Jamie Matusow, Editor03.01.14
Former President Bill Clinton speaks with Elizabeth Musmanno, president of the Fragrance Foundation at the group’s inaugural program “Fragrance Foundation Talks.” |
First up at the podium on the stage at NYU’s Skirball Center Auditorium was none other than former President Bill Clinton, who spoke to a rapt audience of fragrance industry executives and students about everything from world hunger to embracing diversity. He pointed out what he deems to be the three major problems in the world: inequality, instability and unsustainability. He offered his thoughts on a variety of ways that these issues could be ameliorated, all leading to the same conclusion: We live in an interdependent world where we must help one another, with shared responsibility and a sense of community. He said: “It is every citizen’s responsibility to build more shared responsibility and a sense of community, and appreciate that common humanity means more.”
Stefan Sagmeister |
[ED NOTE: Beauty companies have also reported similar mutually beneficial projects in other developing and underprivileged parts of the world, with ingredients such as shea butter, vanilla and patchouli.)
At the end of Clinton’s stirring, nearly hour-long presentation, Fragrance Foundation president Elizabeth Musmanno had the opportunity to ask the 42nd president and “citizen of the world,” a few personal questions, ranging from vacationing to reading—and of course, what fragrance he favors.
Clinton said that vacations and exercise are a must “because you have to rest the brain” sometimes. And he says that he and Hillary and Chelsea remember all of their relaxing times spent together.
When it comes to time management, Clinton said daily exercise has to fit in. While he knows he also needs his rest, he hates to turn out the lights. He just wants to keep reading, “because before my time on Earth runs out, there are still so many things I want to understand.”
(L-R): Sir Ken Robinson, Caryl Stern, Jill Belasco, chair of The Fragrance Foundation, Elizabeth Musmanno, Stefan Sagmeister. |
Caryl Stern, president & CEO, U.S. Fund for UNICEF took the stage next, commenting on her daunting task of following the ex-President. She gave a heartfelt, emotional, plea for helping to reduce childhood deaths around the world. She presented the alarming statistic that more than 18,000 children under the age of 5 die each day. Her determination is to help bring that number to zero, and spells out the direction the world must take to amend these preventable deaths in her book I Believe in Zero.
Sir Ken Robinson |
On Wednesday, he treated the Fragrance Foundation audience to his Happiness by Design project, in which he showed visuals of how art could increase peoples’ sense of happiness and wellbeing.
At the end of his presentation, after a final show of hands that indicated how much the level of joy had gone up since the onset, Sagmeister concluded, “The fragrance people are a happy bunch.”
This set the stage for Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, an internationally acclaimed expert on creativity, innovation, human resources and education—and a chipper presenter—who above all, stressed the need for individualism and creativity, which he argued are not part of our current educational systems. “Seeing things differently,” he said, “is the precursor of innovation.”
And in case anyone is wondering, he told the group: “I wear Armani.”