Grace Farms Events 2019
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‘Songs of the Season’ Concert Series at Grace Farms

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Enjoy a moment of peace and tranquility this holiday season at the “Songs of the Season” concert series at Grace Farms in New Canaan. Concerts feature improvisational arrangements of seasonal music performed by local musicians. These calming selections, along with expansive winter views of our 80-acre preserve, will create a serene environment for reflection and contemplation. Each of these free events take place from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary at Grace Farms

Schedule of Musicians

Saturday, Dec. 21 — Karen Nisenson
Thursday, Dec.

Designing For Freedom

Panel Discussion on Modern Slavery in Architecture and Construction Worldwide

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Although human rights advocates have begun to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of forced labor in construction projects around the world, the use of raw and composite materials produced by forced labor in the built environment largely continues with impunity. Join experts and industry leaders across the ecosystem of the built environment, for an illuminating panel on modern slavery in the architecture and global construction industry, one of the largest industrial sectors in the world. The discussion will address the importance of human rights as a fundamental criterion in building material procurement, and share innovative, new frameworks that are being proposed to expose and dismantle exploitation in building supply chains. This will also be an opportunity for the public to get insight into Grace Farms Foundation’s recently launched GFF Architecture + Construction Working Group, an interdisciplinary coalition formed to disrupt modern slavery in the built environment. Panel Participants

Sharon Prince | President and Founder of Grace Farms Foundation

Ambassador (ret.) Luis C.deBaca | Senior Justice Initiative Advisor at Grace FarmsFoundation

Nat Oppenheimer | Principal and EVP of Robert Silman Associates and structural engineer for Grace Farms

Hayes Slade | President of AIA New York and Founding Partner and Principal of Slade Architecture

Grace Farms Events 2019
James Florio photo Grace Farms

Grace Farms Foundation Benefit: ‘Our Sustainable Future’

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You’re invited to come to “Our Sustainable Future,” Grace Farms Foundation’s fourth annual benefit on Oct. 19. Enjoy an immersive evening in the River building with an elegant zero-waste dinner and entertainment by DJ ELEW featuring saxophonist Marcus Miller. The evening will feature Parisa Khobdeh Dance Company, and a spotlight on the cocoa industry with Tony’s Chocolonely. We will be highlighting auction items with sustainable and ethical supply chains and championing change together.

Charity Events and Opportunities
James Florio photo Grace Farms

You’re Invited to Grace Farms Foundation’s Annual Benefit Party: ‘Our Sustainable Future’

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You’re invited to come to “Our Sustainable Future,” Grace Farms Foundation’s fourth annual benefit on Oct. 19. — an announcement from Grace Farms

Enjoy an immersive evening in the River building with an elegant zero-waste dinner and entertainment by DJ ELEW featuring saxophonist Marcus Miller. The evening will feature Parisa Khobdeh Dance Company, and a spotlight on the cocoa industry with Tony’s Chocolonely. We will be highlighting auction items with sustainable and ethical supply chains and championing change together.

Grace Farms Events 2019
Restoring Native Meadows at Grace Farms

Exploring Native Meadows at Grace Farms

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Come to Grace Farms for a guided walk through our meadows and walking trails with Penn Marchael, founder of Pennington Grey, and Nature Initiative Director, Mark Fowler. Discover the process behind Grace Farms’ ongoing meadow restoration and learn about the importance of restoring native meadows and nurturing the habitat where pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds thrive. Watch as our meadows grow and change throughout the season. The event is free but registration is required.

Grace Farms Events 2019
Astronomy at Grace Farms

Stargazing at the Perseid Meteor Shower from Grace Farms

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As Earth passes through the path of Comet Swift-Tuttle, the Perseid Meteor Shower lights up the sky. Join New Canaan High School Planetarium Director Tim Haag and Grace Farms Foundation Nature Initiative Director, Mark Fowler, to learn about the famous and bright shower, and search the sky as we look for the bright Perseids. Please bring your binoculars. Telescopes will be available, but visibility is dependent on the weather. The event is free, but registration is required.

Celine Cousteau

Protecting the Amazon | Tribes on the Edge: Celine Cousteau Presents Her Documentary

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Join us as Céline Cousteau presents an exclusive screening of her new film and impact campaign, Tribes on the Edge. It is estimated that the Amazon produces 20% of the world’s oxygen, and releases 55 gallons of water into the Atlantic Ocean every second. With no deforestation, mining, or poaching permitted on indigenous land, the last few tribes living there are the frontline guardians of an ecosystem crucial for life all over the world. This raw and evocative documentary reveals the daily struggles of the last few remaining tribes who find themselves fighting for survival in the Amazon. Discover the importance of protecting this invaluable area of our planet, hear the deeply moving stories of the indigenous peoples who safe guard it on our behalf, and learn some of the simple things that you can do to help. 

Céline Cousteau—filmmaker, environmentalist, and granddaughter of the legendary Jacques Cousteau—has spent the past 5 years respectfully documenting, filming, and curating the story of all the indigenous peoples of the Javari to help them tell their story to the world.

Grace Farms Events 2019

Fighting Domestic Violence | A Multifaceted Approach: Panel Discussion

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Domestic violence affects more than just the survivors — entire families and communities feel the impact. Learn how law enforcement, the legal system, and the medical community are working with survivors and community members to diminish the far-reaching effects of these crimes. L.Y. Marlow, author and survivor of five generations of abuse, joins Rod Khattabi, Director of Law Enforcement & Risk Officer at Grace Farms Foundation; Assistant United States Attorney Alina Reynolds, District of Connecticut; Karen Jarmoc, President and CEO of Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and Dr. David Johnson of the Yale University School of Medicine and Post Traumatic Stress Center in New Haven to discuss the importance of a multifaceted approach to fighting domestic violence.

David Petraeus

Panel on Humanitarian Impact of Mideast Conflicts With Gen David Petraeus, Former Sen Lieberman

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Join Grace Farms Foundation and the Institute for the Study of War for a discussion on the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and their importance to U.S. national security and values, including human dignity and freedom. Terrorist organizations like ISIS and al Qaeda and states like Russia and Iran are driving conflicts across the Middle East, causing humanitarian catastrophes, compounding governance failures, and exacerbating violent extremism. Our program will discuss how the U.S., its allies and partners, and non-governmental organizations must develop creative, enduring solutions to help solve the resulting political, security, and humanitarian problems.

Rod Khattabi, director of law enforcement and risk officer at Grace Farms Foundation, will introduce the discussion and our distinguished panel:

General David H. Petraeus (U.S. Army, Retired), ISW Board Member, led the population-centric military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency;
Former Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), ISW Board Member, has been a champion for the strategic and moral dimensions of American leadership in the Middle East;
Jennifer Cafarella, Director of Research at ISW is a leading expert on ISIS and the conflict in Syria; and
Dr. Kimberly Kagan, President of ISW, is a military historian who founded ISW in 2007 and has served as an on-the-ground adviser in both Iraq and Afghanistan advising, among others, General Petraeus.

Grace Farms Events 2019

The Demand for Ethical Supply | Blockchain as a Force for Global Good

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Wharton School professor and author, Kevin Werbach, discusses his book The Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust, an often-misunderstood technology that has the potential to help us overcome the crisis of trust that has engulfed our world. In doing so, blockchain technology can become a powerful force for social good, enabling open business models that could contribute to transparent supply chains.

Government & Politics

Panel on Humanitarian Impact of Mideast Conflicts With Gen Petraeus, Former Sen Lieberman, June 18

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Grace Farms Foundation, in partnership with the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), invites the public to a discussion among military, public policy and research experts from 7:30 to 9 p.m., June 18 to discuss the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and their importance to United States national security and values. — an announcement from Grace Farms Foundation and the Institute for the Study of War

Rod Khattabi, director of law enforcement and risk officer at Grace Farms Foundation, will begin the program introducing the topic The Humanitarian Impact of Conflicts in the Middle East. Distinguished panelists from ISW, including former CIA director and retired Gen. David Petraeus, former U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, ISW President Dr. Kimberly Kagan and ISW Director of Research Jennifer Cafarella will discuss how malign state and non-state actors are driving conflicts across the Middle East causing humanitarian catastrophes, compounding governance failures, and exacerbating violent extremism. “There is an urgent need to develop and implement creative, enduring strategies which address the humanitarian, political, and security problems that can stem from involvement in conflict,” Khattabi said. “This conversation is part of a larger dialogue to help us approach the human impact of conflict thoughtfully, especially when it comes to human trafficking, so that our actions advance the common good,” he said.

Grace Farms Events 2019

‘Earth Day | Restoring Wild’ Celebration of the Environment at Grace Farms

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Join Grace Farms Foundation and The Nature Conservancy for our annual Earth Day Celebration! Explore Grace Farms’ 80-acre preserve and enjoy programs, activities, and expert-led discussions on the importance of restoring native habitats. 10 am – 5 pm

Interactive Meadows Plaza featuring native plants, children’s activities, and demonstrations from Pollinator Pathway about the importance of ecosystems to pollinators.  

10:30 am – 2:30 pm        

Open Arts Studio for Families | Habitat and Home, facilitated workshops for children ages 3 to 10 celebrating the importance of restoring natural habitats. Fun-filled activities will focus on the amazing animal architects who build homes and communities, just like we do.

Grace Farms Events 2019

Interfaith Seder | Forgiveness and Remembrance at Grace Farms

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Grace Farms Foundation and the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut invite you to join us for an Interfaith Seder led by Grace Farms Foundation’s Faith Initiative Director Matt Croasman, Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El, Reverend Mark Lingle of St. Francis Episcopal Church, and Dr. Kareem Adeeb, former Board President of the American Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies. Following an abbreviated Passover Seder, we will discuss how our religious traditions teach us to respond to the current moment, when violence in our world and houses of worship seems to be pervasive. Our conversation will explore the similarities and differences that Jews, Christians, and Muslims have with regard to forgiveness, and the significance of never forgetting the tragedies that harm our communities and impact our humanity. The Seder meal will be symbolic.

Community Organizations

Two Days of Earth Day-Related Presentations and Programs at Grace Farms, April 26 to 27

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In celebration of Earth Day (Monday, April 21), Grace Farms Foundation has a two-day lineup the following Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, of programs, activities and expert-led discussions about the importance of restoring local native habitats. — an announcement from Grace Farms Foundation and the Nature Conservancy

The annual weekend of events, conducted in partnership with the Nature Conservancy, also includes a lecture and community day. The two-day program provides an opportunity for people across generations to reconnect with nature and learn about practical ways to restore biodiversity to their own backyards or communities. “There are simple ways that we can all reconnect with and Restore Wild in our own backyards — like planting native and pollinator friendly species — by doing this we help the natural world and our communities thrive,” said Mark Fowler, Nature Initiative Director at Grace Farms Foundation. See also:

Darien Pollinator Pathway website
Darien Pollinator Pathway 2019 on Darienite.com
Join Masons in Cleaning Up Six Historic Darien Cemeteries on Saturday, April 20 (April 9)

“Through our 80-acre landscape and program partnership with the Nature Conservancy, we hope to mobilize people to be part of the solution and take action to restore a healthy balance between people and nature,” Fowler said.

Grace Farms Events 2019

Restoring Wild in Urban and Suburban Areas: Presentation, Panel at Grace Farms

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Join Grace Farms Foundation and The Nature Conservancy for a conversation about the importance of restoring natural habitats. Pascal Mittermaier, global managing director of Cities at The Nature Conservancy, will present the work he’s done to transform how the world’s growing cities are harnessing nature’s power to build resilient, livable, thriving communities. Following his presentation, Mittermaier will join a panel moderated by Grace Farms Foundation’s Nature Initiative Director, Mark Fowler, and featuring LaTresse Snead, Deputy Director of Global Cities at The Nature Conservancy, and Penn Marchael, Founder of Pennington Grey, about how each of us can help to restore wild in our own backyards.