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REBECCA FOON
REBECCA FOON
Rebecca Foon is a composer and cellist based in Montreal and New York City.

Speaking at the UN

 
 

“Such an unbelievable honor to speak at the United Nations with Jesse Paris Smith and Giovanni Caccamo, a moment that will be with me forever ♥️ @pathway2paris @onethousandcities #manifestoforchange @unitednations

- Rebecca Foon

Associazione Diplomatici organizes the Change the World Model UN (CWMUN) since 2012. The 2024 conference will welcome more than 3000 students coming from more than 133 different countries. The main theme of the conference is: "Tales from the Future: Climate, Youth, Energy, and Peace. The way of Multilateralism for a better World".

 
 

Rebecca Foon speaks to youth about the future.

 
 
 

Pathway to Paris is a nonprofit organization dedicated to turning the Paris Agreement into reality through finding and offering innovative and ambitious solutions for combating global climate change. Founded by Rebecca Foon and Jesse Paris Smith in 2014, the organization brings together musicians, artists, activists, experts, academics, politicians, innovators, and all citizens of the world to participate in a series of events, dialogues, and leading initiatives.

Pathway to Paris works in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and 350.org.

 
 
 
 

Pathway to Paris launched the 1000 CITIES Initiative for Carbon Freedom in 2017, an initiative based on the idea that if 1000 cities around the world develop and implement ambitious climate action plans, we will achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement and beyond.

Join the 1000 Cities Campaign and sign the petition to push your city’s leaders to go zero emissions and 100% renewable energy by 2040.

 
 

Past Events


 

Pathway to Paris

Carnegie Hall, NYC
7:00pm, November 5, 2017

At this event, Pathway to Paris  announced a new initiative called 1000 cities, inviting all cities of the world to transition to 100% renewables by 2040. All proceeds from the event were donated to 350.org, Pathway to Paris, and the UNDP.

PATHWAY TO PARIS LAUNCHES THE 1000 CITIES INITIATIVE

Urging the world’s cities to become 100% Renewable to turn the Paris Agreement into action www.care2.com/1000cities The world is transitioning into a new era; a world no longer dependent on fossil fuels. Today Pathway to Paris and Care2 launch the 1000 Cities initiative, a bold mission to meet and go beyond the targets of the Paris Agreement. The initiative invites all cities of the world to transition off of fossil fuels and move to 100% renewable energy by 2040, in order to turn the Paris Agreement into reality. Visit www.care2.com/1000cities to take action. Every signature will automatically send an email letter to the governing body of the the signer’s city, urging them to join this crucial cause.

“Pathway to Paris is more than a name - it’s an ideal,” said Rebecca Foon. “Cities have a remarkable and necessary part to play in moving us towards achieving, and possibly even surpassing, the goals of the Paris Agreement.” Jesse Paris Smith added: “The climate movement is in urgent need of massive global collaboration - it requires the involvement of all cities of the world, all citizens. We all need to join together to make this movement the most ambitious collaboration of our century.” "Care2 is thrilled to join Pathway to Paris in launching this important global initiative," said Randy Paynter Founder & CEO of Care2. "If we are able to get 1000 cities to join the cause we will be able to fulfill the vision of the Paris agreement and bypass our current administration and other climate deniers who stand in the way."

To accompany the petition, Pathway to Paris has shared a video including figures like Mayor Martin J. Walsh of Boston, Tony Hawk, Patti Smith, Michael Stipe, Flea, Dr. Vandana Shiva, and Olafur Eliasson, urging citizens of the world to sign on to the campaign and push to shift our cities to 100% renewable energy. The launch of 1000 Cities will be one of the focuses of Pathway to Paris’ upcoming concert for climate action, being held at Carnegie Hall on November 5 in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and 350.org. The evening is set to advance the important work turning the Paris Agreement into action by bringing together internationally-recognized musicians and speakers – such as Patti Smith, Joan Baez, Bill McKibben, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Achim Steiner, Olafur Eliasson, Tanya Tagaq, Flea, Talib Kweli, Cat Power, Michael Stipe, Tenzin Choegyal, and Pathway to Paris founders Rebecca Foon and Jesse Paris Smith - for a night of incredible performances and speeches.

Joan Baez says, “Mother Nature has grown weary of our selfish disregard for all she tries to offer and she is angry. I fear for the earth my grandchild will inherit, as I can’t imagine her life will be anything approaching the hopes we have for her and the shining dreams she may have for herself. We won’t know if it’s too late for radical action to keep this globe inhabitable unless we try it. I’m pleased to be a part of this evening’s wake-up call to all people who cherish the sound of a meadowlark and who are willing to fight for its right to sing.” Olafur Eliasson adds, “today we have to respond to our present situation, where natural resources are no longer abundant. We need to raise awareness and initiate an urgent discussion about our future. Art, I believe, has great potential for changing the way we discuss an issue as important as climate change. It makes something not only comprehensible for the mind but also physically tangible - turning thinking into doing.”

Tickets for the November 5 concert are on sale now and can be purchased by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website: https://www.carnegiehall.org/ Pathway to Paris, an initiative in partnership with 350.org and United Nations Development Programme, will bring together musicians, artists, activists, academics, mayors, and innovators to raise consciousness surrounding the urgency of climate action and offer solutions to turn the Paris agreement into real action. Pathway to Paris was founded in September 2014 by Jesse Paris Smith and Rebecca Foon, with an intimate evening of music and speakers at Le Poisson Rouge immediately following the People’s Climate March in New York City. A series of similar events unfolded in North America over the ensuing years. The events were initially intended to build awareness to help establish a global climate agreement, leading up to the UN Climate Change Conference (Cop21) that took place in December 2015, and culminated with two major concerts in Paris at Le Trianon, the first weekend of the conference. www.pathwaytoparis.com


All proceeds from this event go to 350.org and the United Nations Development Programme.

Pathway to Paris

Le Trianon, Paris
December 4 & 5, 2015

Featuring Thom Yorke, Patti Smith, Flea, Warren Ellis, Tenzin Choegyal,

Jesse Paris Smith, Rebecca Foon, Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, and Naomi Klein.

Maintaining the Momentum:
A Call to Action on Climate Change

City Winery, NYC
September 19, 2016

Featured musical performances from David Johansen with Mercury Rev, Martha Wainwright, Nicole Atkins, Bill McKibben (350.org), Xylouris White, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Suzzy Roche, Techung, and Jesse Paris Smith & Rebecca Foon.

The event called on world leaders to quickly turn climate commitments into action.

On September 21, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on countries to present their respective instruments of ratification in New York. Two days prior, to lend support to this initiative and to help kick off Climate Week NYC, Pathway to Paris partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to host an event with internationally renowned musicians and leading thinkers to highlight the importance of making the Paris agreement real. ****A full live album of this event will be released on April 28th, 2017*** www.pathwaytoparis.com/album Filmed at City Winery NYC on September 19th by Ryan Defranco. Edited by Yeah Haus

 

Bill Mckibben, founder of 350.org speaking at Pathway to Paris' event: Maintaining the Momentum: A Call to Action on Climate Change at City Winery NYC on September 19th, 2016. On September 21, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on countries to present their respective instruments of ratification in New York. Two days prior, to lend support to this initiative and to help kick off Climate Week NYC, Pathway to Paris partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to host an event with internationally renowned musicians and leading thinkers to highlight the importance of making the Paris agreement real. A full live album of this event will be released on April 28th, 2017*** pathwaytoparis.com/album Filmed at City Winery NYC on September 19th by Ryan Defranco. Edited by Yeah Haus

Michael Stipe reading 'Nature' by Ralph Waldo Emerson along with Jesse Paris Smith on piano and Rebecca Foon on cello for Pathway to Paris' event: Maintaining the Momentum: A Call to Action on Climate Change on September 19th, 2016. On September 21, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on countries to present their respective instruments of ratification in New York. Two days prior, to lend support to this initiative and to help kick off Climate Week NYC, Pathway to Paris partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to host an event with internationally renowned musicians and leading thinkers to highlight the importance of making the Paris agreement real. A full live album of this event will be released on April 28th, 2017*** pathwaytoparis.com/album Filmed at City Winery NYC on September 19th by Ryan Defranco. Edited by Yeah Haus

 

All proceeds from this event go to 350.org and the United Nations Development Programme.

 
 

PATHWAY TO PARIS
Pop Montreal

Théâtre Rialto 
September 20, 2015

Anne Waldman and Fast Speaking Music (Ambrose Bye, Devin Brahja Waldman) Thurston Moore, AroarA, Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers), Sarah Pagé (The Barr Brothers), Jesse Paris Smith and Rebecca Foon.

 
 

Spinning On Earth

The Green Space
April 8, 2015

WNYC’s Spinning On Air joined Pathway to Paris to present “Spinning On Earth”, an evening of music and discussion around climate change.

Host David Garland welcomed poet Anne Waldman; singer, writer and poet Patti Smith; executive director of 350.org May Boeve; composer Jesse Paris Smith and cellist Rebecca Foon.

 
 

Pathway To Paris

Le Poisson Rouge, NYC
September 22, 2014

Featuring Bill McKibben, Anne Waldman, Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Michael Stipe, Thurston Moore, Steve Shelley, David Garland, Terre Roche, Larkin Grimm, Jesse Paris Smith, Rebecca Foon and The Down Hill Strugglers.

This event was the first in our series to raise consciousness and funds for progressive climate action in the lead-up to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.