BeLive 2012: A Philanthropic Night for Colombia to be Held on Friday, November 16 at JW Marriott Marquis Miami

MIAMI, Oct. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BeLive, one of South Florida's most exciting and prestigious galas will officially take place on Friday, November 16 beginning at 7:00 p.m at JW Marriott Marquis Miami. After raising over $3M for the past five years, and changing the lives of so many Colombians in need, BeLive has once again brought together four prominent Colombian non-profit organizations-Give to Colombia, Formula Sonrisas, Genesis Foundation and ArtNexus Foundation- to change and impact the lives of the most vulnerable communities in Colombia. In this edition we will celebrate BeLive's 6^th Anniversary. The evening will be filled with fashion, music, two impressive silent auctions-featuring the very best of what Colombia has to offer- a red carpet Fashion Show with an official unveiling, a spectacular concert and a heartfelt tribute to Catalina Escobar, a Colombian Hero that has changed and impacted the lives of many.   

In support of BeLive joining us will be Rodner Figueroa, Fashion Expert and correspondent for  "Sal y Pimienta" of Univision, Jorge Bernal anchor for Telemundo, Vanessa Hauc, anchor and correspondent for Telemundo News, Kika Rocha Beauty and Fashion Editor for People en Espanol and renowned actors for Telemundo, Catherine Siachoque and Miguel Varoni. In addition, making a special appearance this year will be Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi Owners of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, LLC (EGR), as well as NASCAR Driver's, Jimmy Johnson, Danica Patrick, Brian Vickers and Juan Pablo Montoya, as well as influential business, art, philanthropic and political personalities from the US, Colombia and around the world.

This year, as a very special tribute to Colombia's heritage and riches, BeLive has curated two very special silent auctions: the Project Emerald Initiative and a one-of-a-kind auction featuring exclusive and intrinsic pieces of a unique collection from Artesanias de Colombia.

Following the highly successful Mochila Project Model of 2009 and 2011, this year BeLive together with Artesanias de Colombia are collaborating with distinguished Jewelry Designers from Colombia and the US, to create one-of-a-kind pieces for our PROJECT EMERALD. This initiative will pay tribute to one of Colombia's most recognizable riches, the emerald.  This project consists of national and international Designers taking the emerald Stones in their natural state and incorporating them into a unique jewelry piece such as a necklace, headpiece, broach, bracelet or earrings.  These custom jewelry pieces will be unveiled on the evening of BeLive and will be placed up for auction. Designers and brands joining us this year include, Dauphines of New York, Mishky, Dayan Candamil, Pequenas Indulgencias, Sylvia Tcherassi, Maria Hamilton, Zoken Joyeros, Mallarino Bijoux and many more. In addition the Project Emerald Auction, BeLive has partnered with Artesanias de Colombia, a government run agency linked to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, whose mission is to contribute to the advancement and promotion of the artisan sector in Colombia.  Their projects include consulting on the design, product development, technological improvement, as well as resource training, marketing and education of Colombian handicrafts. BeLive alongside Artesanias de Colombia, have selected some of Colombia's most beautiful pieces to showcase during the silent auction at the gala. These exclusive crafts are unique pieces and are handmade by artisans who have learned their work for many years generationally. Each region of the country has a different technique and products that is part of the identity and cultural heritage of the country.

This year we will honor one of Colombia's heroes, Catalina Escobar with the coveted BeLive Award. After living two tragic and painful experiences in her life, including the loss of her son in 2000, she founded what would become her greatest project in life: the Juan Felipe Gomez Escobar Foundation, named after her son.  Catalina and her foundation have become instrumental in helping save the lives of countless babies and have improved the quality of life for adolescent mothers living in utter misery in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. Catalina, a well-recognized entrepreneur with a great social sense and spirit, is a true example of leadership among the Colombian society. Different financial and business Colombian magazines have recognized her as one of the most Successful Young Leaders of all time. In addition to many honors and recognitions she has received in Colombia and worldwide, Escobar recently became a semi-finalist for the 2012 CNN Heroes Awards. Furthermore, this year she was selected by the U.S. State Department alongside 25 other women worldwide to be part of the Fortune / U.S. State Department Global Women´s Mentoring Partnership.

Gracing the runway on BeLive's 6th Anniversary will be Venezuelan born designer, Nicolas Felizola. This internationally celebrated and renowned designer will be unveiling his much anticipated 2013 MOOI collection, whose inspiration includes the 17th century Dutch Golden Age and artists such as Vermeer and Rembrandt. Along with this debut, Felizola will be highlighting a retrospective of the spectacular Red Carpet Award Dresses. Throughout his career, Felizola has received numerous National and International awards.  Most recently, in 2012, he was named the Best Designer at Miami Fashion Week, received the Victoria Puig de Lange International Style Award, and was given the Congregational Medal of Honor by the US Congress in Washington D.C. He is recognized as one of the most influential Hispanic Designers residing in the United States, alongside Carolina Herrera and Oscar De La Renta.  In addition, the OPI at the UNESCO, named Felizola the " 2012 Iberoamerican Personality of the Year" in Paris, France.

This year internationally known and acclaimed, "El Caballero de la Salsa" Gilberto Santa Rosa, will be in charge of our spectacular concert. His long list of awards and nominations include, Latin Grammy, Grammy Music Awards, Billboard Award and Premio lo Nuestro, among many others. Santa Rosa will provide an intimate concert for guests in attendance!  Get ready to enjoy and dance the night away with his hits such as "Te Veo Venir Soledad," "Vivir Sin Ella," "Conciencia" and many more.

BeLive would like to thank the 2012 amazing sponsors:

Chevron, Diageo, American Airlines, Mongibello, Target, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Pepsi, GM Chevrolet, Morgan Stanley, Sanford, Sprint, JGB Bank, HSBC Bank, EFG Capital, Goldman Sachs & Co, Nascar, Sunoco, JP Morgan, Kimberly Clark, 3R Family Office, The USA Bouquet Company, Rocco Donna, Zerofractal Studios, RGB Studios.

In addition, we would like to thank Diageo for their ongoing support of BeLive and congratulate their incredible efforts on the LEARNING FOR LIFE program.  This program was designed to inspire and transform the lives of people throughout Latin America & the Caribbean. Since its inception 2008, Learning for Life has impacted more than 50,000 lives.

The 6th Anniversary of BeLive will take place on Friday, November 16 at JW Marriott Marquis Miami, 255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Miami, FL 33131. BeLive brings together four important Colombian Non- Profit organizations, based in the U.S: Give to Colombia, Formula Sonrisas, Genesis Foundation and ArtNexus Foundation, who have joined forces to raise much needed funds and create awareness within the international community, of the dire social needs in Colombia. BeLive 2012 will feature a spectacular concert, sumptuous cocktails, magnificent 3-course dinner, live entertainment, a stunning fashion show and much more. Individual Tickets are $500. For more information, to become a sponsor, attend the event or to make a donation, please visit www.belive.co To cover and attend the event, please contact Jennifer Heegaard, JEJE Consulting, at [email protected] or 305.803.5505.

This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE BeLive