There’s the Blue Economy, a Big Blue Sky & the UN Turns Blue

“Blue is the colour of the sky ….in the morning when we rise …..that’s the time I love the best”. Sang a host of folksingers like Joan Baez quite a few years back. And a blue sky is what many in South east Asia are missing as Indonesia burns its way through its uncontrollable land and forest clearing policy making its one of the most deforested countries in the world. Buildings around the world just went blue with lights to mark the United Nations 70^th anniversary on 24 October. Meanwhile, we are among those calling for the adoption of “the blue economy” as the most realistic and transformational way forward for industry, for cities and for nations. Blue Asia Group director and sustainability leader Martin Blake will talk about how we can all turn blue – not with cold but in a cool, calm and collected way – at the Big Blue Sky Innovation and Creativity Festival, 5 – 6 November 2015, at the Gold Coast, Australia. Read more

UN Lights up in blue as its turns 70

22 October 2015 – From Australia to Azerbaijan, Indonesia to Iraq, Saudi Arabia to South Sudan, some 300 sites around the world will be lit in ‘UN blue’ beginning on Friday as part of the global celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

The celebration will kick off in New Zealand and from there a wave of blue – the official colour of the UN – will move across countries and continents as monuments around the world take part in the event to commemorate UN Day.

UN Headquarters in New York will light up for two nights, beginning 23 October when the annual UN Day concert will be held, and concluding on 24 October, which has been celebrated as UN Day since 1948.

The Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the Organization officially came into being.

“The timeless values of the UN Charter must remain our guide. Our shared duty is to ‘unite our strength’ to serve ‘we the peoples,’” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message for the Day.

“To mark this anniversary, monuments and buildings across the world are being illuminated in UN blue. As we shine a light on this milestone anniversary, let us reaffirm our commitment to a better and brighter future for all.”

Among the famous landmarks taking part in the ‘Turn the World UN Blue’ campaign will be the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the Great Wall of China, Russia’s Hermitage Museum, and the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

To mark this milestone 70th anniversary for the Organization, a range of activities and events have been organized throughout the year under the theme of “Strong UN. Better World.” Key events include a ceremony held in San Francisco in June to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter in that city in 1945.

Last month saw the publication of a coffee table book, “The United Nations at 70: Restoration and Renewal,” which combines a richly illustrated tribute to the recent restoration of the UN Headquarters complex in New York, designed by modernist architects Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer, with reflections on the Organization in its 70th year.

In addition, a selection of iconic photos and historical documents covering key moments from 70 years of UN history – from its founding in San Francisco to its work around the world today – are captured in ‘The UN at 70: Moments and Milestones’ photo exhibition on display at UN Headquarters in New York.

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=52346#.ViyDqn4rLIU

5 – 6 November 2015

Gold Coast, Australia

Big Blue Sky Event organisers says their purpose is to collaborate with delegates and specialist speakers to create projects that positively affect the City by focussing on the following Moonshots:

1. The 3 I’s

Re-writing the Gold Coast Story. How do we position our City as a leading hub of Intelligence, IT and Innovation in Australia?

2. 100% sustainable

What does this mean for life and work on the Gold Coast? How do we do it?

3. Provisioning the Impossible

A major blockage to Entrepreneurship and Emerging business all over the world is money. How do we disrupt these blockages and use the resources we have to the best of our ability?

Blue Asia Group director and sustainability leader Dr. Martin Blake will be one of three Keynote speakers at the Gold Coast’s Creativity and Innovation Festival – Big Blue Sky Event. His keynote is on the topic ‘How to Make Green into Gold’.

Staged amongst one of world’s most inspiring backdrops, Big Blue Sky will bring together the world’s most coveted game-changers in visionary thinking, the UK’s most respected digital leaders, the smartest minds of the Gold Coast and the students lighting the way of our future.

This dynamic, thought provoking and action driven event this November is set to become a benchmark for visionary thinking, creativity and innovation for the City’s future.

Source: http://bigblueskyevent.com/ and http://martinblake.com/speaking/