National Adoption Awareness Week gets creative in 2010

**MEDIA RELEASE**

National Adoption Awareness Week gets creative in 2010

The third anniversary of National Adoption Awareness Week (NAAW) is taking place from the 8 – 14th November 2010. Deborra-lee Furness, Founding Patron of the organization is encouraging all Australians to get involved. This year’s theme is ‘LET’S GET CREATIVE’, with the aim of inspiring everyone to think of one initiative that would assist a vulnerable child.

“Just by giving some thought to the many ways that you could bring a smile, warm coat, meal or positive energy to a child either in Australia or on the other side of the globe, can make the world of difference, said Deborra-lee Furness

This past year has seen the formation of many unified State-based community groups, coming together under the NAAW banner, to meet and discuss the shared experiences of adoption in a positive and creative way.

It is an initiative kept alive by the adoption community across Australia by combining awareness events with community gatherings under the principles of Educate, Communicate and Participate.

The week will kick off with a special screening of ‘The Waiting City’ starring Joel Edgerton and Rhada Mitchell on Monday 8th November at Hoyts Cinema Paris, Entertainment Quarter, Sydney.

The Waiting City is written and directed by rising talent Claire McCarthy and produced by Jamie Hilton. The story follows a young couple’s journey to India to collect their adopted baby. Following the screening, Claire McCarthy and Denson Baker (Cinematographer) will lead a Q&A session.

“By continuing to put energy into this issue, we are hoping that Australia will step up and aspire to creating the best practices when adoption is an option. We hope that by talking about adoption, we can educate the greater community to have an understanding and empathy of the journey. By not letting ‘Adoption’ be something that is shrouded in secrecy and shame, we hope that healing can take place for many adult adoptees,” said Deborra-lee Furness

To buy tickets to the screening of The Waiting City visit

www.adoptionawarenessweek.com.au

For interview requests and further information:

Niki White
The Lantern Group
(02) 9383 4038 / 0403 176 988

NAAW 2010 EVENTS & INITIATIVES

On 10th November POL Design will launch the Fashion Meets Knowledge campaign nationally to coincide with National Adoption Awareness Week. This campaign brings a new perspective to the cause, using fashion to get the word out. The UTILITY AWARENESS TOP has been specifically designed to highlight ADOPTION AWARENESS.

Exclusively stocked online at www.poldesign.com.au the garments can be purchased for $79.95 with all profits being directly donated to National Adoption Awareness Week, to ensure ongoing support of the best practices in local and international adoption.

In New York on 17th November, The Daily Beast (USA) will host the ORPHAN CRISIS SUMMIT. The event will highlight the global orphan crisis that has left 163 million children without adequate homes, education, and parental care, and how adoption may be one of the solutions. This will be the first ‘THINK TANK” SUMMIT hosted by THE DAILY BEAST, Addressing the many issues surrounding orphans and vulnerable children.

This event will be hosted by Tina Brown (Publisher, Daily Beast) DONNA KARAN’S URBAN ZEN FOUNDATION and SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE experts in the field including Dr. Jane Aronson (Pediatrician specializing in adoption medicine and Founder and CEO of Worldwide Orphans Foundation), Deborra-lee Furness (Internationally acclaimed actress as well as a passionate supporter of children and defender of their human rights across the globe, and adoptive mother of two), Adam Pertman (Executive Director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute) Other co-hosts will be Adoptive parents, ISABELLA ROSSELLINI, VERA WANG, ALFREE WOODARD AND HUGH JACKMAN.

IMPORTANT STATISTICS REGARDING ADOPTION AND ORPHANS

• – Of the 40,000 inter-country adoptions that took place worldwide last year, only 270of them were Australian.
• – Every day, 29,000 children under the age of five die from largely preventablediseases, resulting in 10.6 million deaths a year.
• – In 1971-1972 there were 9798 adoptions in Australia, in 2007-2008 there were only440.www.adoptionawarenessweek.com.au