THE MUNICIPALITY OF CORINTH PRESENT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO PANAGIOTIS KAROUSOS' OPERA PROMETHEUS BOUND

PANAGIOTIS KAROUSOS

PROMETHEUS 

BOUND

(1994 – 2004) 20TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

Starring:

Prometheus: Vasilis Asimakopoulos, bass

Io/Goddess Athena: Irene Konsta, soprano

Ocean/Hermes: Anastasios Stellas, tenor

Via/Amfitrite: Maria Lyberakou, soprano

Oceanide: Vanessa Kalkani, soprano

Musicians:

Rania Zetta, viola

Gulnora Tulyaganova, piano

MUNICIPAL THEATER 

OF CORINTH

Tuesday 17th June at 7pm

Damaskinou Street, Korinthos, 20003 Greece

FREE ADMISSION

Few words about the opera “Prometheus Bound” by Panagiotis Karousos

Based on Aeschylus tragedy “Prometheus Bound” by Panagiotis Karousos first premiered inMontreal, Canada in 1994 and played in French until 2000.  In 1998 the work presented in Los Angeles at Beverly Hills City Hall with a great success. In 2008 represented in New York andWashington in English under the direction of maestro Grant Gilman, and American soloists from the opera of New York. The opera impressed with the high lyricism and characterized as a divine music composition work. In Greece Prometheus Bound presented at the Municipal Theatres of Athens, Salamina, Argostoli, Lixouri, Ithaca, Cholargos, Chalkis, at the Concert Hall of the Greek Writers, in “Parnassos” Concert Hall, in the Old Parliament House, at the Theatre Veakeio, and the Theatre “Jenny Karezi”. In 2013 bass Vasileios Asimakopoulos did unforgettable presentations of the opera as a director and leading role at the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus, the Ancient Theatre Ekklesiasterion (Odeon) in Ancient Messene, the Ancient Agora at the Ancient Site of Acropolis, and the National Archeological Museum of Greece, and performed the main arias of the opera at “Parnassos” Concert Hall conducted by E. Kalkanis.

Panagiotis Karousos is a renowned Greek-Canadian composer who brings to his music the philosophy and spiritualism of the Greek classics. He successfully presented all his operas (Prometheus, Olympic Flame, Alexander the Great, Light of Christianity) around major North American cities. His Symphony No.1 “Liberty” presented in New York with the Astoria Symphony and maestro Silas Nathaniel Huff. His Piano Concerto No.1 performed in Montreal Canada under the auspices of UNESCO in 2000. Also his Symphony No.2 “Olympic” performed in Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal with the OSJL-L Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Andre Gauthier. In February 2014 the Symphony Orchestra of the City of Athens conducted by E. Kalkanis premiered his Symphony No.4 “Earth”.

Recently the opera Prometheus Bound represented in New York, Queens and United Nations Headquarters, Manhattan. 

American Hellenic Council: Honoring C. Dean Metropoulos

2014 Annual Awards Gala

Saturday Mar 22, 2014 in Los Angeles
C. Dean Metropoulos is Chairman and CEO of Metropoulos & Co., a boutique acquisition and management firm with offices in New York and Greenwich, Connecticut.

 Mr. Metropoulos has spent the past 25 years building, restructuring and growing numerous businesses in the U.S., Mexico and Europe. Many of these were subsequently taken public or sold to strategic corporations. Metropoulos & Co. is very well known in the private equity, investment banking, and financial community, and is widely recognized as the leading investment firm in the consumer space having acquired and repositioned more than 300 brands worldwide.

  Metropoulos & Co. has been involved in more than 78 acquisitions involving over $48 billion in invested capital over the past 25 years, and has earned some of the most attractive returns on Wall Street. Highly respected for his integrity and commitment, Mr. Metropoulos is a sought after partner by many of the major private equity firms.

  Mr. Metropoulos and his wife Marianne, who is President and Principal of Aegean Entertainment, a movie production company in Beverly Hills, reside in Greenwich, CT and are the parents of two sons, Evan and Daren.

Cape Town Commitment Bibliography Enters Book Trade

The Cape Town Commitment commanded attention in seminaries and universities on its release, and it soon became clear that teaching material would be required, to enable a deep study of its content and application. To this end, in mid-2012 bibliographic resources, arranged by topic, were posted online. Wipf and Stock has now published this material as a trade title, for use in graduate-level courses, and for academic libraries. This went on sale in July.
The Cape Town Commitment Bibliographic Resources, edited by Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary, is compiled by specialists drawn globally in a range of fields. The book, presented in modules, to form a teaching curriculum for Masters students, will be of equal use to research students. It is believed to be the first such bibliography of its kind in the book trade.
Welcoming the publication, David Sang-Bok Kim of Torch Trinity Graduate University in Seoul said he believes this will now be regarded as a ‘standard exposition’ of the Commitment. Samuel Logan, Director of the World Reformed Fellowship, urged that it and the Commitment ‘together belong in every seminary and Bible college curriculum and in every evangelical church library in the world.’
The Cape Town Commitment stands in the historic line of The Lausanne Covenant (1974) and The Manila Manifesto (1989). John Stott served as chief architect of the first two, and Chris Wright, International Director of Langham Partnership, chaired the Cape Town 2010 Statement Committee. Recommended class readers for students are the formal record of the Congress, Christ our Reconciler: Gospel/World/Church (ed J E M Cameron, IVP) and The Cape Town Commitment Study Edition (by Rose Dowsett, Hendrickson).
Julia Cameron, Lausanne Director of Publishing, said, ‘We are delighted to be partnering with Wipf and Stock The bibliography will be updated at regular intervals to encompass new titles, and it is hoped that later editions will include more works from majority world theologians. The listing, while largely evangelical, comprises books and papers considered worthy of academic study from a range of traditions.

Symbolic Moment as Chinese Gather in Seoul

The Chinese Church was barely represented at The Third Lausanne Congress in Cape Town in October 2010 as Chinese participants were unable to leave China.  In 2011 plans were laid quietly for a special event for these Chinese church leaders, to be held elsewhere in East Asia.  Over one hundred unregistered church leaders from mainland China arrived safely in Seoul, representing millions of Chinese believers. 
The participation of the Chinese leaders in the 300-strong Asian Church Leaders Forum (ACLF) marked the first time since 1949 that such a group of Chinese Christian leaders had taken part in a multi-national gathering. It was a symbolic moment in church history. Speakers included Patrick Fung of OMF International; Daniel Bourdanné of IFES, Joshua Ting of CCCOWE, Thomas Wang of Great Commission Center, JaeHoon Lee of Onnuri Church and James Hudson Taylor IV, great-great-grandson of the British missionary pioneer to inland China.
Professor Liu Peng from the Chinese Academy of Social Science, spoke of Christianity’s potential to win the heart of China. There is a need for China to update its outdated religious policies ‘to adapt to a new modern era’ he said, concluding ‘Christianity is well suited to resolve China’s current moral crisis’. The primary responsibility for seizing this opportunity lies with the Chinese church itself.
Beijing Pastor Daniel Li urged that the Chinese Church work and pray to see 20,000 missionaries sent out from China by 2030.  ‘Over the last 200 years, since the days of the earliest British pioneer Robert Morrison, some 20,000 missionaries have served in China.’ There was, he said, ‘a gospel debt to pay off’. 
Japanese Bible Expositor Dr Eiko Takamizawa from Torch Trinity University, Seoul, brought tears to many eyes with a powerful message of gospel reconciliation between Japan, Korea and China. The worship team, drawn from these three nations, demonstrated a clear and poignant sense of unity.
The Cape Town Commitment, issuing from The Third Lausanne Congress, has circulated widely in China. It expresses what the Congress discerned the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church. On behalf of all those present at the Congress, Lausanne leaders have urged local and national churches to discern their place in its outworking. As a means of response, Pastor Ezra Jing of Beijing Zion Church led the Chinese in drafting and signing the ‘Seoul Commitment’.  This calls the church in China to commit to loving the gospel of Christ; maintaining unity of the Spirit; working together wherever possible with the global church; and raising up younger leaders to take up the baton for world evangelization. Some 200 of the most gifted Chinese leaders under the age of 35 are being mentored, many of whom will participate in a global gathering of younger leaders planned for 2015.

Lausanne Movement Appoints Senior Associates for Church Planting and Media Engagement

Leaders to Catalyze Global Networks on Issues Critical to World Evangelization

Nagoya, Japan – 29 October 2013 – The Lausanne Movement has established two new senior associate positions to address critical areas in The Cape Town Commitment related to world evangelization. Lars Dahle, Vice-Rector and associate professor at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Norway, has been appointed as Senior Associate for Media Engagement. Ron Anderson, European Field Director at European Christian Ministry International, has been appointed as Senior Associate for Church Planting.

The new appointees join over thirty senior associates. David Bennett, Lausanne Chief Collaboration Officer and Teaching Pastor, says, ‘The senior associates along with their global issue networks play key roles in implementing the calls to action in The Cape Town Commitment, through catalyzing new partnerships and initiatives, and stimulating deeper biblical and strategic reflection in these areas’.
The role of Senior Associate for Media Engagement was created to address ‘major needs in media awareness, media presence and media ministries’, David Bennett explains, ‘and to make the case for the truth of Christ in our media culture’. Accepting the position, Lars Dahle has outlined a vision for media engagement that is centered on these critical needs. He urges, ‘We cannot and must not neglect the fascinating, complex, and significant world of the media in the urgent task of world evangelization’.
The second new role of Senior Associate for Church Planting was created at the recommendation of many Lausanne leaders, who see ‘the importance of encouraging communication between the various church planting networks that have been springing up around the world in recent years’, says Bennett. Ron Anderson, a dual citizen of Spain and the USA, has been involved in many such networks in Spain, southern Europe, and Latin America. He responds to his appointment, ‘It is with great joy yet in great humility that I accept this appointment and therefore from the very start ask for your prayers’.
In addition to the new positions, two new Senior Associates have been appointed to assume leadership of two existing issue networks. Ravi Jayakaran, Vice President of Global Programs for Medical Assistance Programs International, is now Senior Associate for Integral Mission (formerly Holistic Mission). He brings extensive multi-national experience to his role from living and working long-term in India, Cambodia, China and the USA, as well as being a consultant in over 20 other countries. Dave Deuel, Academic Studies Director for The Christian Institute on Disability, has been appointed Senior Associate for Disability Concerns. On his new role, former Senior Associate Joni Earackson Tada notes, ‘It’s a big step forward into the future for Lausanne’s impact on the world of disability, and I know Dave Deuel will bring much passion and expertise to the table!’
Ravi Jayakaran and Dave Deuel are assuming senior associate leadership from Evvy Campbell and Joni Eareckson Tada respectively, due to their limitations in travel. These leadership changes have been made at their strong recommendation.
BACKGROUND
Lausanne is a global movement that mobilizes evangelical leaders to collaborate for world evangelization. It grew out of the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization convened in Lausanne, Switzerland, by Rev Billy Graham and Bishop Jack Dain. The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (October 2010) in Cape Town, South Africa, brought together 4,000 Christian leaders representing 198 countries. The resulting Cape Town Commitment serves as the blueprint for the movement's activities.
Lausanne is convening several consultations each year around the issues articulated in The Cape Town Commitment. The most recent one was the Lausanne Consultation on Arts in Mission. Others will include the Global Consultation on the Gospel and Media and the Global Consultation on Prosperity Theology, Poverty and the Gospel. For more information, please go to www.lausanne.org.

Lausanne Movement Convenes Global Consultation on Gospel and Media

Los Angeles, California – 25 November 2013 – 53 Christian media professionals from around the world participated in the Lausanne Global Consultation on the Gospel and Media from 18-21 November in Los Angeles, California.
Participants came from traditional to new media backgrounds, including radio, television, film, journalism, and social media. ‘These leaders were chosen as participants because of their expertise in media, their passion to use media for mission and evangelism, and their desire to intentionally collaborate together’, says Naomi Frizzell, Participant Selection Team Convener and Vice President of Global Media at RBC Ministries.
The consultation emerged from The Cape Town Commitment’s call for ‘a renewed critical and creative engagement with media and technology’. Wayne Pederson, Chair of the consultation and President of HCJB Global, explains, ‘The goal of the consultation was to create a roadmap for the effective use of media to reach the next generation around the world with the gospel’. Lars Dahle, Lausanne Senior Associate for Media Engagement, adds, ‘If the whole church is to take the whole gospel to the whole world, media engagement becomes a highly significant issue’.

Phil Cooke, Co-Founder and President of Cooke Pictures and internationally known writer, speaker, and blogger, led the first evening plenary. He spoke on the inundation of information and media in the world. As a result, ‘It’s not the best message that gets through anymore; it’s actually the message that knows how to cut through all that clutter and get on the radar and get noticed’. Highlighting case studies from global brands like Nike and Starbucks, he explained the necessity and importance of branding ‘in a culture of unlimited choice’. He challenged participants: ‘Everything communicates. How does your story cut through?’
Theodore Asare, Founder and CEO of Theovision International in Ghana, and Finny Philip, Lausanne International Deputy Director for South Asia, started each day with Bible expositions on the theme of the gospel and media. The mornings continued with table discussions and related plenary sessions. Phill Butler, Lausanne Senior Associate for International Partnerships, expounded on the importance of partnerships in media with individuals and churches. Craig Detweiler, Director of the Center for Entertainment, Media, and Culture at Pepperdine University, discussed the reality of media’s influence on personal lives: ‘Connected to the world, but disconnected from each other … Our network lives allow us to hide from each other even as we’re tethered to each other. We’d rather text than talk’. He raised implications for gospel communication: ‘If we believe in an embodied faith, then we might really need to get back to that. We might need a theology of embodiment to battle a world of disembodied relationships. We may be the last place of physical provisions, physical touch, physical contact, and if so, become the countercultural revolutionaries for the 21st century’.
Task forces met in the afternoons, each group focused on a specific media platform. ‘I was amazed and surprised at the high level of engagement and passion of participants from around the world with a common passion for media outreach’, remarks Wayne Pederson, ‘the high level of interaction and energy was an inspiration and encouragement to those who work faithfully to share God's love through the diverse media tools God has given us today’.
In the final evening plenary, participants were challenged by Ruth Limkin, pastor, writer and media consultant, and political advisor in Queensland, Australia, to leverage social media and create opportunities to engage in public conversations that are ‘gracious’ and ‘brave’. Citing compelling examples of positive blog posts that led to significant and tangible change, she challenged participants to use media to call people to a positive vision of what could be rather than simply criticizing people. ‘It’s more effective to give people a bigger vision to say yes to, than focusing on what we want them to say no to’.

‘Our prayer is that years from now we will look back at the consultation as a seminal moment in engaging the next generation with the Good News. That we can be winsome, influential and effective in sharing God's redemptive plan to a broken world’, Wayne Pederson shares. ‘By the time we concluded, this diverse team of media professionals uncovered strategies and tools, which will allow us to use media, especially social media, to engage the culture and reach the hard to reach places where Christ is not known’. These ideas and conclusions have been summarized in a written statement with a Call to Action for the global church’s engagement in media.
A Lausanne Occasional Paper (LOP) from the consultation will be published in January. A media engagement network is also being launched, comprised of media professionals who will collaborate on further action plans.

NASA Television Coverage Set for Orbital Sciences Mission to Space Station

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the Jan. 7 launch of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).
On the heels of a successful demonstration flight to the space station in September, Orbital Sciences is scheduled to launch the spacecraft on an Antares rocket at 1:55 p.m. EST from Pad 0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia.
Beginning at 1 p.m., NASA TV will air a comprehensive video feed of launch preparations and other footage related to the mission, followed by launch coverage at 1:30 p.m.
Prior to the launch, NASA TV will broadcast briefings from Wallops Monday, Jan. 6, previewing the mission's science cargo and pre-launch status at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. EST, respectively.
Cygnus will carry a total of 2,780 pounds of supplies to the station, including vital science experiments to expand the research capability of the Expedition 38 crew members aboard the orbiting laboratory, crew provisions, spare parts and experiment hardware. Also aboard the flight are 23 student experiments that will involve more than 10,000 students on the ground. These experiments will involve life sciences topics ranging from amoeba reproduction to calcium in the bones to salamanders.
The spacecraft will arrive at the ISS Friday, Jan. 10. Astronauts Michael Hopkins, of NASA, and Koichi Wakata ,of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will capture the resupply vehicle with the station's robotic arm and install it on the Earth-facing port of the station's Harmony module.
NASA TV coverage of capture and installation will begin at 5 a.m. EST Jan. 10. Grapple is scheduled for 6:01 a.m. Coverage of the installation of Cygnus onto the Harmony module will begin at 7 a.m.
This and future commercial resupply missions by Orbital Sciences and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will help ensure a robust national capability to deliver critical science research to orbit, significantly increasing NASA's ability to conduct new science investigations aboard the space station.

NASA's Hubble Sees Cloudy Super-Worlds With Chance for More Clouds

Artist's interpretation of a cloudy exoplanet.

Image Credit: 

Courtesy Space Telescope Science Instutute

Scientists using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have characterized the atmospheres of two of the most common type of planets in the Milky Way galaxy and found both may be blanketed with clouds.
The planets are GJ 436b, located 36 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo, and GJ 1214b, 40 light-years away in the constellation Ophiuchus. Despite numerous efforts, the nature of the atmospheres surrounding these planets had eluded definitive characterization until now. The researchers described their work as an important milestone on the road to characterizing potentially habitable, Earth-like worlds beyond the solar system. Their findings appear in separate papers in the Jan. 2 issue of the journal Nature.
The two planets fall in the middle range in mass, between smaller, rockier planets such as Earth and larger gas giants such as Jupiter. GJ 436b is categorized as a "warm Neptune" because it is much closer to its star than frigid Neptune is to the sun. GJ 1214b is known as a "super-Earth" because of its size. Both GJ 436b and GJ 1214b can be observed transiting, or passing in front of, their parent stars. This provides an opportunity to study these planets in more detail as starlight filters through their atmospheres.
One of the papers presents an atmospheric study of GJ 436b based on such transit observations with Hubble, led by Heather Knutson of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. The Hubble spectra were featureless and revealed no chemical fingerprints whatsoever in GJ 436b's atmosphere.
"Either this planet has a high cloud layer obscuring the view, or it has a cloud-free atmosphere that is deficient in hydrogen, which would make it very unlike Neptune," said Knutson. "Instead of hydrogen, it could have relatively large amounts of heavier molecules such as water vapor, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, which would compress the atmosphere and make it hard for us to detect any chemical signatures."
Observations similar to those obtained for GJ 436b had been obtained previously for GJ 1214b. The first spectra of this planet also were featureless, but indicated GJ 1214b's atmosphere was dominated by water vapor or hydrogen, with high-altitude clouds.
Using Hubble, astronomers led by Laura Kreidberg and Jacob Bean of the University of Chicago took a closer look at GJ 1214b. They found what they consider definitive evidence of high clouds blanketing the planet and hiding information about the composition and behavior of the lower atmosphere and surface. The new Hubble spectra also revealed no chemical fingerprints in GJ 1214b's atmosphere, but the data were so precise they could rule out cloud-free compositions of water vapor, methane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, or carbon dioxide for the first time.
"Both planets are telling us something about the diversity of planet types that occur outside of our own solar system; in this case we are discovering we may not know them as well as we thought," said Knutson. "We'd really like to determine the size at which these planets transition from looking like mini-gas giants to something more like a water world or a rocky, scaled-up version of the Earth. Both of these observations are fundamentally trying to answer that question."

NASA Offers News Media Access to TDRS-L Spacecraft Jan. 3

NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)-L will be the focus of a media opportunity at 10 a.m. EST Friday, Jan. 3, at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Fla.
Media  will be able to view the TDRS-L spacecraft and interview project and launch program officials from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.; the Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and United Launch Alliance (ULA).
TDRS-L is scheduled to lift off on a ULA Atlas V 401 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Jan. 23 at the opening of a 40-minute launch window that extends from 9:05 to 9:45 p.m.
The TDRS-L spacecraft is the second of three next-generation satellites designed to ensure vital operational continuity for NASA by expanding the lifespan of the fleet, which now consists of eight satellites in geostationary orbit. The spacecraft provide tracking, telemetry, command and high bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. TDRS-L has a high-performance solar panel designed for more spacecraft power to meet the growing S-band communications requirements.
Full clean room attire must be worn during the media opportunity and will be furnished. Journalists should not wear perfume, cologne or makeup. Long pants and closed-toe shoes must be worn. No shorts or skirts will be permitted. Some camera equipment may be identified by Boeing contamination control specialists as having to be cleaned before being taken into the high bay facility. Alcohol wipes will be provided. All camera equipment must be self-contained, and no portable lights are allowed. Flash photography will not be permitted, however, the facility has adequate metal halide lighting for pictures. Wireless microphones also are not permitted inside the high bay.
On Jan. 3, U.S.  media may proceed directly to Astrotech, which is located in the Spaceport Florida Industrial Park, 1515 Chaffee Drive, Titusville. Access will be available starting at 9:45 a.m., and the event will begin at 10 a.m.
Only media who are United States citizens may attend this event, per Astrotech rules. A government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or permanently issued NASA media accreditation badge from Kennedy will be acceptable. In addition, proof of U.S. citizenship also is required, such as a passport or birth certificate.
Journalists should call Kennedy's media update phone line at 321-867-2525 on Thursday evening, Jan. 2, to confirm the event still is on schedule.
Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems in El Segundo, Calif., built TDRS-L. NASA's Space Communications and Navigation Program, part of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, is responsible for the TDRS network. NASA's Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management. United Launch Alliance provides the Atlas V rocket and launch service.

Paul Hellyer PC: Extraterrestrial issues

Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC (born 6 August 1923) is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career.
On 3 June 1967, Hellyer flew in by helicopter to officially inaugurate an unidentified flying object landing pad in St. Paul, Alberta. The town had built it as its Canadian Centennial celebration project, and as a symbol of keeping space free from human warfare. The sign beside the pad reads:

"The area under the World's First UFO Landing Pad was designated international by the Town of St. Paul as a symbol of our faith that mankind will maintain the outer universe free from national wars and strife. That future travel in space will be safe for all intergalactic beings, all visitors from earth or otherwise are welcome to this territory and to the Town of St. Paul.

Throughout his life, Hellyer has been opposed to the weaponization of space. He supports the Space Preservation Treaty to ban space weapons.^{[citation needed]}
In early September 2005, Hellyer made headlines by publicly announcing that he believed in the existence of UFOs. On 25 September 2005, he was an invited speaker at an exopolitics conference in Toronto, where he told the audience that he had seen a UFO one night with his late wife and some friends. He said that, although he had discounted the experience at the time, he had kept an open mind to it. He said that he started taking the issue much more seriously after watching ABC's Peter Jennings' UFO special in February 2005.^{[citation needed]}
Watching Jennings' UFO special prompted Hellyer to read U.S. Army Colonel Philip J. Corso's book The Day After Roswell, about the Roswell UFO Incident, which had been sitting on his shelf for some time. Hellyer told the Toronto audience that he later spoke to a retired U.S. Air Force general, who confirmed the accuracy of the information in the book. In November 2005, he accused U.S. President George W. Bush of plotting an "Intergalactic War". The former defence minister told an audience at the University of Toronto:

"The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning...The Bush Administration has finally agreed to let the military build a forward base on the moon, which will put them in a better position to keep track of the goings and comings of the visitors from space, and to shoot at them, if they so decide."

Hellyer told the audience that in December 2004, he had enjoyed reading and had endorsed a book by Alfred Webre entitled Politics, Government and Law in the Universe. He ended his 30-minute talk by stating:

"To turn us in the direction of re-unification with the rest of creation the author is proposing a “Decade of Contact” – an “era of openness, public hearings, publicly funded research, and education about extraterrestrial reality”."^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, the Ottawa Citizen reported that Hellyer is demanding that world governments disclose alien technology that could be used to solve the problem of climate change:

"I would like to see what (alien) technology there might be that could eliminate the burning of fossil fuels within a generation...that could be a way to save our planet...We need to persuade governments to come clean on what they know. Some of us suspect they know quite a lot, and it might be enough to save our planet if applied quickly enough."

In 2010, Hellyer accused Stephen Hawking of spreading misinformation about threats from aliens. According to Hawking, if human beings tried to contact aliens, they could invade us and take away our most important resources. Hawking had also said that though most extraterrestrial life could be only in the form of small animals, there could also be "nomads, looking to conquer and colonize" other planets. Hellyer told the Canadian Press that

"the reality is that they (aliens) have been visiting earth for decades and probably millennia and have contributed considerably to our knowledge."

Blaming Hawking for scaring mankind about aliens, he said, "He (Hawking) is indulging in some pretty scary talk there that I would have hoped would not come from someone with such an established stature."
Paul Hellyer spoke at the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure (the non-governmental hearings chaired by six former U.S. congressmen and aimed at, according to the event's website, doing "what the U.S. Congress had failed to do for forty-five years"), which was held on 29 April – 3 May 2013 in Washington, DC, and testified that "aliens are living among us and that it is likely at least two of them are working with the U.S. government". He asserted a number of things, such as:

• that "at least four species" of alien have been visiting Earth for "thousands of years";
• that these species "may have different agendas";
• that "there are live ETs on Earth at this present time, and at least two of them are working with the United States government". (wiki)

Member of Parliament Bryan Hayes Announces Support for Algoma Fall Festival

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ontario, November 12, 2013 - Bryan Hayes, Member of Parliament (Sault Ste. Marie), on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced funding to the Algoma Arts Festival Association for the Algoma Fall Festival.
“Year after year, the Algoma Fall Festival features high-calibre music, theatre, dance, and visual arts,” said Mr. Hayes. “I look forward to the upcoming festivals, and I am pleased to see the Government of Canada's continued support for our local artistic and cultural community.”
Funding will support the 42^nd and 43^rd editions of Algoma Fall Festival, which will take place in Sault Ste. Marie in 2014 and 2015. The multidisciplinary festival will showcase presentations of visual and performing arts, as well as an extensive outreach program for youth that includes artist-led workshops and professional presentations.
“Canadians continue to attend thousands of cultural events in communities of all sizes and in all parts of Canada,” said Minister Glover. “This speaks to a thriving arts and cultural sector that enriches our economy and reflects our diverse heritage. Our Government is proud to invest in organizations that offer Canadians access to a variety of artistic performances and presentations.”
“The Algoma Arts Festival Association is very pleased to receive support from the federal government for the Algoma Fall Festival,” said Donna Hilsinger, President, Algoma Arts Festival Association. “This contribution means that we can continue to provide excellence in the performing arts and arts outreach opportunities for our community.”
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $100,000 ($50,000 in 2014–2015 and $50,000 in 2015–2016) through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program gives Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada's culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.

NASA Kepler Results Usher in a New Era of Astronomy

Scientists from around the world are gathered this week at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., for the second Kepler Science Conference, where they will discuss the latest findings resulting from the analysis of Kepler Space Telescope data.
Included in these findings is the discovery of 833 new candidate planets, which will be announced today by the Kepler team. Ten of these candidates are less than twice the size of Earth and orbit in their sun's habitable zone, which is defined as the range of distance from a star where the surface temperature of an orbiting planet may be suitable for liquid water.
At this conference two years ago, the Kepler team announced its first confirmed habitable zone planet, Kepler-22b. Since then, four more habitable zone candidates have been confirmed, including two in a single system.
New Kepler data analysis and research also show that most stars in our galaxy have at least one planet. This suggests that the majority of stars in the night sky may be home to planetary systems, perhaps some like our solar system.
"The impact of the Kepler mission results on exoplanet research and stellar astrophysics is illustrated by the attendance of nearly 400 scientists from 30 different countries at the Kepler Science Conference," said William Borucki, Kepler science principal investigator at Ames. "We gather to celebrate and expand our collective success at the opening of a new era of astronomy."
From the first three years of Kepler data, more than 3,500 potential worlds have emerged. Since the last update in January, the number of planet candidates identified by Kepler increased by 29 percent and now totals 3,538. Analysis led by Jason Rowe, research scientist at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., determined that the largest increase of 78 percent was found in the category of Earth-sized planets, based on observations conducted from May 2009 to March 2012. Rowe's findings support the observed trend that smaller planets are more common.
An independent statistical analysis of nearly all four years of Kepler data suggests that one in five stars like the sun is home to a planet up to twice the size of Earth, orbiting in a temperate environment. A research team led by Erik Petigura, doctoral candidate at University of California, Berkeley, used publicly accessible data from Kepler to derive this result.
Kepler data also fueled another field of astronomy dubbed asteroseismology -- the study of the interior of stars. Scientists examine sound waves generated by the boiling motion beneath the surface of the star. They probe the interior structure of a star just as geologists use seismic waves generated by earthquakes to probe the interior structure of Earth.
"Stars are the building blocks of the galaxy, driving its evolution and providing safe harbors for planets. To study the stars, one truly explores the galaxy and our place within it," said William Chaplin, professor for astrophysics at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. "Kepler has revolutionized asteroseismology by giving us observations of unprecedented quality, duration and continuity for thousands of stars. These are data we could only have dreamt of a few years ago."
Kepler's mission is to determine what percentage of stars like the sun harbor small planets the approximate size and temperature of Earth. For four years, the space telescope simultaneously and continuously monitored the brightness of more than 150,000 stars, recording a measurement every 30 minutes. More than a year of the collected data remains to be fully reviewed and analyzed.
Ames is responsible for the Kepler mission concept, ground system development, mission operations, and science data analysis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., managed Kepler mission development.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colo., developed the Kepler flight system and supports mission operations with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore archives, hosts and distributes Kepler science data. Kepler is NASA's 10th Discovery Mission and was funded by the agency's Science Mission Directorate.

NASA TV Airs Discussion on Removing Barriers to Deep Space Exploration

Koichi Wakata, Soyuz, Mikhail Tyurin, Rick Mastracchio (Image by NASA)

NASA Television will air a roundtable discussion with aerospace industry leaders at 9 a.m. EST Tuesday, Nov. 12 about the progress being made toward sending humans into deep space.
The live broadcast will take place at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, in Washington. Attendance at the event is by invitation only.
Panelists representing NASA and its prime contractors will discuss the work being done on the agency's Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket, which will carry humans farther into space than ever before. The participants are:
-- William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for human exploration and operations, NASA
-- Julie Van Kleek, vice president, advanced space and launch programs, Aerojet Rocketdyne
-- Charlie Precourt, vice president and general manager, ATK Space Launch Division
-- John Elbon, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space Exploration
-- Jim Crocker, vice president and general manager, civil space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems
Orion and the Space Launch System will provide the United States an entirely new human space exploration capability, a flexible system that can extend human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and enable new missions of exploration in our solar system.
The discussion is sponsored by TechAmerica's Space Enterprise Council in partnership with the George Marshall Institute and the Coalition for Space Exploration.

Three Space Station Crews Answer Media Questions from Orbit

Nine International Space Station crew members will discuss their mission with reporters from around the world during a joint crew news conference to be broadcast live on NASA Television at 8:50 a.m. EST Friday, Nov. 8.
This is the first time since October 2009 that nine people will be aboard the space station at the same time without a space shuttle present. The crew members are together for only four days as one expedition ends and another begins.
The nine crew members represent three space station expeditions:
• Expedition 36/37: Karen Nyberg of NASA, Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency;
• Expedition 37/38: Michael Hopkins of NASA and Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos; and
• Expedition 37/38/39: Rick Mastracchio of NASA, Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos.
The joint news conference, which was arranged in coordination with NASA's international partner agencies, will last 40 minutes and will feature questions from U.S., Russian, European and Japanese media. Each partner agency will have 10 minutes for questions. Because of the limited time available, all U.S. media will be required to ask their questions via a phone bridge managed at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. To use the phone bridge, journalists must call Johnson's newsroom at 281-483-5111 by 8:30 a.m. EST Nov. 8.
Topics for discussion include the upcoming 15th anniversary of space station construction, the crew members' support for research inside the orbiting laboratory, and plans for a Nov. 9 spacewalk with the Olympic torch that will light the flame at the opening of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
Mastracchio, Tyurin and Wakata will launch aboard a Soyuz rocket Nov. 6 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with the torch stowed aboard and dock their Soyuz capsule to the space station that same day, bringing the onboard complement to nine.
Kotov and Ryazanskiy will venture outside the space station with the torch as part of a 6-hour spacewalk before the torch's scheduled Nov. 10 return to Earth with Nyberg, Yurchikhin and Parmitano.

Next Space Station Launch to Be Shown on Times Square Toshiba Vision Screen

The Toshiba Vision screen in New York's Times Square will give the public a big-screen view of the next launch of three crew members to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 11:14 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 6.
NASA Television coverage, originating from the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, will broadcast on the giant outdoor screen beginning at 10:15 p.m. and continue with post-launch coverage until 11:45 p.m.
"The space station serves as a unique laboratory for researchers around the world, home to astronauts from multiple countries, and was built with international cooperation, so it's fitting to show the launch of the next crew in the most cosmopolitan city in the United States," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations.
NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Soyuz commander Mikhail Tyurin and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata will launch in a Soyuz spacecraft. They will join six crew members already on the space station, including NASA astronauts Karen Nyberg and Mike Hopkins, the European Space Agency's Luca Parmitano, and Roscosmos' Fyodor Yurchikin, Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy.
This will be the first time since October 2009 that nine people have served together aboard the space station without a space shuttle being docked to the orbiting laboratory. The crew will return to its normal complement of six on Nov. 10, when Yurchikhin, Nyberg and Parmitano return to Earth.
Currently, the only transportation services to and from the space station is aboard Soyuz spacecraft. NASA is working with U.S. companies to develop and demonstrate human spaceflight systems that could ultimately lead to the availability of commercial services for both commercial and government customers from the United States.
Prominently positioned below the world-famous New Year's Eve Ball in Times Square, the Toshiba Vision dual LED screens will allow viewers to see the action from the launch pad as the Soyuz soars into the sky.
For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Monsanto Company Sets Webcasts for Biennial Investor Event

Wednesday October 30, 2013
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced it will hold a series of webcasts in conjunction with its biennial investor event scheduled for November 6-7 in St. Louis, Mo. During presentations at the event, company executives will discuss Monsanto’s strategic initiatives, financial targets, product performance, research and development pipeline and other matters related to the company’s business.

• A webcast beginning at 1 p.m. C.T. on Wednesday, November 6 will offer presentations from the following Monsanto executives: Hugh Grant, chairman and chief executive officer; Kerry Preete, executive vice president for global strategy; Brett Begemann, president and chief operating officer; Mike Stern, Ph.D., vice president, Americas row crops; and Mike Frank, vice president, international row crops and vegetables.
• A webcast beginning at 9 a.m. C.T. on Thursday, November 7 will feature presentations from Robb Fraley, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief technology officer; and Pierre Courduroux, senior vice president and chief financial officer.

www.monsanto.com/investors. Following the live broadcast, a replay of the webcast will be available on the Monsanto web site for three weeks.

Slides and a simultaneous audio webcast of the presentations will be accessible by visiting the investor section of Monsanto’s web site at
Monsanto publishes details on upcoming webcasts on its website at www.monsanto.com/investors in both the Presentation and Financial Reports section and the Calendar of Events section. Investors should look to this site as the source of information on future investor conference webcasts. The site includes a calendar of upcoming investor events, details on accessing scheduled webcasts and information from previous investor events.
About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world’s natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

Monsanto and Evogene Extend and Expand Collaboration for Crop Improvement

Extension of existing collaboration covering yield, environmental stress and fertilizer utilization in corn, soybean, cotton and canola to August 2016

Expansion of the collaboration to include a program for resistance to Stalk Rot disease caused by Fusarium species

Monday October 28, 2013 

Monsanto Company and Evogene Ltd. (TASE: EVGN) announced today the extension and expansion of their research and development collaboration. The collaboration, initially signed in 2008 and later extended in 2011, has focused on identifying key plant genes related to yield, environmental stress and fertilizer utilization in corn, soybean, cotton and canola. The newly signed agreement extends these existing programs through to August 2016, and adds a new five year program for the identification of genes providing resistance to Stalk Rot disease in corn, caused by multiple Fusarium species. Fusarium is a family of fungi that causes significant yield loss across the world’s major crops.
"We are extremely pleased with Monsanto’s decision to again extend our excellent broad collaboration in the areas of yield and abiotic stress tolerance with respect to the four major field crops," said Ofer Haviv, Evogene's President and CEO. "The addition of a new discovery program focused on Fusarium resistance is another indication of Evogene’s growing commitment and activities targeted at biotic stress related conditions, and the broad applicability of our unique technology platform.”                 
“Agricultural innovation will be key to helping meet growing global demand,” added David Fischhoff, Monsanto Technology Strategy Development Lead.  “Through the combination of Evogene’s gene discovery technologies with our company’s trait development expertise, this collaboration is focused on developing new tools that help farmers drive yields even further.”
Terms of the revised collaboration agreement include:

• Evogene will provide Monsanto with candidate genes that are predicted to improve yield, fertilizer utilization and plant resistance to environmental stress. Monsanto will receive exclusive license rights to develop and commercialize the candidate genes as part of Monsanto's trait pipelines for corn, soybean, canola, and cotton.

• Evogene will also provide Monsanto with candidate genes predicted to provide resistance to Stalk Rot disease caused by multiple Fusarium species. Monsanto will receive exclusive license rights to develop and commercialize the candidate genes as part of Monsanto’s trait pipeline for corn.  

• For all collaboration programs, Evogene will utilize its ATHLETE^TM computational technology for gene discovery, and its Gene2Product^TM platform for optimizing trait efficacy and accelerating the product development process.

• Evogene will be entitled to receive both milestone payments and royalty payments for all successful candidate genes emerging from the collaboration that are developed and commercialized by Monsanto. Evogene will also receive additional research and development payments to support the increased activities.

The prior agreement included a put option giving Evogene the right, under defined conditions, to sell one million Evogene shares to Monsanto at $12 per share.  The prior put option has been cancelled in exchange for an increase in all future milestone payments and royalty rates with respect to genes licensed by Evogene to Monsanto. The prior put option has been replaced with a new $12 million put option under which shares will be sold at market value at time of exercise (subject to set minimum and maximum prices).

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About Evogene Ltd.
Evogene is a plant genomics company, utilizing a proprietary integrated technology infrastructure to enhance seed traits underlying crop productivity. Evogene offers a complete solution for crop productivity improvement through biotechnology and advanced breeding using a unique technology infrastructure that is based on deep scientific understandings of plant genomics and proprietary computational capabilities. The Company has strategic collaborations with world-leading agricultural companies to develop improved seed traits in relation to yield and a-biotic stress (such as tolerance to drought), and biotic stress (such as resistance to disease), in key crops as corn, soybean, wheat and rice. In addition, Evogene has earlier stage operations in agriculture chemicals, and seeds focusing on second generation feedstock for biodiesel. The Company's headquarters are located in Rehovot, Israel and the Company is listed for trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: EVGN). For additional information, please visit Evogene’s website at www.evogene.com

About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world’s natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.
As it applies to Evogene Ltd., this press release contains "forward-looking statements" relating to future events. These statements may be identified by words such as "may",  “expects”, "intends", “anticipates”, “plans”, “believes”, “scheduled”, “estimates” or words of similar meaning. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe opinions about future events, involve certain risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance. Therefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which beyond Evogene's control, including, without limitation, those risk factors contained in Evogene’s reports filed with the Israeli Securities Authority. Evogene disclaims any obligation or commitment to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. 
As it applies to Monsanto Company, this press release contains "forward-looking statements", such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously-announced SEC investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent Form 10-K Report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

 

Monsanto Honored by Science Magazine as a 2013 Top Employer

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Science Magazine has recognized Monsanto as one of the world’s top employers. In news released today by the publication, Monsanto ranked 14 in Science’s 2013 Top Employer survey. The survey spotlights the 20 best companies in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, and related industries as well as the characteristics which make them great places to work.
“We are pleased to be recognized by Science as a great employer,” said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto chief technology officer. “Our company’s winning culture is based on innovation and the incredible talent of our employees around the world, whose focus is providing farmers the tools they need to feed and clothe a growing global population.”
An independent research firm conducted the survey which polled employees around the world. Respondents from North America, Europe and the Asia/Pacific Rim rated companies based on 23 characteristics including work-culture values, easy adaptation to change, and a research-driven environment. Respondents highlighted Monsanto’s clear vision, its place as an innovative leader in the industry and the important, quality research it does as characteristics for making the list. Monsanto is the only Missouri-based company to make the global list.
Third party organizations continue to recognize Monsanto as an employer of choice. Earlier this week Monsanto made the list of the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work®. Monsanto ranked 12 in the world’s largest annual study of workplace excellence, which identifies the top 25 best multinational companies in terms of workplace culture.
For the complete feature on Science’s 2013 Top Employers along with individual company rankings, go to www.sciencecareers.org/TopEmployers2013.
About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world’s natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously-announced SEC investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent Form 10-K Report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

Monsanto Company Names Brett Begemann as President and Chief Operating Officer, and Expands His Oversight of Global Business Operations

ST. LOUIS, Wednesday October 23, 2013 --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced that its Board of Directors is expanding Brett Begemann’s oversight for the company’s global commercial operations and that he will now be named to serve as the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer effective immediately. Begemann most recently served as the company’s President and Chief Commercial Officer. In his expanded role, Begemann will lead the global business organization with a continued focus on the company’s growth areas.
Hugh Grant will continue to serve as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Monsanto Company, where he maintains ongoing responsibility for leading the company’s long-term corporate strategy, as well as setting direction for the Fortune 200 company. Grant will continue to focus on the delivery of strategic plans for the organization, including the company’s long-term vision– a vision that is focused on producing more, conserving more and improving the lives of people throughout the world.
“Brett has repeatedly demonstrated his strength in strategic planning, operational excellence, and delivering strong financial performance throughout his career at Monsanto,” said Grant. “Brett’s leadership will continue to play an important role as we look to accelerate the growth potential of our business and expand our operations into new areas and regions.”
In announcing his expanded role, Monsanto noted that Begemann will continue to be responsible for the company’s worldwide sales and operations, and will also expand his responsibilities to oversee corporate affairs – including the company’s ongoing engagements with farmers, stakeholders and society.
Begemann will continue to lead the global commercial business including overseeing the commercial, manufacturing and supply chain operations in row crops, vegetables and crop protection. This includes overseeing the company’s new areas of growth, including in established markets and new markets, as well as in new areas of innovation such as Integrated Farming Systems and Ag Biologicals.
“I’m honored to assume this expanded role and focus on scaling our operations to reach more farmers around the world with new product offerings,” said Begemann. “Throughout my career at Monsanto, I’ve seen our business transform from an agriculture company focused on biotechnology to one that is built around breeding, biotechnology and agronomic improvements for the farm. I look forward to continuing to expand our product offerings for farmers through the introduction of a next-generation of industry-leading agriculture innovations.”
Begemann joined the former Monsanto Company in 1983. Throughout his career, Begemann has served in a variety of roles across sales, marketing, commercial development as well as senior management positions worldwide. Begemann will continue to report to Monsanto’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Grant, and serve as a member of Monsanto’s executive leadership team.
About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.