Jane Goodall PhD, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
“Chris Bashinelli is an inspiration to youth worldwide. He speaks with passion and his message is one of hope, cultural tolerance and call to action. He knows how to reach young and old alike. His ability to translate passion into action is why Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots has chosen to partner with Chris and Bridge the Gap TV. Bridge the Gap shares exciting and inspirational stories of daily life from the developing world and encourages us to realize that at the end of the day, we really are all the same and every single one of us makes a difference. We need more people like Chris in the world.”
Kiyo Akasaka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information
“Dear Chris, I write to express my appreciation for your contribution to the success of the International Day of Peace observance on 15 September. I am pleased to report that we received very positive comments from the students and teachers who attended this year’s Student Observance. The Panel Discussion was lively and your facilitation of the discussion and your interaction with the panelists and the audience was well received. Thank you for your continued support of the United Nations.”
Monique Coleman, Actress, United Nations Youth Champion
“I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Chris speak on numerous occasions and each time I’m blown away. He is a perfect blend of passionate and compelling, while remaining down to earth and relatable. He knows how to cater his message to different crowds and he never fails to add humor. I’m always impressed by his ability to keep the audience engaged without making it all about him. He is a true artisan with words and a natural leader. I’m excited to see the impact that Bridge the Gap will have for this generation and all the ways that Chris Bashinelli will inspire us all to look within, go beyond our comfort zones, and be a voice to those who were otherwise silenced”.
Mr. Michael Douglas, Academy Award-winning Actor, UN Messenger of Peace
“Dear Chris, It was a pleasure to meet you at the United Nations International Day of Peace. Your handling of the student panel discussion and your own speech were excellent. Your motivational skills and energy along with the positive message you send will truly inspire these kids to help make this a better planet. Congratulations and best wishes for a very promising future.”
Dr. Louise Leakey, Paleontologist and National Geographic Explorer in Residence
“Chris opens peoples eyes up to the different worlds in which we live and makes people think about things we in the developed world take for granted. Exchanges like those we see in Bridge the Gap, which at first seem to be from worlds apart, in fact serve to make use realize how interconnected we all are. The understanding of life in Africa that we get from Bridge the Gap is important in many ways but one most important one comes to mind – that we all came from here, and that we do need to visit home from time to time.”
Marc Scheuer, Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
“Chris Bashinelli brings creativity and talent to the cause of intercultural dialogue, which he embraces with enthusiasm. In May 2010, at short notice, he staged for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations the awards ceremony of the Marketplace of Ideas, which recognizes the most innovative civil society initiatives for intercultural dialogue and cooperation. In front of several thousand participants of the Rio de Janeiro Global Forum of the Alliance, he wrapped the award winners and the prize itself with warmth and a justified sense of big, though unconventional, achievement. One year later, he did much of the same with the Alliance in Baku (Azerbaijan). A social innovator himself, through the Bridge the Gap project, he is a powerful advocate of living together in diversity.”
Shontelle Layne, Motown Singer & Songwriter
“It was more than a pleasure to work with Chris Bashinelli at the “Girls Who Rock” concert. His charm and etiquette will go a long way. He is able to capture audiences when he speaks and when he speaks one gets a sense that it is truly from the heart. His appeal is not limited to any particular age group or class. People are very comfortable around him and seem to respond to him endearingly, no matter what walk of life. Chris, like myself, is very passionate about the causes he supports and his determination and drive are very inspiring to me personally. Chris’s “Bridge The Gap” Project is so important, has helped so many directly and indirectly, and is dear to my heart- as I am a living example of the concept. I was born and raised in Barbados and am now making a life and thriving in New York City. Around the world, we truly are all more alike than we know and Chris’s efforts to “Bridge The Gap” should be supported by all. After all, “United we stand, divided we fall…” He is helping to change the world. We should all be contributing whatever resources we can, so that Chris may continue “building bridges”…
Isabelle Legare, Youth Program Manager, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
“Chris was hired to deliver a speech and moderate an important panel at the UNAOC Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The challenge was immense- to ensure that the Corporate and Diplomatic audience of several thousand kept their focus on Chris’s presentation as well as the 8 members of the panel for nearly one hour. Chris’s high energy level, creative questions and ability to connect with the panelists and audience are what allowed him to address this challenge with great success. The audience’s attention was riveted on the panelists; one could sense the audience absorbing panelists’ remarks and truly learning from this presentation. Chris’s speech was dynamic and conveyed a great urgency for the private sector to connect with grassroots initiatives working to make the world a better place. I would not hesitate to ask Chris to speak at or moderate delicate or challenging panels again: he completely understands how to connect directly with an audience and understands what it takes to help panelists create a relationship with an audience.”
Bethany Eriksen, Student (18 years old), Roots and Shoots Volunteer, Rollins College
“What makes Chris different from other speakers is the genuine energy he brings to his audience. Seeing someone pursue their passions at a such a young age and with such vigor is inspiring to fellow young people to go out in the world and do what they love. In today’s society, young people are often told to follow the path that will produce the most money or that which will supposedly lead you to “happiness.” Chris teaches that in following your true deepest passions and sharing them with the world you can in turn discover an unparalleled sense of self worth and truly make a meaningful difference.“
Julie LaGuardia, Brand Development Consultant, Start up Team for Planet Green
“While many other young adults only dream about making a difference, Chris Bashinelli is out there making it happen. Highly observant and curious about the world around him, he has turned his passion for multi-cultural education into a life of service, driven to teach and to learn. He is focused and sharp, with the energy and initiative to turn ambition into action. He lives by his own guiding principles of resiliency, resourcefulness and relentlessness, ignoring the road that’s filled with noise to stay on his path of purpose. A charismatic and engaging speaker, his story is relatable to audiences of all ages. Chris is an inspirational example of a man on a mission, and it’s a pleasure to support his journey.”
Khalid Elachi, Director of Operations, Miracle Corners of the World
“Chris delivered two inspirational
Maher Nasser, Director: Outreach Division, United Nations Department of Public Information
“Dear Chris, It was such a pleasure to welcome you to the UN on 15 September. Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule to volunteer as MC for our annual United Nations International Day of Peace Student Observance. You excelled in the role of MC, connecting so well with the students and ensuring their full participation in the interactive event. Furthermore, you were able to achieve excellent rapport between the students and the UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace who participated in the event that day. Overall, the programme was enhanced by your role as MC. Thank you again and I wish you all the best.”
Nicola Shepherd, UN Focal Point on Youth, Head of the UN Programme on Youth
“Chris Bashinelli is an excellent communicator and motivator. When Chris is involved in an event, I know it is in great hands. His ability to connect and relate with people from all backgrounds is simply remarkable. Chris is equally as comfortable and confident with high profile individuals such as the Secretary General of the United Nations, as he is with the everyday man or woman on the street. Chris spoke at and moderated the Launch of the International Year of Youth in the United Nations General Assembly hall with a remarkable amount of ease and skill. I have great faith in Chris. I consider it an honor to work with him and most importantly, I consider him a friend.”
Ombeni Sefue, UN Ambassador from Tanzania
“Bridge the Gap is a great idea and its need has never been greater.”
Peter (Pece) Gorgievski, CEO, Global Dialogue Foundation
“I had the pleasure to work with Chris at international events in Brazil and Azerbaijan recently. He demonstrated such a ‘mighty’ ability to capture undivided attention from the entire audience. On both occasions, Chris delivered a very motivating message to distinguished guests from all over the world. I look forward to working with Chris and have no hesitation in recommending him to any presentation, whether it is to choreograph and/or to deliver.”
Pippa Biddle (Age 19), 2010 Roots and Shoots Youth Leadership Fellow
“Chris, I have had the opportunity to listen to you speak on many occasions, most notably the Global Issues Conference at the American Community School in Abu Dhabi. As a fellow speaker you are a huge role model to me. When you speak to youth and show them your work they are drawn in and captivated. Your energy and youthfulness makes listeners feel excited and energized to make a positive difference in the world. There are dozens of youth traveling around the world speaking at conferences. What makes you different is that you don’t just speak about making a difference, you live it.”
Sam Vaghar, Executive Director or Millennium Campus Network
“Chris is an awesome speaker. As a speaker Chris connects with people in a way that captivates them, but also teaches a lesson. What I love about Chris is his willingness to share his failures as much as his successes. For the Millennium Campus Conference Chris undoubtedly delivered on our goals- to Educate and Empower young people to be the change they wish to see in the world.”
Steven Shashoua, Director, Three Faiths Forum
“Chris’ comes across full of warmth, humor, and enthusiasm. His style is one that leads the audience to be as excited as he is about the topic, as well as putting a smile on their faces. I have heard audiences leaving an event which Chris has MC’d saying “That was the best session of the conference!” This, I feel has much to do with Chris’s presentation. I think my takeaway from hearing Chris speak, is that one can show passion for serious topics but make it accessible and fun for every member of the audience to listen to. Chris’ greatest gift is that he is endearing, and he knows that!”
Vivien Looi, Events Manager, Reach Out to Asaia Qatar
“Reach Out To Asia selected Chris to present in our annual youth conference. Chris’ work on Bridge The Gap is aligned to one of our themes, Global Citizenship. The youth participants responded positively towards Chris’ presentation. He delivered his message meaningfully through his life story and he brought positive energy to the conference. Chris made an effort to mingle with the participants and get to know them. As a young and dynamic activist, Chris inspired the youth to carry on to be a change agent. I trust that Chris will continue to build more bridges to close the gap and transfer his knowledge to the young generation.”
Students from Doha, Qatar, High School (Nada, Emad, Habiba, and Dana, all 17 years old)
“The way Chris had invited us into his own life was very mesmerizing . He made sure he broke whatever barriers there were between him and his audience; that itself was a very successful move for it drew everyone in. By sharing the story of his life, He portrayed all his struggles and the several phases of confusion and downhill’s he’s been through . The inspiring part was when he shifted from that tone to a positive one when he elaborated about overcoming such difficulties and achieving the impossible. The other part that was very inspiring was when he showed us the video he had taken in Africa where he had faced his fear with bee’s and undergone a very difficult task with villagers. It showed how simple ,diverse and modest his character was which also allowed people to relate to him in many ways. Overall , he is a true inspiration due to all his achievements that he achieved as a person working to develop himself from with in and leaving an international print in the world.”
Frank Fredericks, Executive Director, World Faith
“Chris presents with a smooth confidence that both sets the tone of the event and captures the attention of the audience. He harnesses the ethos of social entrepreneurship, and would be an asset to any event requiring a quality speaker.”
