HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 4976CITY OF PALO ALTO
PROCLAMATION
17th Annual United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF)
WHEREAS, October 16, 2014, marks the 17th anniversary of the United Nations Association Film Festival
(UNAFF), which was originally created to celebrate the 5 0th anniversary of the signing of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights; and
WHEREAS, UNAFF was founded by Stanford educator and film critic Jasmina Bojic with the participation
of the Stanford Film Society and the UNA Mid-peninsula Chapter, a community based nonprofit organization in
Palo Alto; and
WHEREAS, UNAFF gives five awards: UNAFF Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary, UNAFF Grand
Jury Award for Best Short Documentary, UNAFF/Stanford Video Award for Cinematography, UNAFF/Stanford
Video Award for Editing and the UNAFF Youth Vision Award; and
WHEREAS, UNAFF has previously screened some of the most honored and talked about documentaries
including seven that went on to win Academy Awards and twenty-three that were nominated; and
WHEREAS, UNAFF celebrates the power of films dealing with human rights, environment, women’s
issues, homelessness, racism, disease control, universal education, war and peace with the theme this year of
“BRIDGING THE GAP”; and
WHEREAS, the UNAFF jury selected 70 films for this year’s festival dealing with topics from countries
around the world; and
WHEREAS, UNAFF will be held October 16 to October 26, 2014 at the Aquarius Theatre in Palo Alto, at
Stanford University, in East Palo Alto and in San Francisco; and
WHEREAS, UNAFF hosts academics and international filmmakers to discuss the topics in the films with
members of the audience, who are often separated by geography, ethnicity and economic status.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nancy Shepherd, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto, on behalf of the City Council
do hereby proclaim October 16-26, 2014 as United Nations Association Film Festival Days, and encourage the
citizens of our community to attend the UNAFF Opening Night at the Aquarius Theatre and other UNAFF
screenings.
Presented: September 15, 2014
______________________________
Nancy Shepherd
Mayor