NEW ORLEANS – Mayor Landrieu and the City of New Orleans will welcome President Barack Obama and former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton as they visit New Orleans to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and showcase the city’s resilience.
During the week-long examination of the decade since the devastating hurricane made landfall and the federal levees failed, President Obama, President Bush, President Clinton, Members of Congress, federal officials and other dignitaries will conduct site visits, participate in events and conversations with community members that honor the lives of those lost, explores the city’s progress and resilience planning and examines the challenges the city is focused on tackling in years to come.
The While House announced earlier this week that on Thursday, August 27, 2015, the President will travel to New Orleans to meet with Mayor Landrieu and residents, young and old, from several neighborhoods who have rebuilt their lives over the past 10 years. While in the city, the President will deliver remarks on the region’s rebirth and what’s possible when residents and city and corporate leaders work together to lift up their communities and build back in more resilient and innovative ways, better positioning the city for economic growth. The President will be joined by Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate, who has helped spearhead and coordinate many of the Administration’s efforts and his all-of-nation approach over the past six and a half years. Fugate will also take part in the unveiling of the City’s resilience strategy, earlier in the week.
George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, will visit New Orleans on Friday, August 28, with former First Lady Laura Bush. President and Mrs. Bush will return to Warren Easton Charter School, which benefited from the Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative, a special fund of the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries established to help Gulf Coast schools that were damaged by the hurricanes to rebuild their book and material collections. At an education round table, President and Mrs. Bush will honor the exceptional work accomplished by New Orleans school leaders, non profit partners, educators, parents and communities. President Bush will also deliver remarks. As part of his Administration's extensive recovery efforts, President Bush also tapped former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush to lead the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, which raised more than $130 million in contributions for hurricane response and long-term recovery efforts.
President Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States and founder of the Clinton Foundation, will visit New Orleans on Saturday, August 29, for the Power of Community gathering – the city’s signature commemorative event, held on the official anniversary of Katrina’s landfall that will demonstrate New Orleans’ resilience. President Clinton will join Mayor Landrieu and New Orleans residents, community leaders, and advocates who, over the last ten years, have helped the city recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the federal levees. In addition to remarks from President Clinton and Mayor Landrieu, the event will feature music and cultural performances as well as faith leaders representing several religious denominations who will pray for the city to continue to unite, heal, and move forward.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Clinton joined forces with President George H.W. Bush to establish the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, which raised over $130 million in contributions to support relief and long-term recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast. Additionally, Clinton has leveraged public and private sector commitments through the Clinton Global Initiative to drive investments in community development, disaster preparedness, education, housing, infrastructure, resilience and sustainability.
In the days leading up to August 29, the City will also host delegations from other countries, senior leadership from the United States Congress, various Cabinet officials and numerous other dignitaries who will participate in various events.
Mayor Landrieu also announced the full schedule of official K10 events that will take place throughout the week leading up to the anniversary. Nearly 75 media panels will also take place throughout the week featuring local, regional, and national experts with an examination of resilience, civic engagement, criminal justice, disaster preparedness, education, economic development and housing initiatives.
Signature activities are generously supported by The Rockefeller Foundation.
The official events are below and a full calendar of events can be found at Katrina10.org:
Tuesday, August 25, 11:00 a.m.
Release of the City of New Orleans Resilience Strategy
Ashe PowerHouse Theater
1731 Baronne St.
For almost three centuries, New Orleans has faced many challenges. With a culture of creativity and innovation, the city has emerged stronger and more resilient each time. Today, there are new challenges that confront the region – climate change and rising sea levels, land subsidence and coastal erosion, and lack of equity and opportunity for all New Orleanians to grow and thrive. As part of 100 Resilient Cities, powered by the Rockefeller Foundation, the City of New Orleans will release its first ever Resilience Strategy, with an aim of becoming a global leader in urban resilience. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate will also be in attendance.
Friday, August 28, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fulfilling the Promise: Charting the Path Beyond Katrina at 10
Sheraton Hotel
500 Canal St.
Hosted by the Greater New Orleans Funders Network & the City of New Orleans, Fulfilling the Promise: Charting the Path Beyond Katrina at 10 will convene local and national philanthropic, policy, and community leaders to reflect on the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the question: How will New Orleans emerge as the model of a just and resilient city? The Greater New Orleans Funders Network is a coalition of local, regional and national grant-makers committed to equity and justice in the Greater New Orleans region. Plenary sessions will include remarks from Mayor Mitch Landrieu, remarks from Cabinet officials, and a panel discussion featuring leaders of some of the top philanthropic institutions in the country.
Friday, August 28, 8:00 p.m.
NOLA Honors
Saenger Theatre
1111 Canal St.
NOLA Honors is an invite-only event at the historic Saenger Theatre honoring first responders, corporate and philanthropic organizations, foreign nations, and volunteer groups for their dedication to and investment in the City’s recovery over the past 10 years.
Saturday, August 29, 8:29 a.m.
Annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial
5056 Canal St.
At 8:29 a.m. Mayor Landrieu, dignitaries, elected officials, community and civic leaders will lay wreaths at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial site where nearly 100 unclaimed or unidentified victims of Hurricane Katrina are interred. The Hurricane Katrina Memorial, a project of the New Orleans Katrina Memorial Corporation, was built in 2008 to provide a permanent memorial honoring those who lost their lives in the devastating hurricane and to lay to rest the unclaimed or unidentified victims of Hurricane Katrina. The ceremony is expected to last approximately 60 minutes.
Saturday, August 29, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Katrina 10 City-Wide Day of Service
Various Locations
In the ten years since Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of thousands of volunteers from down the street and around the world have demonstrated an extraordinary spirit of service. Today, non-profit organizations, neighborhood associations, schools, corporations and other community partners remain committed New Orleans’ culture of volunteerism. Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the City of New Orleans will celebrate this collective impact by supporting volunteer activities with goal of engaging over 10,000 volunteers over the course of the week, one of the most comprehensive and unique service projects in the country. The Citywide Day of Service, presented by Walmart, will engage thousands of volunteers and focus service on seven specific regions of the across the City. Volunteers will support over 100 individual projects throughout the day. This event is open to volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and levels of experience. Speaking programs featuring dignitaries and sponsors will begin at six "hub" sites at 1:00 PM. Other sponsors include: Chevron, Delta Regional Authority, McDonald’s, Transdev, Shell, Volunteer Louisiana and Zurich.
Saturday, August 29, 11:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Lower 9th Ward Wreath Laying & Lower 9 Resilience Fest
Andrew P. Sanchez & Copelin-Byrd Multi-Service Center
1616 Caffin Ave.
The annual wreath-laying event will feature a speaking program, a second line to and wreath laying at the Katrina memorial at foot of the Claiborne bridge, and interfaith prayer. Participants will end back at the Sanchez Center, a “hub” site for the K10 Citywide Day of Service, where there will be a wellness and opportunity fair, among other opportunities. In conjunction with the City’s activities, The Lower 9 Resilience Festival will provide events with the opportunity to reflect, mourn, and recognize our efforts to rebuild and become whole again featuring music, food vendors, and unique cultural activities such as movie viewings and the Lower 9 Improv Opera.
Saturday, August 29, 5:00 p.m. (Doors open at 4:00 p.m.)
Katrina 10 Commemoration: The Power of Community
Smoothie King Center
1501 Dave Dixon Dr.
On Saturday, August 29 , President Bill Clinton, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans residents, faith leaders, and advocates who over the last ten years helped the City recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, will take part in a public commemoration and celebration of the city’s resilience. Hosted by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, this major event will be held on the official anniversary of Katrina’s landfall, at the Smoothie King Center. Musical and cultural will include Multi-Grammy nominated R&B and jazz recording artist Ledisi; Grammy winners Rebirth Brass Band; John Boutte; Tonya Boyd Cannon, Stephanie Jordan’s Big Band, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux; Warren Easton Charter High School Marching Band and Dumpstaphunk.
Soledad O’Brien’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina for CNN won her, and CNN, a George Foster Peabody award. Her Katrina coverage was the beginning of a relationship between Soledad O'Brien and New Orleans that continues to this day, where she has produced two documentaries, sits on the board of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and has even adopted some of our local young women as scholarship recipients for her foundation. Today, Soledad runs her own company, the Starfish Media Group where she continues her reporting on New Orleans and her relationship with its people.
Katrina 10 Commemoration: The Power of Community is open to all city residents, but seating is limited. Tickets are free and will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis via email through Ticketmaster or via in-person pick up at City libraries and community-based organizations. Volunteers from the Katrina 10: City-Wide Day of Service will automatically receive tickets and access to exclusive seating. Tickets for the event via Ticketmaster can be accessed through the Katrina10.org website and volunteers can sign up for events with the Day of Service here.
Saturday, August 29, 6:30 p.m.
Katrina 10 Second Line & Block Party
Ashe Cultural Arts Center
1712 O.C. Haley Blvd.
At the conclusion of the Power of Community program, attendees will be invited to second line out of the Smoothie King Center, joining up traditional second line groups from uptown and downtown New Orleans. The merged second line parade will culminate in a public block party outside of Ashe Cultural Arts Center at 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. until 8:00 p.m. Katrina 10 Commemoration: The Power of Community is open to all city residents. Tickets are free and will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis via email through Ticketmaster or via in-person pick up at City libraries and community-based organizations.
The Katrina 10 Commemorative Second Line and Block Party is being hosted in partnership with the Foundation for Louisiana. The closing block party at Ashe Cultural Arts Center will feature live music by Brass-A-Holics and a variety of local food trucks, including Diva Dawg, Nola Foods, Ms. Ackie's, Stop Jockin Snowballs, Keith's Snowballs and more.
