pending)

Additionally, the film has the support of American-Arab Chamber of Commerce, American-Arabs Anti-Discrimination Committee - Chicago; Project Nur, American University; Arab American Cultural & Community Center; Arab American Family Services; Advisory Council on Arab Affairs, City of Chicago; Center for Contemporary Arabic Studies, Georgetown University; Golden Thread Theatre; JCC of Dallas; J-Street; Jewish Palestinian Living Room Dialogue; Jewish Voice for Peace; Middle East Forum; Middle East Institute, Columbia University; Middle East Policy Council; Midwest Federation of Syrian and Lebanese Clubs; Outreach Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University; Arab American Action Network; Near Eastern Studies Student Association, University of California Berkeley; PAWA SoCal; Ramallah Club of LA; Students for Justice in Palestine, San Diego State University; United Muslims of America; World Cultures at San Diego City College, MIT Arab Students Organization; and others.

High-resolution images are available for download:
Photography available at www.imageevent.com/amreeka
EPK/Broadcast materials available at www.epk.tv

See the trailer at www.amreeka.com.

About National Geographic Entertainment
National Geographic Entertainment combines into a single operating group National Geographic's Cinema Ventures, Films, Kids Entertainment, Home Entertainment and Music & Radio. NGE is part of National Geographic Global Media, bringing together all of National Geographic's editorial platforms to streamline collaboration and support the Society's mission. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," National Geographic works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 370 million people worldwide each month through magazines, books, digital media, television, radio, music and film. It funds over 250 scientific research, exploration and conservation projects each year and supports an education program promoting geography literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

National Geographic Announces Fourth Annual International Photography Contest

2009-08-06

WASHINGTON (Aug. 6, 2009)--National Geographic readers around the world are invited to take part in the 2009 National Geographic International Photography Contest. Readers of National Geographic's English-language editions in eight countries as well as readers of 20 of the magazine's international local-language editions are eligible to participate. The international grand-prize winners will receive a trip to National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., and their winning entries will be published in all participating editions of National Geographic magazine. Winning entries from each territory will be featured in their local editions of National Geographic magazine.

English-language-edition readers in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom are eligible to enter up to a total of six photographs across three categories: People, Places and Nature. Entries should be submitted electronically to www.ngphotocontest.com. The contest began Wednesday, Aug. 5, and ends Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). Photos can be black-and-white or color, shot with a digital camera or with conventional film, and must be submitted digitally. Each entry consists of an entry form, a single image and an entry fee. The entry fee is U.S. $12 per photo for entries received before 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 15, 2009, and $22 per photo for entries received between Oct. 16 and Oct. 31. For details and official contest rules, visit www.ngphotocontest.com. Void where prohibited.

English-language-edition entries will be judged at National Geographic headquarters by a panel of three judges: National Geographic staff photographer Mark Thiessen; design editor of the international editions of National Geographic magazine Darren Smith; and White House photo editor Jenn Poggi. First-place category winners of the English-language-edition competition will win a digital camera kit.

The participating international local-language editions will submit their winning entries in each category to National Geographic headquarters to be judged alongside the winning English-language entries by Thiessen, Smith and Poggi. The judges will announce three international grand-prize winners in December 2009.

"We are thrilled to continue our annual photography contest," said David Griffin, National Geographic's director of photography. "The work we have been seeing in recent years is truly astounding and speaks to the truth that photography is a worldwide, universal language — one that everyone can appreciate and enjoy."

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 370 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS APRIL 2009 -- SPECIAL OCEAN ISSUE

2009-03-19

WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL OCEAN ISSUE -- Movie star and guest editor Ben Stiller shares his love for the ocean and tips for eco-friendly living in this special issue. Stiller knows a healthy Earth depends on healthy water, and he suggests some easy ways to conserve water at home, including turning off the faucet when brushing teeth and flushing only when necessary. "Kids have a lot of power," says Stiller. "Adults pay attention when kids do things like recycle or conserve water, because it makes us see how much we should be doing ourselves." Page 12.

SEND US YOUR OLD JEANS! -- National Geographic Kids is attempting to set its fourth Guinness World Record. We are asking readers to send in their worn-out jeans to help set the record for the world's Largest Collection of Clothes to Recycle. After officials record the final tally, National Geographic Kids will donate the jeans to COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.® This denim drive recycles jeans into UltraTouch insulation, which is used to help build houses in places that have been damaged by natural disasters. It takes about 500 pairs of jeans to recycle enough denim to insulate one average-size U.S. house. The drive already has one pair of celebrity jeans -- guest editor Ben Stiller was determined to be the first person to donate! For where to send your jeans and weekly updates on the number of jeans collected, go online to kids.nationalgeographic.com. Page 7.

UNDERSEA SAFARI -- Board an imaginary submarine and embark on an underwater safari with National Geographic Kids. From the Arctic Ocean to Antarctic waters, and everywhere in between, meet some of the marine creatures that call the world's oceans home and learn fun facts about all kinds of sea life along the way. Page 14.

North Atlantic Ocean -- Witness a bottlenose dolphin rescue; swim with flying fish and a school of 10 million herring; learn about an undersea ridge of mountains; and more.
Caribbean Sea -- Snorkel in a colorful coral reef off the coast of Belize; spot a never-before-seen fish (researchers estimate some 4,000 species of ocean fish have yet to be discovered); look out for waterspouts and Portuguese man-of-wars; and more.
Indian Ocean -- Cruise with a leatherback turtle, the champion swimmer of the turtle family; float along the shallows with a dugong; search for the 65 million-year-old coelacanth (SEE-lah-kanth); and more.
Western Australia -- Swim with the world's largest fish, the whale shark; learn about ECOCEAN, a conservation program that coordinates whale shark identification; look out for infantfish (one of the world's smallest), blobfish and blue-ringed octopus; and more.
Antarctic Waters -- Dart through frigid waters with emperor penguins; find huge sea spiders; dodge giant icebergs; and more.
North Pacific Ocean -- Bob above kelp forests with sea otters; explore the Mariana Trench, believed to be the deepest spot in any ocean; check out the tiny Pacific seahorse and the snakelike moray eel; and more.
Arctic Ocean -- Listen to the mysterious, birdlike songs of beluga whales; swim with "sea angels" and walruses; and more.

National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. Its numerous industry awards include Periodical of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.2 million and is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $4.99 a copy. Its Web site is at kids.nationalgeographic.com.

GEOGRAPHY AWARENESS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS SPECTACULAR DIVERSITY OF THE AMERICAS

2008-11-14

WASHINGTON (Nov. 14, 2008)--National Geographic invites budding explorers on a seven-day "tour" of the marvelous cultures and natural wonders of the Americas during Geography Awareness Week 2008, Nov. 16-22. Geography Awareness Week is part of Geography Action!, an annual conservation and awareness program for schools and students in grades K through 12, designed to educate and excite youngsters about the world's natural, cultural and historic treasures. This year's spotlight on the Americas is National Geographic's third leg of a five-year journey focusing its geographic lens on five world regions.

At the Geography Action! Web site (nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction), teachers can find an assortment of resources, including hands-on activities; downloadable lesson plans and maps; a free, downloadable Americas map kit with tips for creating a jumbo-sized map of the Western Hemisphere; and links to additional resources on the Americas.

"Our compelling maps, activities, lesson plans and educational resources on the Americas will help students and teachers learn about these extraordinarily diverse continents," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic executive vice president of Mission Programs. "Web resources give students and teachers the necessary tools to understand the varied cultures and history of the Americas, the importance of their local regions, and the larger issues of relationships among people, places and environments."

Geography Action! is a program of National Geographic Education & Children's Programs, which provides grants, training, hands-on activities and support for educators and organizations.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH LOCAL ZOOS FOR WORLD ANIMAL DAY PROMOTION

2008-09-23

WASHINGTON (Sept. 23, 2008)—National Geographic Kids Entertainment has partnered with six local zoos for a national World Animal Day promotion centered on its animated preschool property "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies," currently airing on PBS Kids!. Fisher-Price Inc., the largest infant and preschool toy manufacturer and a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., has signed on as the event's primary sponsor.

The promotion, geared toward young children and their caregivers, will take place in late September and early to mid-October, directed toward World Animal Day on Saturday, Oct. 4. Each zoo event will lead off with "Photo Safari Camp," a hands-on workshop with award-winning National Geographic photographers, which will introduce young children to photography and send them "on assignment" with a Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera to observe Mama Mirabelle's animal friends at the zoo. The photo camp will be followed by premiere screenings of "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies"; a 30-minute movement program presented by My Gym, with animal themes and music rhythms from around the world; art projects; and a birthday celebration hosted by Hefty Zoo Pals, with a birthday cake and sing-along.

"At National Geographic, we're always looking for fun, interesting ways to connect to new audiences and like-minded partners. The Mama Mirabelle World Animal Day promotion is a great way to get kids outdoors, exploring their natural world, an idea that's central to the 'Mama Mirabelle' program," said Darren Metzger, director, franchise marketing, for National Geographic Kids Entertainment.

Scheduled events include:

Sept. 27: Bronx Zoo (Bronx, N.Y.), with photographer Mark Moffett
Sept. 28: Brookfield Zoo (Chicago), with photographer Annie Griffiths Belt
Oct. 4: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Tacoma, Wash.), with photographer Kevin Horan
Oct. 4: Lowry Park Zoo (Tampa, Fla.), with photographer Annie Griffiths Belt
Oct. 11: San Francisco Zoo, with photographer Jim Sugar
Oct. 11: Dallas Zoo, with photographer Darlyne Murawski

The World Animal Day promotions will serve as a launching pad for "Mama Mirabelle's My Favorite Animal" photo contest, set to go live on the Mama Mirabelle Web site Saturday, Sept. 27. Families are encouraged to take photos of their favorite animals and upload them to www.mamamirabelle.com for a chance to win prize packs from National Geographic and Fisher-Price.

Additional sponsors offering financial and in-kind support include Hefty® Zoo Pals®; My Gym Enterprises Inc.; PNY Technologies; Ritz Camera Centers Inc.; Parenting Magazine, a publication of Bonnier Corporation; KIWI Magazine, a May Media publication; and the Costa Rica Tourism Board.

"Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies" stars Vanessa Williams ("Ugly Betty") as the voice of Mama Mirabelle and airs on PBS Kids! (check local listings for airdates and times). The weekly half-hour show helps preschoolers learn about themselves and the world around them through the help of Mama and the young animals in her charge on the African savanna. Visit www.mamamirabelle.com for interactive games, videos, coloring pages and postcards. Episodes from season one are now available on DVD at stores where videos are sold, and two softcover books, "Anybody Home?" and "Hide and Seek," are available online and at area bookstores.

National Geographic Kids Entertainment is an independent production and U.S. distribution entity of National Geographic Ventures. Established in 2003, NGKE brings the renowned National Geographic brand to children's entertainment through the development, production and distribution of quality animated and live-action, entertainment-driven programming that excites kids to explore their world. NGKE will work with all major broadcast outlets in the United States and abroad. For more information about National Geographic, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

Fisher-Price Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. (NYSE:MAT), located in East Aurora, N.Y., is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. The Company has a 77-year legacy of high-quality toys that enhance early childhood development. Its often-emulated Play Laboratory was the first child research center of its kind in the toy industry, allowing researchers to observe the way children play and how play benefits their development. Some of the Company's best-known "classic" brands include Little People®, Power Wheels® and View-Master®. Fisher-Price is also a leading developer of baby gear products (infant swings, bouncers, high chairs, nursery monitors), as well as a wide array of character-based toys inspired by high quality children's programming such as Sesame Street®, Dora the Explorer™ and Winnie the Pooh. The Company's Web site, www.fisher-price.com, provides valuable information and resources to parents.

SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS BIOBLITZ REVEALS PARK'S RICH BIODIVERSITY

2008-06-03

LOS ANGELES (June 3, 2008)—After 24 hours of exploration and documentation, the Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz provided a snapshot of the many species that call the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area home. Led by more than 125 scientists from around the country, thousands of amateur explorers, families and schoolchildren from the Los Angeles region conducted an inventory of the plants, bugs and other creatures that inhabit the nation's largest urban national park. The event was presented by National Geographic and the National Park Service in cooperation with California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.

Highlights:

The initial species count at the end of 24 hours was 1,364. This number grew by several hundred throughout the afternoon as new data were entered. Over the next few months, organizers expect the number to rise significantly as state-of-the-art testing of the collected samples continues.
More than 5,000 people of all ages participated in the program during the 24 hours, including more than 1,400 kids from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Jonathan Levit, actor, magician and host of VH1's "Celebracadabra," emceed the closing ceremonies that featured scientists' highlights and the species count.
The Celebrate Biodiversity festival that followed the BioBlitz included several bands, talks, nature walks, live animal demonstrations and other activities.

The BioBlitz was part scientific endeavor, part festival and part outdoor classroom. Participants combed the park, observing and recording as many plant and animal species as possible from noon Friday, May 30, to noon Saturday, May 31. Activities included wading in the creek to find fish, sweeping nets through fields to catch butterflies, searching for hidden microorganisms and scouring the night sky for owls, bats and other nocturnal life.

The Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz is the second of a series of 10 annual BioBlitzes to be hosted by National Geographic and the National Park Service leading up to the Park Service's centennial in 2016. During closing ceremonies Saturday at Paramount Ranch, the BioBlitz flag was passed to the superintendent of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, located outside of Chicago, where the third National Geographic/National Park Service BioBlitz will take place May 15-16, 2009.

NOTE: Images are available at:
http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/bioblitz/bioblitz_2008/event_images/

15 INNOVATIVE GEOTOURISM PROJECTS NAMED FINALISTS IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC-ASHOKA'S CHANGEMAKERS COMPETITION

2008-06-02

WASHINGTON (May 30, 2008)—Fifteen groundbreaking projects from around the world are the finalists in the "Geotourism Challenge: Celebrating Places/Changing Lives" competition, a collaboration of National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations and Ashoka's Changemakers. The online contest was created to discover and support entrepreneurs with innovative approaches to geotourism, defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.

From the 323 entries submitted from 84 countries, these 15 finalists were selected:

Wildlife Conservation Society, Gabon: Establishing Gabon as the gateway to Africa's rainforests by highlighting its pristine nature and ancient cultures

Blue Ventures Conservation, Madagascar: Using paying volunteer program as a strategy to protect threatened marine resources

Banyon Tree Hotel, Maldives: Creating a marine lab to protect, conserve, research and educate about the coral reef environment

CC Africa, South Africa: Pioneering land and wildlife conservation, and giving local rural communities a meaningful share of the benefits

Chumbe Island Coral Park, Ltd., Tanzania: Creating a financially, ecologically and socially sustainable model to save the country's coral reefs

Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries, Greece: Offering seminars for organic farmers, chefs, historians, mountaineers and other locals to share their knowledge about Crete's culture and nature with visitors

Eco-Health Farms, Latvia: Integrating ancestral traditions, nature protection and health prevention

Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, Thailand: Setting up an eco-trail that shows locals and guests the resort's environmental practices

Exotica Cottages, Dominica: Integrating local expertise in gardening and conservation into the island's ecotourism efforts

Great Baikal Trail, Russia: Establishing Russia's first system of hiking trails to promote environmentally sustainable development

Rios Tropicales Lodge, Costa Rica: Protecting the rainforest through the collaboration of local communities, tourists and conservation organizations
Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, India: Changing local mindsets towards snow leopards

3 Sisters Adventure Trekking, Nepal: Training and empowering women to be guides in adventure tourism efforts

Tourism Board of Bhutan, Bhutan: Making geotourism development a national policy

Yachana Foundation, Ecuador: Offering lodging, meals, adventure and education through experiences with local Amazonian nature and culture

The four judges who reviewed submissions and selected the finalists were Keith Bellows, vice president of the National Geographic Society and editor-in-chief of National Geographic Traveler magazine; Susan Berresford, past president of the Ford Foundation; Leonard Cordiner, CEO of WHL Travel; and Nachiket Mor, president of the ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.

"I was stunned at the quality of the applications," said Bellows. "They showcased great innovation that can be exported to other countries, terrific successes against long odds and a far-reaching global distribution of projects. Not only did the entries make fascinating reading, but I was inspired by the vision, imagination, passion and entrepreneurship of the people who are making a difference in the lives of locals and travelers."

The global online community can vote for the three winners, through Wednesday, June 11, at www.changemakers.net. The winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 17, and each will receive a cash prize of US $5,000.

"The Geotourism Challenge received entries from the most countries for any collaborative competition we've held so far," said Charlie Brown, executive director of Changemakers. "This shows that the Changemakers global online community is influential in surfacing innovators who are helping destinations benefit from tourism while protecting the assets that make their places special."

National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations is dedicated to protecting the world's distinctive places through wisely managed geotourism and enlightened destination stewardship. www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable

Ashoka's Changemakers is building an "open source" online community that competes to surface the best social solutions to the world's most pressing issues. To date, Changemakers has attracted more than 3,500 solutions from more than 145 countries. www.changemakers.net.

SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS BIOBLITZ:
TAKING STOCK OF A NATURAL TREASURE MAY 30 TO 31, NOON TO NOON; AFTERNOON 'CELEBRATE BIODIVERSITY' FESTIVAL FOLLOWS ON MAY 31

2008-04-23

LOS ANGELES (April 23, 2008)—Los Angeles can lay claim to more than the Hollywood Bowl, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Venice Beach boardwalk. Sprawling through 160,000-plus acres of the city, and no less stimulating, is the world's largest urban national park — the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area — and Griffith Park. To better understand, appreciate and protect this natural treasure, the National Park Service and National Geographic Society have joined forces to host the 24-hour Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz, May 30 and 31, noon to noon. Joining the national sponsors are California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.

Part scientific endeavor, part festival and part outdoor classroom, the BioBlitz will bring together leading scientists, naturalists and adventurers from around the country with teams of volunteers of all ages, including more than 1,000 students from Los Angeles schools. Together they will comb the park, observing and recording as many plant and animal species as possible in 24 hours.

In this extraordinary experience open to the public, volunteers of all ages are needed to work alongside hundreds of experts to help count species of bugs, birds, butterflies, bats, wildflowers and other plants and animals that call the Santa Monica Mountains and Griffith Park home. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to bring children to the BioBlitz. While children ages 8 and older may want to participate on inventory teams with their parents, there also will be age-appropriate activities for younger kids at Paramount Ranch "base camp."

Paramount Ranch base camp, located at 2903 Cornell Road, Agoura Hills, will be the dynamic center of activity. Participant check-in begins at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 30, for the initial inventory teams. Festivities will begin at 11:30 a.m., with a kickoff ceremony bringing together representatives, collaborators and agencies from Los Angeles' scientific, conservation, political and entertainment communities. The 24-hour race to document the biodiversity of the Santa Monica Mountains will begin promptly at noon, when teams will go near and far across the mountains to begin the nature inventory. Inventory teams are organized in four-hour time slots. There will also be exploration opportunities closer to base camp for people interested in shorter excursions.

At base camp, people can watch scientists doing round-the-clock research to identify and document species collected in the field. Additional activities throughout the day and night at base camp include talks by experts, displays and demonstrations, entertainment and children's activities.

Ray Sauvajot, chief of planning, science and resource management, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, said, "I see a rising awareness of the amazing diversity that is literally in our backyards in Los Angeles. We are bringing together families, schools and related organizations to have fun, working alongside the top scientists of our generation. We are providing a hands-on experience, using real scientific techniques and equipment with expert guidance and increasing the everyday knowledge of how scientists understand that diversity."

"As a parent with two young boys, I know how programmed and wired kids are today, and unstructured time playing and exploring outdoors is often lost in the mix," said John Francis, National Geographic's vice president of research, conservation and exploration. "Nature Deficit Disorder, as coined by Richard Louv, reveals that this disconnect with nature is hurting today's youth physically and mentally. Our children will also be tomorrow's caretakers of the planet. We hope the BioBlitz will introduce kids to the amazing natural world in their own backyard and inspire people to enjoy and preserve natural treasures in the Santa Monica Mountains and beyond."

BioBlitz inventories are being staged simultaneously at five additional field stations where pre-registered participants can meet. Areas selected for their varied ecological conditions include Griffith Park, King Gillette Ranch, Leo Carrillo State Park, Malibu Pier and Lagoon and Topanga State Park. Activities include exploring tide pools, catching butterflies with nets, searching for hidden wildflowers in the canyons and observing and catching owls with nets at night.

After the initial BioBlitz species count is announced shortly after noon on May 31, the Celebrate Biodiversity festival will begin. It will offer an afternoon of family entertainment, including the Banana Slug String Band, Billy B and the Culver City Dub Collective. The public will be able to speak to scientists and enjoy the wonders of the park at this time.

National Geographic has had a close relationship with the National Park Service from the start. The Society helped draft the legislation to establish the Service in 1916. It has given grants to establish or sustain national parks and has extensively covered the parks across its media for nearly a century. The Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz is part of the Society and National Park Service's latest joint venture. The Santa Monica Mountains Bioblitz is the second of 10 annual BioBlitzes that will be held at urban national park units around the country, leading up to the Park Service's centennial in 2016. The first was held at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., last year.

Said Woody Smeck, superintendent at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, "We are excited to host the 2008 BioBlitz. Los Angeles is fortunate to have such an amazing natural oasis in its backyard. The BioBlitz will be a great opportunity for people to explore this treasure and observe firsthand the incredible diversity of life in the mountains while recreating and rejuvenating their spirits in the outdoors."

The Santa Monica Mountains rise above Los Angeles, widen to meet the curve of Santa Monica Bay, and reach their highest peaks facing the open ocean. The land is beautiful and diverse, featuring a rugged coastline with narrow, sandy beaches and rocky shores, canyon walls with dense chaparral and fragrant sages and inland grassy hillsides. In 1978 Congress established the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area as part of the national park system. Visit www.nps.gov/samo.

Registration is required for all BioBlitz participants. Online registration is now open at www.nationalgeographic.com/bioblitz, and pre-registration is required to ensure placement in field inventory teams. For more information about the Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz, registration, volunteer and participation opportunities, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/bioblitz. Drop-ins are welcome for the Celebrate Diversity Festival and for general exploration of base camp. Information is also available by calling (800) 638-6400, ext. 6186.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 300 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 8,800 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

ASPEN INSTITUTE AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE INVITE PUBLIC TO FIRST ASPEN ENVIRONMENT FORUM, MARCH 26-30, 2008

2008-02-04

WASHINGTON (Feb. 4, 2008)—The Aspen Institute and National Geographic magazine have joined forces to produce the first ever Aspen Environment Forum — a powerful, four-day exchange examining the future of our shared environment and how we, as citizens, corporations and countries, can be responsible stewards.

The public is invited to attend the forum, a gathering of more than 300 thought leaders that will take place from March 26-30, 2008, at the Aspen Meadows Resort and Conference Center in Colorado (visit http://www.aspenenvironment.org for more information).

Designed to stimulate open-minded dialogue, the forum is an innovative festival for thought and conversation about the environment across a broad array of topics. Environmental experts, scientists, economists, business leaders, journalists, authors and interested consumers will examine the state of the planet and share their ideas for the future. Each day will focus on a distinctive theme:

-Day One: Scenes from a Changing Planet
-Day Two: Challenges & Opportunities
-Day Three: Environmentally Sustainable Solutions

The forum will conclude with the debut of the Aspen Energy and Environment Awards for excellence in communications, contributions to innovation and environmental solutions.

Among the speakers are experts in science and policy, business leaders and government officials. They include:

-HRH Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan, chair, National Environment Wildlife Society
-Lester Brown, founder and president, Earth Policy Institute
-Majora Carter, executive director, Sustainable South Bronx
-Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems and partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
-James H. Kunstler, author of "The Long Emergency" and "The Geography of Nowhere"
-Ira Magaziner, chairman, Clinton Climate Initiative
-Marvin Odum, executive VP - EP Americas, Shell Exploration & Production
-Andrew Revkin, environment reporter, The New York Times
-James Rogers, president and CEO, Duke Energy
-E.O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and biologist, Harvard University

The forum also will feature multimedia presentations by National Geographic photographers and writers who have documented environmental issues, as well as previews of upcoming environment specials from the National Geographic Channel. The photographers include:

-James Balog, who is recording the retreat of glaciers worldwide;
-Michael Nichols, whose groundbreaking wildlife photography has spurred the establishment of national parks in Africa;
-Paul Nicklen, who has captured the beauty and pathos of the warming Arctic;
-Jim Richardson, who has documented Western environmental landscapes for more than three decades.

"This is a particularly unique opportunity for some of the foremost thinkers on the environment to engage one another on the critical environmental and economic issues of our time," said Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of The Aspen Institute. "National Geographic magazine is an ideal partner as a global leader in connecting people to a world larger than the one in which they live."

"By launching the Aspen Environment Forum, National Geographic is building on the mission of our magazine. We want to open people's eyes and inspire them to care about the future of our planet," said National Geographic magazine Editor in Chief Chris Johns. "Our 40 million readers worldwide are passionate about the environment."

To register, contact Deborah Murphy at (970) 544-7960 or deborah.murphy@aspeninstitute.org, or go to the forum's Web site at www.aspenenvironment.org. Space is limited; early registration and travel booking are encouraged.

Sponsors for the Aspen Environment Forum, presented by the Aspen Institute and National Geographic, include Camco, Duke Energy, General Motors, Goldman Sachs and Shell.

About The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute, founded in 1950, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue. Through seminars, policy programs, conferences and leadership development initiatives, the Institute and its international partners seek to promote nonpartisan inquiry and an appreciation for timeless values. The Institute is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has campuses in Aspen, Colo., and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Its international network includes partner Aspen Institutes in Berlin, Rome, Lyon, Tokyo, New Delhi and Bucharest, and leadership programs in Africa, Central America and India.

About National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic magazine is the official journal of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit educational and scientific organizations. Published in English and 31 local-language editions, the magazine has a global circulation of around 8 million. It is sent each month to National Geographic members and is available on newsstands for $4.95 a copy. Single copies can be ordered by calling (800) NGS-LINE, also the number to call to apply for membership in the Society. The magazine's Web site is at www.ngm.com.

National Geographic magazine will produce a special issue titled "Climate Change: What You Should Know, What You Can Do" to guide readers through the challenges of and potential solutions to climate change. It will be on newsstands in April 2008. For advertising information, contact Claudia Malley, vice president/U.S. publisher, at (212) 610-5513 or cmalley@ngs.org.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ENTERTAINMENT NAMES BEST BUY AS EXCLUSIVE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR U2 3D THEATRICAL RELEASE IN U.S.

2008-01-09

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 8, 2008)—National Geographic Entertainment (NGE) announced today that Best Buy has been named the official Presenting Sponsor and exclusive consumer electronics partner for the "U2 3D" theatrical release in the United States. The film, directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington, was produced by 3ality Digital and will open in limited release Jan. 23, 2008, in approximately 25 IMAX™ theaters and will go wide to national digital 3D theaters in February.

The movie, filmed during the South America leg of U2's Vertigo Tour, captures the intimacy between band and audience in a unique, visceral way and establishes a new standard in 3-D digital technology.

"We are thrilled to welcome Best Buy as a valued partner in rolling out this unique theatrical experience," said Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Cinema Ventures, a division of NGE, the film's worldwide distributor. "What better sponsor to support this film than Best Buy, one of the world's most respected brands for providing cutting-edge technology products to consumers?"

Best Buy will be incorporated in NGE's expansive online, in-store, in-theater, radio and print marketing campaign for the film. As presenting sponsor, Best Buy also will receive pre-film credit for all "U2 3D" screenings and will be able to provide members of the Reward Zone loyalty program with access to Preview Nights at IMAX™ theaters in more than 25 markets.

"We are extremely excited to join NGE in presenting such a special cinematic adventure," said Barry Judge, senior vice president of marketing, Best Buy. "This sponsorship allows us to support new, ground-breaking entertainment technology while at the same time providing our customers with a completely new experience with one of the world's greatest bands."

"U2 3D is the first live-action digital 3-D movie ever produced, and we are very happy that Best Buy is collaborating on this ground-breaking endeavor," said Sandy Climan, CEO of 3aility Digital and executive producer, U2 3D. "We are pleased to have developed the filmmaking techniques and proprietary digital 3-D technology that are now allowing fans to experience music and motion pictures in an immersive way that we could only imagine a few years back. It is technology that will allow fans a new way to experience music."

"U2 3D" transforms a series of live concerts by one of the world's most acclaimed bands into a completely new entertainment experience. Owens, U2's visual content director for more than 15 years, and Pellington, who directed U2's "One" video, take viewers on an extraordinary cinematic journey, a quantum leap beyond traditional concert films and traditional 3-D.

3ality Digital's Steve Schklair, Jon Shapiro, Peter Shapiro and John Modell, along with Owens, produced the 3ality Digital production. 3ality Digital's Sandy Climan, Michael Peyser and David Modell are executive producers.

Distribution of the film will be led by Mark Katz, president of NGCV distribution. Russell Schwartz, former president of marketing for New Line Cinema, will oversee the marketing of the film's release.

About National Geographic Entertainment (NGE)

National Geographic Entertainment (NGE) was established in 2007, combining into a single operating group National Geographic's Cinema Ventures, Feature Films, Kids Entertainment, Home Entertainment and Music & Radio business units. NGE is part of the newly established National Geographic Global Media (NGGM), also formed in 2007 as a result of a restructuring at National Geographic that brings together all editorial platforms to streamline collaboration, refine digital content and further support the Society's mission.

Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," National Geographic works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 300 million people worldwide each month through magazines, books, digital media, and television, radio, music and film. It funds more than 250 scientific research, exploration and conservation projects each year and supports an education program combating geography illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) operates a global portfolio of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation. Our employees strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences by responding to their unique needs and aspirations. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through approximately 1,200 retail stores across the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca and BestBuy.com.cn), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com), Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn) and Speakeasy (Speakeasy.net). Best Buy supports the communities in which its employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education.

About 3ality Digital

3ality Digital is one of the world's preeminent digital 3-D production and postproduction companies, rooted deeply in research, technology and production. 3ality Digital uses its advanced proprietary technologies in the development and production of feature films, alternative content (e.g., music, sports) and television in the digital 3-D format.

About "U2 3D"

Through the leadership of 3ality CEO Sandy Climan, the technical know-how of industry pioneer Steve Schklair and the support of David and John Modell (former owners of the Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens), the "U2 3D" project took root through the vision of entertainment producers Jon and Peter Shapiro. With breathtaking digital 3-D visuals and 5.1 Surround Sound, "U2 3D" captures the excitement of a U2 stadium show in a way never before experienced.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S 'SEA MONSTERS: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE' IS FIRST 3-D GIANT-SCREEN FILM TO RELEASE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN BOTH REAL D AND LARGE-FORMAT THEATERS

2007-10-01

WASHINGTON (Oct. 1, 2007)--"Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" will be the first large-format 3-D film to release simultaneously on both giant screen and REAL D digital 3-D screens nationwide, it was announced by National Geographic. Already setting records as the biggest release for a film of this genre, the film will open worldwide this month on more than 190 REAL D screens and 75 giant screens.

Narrated by Tony Award-winning actor Liev Schreiber and with an original score by longtime musical collaborators Richard Evans, David Rhodes and Peter Gabriel, the film brings to life the extraordinary marine creatures of the dinosaur age on the most advanced and captivating cinematic mediums, creating an unparalleled visual encounter for audiences of all ages.

Launching the film in REAL D digital 3-D theaters will significantly expand the reach of National Geographic's 3-D film by offering access in markets not being served by existing giant-screen theaters. REAL D cinema also offers audiences a state-of-the-art digital 3-D experience unlike anything currently available.

"'Sea Monsters' on REAL D will make your jaw drop," said Lisa Truitt, president, National Geographic Cinema Ventures. "Like the giant screen, REAL D is an immersive medium that takes audiences on an eye-popping journey in a way never thought possible. In teaming with REAL D, we not only double the film's reach but also are able to bring the most fantastic imagery to life via the most cutting-edge cinematic delivery."

Funded in part through a grant from the National Science Foundation, "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Journey" submerges the audience in the ancient waters populated by saber-toothed fish, prehistoric sharks and giant squid -- the relatively unexplored world of the "other dinosaurs."

National Geographic Cinema Ventures (formerly National Geographic Giant Screen Films) is part of National Geographic Ventures (NGV), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. Building on its global reputation for remarkable visuals and compelling stories, National Geographic Cinema Ventures produces original 2-D and 3-D productions for the world's largest screens and retains distribution rights to one of the largest film libraries in the giant-screen industry. More information is available at www.nationalgeographic.com.

REAL D is the leader in the delivery of premier digital 3-D experiences. The company has the largest 3-D cinema footprint in the global marketplace, which expanded to over 1,000 screens worldwide in 2007. Recent releases on the REAL D platform include the 3-D versions of Columbia Pictures' "Monster House," Walt Disney Pictures' "Chicken Little" and "Meet the Robinsons" and the re-release of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as well as Paramount's Upcoming "Beowulf." REAL D is the worldwide inventor and provider of key stereoscopic technologies used in entertainment, marketing, science and other industries. REAL D's mission-critical 3-D visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, SEGA, Boeing and more. For more information, visit www.REALD.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S ALL ROADS FILM PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER NEW VOICES AND FIRST STORIES IN FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF FILM, PHOTOGRAPHY, LIVE MUSIC

2007-09-28

WASHINGTON (Sept. 24, 2007)--A quiet, unassuming, young Native American woman competes to represent her nation in the most traditional of all beauty pageants. A gang of Mexican wrestlers dons colorful costumes and formulates colorful rhetoric to take on the slumlords and bureaucrats that threaten their communities. A humble Aymara farmer makes an unlikely bid to become the first indigenous Bolivian president on a pro-coca platform. These stories and more converge to bring audiences the contemporary tales of indigenous and under-represented minority cultures in the fourth annual National Geographic All Roads Film Festival, to be held Sept. 27-30 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles and Oct. 4-7 at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. The four-day event will also feature a walk-through photography exhibit and music concert in both cities. In Washington, the event will include an art market.

New this year, All Roads will curate an online film festival, rolling out 20 short-subject films on www.nationalgeographic.com/allroads beginning Monday, Sept. 24. This latest initiative seeks to further connect audiences to indigenous film through partnerships with such popular venues as iTunes, YouTube and Second Life.

Some of this year's stand-out films include "Super Amigos," a feature documentary by Arturo Pérez Torres that combines live-action with comic-book-style animation to depict a group of Lucha Libre wrestlers who have taken their fight to the streets of Mexico City, and "Miss Navajo," a feature documentary by All Roads seed grantee Billy Luther (Navajo/Hopi/Laguna Pueblo), that follows the contestants of the Miss Navajo Nation competition.

Exclusive to Washington, D.C., the heralded films "Enemies of Happiness," by filmmakers Eva Mulvad and Anja Al-Erhayem, and "Cocalero," by director Alejandro Landes, will show the political process from two separate perspectives, as an Iraqi woman and an indigenous Aymara coca farmer endure racist and sexist insults, and sometimes death threats, in a quest to attain public office.

"The theme for this year's festival, 'New Voices, First Stories,' exemplifies our mission to identify and promote the work of up-and-coming filmmakers, photographers and musicians who have fascinating stories to tell about their cultures and communities," said Francene Blythe, director of the All Roads Film Project. "To overlook these stories is to ignore a vital part of our history as a global community, and thus All Roads will always seek out these films and make them accessible to a broader audience."

This year's festival will present four programming strands: "Women Hold Up Half the Sky," a spotlight on women filmmakers; "Ancestors, Elders and Land," highlighting the connection between native people and their land; "Under the Same Sun," a look at the struggle that people endure as they confront dual cultural identities; and "Shorts from Around the World," a showcase of short-subject films depicting a wide array of global cultures. Films represent a diverse range of countries and cultures, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Finland, India, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Mexico, New Zealand, Tonga (South Pacific Islands), Turkey and the United States.

All Roads will feature the world premiere of "A Shout Into the Wind," by seed grantee Katja Gauriloff (Skolt Sámi). U.S. debuts include "Waban-Aki," by First Nation filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin; "Crocodile Dreaming," by Aboriginal director Darlene Johnson (seed grantee); "Daf," by Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi; "Hush," by Aboriginal director Dena Curtis; "Land & Airwaves," by First Nations filmmakers Patrick Boivin and Alland Flamand; "My Brother Vinnie," by Aboriginal director Steven McGregor; "Nana," by Aboriginal filmmaker Warwick Thornton; "Taua," by Maori director Tearepa Kahi (seed grantee); and "Tavake," by South Pacific Islander Paul Stoll.

Premiering in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., are features "Dol," by Kurdish director Hiner Saleem, and "Four Sheets to the Wind," by Native American director and seed grantee Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Creek). Shorts "Menged," by Ethiopian director Daniel Taye Workou, and "133 Skyway," by Native American filmmaker Randy Redroad, will also make their debuts.

This year's photography program, sponsored by Manfrotto, highlights the works of Kashmir photographer Altaf Qadri, whose photo essay "Kashmir: Paradise in Pain" depicts the toll the Indian occupation of Kashmir has taken upon its people; Israeli photographer Oded Balilty, whose photo essay "Along the Lines" explores how Israel's construction of its protective fence contributes to the further separation and removal of the Israeli and Palestinian people; Nigerian photographer Akitunde Akinleye, whose photo essay "The Troubles of a Blessed Country" documents the resulting chaos from a fire at a petroleum pipeline ruptured by local scavengers; and Chinese/Inner Mongolian photographer A Yin, whose photo essay "Highland Mongolian Life" beautifully captures the traditional way of life of the people of the Mongolian highlands. The awardees' work will be exhibited in the courtyards of the Egyptian Theatre and National Geographic Society.

Balkan Beat Box will headline the Friday night music concert in both cities, marking its West Coast debut. The group will be performing songs from its just-released second album "Nu Med." Made up of Israeli, Palestinian, Bulgarian, Moroccan and Spanish musicians now based in New York, Balkan Beat Box melds beats from all over the Mediterranean, giving its music an eclectic sound that combines dancehall grooves with hip hop beats, infused with Jewish, Balkan, Arabic, Syrian, European, Moroccan and American influences. TimeOut New York has compared Balkan Beat Box's live show to an "electronic gypsy circus," and Entertainment Weekly has described the music as "grooves... fueled by Manischewitz wine and a big dose of punk 'tude."

The All Roads Film Festival is part of the All Roads Film Project, a National Geographic initiative to provide a global platform for indigenous and under-represented minority-culture storytellers around the world to showcase their talents and teach a broader audience about their cultures. In addition to providing a venue for their films, All Roads offers its filmmakers and photographers a series of networking opportunities with leaders of the film and photographic community. The All Roads Film Project awards a minimum of 10 seed grants a year to support the development and production of film and video projects by or about the indigenous and under-represented minority-culture film community. Seed grant recipients are considered for inclusion in the All Roads Film Festival and other National Geographic-affiliated broadcast outlets. The All Roads Photography Program provides photographers with seed money, cameras and photography equipment to assist with their fieldwork.
For more information on All Roads, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/allroads.

Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a nonprofit viewer-supported film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. The Cinematheque presents daily film and video programming, which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema to new independent films and digital work. Exhibitions of rare works, special and rare prints, etc., combined with fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are Cinematheque traditions that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on Dec. 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre. This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre and a smaller 78-seat screening room housed within Sid Grauman's first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The exotic courtyard is fully restored to its 1922 grandeur. The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922. In January 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. www.americancinematheque.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC INTRODUCES PRIVATE JOURNEYS GEARED FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELERS

2007-09-27

WASHINGTON (Sept. 27, 2007)-- For more than a century National Geographic has explored the world through its publications, television programs, products, interactive resources and, in recent years, its popular travel program National Geographic Expeditions. Now, National Geographic presents a more personal travel experience with the launch of National Geographic Private Journeys, geared for travelers who want the option to travel on their own or with family and friends instead of a larger group.

"Private Journeys allows our travelers to explore the world with National Geographic -- on their own schedule," said Lynn Cutter, senior vice president, Travel and Business Development, at National Geographic. "We've worked with our experts to craft itineraries for 15 extraordinary places around the globe. Once you select the journey and the dates you want to travel, we do the rest --from lining up first-rate local guides and top accommodations to arranging visits with National Geographic experts in the field."

On a Private Journey, travelers have access to special events and research sites, private visits with National Geographic contacts and opportunities to get to know local people and learn about their daily life. In Tanzania, travelers could meet Sarah Durant, a National Geographic grantee and the head of the Cheetah Conservation Program. In Vietnam, they may take a walking tour of Hue with Jim Sullivan, author of the National Geographic Traveler guidebook to Vietnam, and in Istanbul, they could go behind the scenes with National Geographic magazine's local expert Aydin Kudu.

National Geographic has teamed up with the highly regarded tour operator Abercrombie & Kent to offer these 15 Private Journeys. Whether travelers choose to explore the Okavango Delta by mokoro (canoe), ride a rickshaw through India's breathtaking Keoladeo Ghana National Park or take a private tour of St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum, they'll enjoy an enriching travel experience as well as round-the-clock support.

Each itinerary balances planned explorations with ample time for travelers to explore on their own and take advantage of the spontaneous moments that can make a trip especially memorable. Abercrombie & Kent's extensive network of on-the-ground staff provides 24-hour support and logistical coordination to help travelers fully experience the destination. In preparation for the journey, materials including books, maps and/or videos produced by National Geographic, are sent in advance to provide valuable background information on the location and culture.

Private Journey destinations include Alaska, Botswana & Victoria Falls, Budapest/Vienna/Prague, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Italy, Morocco, Peru, Russia, Scotland, Tanzania, Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam and Turkey. For more information or to receive a copy of the 2008 National Geographic Private Journeys travel catalog, call
(866) 572-1563 or visit www.nationalgeographicprivatejourneys.com.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 300 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; interactive media; merchandise; and travel program. In addition to National Geographic Private Journeys, National Geographic Travel operates National Geographic Expeditions, with more than 60 group expeditions to all seven continents. These trips are accompanied by top National Geographic experts -- anthropologists, explorers, naturalists and photographers -- whose insider perspectives enrich each travel experience. All proceeds from National Geographic Expeditions and National Geographic Private Journeys support National Geographic missions programs. National Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

MUSEUM OFFICIALS REACH AGREEMENT ON HISTORIC U.S. TOUR OF 'TERRA COTTA WARRIORS: GUARDIANS OF CHINA'S FIRST EMPEROR"

2007-08-21

(SANTA ANA, Calif. -- August 10, 2007) As China begins its one-year countdown to the summer Olympic Games in Beijing, a delegation of museum officials representing the Bowers Museum in California, The Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas and the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., have reached agreement with Chinese officials in Xi'an for an historic U.S. tour of the famed Chinese Terra Cotta Warriors beginning in May 2008.

These warriors represent one of the greatest archaeological treasures in the world today. The exhibit will feature Emperor Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor; his tomb and surrounding sites; the discovery of the site by well diggers in 1974 and many exciting new finds, as well as the largest collection of the famed figures to ever leave China.

The exhibition of 120 sets of objects will include 20 complete life-sized terra cotta figures and will feature new discoveries of court officials, acrobats and generals. Equally exciting and probably most dramatic are the inclusion of two recently discovered, half-sized bronze chariots and life-sized bronze animals that were found in what would have been gardens within the tomb complex belonging to Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 B.C.).

Emperor Qin is one of the most important emperors in history and has been credited with unifying several separate warring states into a unified China in 221 B.C., creating the foundation of the China that we know today. He is also well known for initiating construction of the 30-foot-high, 3,000-mile-long Great Wall of China to protect his empire from invaders from the north. It is thought that his tomb, in addition to being heavily guarded by thousands of Terra Cotta Warriors, replicated an underground city that included a bronze tomb with 500 tons of mercury flowing as rivers and a jeweled ceiling representing the heavens. The tomb itself remains unexplored today.

"The upcoming United States tour of the first emperor's Terra Cotta Army is of historic proportions," says Bowers Museum President Peter Keller. "To put the importance of this exhibit in perspective, no previous exhibit from China has ever been allowed to include more than 20 'level one' objects. We are bringing 52 'level one' objects."

A national panel of experts in China has established a rating system by which it grades art and antiquities on their importance to China. Those of the greatest importance are graded level one and are highly restricted as to the number that can be out of the country at any time.

"Since their discovery, the Terra Cotta Warriors have captured the world's imagination because they give us a fascinating glimpse into the life of China's first emperor, a man who created multiple historical marvels that endure to the present day," says Joel A. Bartsch, president of The Houston Museum of Natural Science. "We're eager to present the magnificent achievements of this ancient Chinese culture when this unprecedented exhibition comes to Houston."

"National Geographic is pleased to host these national treasures of China that have captured the imagination of people around the world since their discovery in 1974. These magnificent objects from the tomb of Emperor Qin showcase the rich cultural legacy and Chinese contributions to the world," says Terry Garcia, executive vice president for mission programs at the National Geographic Society. "We are pleased to offer the final chance to see this rare collection before it returns to China."

These objects were drawn from 11 different collections around Shaanxi Province, including the Museum of the First Emperor's Terracotta Army and Horses, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute for Archaeological Research, the Zhouzhi Museum, the Baoji Museum, the Xianyang Museum, the Lintong Museum, the Fengxiang Museum, the Chencang Museum, the Xi'an Institute for Archaeological Research and Protection, the Baoji Archeological Excavation Team and the Xianyang Institute for Archaeological Research.

"In 2008, while the world's attention is focused on modern China and the Summer Olympics in Beijing, this partnership will allow Americans to explore ancient China and the legacy of its first emperor, right here at home," adds Dr. Keller.

The collection will be seen this September at the world-famous British Museum and will close in April of 2008. The U.S. tour premieres at the Bowers Museum on May 18, 2008 where it can be seen through Oct. 12, 2008. The Houston Museum of Natural Science will host it from May 18 through Sept. 25, 2009, and the National Geographic Society Museum from Nov. 19, 2009, through March 31, 2010. The High Museum will present the same collection under a different title from November 2008 to April 2009.

Bowers Museum. Bowers Museum is a world-class, internationally-celebrated institution of art and culture dedicated to the preservation, study and exhibition of fine arts from around the globe. It is the largest and most revered museum in Orange County, California. Bowers has organized some of the most culturally significant exhibits in history, including "Secret World of Forbidden City," "The Dead Sea Scrolls" and now "Terra Cotta Warriors." Located minutes from Disneyland, it features eight spectacular permanent and special exhibits and has been voted Orange County's favorite museum for more than a decade.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science. The Houston Museum of Natural Science—one of the nation's most heavily attended museums—is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, and the Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at One Hermann Circle Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.

National Geographic Society Museum. The National Geographic Museum offers visitors the chance to experience compelling stories, stunning images and scientific research associated with the National Geographic Society. The museum presents changing exhibitions on a variety of cultural and natural history topics as well as permanent interactive and educational displays. The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S ALL ROADS FILM PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER NEW VOICES AND FIRST STORIES IN FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF FILM, PHOTOGRAPHY, LIVE MUSIC

2007-08-16

WASHINGTON (Aug. 15, 2007)--A quiet, unassuming, young Native American woman competes to represent her nation in the most traditional of all beauty pageants. A gang of Mexican wrestlers dons colorful costumes and formulates colorful rhetoric to take on the slumlords and bureaucrats that threaten their communities. A humble Aymara farmer makes an unlikely bid to become the first indigenous Bolivian president on a pro-coca platform. These stories and more converge to bring audiences the contemporary tales of indigenous and under-represented minority cultures in the fourth annual National Geographic All Roads Film Festival, to be held Sept. 27-30 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles and Oct. 4-7 at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. The four-day event will also feature a walk-through photography exhibit and music concert in both cities. In Washington, the event will include an art market.
Some of this year's stand-out films include "Super Amigos," a feature documentary by Arturo Pérez Torres that combines live-action with comic-book-style animation to depict a group of Lucha Libre wrestlers who have taken their fight to the streets of Mexico City, and "Miss Navajo," a feature documentary by All Roads seed grantee Billy Luther (Navajo/Hopi/Laguna Pueblo), that follows the contestants of the Miss Navajo Nation competition.
Exclusive to Washington, D.C., the heralded films "Enemies of Happiness," by filmmakers Eva Mulvad and Anja Al-Erhayem, and "Cocalero," by director Alejandro Landes, will show the political process from two separate perspectives, as an Iraqi woman and an indigenous Aymara coca farmer endure racist and sexist insults, and sometimes death threats, in a quest to attain public office.
"The theme for this year's festival, 'New Voices, First Stories,' exemplifies our mission to identify and promote the work of up-and-coming filmmakers, photographers and musicians who have fascinating stories to tell about their cultures and communities," said Francene Blythe, director of the All Roads Film Project. "To overlook these stories is to ignore a vital part of our history as a global community, and thus All Roads will always seek out these films and make them accessible to a broader audience."
This year's festival will present four programming strands: "Women Hold Up Half the Sky," a spotlight on women filmmakers; "Ancestors, Elders and Land," highlighting the connection between native people and their land; "Under the Same Sun," a look at the struggle that people endure as they confront dual cultural identities; and "Shorts from Around the World," a showcase of short-subject films depicting a wide array of global cultures. Films represent a diverse range of countries and cultures, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Finland, India, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Mexico, New Zealand, Tonga (South Pacific Islands), Turkey and the United States.
All Roads will feature the world premiere of "A Shout Into the Wind," by seed grantee Katja Gauriloff (Skolt Sámi). U.S. debuts include "Waban-Aki," by First Nation filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin; "Crocodile Dreaming," by Aboriginal director Darlene Johnson (seed grantee); "Daf," by Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi; "Hush," by Aboriginal director Dena Curtis; "Land & Airwaves," by First Nations filmmakers Patrick Boivin and Alland Flamand; "My Brother Vinnie," by Aboriginal director Steven McGregor; "Nana," by Aboriginal filmmaker Warwick Thornton; "Taua," by Maori director Tearepa Kahi (seed grantee); and "Tavake," by South Pacific Islander Paul Stoll.
Premiering in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., are features "Dol," by Kurdish director Hiner Saleem, and "Four Sheets to the Wind," by Native American director and seed grantee Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Creek). Shorts "Menged," by Ethiopian director Daniel Taye Workou, and "133 Skyway," by Native American filmmaker Randy Redroad, will also make their local debuts.
This year's photography program highlights the works of Kashmiri photographer Altaf Qadri, whose photo essay "Kashmir: Paradise in Pain" depicts the toll the Indian occupation of Kashmir has taken upon its people; Israeli photographer Oded Balilty, whose photo essay "Along the Lines" explores how Israel's construction of its protective fence contributes to the further separation and removal of the Israeli and Palestinian people; Nigerian photographer Akitunde Akinleye, whose photo essay "The Troubles of a Blessed Country" documents the resulting chaos from a fire at a petroleum pipeline ruptured by local scavengers; and Chinese/Inner Mongolian photographer A Yin, whose photo essay "Highland Mongolian Life" beautifully captures the traditional way of life of the people of the Mongolian highlands. Adobe is a sponsor of this year's photography program. The awardees' work will be exhibited in the courtyards of the Egyptian Theatre and National Geographic Society.
Balkan Beat Box will headline the Friday night music concert in both cities, marking its West Coast debut. The group will be performing songs from its just-released second album "Nu Med." Made up of Israeli, Palestinian, Bulgarian, Moroccan and Spanish musicians now based in New York, Balkan Beat Box melds rhythms from all over the Mediterranean, giving its music an eclectic sound that combines dancehall grooves with hip hop beats, infused with Jewish, Balkan, Arabic, Syrian, European, Moroccan and American influences. TimeOut New York has compared Balkan Beat Box's live show to an "electronic gypsy circus," and Entertainment Weekly has described the music as "grooves... fueled by Manischewitz wine and a big dose of punk 'tude."
For ticket information in Los Angeles, please call 323.466.3456 (FILM) or order online through www.fandango.com. In Washington, DC tickets can be ordered online at www.tickets.com or by calling 202-857-7700.
The All Roads Film Festival is part of the All Roads Film Project, a National Geographic initiative to provide a global platform for indigenous and under-represented minority-culture storytellers around the world to showcase their talents and teach a broader audience about their cultures. In addition to providing a venue for their films, All Roads offers its filmmakers and photographers a series of networking opportunities with leaders of the film and photographic community. The All Roads Film Project awards a minimum of 10 seed grants a year to support the development and production of film and video projects by or about the indigenous and under-represented minority-culture film community. Seed grant recipients are considered for inclusion in the All Roads Film Festival and other National Geographic-affiliated broadcast outlets. The All Roads Photography Program provides photographers with seed money, cameras and photography equipment to assist with their fieldwork.
For more information on All Roads, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/allroads.
Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a nonprofit viewer-supported film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. The Cinematheque presents daily film and video programming, which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema to new independent films and digital work. Exhibitions of rare works, special and rare prints, etc., combined with fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are Cinematheque traditions that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on Dec. 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre. This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre and a smaller 78-seat screening room housed within Sid Grauman's first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The exotic courtyard is fully restored to its 1922 grandeur. The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922. In January 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. www.americancinematheque.com.
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For images, please visit: http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/all_roads_2007/
username: press; password: press; or email Adrian Coakley at acoakley@ngs.org.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVES INTO LOST WORLD OF MARINE REPTILES WITH 'SEA MONSTERS: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE'

2007-08-02

WASHINGTON (Aug. 2, 2007) - National Geographic's new giant-screen film "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure," premiering worldwide in IMAX and other specialty theaters on Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, brings to life the extraordinary marine reptiles of the dinosaur age on the world's biggest screens in both 3-D and 2-D. From the giraffe-necked Styxosaurus and 20-foot "bulldog" fish Xiphactinus to the T-Rex of the ocean -- the 40-foot super-predator Tylosaurus -- these wondrous beasts defy imagination.

The film, narrated by Tony Award-winning actor Liev Schreiber and with an original score by longtime musical collaborators Richard Evans, David Rhodes and Peter Gabriel, takes audiences on a remarkable journey into the relatively unexplored world of the "other dinosaurs," those reptiles that lived beneath the water. Additional information on the film, as well as an educational poster, lessons and activities for teachers and informal educators, can be found at www.nationalgeographic.com/seamonsters.

"This is the first giant-screen film about what lived in the water during the dinosaur age," said producer Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Giant Screen Films and Special Projects. "It is perfect subject matter for such an immersive format, one that allows these giants to literally swim off the screen and directly into the audience."

The Cretaceous world was very different from the Earth we know. Eighty million years ago, places such as Kansas were at the bottom of a great inland sea that divided North America in two. A warmer climate meant more of the globe was submerged -- Europe was just a smattering of islands, much of Asia was underwater and a shallow ocean engulfed nearly all of Australia. On this sodden sphere, cold-blooded seagoing reptiles flourished, and as these ocean giants died, their skeletons were left in locations that are now high and dry.

"Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" weaves together spectacular photorealistic animation with standout finds from paleontological digs around the world -- treasures that shed light on the film's incredible cast of characters.

The film follows a family of Dolichorhynchops, also known informally as "Dollies," as they traverse ancient waters populated with saber-toothed fish, prehistoric sharks and giant squid. On their journey the Dollies encounter other extraordinary sea creatures: lizard-like reptiles called Platecarpus that swallowed their prey whole like snakes; Styxosaurus with necks nearly 20 feet long and paddle-like fins as large as an adult human; and at the top of the food chain, the monstrous Tylosaurus, a predator with no enemies.

"Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" is a remarkable visual journey that also educates audiences on the "How do we know that?" side of paleontology. Do scientists need full skeletons to learn about these creatures? Not always, as we learn from shark teeth found throughout the central United States, proof that these modern-day hunters were thriving during the age of dinosaurs when Kansas was at the bottom of the sea. How do we know what these creatures ate, and what pursued them? The shapes of jaws and teeth provide dietary clues, and occasionally paleontologists are lucky enough to discover bones of one species inside the remains of another. In fact, one fossilized Xiphactinus, a 17-foot-long predatory fish, was found with an entire 6-foot fish inside -- swallowed whole.

From fossil digs to larger-than-life visions of predatory chases in shallow seas, the film immerses audiences in a rarely explored environment during the dinosaur age. Merging ultra-high-resolution 3-D graphics with National Geographic's trademark authenticity, compelling imagery and powerful storytelling, the film is a perfect combination of subject and medium: ancient leviathans of the deep brought to life in the world's biggest film format.

Distributed by National Geographic, "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" will be supported by companion books for both adults and young readers in standard, 3-D and pop-up formats. A video game licensed by Destination Software Incorporated will be released to coincide with the worldwide premiere of the film and will be available on the Sony PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo. These, plus an additional line of "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" licensed products, including plush toys, puzzles and apparel, will be available at www.nationalgeographic.com/store. Additional information on the film can be found at www.nationalgeographic.com/seamonsters.

National Geographic Giant Screen Films is part of National Geographic Ventures (NGV), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. Building on its global reputation for remarkable visuals and compelling stories, National Geographic Giant Screen Films produces original 2-D and 3-D productions for the world's largest screens. National Geographic Giant Screen Films also retains distribution rights to one of the largest film libraries in the giant-screen industry.

CAITLIN SNARING FROM WASHINGTON STATE WINS 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE

2007-05-23

WASHINGTON (May 23, 2007)--Fourteen-year-old Caitlin Snaring, a homeschooled eighth-grader from Redmond, Wash., took top honors at the 2007 National Geographic Bee held in Washington, D.C., today. She won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society.

Second-place winner was Suneil Iyer, 12, a seventh-grader at Indian Trail Junior High School in Olathe, Kan., who received a $15,000 college scholarship. Third place and a $10,000 college scholarship went to Mark Arildsen, a 13-year-old seventh-grader at the University School of Nashville, in Nashville, Tenn. The 2007 National Geographic Bee was sponsored by JPMorgan Chase.

The winning question was: A city that is divided by a river of the same name was the imperial capital of Vietnam for more than a century. Name this city, which is still an important cultural center. Answer: Hue

Caitlin is the second girl to win the Bee since it began in 1989. She is also the fifth student from Washington to win the Bee. Washington has produced more national winners than any other state.

Fifty-five state and territory winners took part in the preliminary rounds of the 2007 National Geographic Bee on Tuesday, May 22. The top 10 contestants met in today's final round, which was moderated by "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek. The seven other finalists were Andrew Lee of Alaska, Antonio de la Peña of Colorado, Benjamin Geyer of the District of Columbia, Solly Mayer of Kentucky, Tyler Bowen of Oklahoma, Francisco Vargas of Puerto Rico and Benjamin Taylor of West Virginia.

Nearly 5 million students take part in the National Geographic Bee each year.

Media Contacts:
First-place winner: Ellen Siskind, (202) 828-5650, esiskind@ngs.org
Second-place winner: Rebecca Penovich, (202) 775-6163, rpenovic@ngs.org
Third-place winner: Cindy Beidel, (202) 862-5286, cbeidel@ngs.org

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Media Advisory TEN FINALISTS QUALIFY FOR 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE TITLE

2007-05-22

WHO/WHAT: The preliminary round of the 19th annual National Geographic Bee was held today, Tuesday, May 22. Ten finalists, from a field of 55 state-level winners, will compete in the May 23 final round to be held at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.

The 10 finalists are:

- Andrew Lee, Alaska
- José de la Peña, Colorado
- Benjamin Geyer, District of Columbia
- Suneil Iyer, Kansas
- Solomon Mayer, Kentucky
- Tyler Bowen, Oklahoma
- Francisco Vargas, Puerto Rico
- Mark Arildsen, Tennessee
- Caitlin Snaring, Washington
- Benjamin Taylor, West Virginia

WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, May 23
Doors open to the media8:10 a.m.
Doors close 9:30 a.m.
Competition 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

National Geographic Society
Grosvenor Auditorium
1600 M Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

CONTACT: Ellen Siskind
(202) 828-5650; esiskind@ngs.org

Note to media: Downloadable photographs of the finalists, press release and general event information are available at
www.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom.

Names and photographs of the first-, second- and third-place winners will be posted by 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, at www.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE AWARDS FIRST ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY GRANT

2007-05-11

WASHINGTON (May 11, 2007)--Following its long tradition of supporting documentary photography, National Geographic magazine has awarded a $50,000 grant to Eugene Richards. This is one of the largest grants awarded in photography and will be given annually.

Richards will be working on a project called "War Is Personal." A series of photo and textual essays, it will focus on people whose lives have been profoundly affected by the conflict in Iraq -- soldiers on active duty and those who have returned from war, soldiers' families, an injured veteran, a military contractor, refugees from Iraq, soldiers who have refused to be deployed and a young person recently recruited. Richards' goal is to further the dialogue on the Iraq war and its consequences.

"I am extremely pleased that our judges chose such a deserving and respected photojournalist as Eugene Richards. Having Eugene, an award-winning photographer, as our first recipient of the National Geographic Magazine Grant for Photography launches this new grant on a solid course. We are honored to be supporting Eugene and the photography he plans on this socially important documentation of the intimate lives of those directly affected by the war in Iraq," said National Geographic's Director of Photography David Griffin.

The 145 entries for the grant were received from around the world. Judges were Michele Stephenson, former director of photography at TIME magazine; Michel du Cille, Washington Post staff photographer and associate editor; and Jodi Cobb, National Geographic staff photographer.

National Geographic magazine, winner of the 2007 National Magazine Award for General Excellence, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit educational and scientific organizations. Published in English and 29 local-language editions, the magazine has a global circulation of around 8.5 million. It is sent each month to National Geographic members and is available on newsstands for $4.95 a copy. Single copies can be ordered by calling (800) NGS-LINE, also the number to call to apply for Society membership.
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S ALL ROADS FILM PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER NEW VOICES AND FIRST STORIES IN FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF FILM, PHOTOGRAPHY, LIVE MUSIC

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S ALL ROADS FILM PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER NEW VOICES AND FIRST STORIES IN FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF FILM, PHOTOGRAPHY, LIVE MUSIC

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVES INTO LOST WORLD OF MARINE REPTILES WITH 'SEA MONSTERS: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE'

CAITLIN SNARING FROM WASHINGTON STATE WINS 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE

Media Advisory TEN FINALISTS QUALIFY FOR 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE TITLE

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE AWARDS FIRST ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY GRANT

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TAKING STOCK OF A NATURAL TREASURE MAY 30 TO 31, NOON TO NOON; AFTERNOON 'CELEBRATE BIODIVERSITY' FESTIVAL FOLLOWS ON MAY 31