IMAGE CONSULTANTS CELEBRATE MAY AS INTERNATIONAL CIVILITY AWARENESS MONTH
The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) has declared May International Civility Awareness Month in an effort to raise awareness of the decline of civility around the world. This listing is now officially on the Chase’s Calendar of Events Web site, and will be permanently included in the 2011 Edition of Chase’s Calendar of Events, The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months.
Lynne Marks, AICI CIM, president of the international association, and founder of the London Image Institute, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, believes “There is a logical and compelling connection between civility and the ABC’s of Image (Appearance, Behavior and Communication).” In fact, AICI says, “Civility is the new image. Incivility not only impedes our daily interactions with other people but also is costly for business. A 2009 study by Porath and Pearson concluded that incivility in the American workplace costs businesses hundreds of billions of dollars every year.”
“The Civility Counts Project was inspired by Dr. P.M. Forni, cofounder of the Civility Project at Johns Hopkins University and author of Choosing Civility --The Twenty Five Rules of Considerate Conduct (St. Martin’s Griffin N.Y. 2002). Yasmin Anderson-Smith, AICI CIP, who chairs the Civility Counts Project Committee and authored an AICI white paper Civility Counts: An Image Perspective says “Dr. Forni defines civility as being all about kindness, consideration, sensitivity, caring, giving and nurturing.” Anderson-Smith founded Every Girl Can, a nonprofit based in Bowie, Maryland, and is a civility and etiquette expert. “It is a code of conduct based on the principles of ‘Respect, Restraint and Responsibility’,” she said.
The Civility Counts Project was first introduced at the 2009 Conference in Irvine, CA, with the City of Los Angeles proclaiming “Los Angeles Civility Awareness Day.” “It was then that we committed to a grass roots effort to launch a “civility epidemic” and to spread the word around the world by encouraging our global membership to gather proclamations from city and state agencies, including business and professional organizations,’’ states Deborah King, AICI CIP, who heads up the proclamation effort. “We have accumulated proclamations from around the world to display during the 2010 conference, and this is just the beginning. This process will be ongoing every year, as part of our commitment to Civility.“
This year, AICI celebrates its 20th Anniversary in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Thursday, May 20 through Sunday, May 23, 2010. Anderson-Smith and King, founder of the Final Touch Finishing School in Decatur, TX, will be presenting a conference workshop entitled Civility Counts: Boost Your Business and Your Life.
For more information, please contact:
Carole Ann Lyons, AICI Publicist
Tel.: 530-644-4919
E-mail: caroleann@millermania.com
Katherine Wurzburg, VP Marketing
Tel.: 650-949-3170
E-mail: vpmarketing@aici.org
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THE ROTARY DISTRICT 7610 JOINS WITH AICI IN DECLARING THE MONTH OF MAY 2010 INTERNATIONAL CIVILITY AWARENESS MONTH BY ISSUING AN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
(Washington, DC) The District Governor Horace McCormack of Rotary District 7610, Virginia teams up with The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) by issuing an Official Proclamation to support AICI’s global initiative, Civility Counts. The signing ceremony took place on Thursday, March 25, at 2:30 PM.
“This proclamation supports the continued expectation of habitual exemplary civil behavior among Rotarians that is the core of our service objectives.’’ states McCormack. The proclamation will be displayed on May 1, 2010, at Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, VA where he will designate a Rotarian to receive the AICI Civility Star Award at the Annual Conference for Rotary District 7610.
The worldwide chapters of AICI will come together at the 2010 Annual Conference to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from May 20 through May 23, 2010. Each proclamation received will be recognized and prominently displayed at the Conference in celebration of May 2010 as International Civility Awareness Month.
“AICI is proud to include Rotary District 7610 in this impressive lineup of proclamations,’’ says Pat Locke, a member of AICI’s Civility Counts Project committee, and owner of LifePlan Services, Springfield, VA.
The effort began at the AICI 2009 Annual Conference in Irvine, California where the Civility Counts Project was launched. The Los Angeles City Council awarded AICI with its first civility awareness proclamation. Since then, AICI chapters around the world are approaching city councils, mayors’ offices, clubs, chambers of commerce, and more, to obtain official proclamations to help spread the word that beginning May 2010 that May is International Civility Awareness Month.
The inspiration for this global civility initiative is Dr. P.M. Forni, the author of Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct and The Civility Solution: What to Do When People Are Rude. He is also co-founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project and was the recipient of AICI’s highest recognition, the IMMIE Bravo Award, presented at the 2009 Conference. Former recipients include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Target Stores and Oprah Winfrey.
Forni now serves as AICI’s advisor and mentor on Civility. Civility is defined as a code of behavior based on the 3Rs: Respect, Restraint and Responsibility.
For more information, please contact:
Pat Locke, AICI Civility Counts Project
Tel.: 703-455-2572
E-mail: PatLocke@aol.com
Yasmin Anderson-Smith
Chair, AICI Civility Counts Project
Tel.: 301-792-2276
E-mail: Yasmin@kymsimage.com
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A MODERN-DAY CINDERELLA STORY COMES ALIVE AT AICI’S 2010 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
(New York) The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) celebrates its 20th Anniversary at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside from Thursday, May 20 - Sunday, May 23, 2010. This global gathering of image professionals launches a first-time effort entitled: “AICI Gives Back to the Cinderella Project.” The Cinderella Project is a volunteer-based Vancouver charity that benefits deserving, underprivileged high school students by providing them with formal attire in order that they may attend their graduation festivities.
Pamela Judd, AICI CIP, AICI‘s international secretary and philanthropic chair, is enthusiastic about this special event, which takes place on Sunday, May 23, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. “We are thrilled to be hosting this seminar, featuring some of our association’s skilled image experts, as a benefit for these students to learn positive ways to build their confidence and self-esteem.” A special highlight of the afternoon’s session is the Blue Ribbon Ceremony, developed by the nonprofit group Difference Makers International, an idea conceived by team member Kasey Smith. Blue ribbons are being generously donated by the AICI South Central Chapter and attendees at the conference will have the opportunity to donate gift bags to the high schoolers and make a cash contribution to The Cinderella Project.
Sessions include: Wardrobe Magic, presented by Mexico-based Agueda Irizar, AICI CIP; Self-Esteem and Social Skills, delivered by San Francisco Bay Area’s Rosa Maria Livesay, AICI FLC; Your Best Colors, by Makati City, Philippines-based associate member, Julia Robillos. Body Type Charts, sent to the attendees in advance by South Asia Singapore-based Delby Bragais, AICI FLC, will be interpreted and analyzed as part of the overall program.
“We are proud to launch AICI Gives Back in this special way,’’ states Magoe Johnson, AICI CIP, the project chair spearheading this “philanthropy in action’’ initiative. “Many of these teens have grown up in poverty, and struggle to maintain grades, while holding part-time jobs. What teenage girl doesn’t love beautiful things?’’
For more information, please contact:
Pamela Judd, AICI Philanthropy Chair
Tel: 718-530-3500
E-mail: Pam@PamelaJudd.com
To download this press release as a Word document, click here .
AICI Members in the News
Sangeeta Bahl, "Perfume Personality," Gurgaon Magazine, January 15, 2009; radio interview: "Career as an Image Consultant," on Tu Tu meow Meow 104.8 FM Delhi, January 27, 2009; radio interview: "What not to wear," on Tu Tu meow Meow 104.8 FM Delhi, February 7, 2009.
Scarlett De Bease, "Beauty Savers Minimalist Makeup," Westchester Magazine, January 2009.
Diana Jennings, AICI CIP, CPBS, "50 Personal Branding Consultants Worth Working With," smartlifeblog.com, January 11, 2009.
Olen Juarez-Lim, AICI FLC, "Big accessories, pastel colors chic in 2009 - stylists," GMANews.tv (Phillipines), January 6, 2009.
Peggy M. Parks, AICI CIP, "Style: Eye candy - Glasses make it easy for others to see your creative streak," Atlanta Journal Constitution, January 25, 2009; radio interview: "Bright Spot with Dot Blum," on 1620 AM, February 6, 2009; "Working Women on the Rise," Atlanta INtown, February 15, 2009.
Jeanine D. Rozier, MBA, AICI FLC, "Are You Waging War With Your Hair?" Average Girl Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009.
Adrienne D. Simmons, "The Real Deal: Frugal Fashion," Fox 29 News Philadelphia (WTXF), January 21, 2009; "The Real Deal: Magazine Madness," Fox 29 News "Good Day Philadelphia" (WTXF), March 25, 2009.
Elaine Stoltz, AICI CIM, "United Way of Tarrant County Women's Leadership Society," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 8, 2009.