WCO’s programs allow people to recognize such cultural wealth as a gift for all humanity. We provide opportunities for people to experience diverse cultural interactions and explore the full spectrum of human differences while feeling the common threads that connect us all.
WCO envisions the world as a lush forest full of life, where everyone lives together harmoniously in celebration of each other’s unique cultural characteristics.
WCO Centers are spaces provided for public use in order to facilitate the growth and development of individuals and communities by promoting vibrant local cultural scenes. WCO Centers are cooperative spaces that are established and operated by voluntary giving and participation from a multiplicity of individuals. WCO Centers also promote free and dynamic communication and exchange across regions by connecting local communities to an international network. WCO has Open Centers in Seoul, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens and Little Neck.
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A taste of what's going on this month at the Manhattan World Culture Open Center:
Kristina Leonardi: Who Are You and What Are You Supposed to be Doing With Your Life?
Thursday, September 4th, 6:30-8:30pm
Kristina Leonadi is the founder and executive director of The Woman's Mosaic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education, inspiration and motivation for women to express their full power and potential in the world. Listen to her share how she came to form The Woman's Mosaic and the tools and lessons she learned that can help you create a more gratifying career and life path for yourself. Re-asses who you are and what you should be doing with your life that can bring you the most fulfillment on all levels, help you discover new perspectives by seeing yourself as part of a bigger picture, and help you re-focus and re-energize your daily activities and future plans. For more information about this event, click here or visit The Women’s Mosaic .
Rwandan Culture Panel Discussion and Photo Exhibition
Thursday, September 18th, 6:30-9:00pm
Photography Exhibit: September 9th-18th
Experience an educational and inspirational evening of speakers, artwork, dance and refreshments. Marie Claudine, founder of the Kuki Ndiho Rwanda Orphan Support Project, survivor of the Rwandan genocide and multi-talented performing artist, will moderate a panel discussion consisting of Daniel Uhagaze, Eugenie Mukeshimana, and David Lussel. The photography exhibit “Uputunzi Project†will include photos taken by Rwandan women in 2006 and 2007 that represent the personal and cultural perspectives of Lorena Turner, an American curator, photojournalist and photography professor. If you would like more information or want to volunteer, call 802.578.2657 or send an email to [email protected].
Facing the Facade: Petar Jovanović and Antonio Ivan Estevez
September 20-29
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 20th, 6-9pm
Join us for a decadent night filled with fine art and poetry. Musician, poet, and artist Petar Jovanović will read selections from his published book of poetry, “Thank You America!,†a collection of reflections on the life and trials of an immigrant finding himself in a new world and a new culture. Jovanović will also be exhibiting his pen and ink drawings of the buildings and landscapes he has encountered during his travels through Europe.
Versatile painter Antonio Ivan Estevez will be exhibiting several large scale works in acrylic, oil, and watercolor. Influenced by Picasso, Dali, Kandinsky, and Gauguin, Antonio is tirelessly seeking to express the necessities of our existence: life, love, and liberty. The majority of his work is inspired by and includes women, his “evidence of the dualities in the natural worldâ€. He has been known to compare his work to a tasty steak: “My work is like a delicious steak that is meant to be savored, devoured slowly, never to be consumed in haste.“ See more of Antonio's work at AntonioEstevez.net .
For a full listing of September's events and classes at the Manhattan World Culture Open Center, visit our myspace page .