Hey folks, Harry here. Well, from time to time an event comes along that just allows for the chance to see legends walk the earth, and for folks that can get to Washington D.C. by August 11th, well... you could get to see and/or possibly meet Steven Spielberg. My good friends over at the Smithsonian that had me speak there a year ago, have decided to invite someone far cooler than me, and to boot, they're giving him a cool award. Well, we AICN folks get special treatment at the Smithsonian, so call and tell them AICN (aka Aint It Cool News) sent ya and get the special rate. Oh and if you do go... cursess you evil cool person you!
Hi Harry,
We have a great event coming next week, August 11th,....Steven Spielberg will be honored here at the Smithsonian. The following is our full press release with all the details....
To contact us for tickets, your readers should call 202-357-3030. If they mention AICN, they can get the preferred rate on tickets.
Cheers, Julia
STEVEN SPIELBERG TO BE AWARDED JAMES SMITHSON BICENTENNIAL MEDAL; AUG.11 CEREMONY HONORS CAREER AND PUBLIC SERVICE ACHIEVEMENTS.
Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, will be honored by The Smithsonian Associates with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. The public program will take place Aug.11, at 7 p.m., in the National Museum of Natural History's Baird Auditorium at 10th St. and Constitution Avenue, N.W. A reception immediately following the award ceremony will be held in the Smithsonian Castle's Great Hall at 1000 Jefferson Dr. S.W. For ticket information the public may call 202-357-3030.
Mr.Spielberg has captivated audiences around the world for three decades with a masterful range of classic films that include, "Jaws," "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," "The Color Purple," "Schindler's List," and "Saving Private Ryan," which won five Academy Awards this year, including Mr. Spielberg's second Oscar for Best Director.
Admired throughout his career by his peers, Mr. Spielberg's work has been honored by many major awards in the film industry including Academy Awards, the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, Directors Guild of America Awards, Golden Globes, and the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Along with honoring his outstanding accomplishments in filmmaking, Mr. Spielberg, 52, will be honored by The Smithsonian Associates for his humanitarian achievements. He has established the Righteous Persons Foundation, a grant making organization dedicated to strengthening Jewish life. He also established Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation in order to preserve the memory of survivors and victims of the Holocaust, and enhance tolerance-based education around the world. In addition, Mr. Spielberg is the chairman of the Starbright Foundation, which brings together medical professionals, entertainment leaders and technologists to empower children and adolescents living with chronic illness.
Smithsonian Secretary I. Michael Heyman said, "The James Smithson Bicentennial Medal is awarded to individuals who have not only produced great achievements, but have shown an unusual sense of humanity and caring for specific groups of people and society as a whole. I am therefore pleased to add Steven Spielberg to our distinguished list of recipients, not only for his work in films, but for his efforts to promote tolerance and understanding around the world."
When he was notified of the award, Mr. Spielberg said, "I am both surprised and deeply honored to be designated for such a prestigious Medal from an Institution that is a national and international treasure."
The James Smithson Bicentennial medal was created in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of British Scientist James Smithson (1765-1829). It was Smithson's visionary bequest that made possible the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution.
The award is given under the auspices of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the advancement of areas of interest to the Smithsonian. Past recipients include Richard Leakey, Jacques Cousteau, Sir Edmund Hillary, Helen Hayes, Mrs. Lyndon Baines Johnson, George Lucas and Walter Cronkite.
