Pro AV Catalog
345 Encinal St,
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
United States
Project List
Polycom Enables Green Cross International 20th Anniversary Earth Dialogues Conference to Deliver Interactive, Live Broadcast from the United Nations
Posted on Thursday, September 5, 2013
Polycom Enables Green Cross International 20th Anniversary Earth Dialogues Conference to Deliver Interactive, Live Broadcast from the United Nations
From the United Nations office in Geneva to schools and people all over the world, Polycom connects thousands in an immersive video experience spanning the globe
 
LONDON - Sep 05, 2013: Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in open, standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), today announced that Green Cross International, an organization that aims to ensure a sustainable future for humanity and our environment, enlisted Polycom to stream its milestone anniversary Earth Dialogues events live via video. The Polycom-powered video solutions enabled over 1,000 video participants from around the world to watch, follow and interact remotely with world-renown speakers making their own unique contributions to promote sustainability, security and environmental conservation. 
 
Green Cross International, founded in 1993 by Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, held the day-long 20th anniversary Earth Dialogues conference at the United Nations on Sept. 3, 2013. A series of public forums initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev and Maurice Strong (architect of the Rio Earth Summit 1992), the Earth Dialogues conferences aim to mobilize global public interest and action to promote important objectives essential to the future of humanity. Titled Pathways into the Future - Triggers of Change, the conference comes at a time of deep crisis in multilateralism, with a lack of consensus and coordinated international action to respond to rampant ecological breakdown, globalization and disparities between rich and poor.
 
“Polycom’s support helped our organization convey important messages on sustainability, climate change, security, human development and the future of humanity,” said GCI President Alexander Likhotal. “Thanks to Polycom, Green Cross were able to broadcast live a wide range of discussions by eminent speakers and experts on the major challenges facing the world today.”
 
Corinne Momal-Vanian, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said: "New media and technologies, such as web-conferencing, allow international organizations to reach a much wider public and encourage greater participation by youth groups and other civil society leaders in the international forums where policies are being decided which will forge our common future.”
 
A subsequent interactive dialogue hosted by students from the International School of Geneva, provided the opportunity for schools globally to hold interactive discussions on video with cast members of the musical, 2050: The Future We Want. The musical was held on the evening of September 3 at the United Nations in Geneva as part of GCI’s 20th anniversary, and in conjunction with Peace Child International. This global virtual classroom event was held with schools such as NIGE in Germany, Dumfries & Galloway in Scotland, and one of the Oiada International schools in Ghana, all participating remotely via video. With video collaboration, students discussed topics covered in the musical in an attempt to raise awareness of environmental issues and for students to take ownership and responsibility towards the planet.
 
“It is rewarding to work with Green Cross International to help students discover the elements of sustainability, what it means to be a global citizen and how to take action towards a more sustainable future,” said Marci Powell, Global Director for Education at Polycom. “Empowering the Earth Dialogues event through Polycom’s high quality video solutions is a great example of how together we bring curriculum-rich content that enhances learning and increases student achievement to schools worldwide.”
 
To provide web-broadcast attendees of both events with a lifelike face-to-face experience, Green Cross used Polycom® RealPresence® video collaboration solutions provided and supported by Pointvue, specialist video conferencing service provider, systems integrator, and Polycom Platinum Partner. Polycom® HDX® series of telepresence systems, which use enterprise IP networks to deliver Polycom's legendary HD video and sound quality and ease of use in auditoriums, personal workspaces and corporate meeting rooms were used at both the United Nations and International School.
 
Participants were able to log on and view the live-streaming webcasts and subsequent video recordings on-demand through a Web portal from any device via the Polycom® RSS™ 4000 Recording and Streaming Server.
 
“We had the pleasure of playing a key role in GCI’s 20th anniversary Earth Dialogues events by bringing audience and speakers together via interactive HD video,” said Frank Feller, Chief Executive Officer at Pointvue. “Utilizing video conferencing and internet communications to promote ideas and raise awareness of environmental issues is a great use of technology.”
 
close