It is started as a studio touring attraction which was originated at Universal’s Hollywood location beginning around 1910s, then later in 1964 when it turned into a huge family amusement park destination, where guests can experience the behind the scenes look of the making of motion pictures and television programs, produced by Universal Studios and occasionally others, and ride the attraction based on world’s favorite feature films and television shows. The popularity of Universal Studios Hollywood had lead Universal to build another parks in Florida and overseas during the following years. Universal parks had not necessary to be built as entertainment studio-theme, other Universal parks (both current and former) can be themed to other experiences, like Universal’s Islands of Adventure, themed to islands of various experiences, Port Avenrua, themed to international countries, Wet ‘n Wild Orlando, themed to a water playground, and Volcano Bay, themed to Polynesian culture.
The theme parks were owned by Seagram through the ownership via Universal Studios.
In 2014, approximately 40.1+million guests visited Universal Studios theme parks, making it the third-largest amusement park operator in the world. It is a major competitor of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and SeaWorld Entertainment.
Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood was the first Universal Studios theme park to open on July 15, 1964, long after it was originated as a studio tour attraction in 1915, after the Universal original founder, Carl Laemmle opened Universal City.
In 1990, Universal Orlando Resort (formally called Universal Studios Escape) opened to the public in Orlando, Florida, started with Universal Studios Florida. In 1999, Universal Orlando had expanded into a vacation resort, with the opening of Islands of Adventure theme park, a Floridian version of the City Walk district complex, the series of hotels.
See exclusive Pictures of Universal Studios Orlando Florida , as we showcase many rides , Resorts and attractions at Universal Studios Orlando Florida , see more of Universal Studios, Orlando Florida in our World Liberty TV Travel & Tourism Channel by clicking here.
Established in 2007, the Clinton Global Citizen Awards honor outstanding individuals for their exemplary leadership and groundbreaking work that has effected positive, lasting social change. Through their uncommon abilities to strengthen civil society, these visionaries inspire us all to take action and to become true global citizens.
The 10th Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards were presented during a special ceremony at the CGI Annual Meeting on the evening of September 19. This year’s program included special performances by honoree Jon Bon Jovi, as well as Andrea Bocelli with the Voices of Haiti Choir.
2016 HONOREES
Leadership in Public Service
President, Republic of Colombia
Juan Manuel Santos has been the president of the Republic of Colombia since 2010. Previously, President Santos was minister of defense, minister of finance, minister of foreign trade, designate to the presidency, and chief of the Colombian delegation before the International Coffee Organization. He created the Good Government Foundation (Fundación Buen Gobierno) and founded Colombia’s largest political party, Partido de la U. President Santos was awarded the King of Spain Prize and was president of the Freedom of Expression Commission for the Inter American Press Association. He has published several books, including “The Third Way,” co-written with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and “Check on Terror” (Jaque al Terror). President Santos is a graduate of the London School of Economics, Harvard University, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Leadership in Civil Society
Hawa Abdi
Founder, Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation
Hawa Abdi Diblaawe was born in 1947 in Mogadishu, Somalia. After her mother’s death, Abdi raised her four younger sisters in conditions of poverty, yet never lost sight of her dreams. With the support of her father and a Soviet scholarship, Abdi studied medicine in Kiev and became Somalia’s first female gynecologist. She then completed a law degree at the Somali National University, where she later became an assistant professor of medicine. She opened a clinic on her family’s ancestral land in the Afgooye Corridor using the profits from the land to provide free health care. When the Somali Civil War began in 1991, Abdi started housing her employees on her land, feeding them, and caring for them.
Leadership in Philanthropy
Jon Bon Jovi
Chairman, JBJ Soul Foundation
Self-reliance, optimism, and community are key concepts Jon Bon Jovi embodies in his music and charitable efforts. These common threads have resulted in heightened awareness on issues that adversely impact our society, as well as millions of dollars raised. Bon Jovi is the frontman of the iconic, Grammy Award-winning band, Bon Jovi, who have set the bar for over three decades as one of the most successful rock bands in the world. Globally, they have sold more than 130 million albums, performing more than 2,900 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 37.5 million fans. Bon Jovi is also the chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing about positive change and helping the lives of those in need, “one SOUL at a time.”
Leadership in Private Sector
Adi Godrej
Chairman of Godrej Group, Godrej Industries Limited
Adi Godrej is chairman of the Godrej Group, a more than 100-year-old family conglomerate, with operations in India and several other countries. Godrej is chairman of the board of the Indian School of Business and former president of the Confederation of Indian Industry. He has been a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management and a member of the Wharton Asian Executive Board. Godrej is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, including the Rajiv Gandhi Award (2002), the American India Foundation Leadership in Philanthropy Award.
Leadership in Civil Society
Nadia Murad
Yazidi Human Rights Activist and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Nadia Initiative
Nadia Murad was born and raised in the quiet agricultural village of Kocho, Iraq. A member of the Yazidi community, she and her family lived a peaceful, happy life. On August 3, 2014 her village was attacked by ISIS, marking the beginning of its savage genocidal campaign against the Yazidi people. Six of her nine brothers were executed on the spot. Murad, along with her two sisters and thousands of other men, women, and children were taken captive and subjected to unspeakable crimes. Murad was initially held hostage in a building with thousands of families. She witnessed young children given to ISIS soldiers as sexual “gifts.” She was raped and tortured on a daily basis. But after facing unimaginable brutality, she was able to escape.
About the Award
In 2012, CGI partnered with Donna Karan to design the Clinton Global Citizen Award. The collaboration was inspired by Karan’s design aesthetic and her efforts in Haiti to bring artisan products to a global market. Karan reached out to her longtime friends Nadia Swarovski of Swarovski Crystal and Cookie Villiard, a Haitian metal artist, to work together to create an award emblematic of CGI and its mission. The handcrafted design is an illustration of the magic that happens when individual voices come together to take positive action.
Colin Cowie
Colin Cowie is on fire with an events business that travels the four corners of the world doing everything from intimate birthday celebrations to iconic weddings to corporate bashes, a hot new website on weddings and a consulting business that works on international hospitality and design projects for hotels, retailers and airlines. Layer on top of that his being a regular contributor to NBC’s The Today Show, a popular personality on HSN with home and lifestyle collections, and his ever-growing collection of lifestyle and entertaining books.
Colin is a global citizen having traveled 12 million miles and visited almost 100 countries, he creates excitement and finds inspiration wherever he goes. His love for design and business keeps him hands-on with all of his projects. Empowering people to live their best life and be the best person they can be is at the top of what motivates him to share his lust for life. Through his website, books and television appearances, as well as by example, he consistently sends that message to the world.
Born in Zambia and raised in South Africa, he is an avid supporter of several charities focused on children’s education and health. The party planner of choice for celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian, what sets Colin apart is his experiential approach to design; what you smell, touch, taste, feel and hear are carefully orchestrated to create the ultimate experience for Colin’s clients.
Colin Cowie Celebrations
Colin Cowie Celebrations is more than just a full-service event design and production company — we partner with you to turn your dreams into reality. We hear. We listen. We respond. We have our finger on the pulse of the latest trends in food, décor and entertainment, always focusing on the personalized details that make your event one-of-a-kind. Our proactive approach and whatever-it-takes philosophy are why we enjoy such a loyal following among our clients.
What truly separates us in the competitive landscape is our five-senses approach to creating exceptional experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime. Our team is dedicated to making every celebration reflect the host’s personality, taste, style and budget. Our experience and personal touch ensure a seamless and cohesive party, whether it is a private gathering for family and friends or a corporate affair for 2500. We work with you every step of the way, starting with initial concept design and budget planning, to deliver a party that is guaranteed to exceed your expectations, creating lasting memories for you and your guests.
Whether designing weddings, milestone celebrations, corporate events, galas or charitable functions, our unmatched creativity and precision event planning will give you a truly meaningful, memorable and magical experience.
Colin Cowie Weddings :
Colin Cowie Weddings is revolutionizing online wedding planning with informative how-to’s, inspirational images and insider tips from Colin Cowie and his world-class event planning team.
ColinvCowievWeddings shows you how to plan a wedding like the pros, helping couples on any budget achieve fabulous results with huge amounts of glamour, confidence and ease. Through informative tips and stunning image galleries, you can find your favorite wedding dress, plan your ideal dinner menu, explore the most fabulous wedding cakes and discover unique creative partners. Best of all, you can dream of your ultimate wedding day through a one-of-a-kind Inspiration Finder that allows you to search through an archive of gorgeous photographs by color and category. Find stunning flowers or delicious drinks for an intimate garden wedding or elaborate table scapes to seat 500 guests.
For the bride who just can’t get enough, Colin Cowie Weddings’ Pinterest page is packed with jaw-dropping imagery, from the hottest new runway collections to must-have wedding desserts and gorgeous Real Weddings to inspire. On that same level, Colin Cowie Weddings’ Facebook is building a global community of brides, wedding enthusiasts and creative partners with open dialogue and intriguing social posts.
Brand Partnerships :
Colin Cowie Enterprises places specific importance on aspirational partnerships. By aligning with some of the most respected and well-known companies in the world, Colin Cowie Enterprises has learned that every successful partnership begins with brand alignment.
Whether a spokesperson or guest speaker Colin Cowie has the ability to connect with multiple audiences by tapping into his knowledge of Food & Beverage, Financial, Hospitality, Travel & Leisure, Retailer, Apparel & Accessories and Luxury Lifestyle Brands, as well as Style and Design Trends, Luxury Markets, Wedding Trends, Event Planning and Design, Customer Satisfaction and Brand Building. As an influential celebrity, Colin has also branded and cobranded successful licensing ventures with strategic partners, developing functional designs with a modern aesthetic.
Colin also provides Consulting and Hospitality Design services to organizations interested in creating the experience that helps define and distinguish brands. Through insightful evaluations and assessments, Colin has developed turnkey solutions to elevate brands in the Food & Beverage, Service and Design industries.
The Queens Economic Development Corporation, the Queens Tourism Council, and lead sponsor Delta Air Lines are proud to announce that the borough’s premiere food-and-networking event — Queens Taste 2015 — Which took place at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Tuesday, May 12, from 6 pm to 9 pm.
The reasons to attend were that Foodies can expect everything from crunchy to creamy, fiery to flaky, and sweet to savory. For example, La Fusta in Elmhurst will bring beefy Argentine fare, while Jamaica’s O Lavrador will prepare Portuguese paella. Pa-Nash in Rosedale will serve West Indian/Moroccan fusion, while Astoria’s Zenon Taverna will go with Greek specialties. Latin participants include the Arepa Lady (Colombian) from Jackson Heights and Mexican cuisine via La Adelita in Woodside. Asian treats will come from Flushing’s Mulan, Thai Rock in Rockaway, and Kimchee Smoke, which is often at LIC Flea & Food. Meanwhile, the Michelin-starred M. Wells Steakhouse will bring its famous beef tartare meatballs.
Plus, clients of the Entrepreneur Space, a food-and-business incubator that QEDC operates in Long Island City, will be on hand with their artisan specialties, such as gluten-free products and ethnic desserts. Then there are the drinks. Long Island City’s SquareWine & Spirits headlines a beverage group that includes borough-based Queens Courage gin.
As part of the fun, the public will vote on Best Appetizer, Best Entrée, Best Dessert, and Best Beverage in a people’s choice format. Plus, Big Apple Circus clowns will do magic tricks and give away free red noses to all attendees (or at least those who want one).
Finally, there’s the networking. Most of the roughly 800 attendees either live in Queens or do business in the borough (or both). So Queens Taste 2015 provides the perfect scene to meet like-minded individuals, talk shop, and exchange business cards in a friendly atmosphere.
“Delta is proud to call Queens home with both of our hubs at JFK and LGA, right in the heart of the borough. We’re excited to partner again with the Queens Economic Development Corp. and the Queens Tourism Council to bring neighbors together for this popular — and delicious — community event,” stated Gail Grimmett, Senior Vice President New York for Delta Air Lines.
“Because of the food, drinks, desserts, people, venue, and tremendous energy, I look forward to Queens Taste all year,” added QEDC Executive Director Seth Bornstein. “It’s so much fun on so many levels.”
