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#SKINCLUSION Initiative: One Year Later Supporting ICDO’s Worldwide Projects to Promote Inclusion and Diversity

By July 9, 2019October 27th, 2020#SKINCLUSION, News, Press Room

12 months after its launch, the global initiative SKINCLUSION
has given ICDO a bigger platform to develop different activities throughout the year

 

New York – May 8, 2020 – It is one year since International Cultural Diversity Organization (ICDO) began its partnership with OBAGI Medical on the Global Initiative #SKINCLUSION (www.skinclusion.com) with actor – Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Global Ambassador of the campaign.

The SKINCLUSION Initiative was officially launched on May 8, 2019 with a panel discussion in New York featuring Jaime Castle – President of Obagi Medical, Priyanka Chopra Jonas – Ambassador of the Initiative, Josipa Palac – President and CEO of ICDO, Dr. Haines – President of Project Implicit, Dr. Jeanine B. Downie, MD, FAAD, – Director of Image Dermatology P.C.

The panel focused on cultural diversity, acceptance and inclusion, topics that reflect ICDO’s mission of promoting multiculturalism and safeguarding different cultural expressions. The success of the #SKINCLUSION initiative as a unique and unprecedented project obtained massive media coverage from major media organizations worldwide such as Forbes, People Magazine, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Today Show, Yahoo and many others.

“Diversity and inclusion have been at the heart of Obagi since we were founded more than 30 years ago, which is why we wanted to use our voice to champion change and lead by example within the aesthetics industry. When we began the SKINCLUSION campaign, we knew that ICDO would be a great partner to join forces with. The organization has made a significant impact around the world providing communities with the tools they need to address diversity and inclusion. Their leadership has been remarkable and Obagi is proud to be supporting and collaborating with them,” said Ms. Jaime Castle, president of Obagi.

Thanks to the SKINCLUSION Initiative, ICDO was given wider reach and stronger platform to emphasize the importance of inclusion and cultural diversity that are pillars of ICDO’s mission and following projects: 

  • ‘Kalan Je La’an: Following the Maya Voice’, a four-year project taking place in Yucatan and Quintana Roo regions of Mexico with ultimate goals of safeguarding the Maya cultural heritage, language and identity, empowering Maya communities and conserving the biodiversity of the area. Women empowerment, self-respect, equality, preservation of Maya language and traditions, conservation of biodiversity, identity and future, discrimination and stigma Maya people are facing were reflected through innovative methods as art exhibitions as well as 100 testimonials and strong messages sent from Maya people to non-indigenous society.
  • ‘La Linea Negra: Following the Black Line’, event in cooperation with the Embassy of Colombia in Vienna and famous Colombian photographer Jorge Coque Gamboa, provided a platform to transmit a message about preserving the Mother Earth from indigenous leaders-priests (mamos) in La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. The aim of the message to non-indigenous societies is emphasizing the importance of living in harmony with the nature and preservation of Mother Earth and biodiversity.
  • The Long Nights of Interculturality, a six-day festival under the patronage of UNESCO  that celebrates cultural diversity and promotes different cultures and values through art, traditional costumes from around the world, panel discussions, music and food in the most prominent locations in Vienna, Austria. The topic of TLNI2019 was women empowerment and women leaders and Obagi president Jaime Castle was awarded ICDO’s Excellence Award 2019 as a woman leader who has established diversity and inclusion as workplace culture and embedded inclusivity as a corporate value.  
  • OFID-OECD DevCom seminar, a workshop presented in OFID’s Vienna headquarters with high representatives from 20 of the most recognized institutions, companies and newspapers in the world (UN, IAEA, CTBTO, Getty Images, World Bank, IFC, IMF, SFD, The Guardian etc.) to put an emphasis on the importance of diversity and inclusion through initiatives like  #SKINCLUSION.
  • ‘Bridging Diversity: Bosnia and Herzegovina’, a long-term project that aims to engage youth from all three ethnicities in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina and promote understanding of cultural distinctiveness and expression as tools of war-reconciliation, while encouraging intercultural relations. 

“A year has passed since the launch of the Obagi SKINCLUSION initiative and we could not be more grateful to all its partners and supporters. It has allowed us to promote new projects around the world throughout the year, to raise awareness on cultural diversity and support inclusion in society in every aspect, and this makes us even prouder to be part of it,” stated Josipa Palac, ICDO’s President and CEO. “We strongly advise that many other global companies should follow Obagi’s example and commit themselves to foster diversity and inclusion in their corporate policies as well. We saw the real impact being done through our projects and thanks to leadership and vision such as Jamie Castel’s in Obagi and examples like Priyanka Chopra using her platform for supporting us with needed boost and encouragement to reach even more people.”