Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Nora Ephron, and Arianna Huffington to Speak at Omega Institute's Annual "Being Fearless" Conference in New York

RHINEBECK, NY - During a time when many Americans are gripped by the combined anxiety of war, terrorism, economic disruption and global climate change, the upstate New York-based Omega Institute has a different message: hope and personal courage are the antidotes to fear.

It's a message that will be delivered by former Vice President Al Gore, famed primatologist Jane Goodall, best-selling author and screenwriter Nora Ephron, nationally syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington, and a host of other speakers at their fourth annual "Being Fearless" conference to be held at the Sheraton Hotel April 13-15.

"We are thrilled with the line-up of speakers for this year's conference," said Skip Backus, Executive Director of the Omega Institute, a nonprofit educational center that specializes in wellness and personal growth. "Four years ago we hosted a 'Being Fearless' conference to help New Yorkers who found themselves struggling in the post-9/11 world. The response was so overwhelming that we've been hosting it ever since, and this will be our best one yet."

"I primarily know the Omega Institute for their outstanding work around issues related to environmental sustainability, but I am very much looking forward to this particular conference," said former Vice President Al Gore. "Individuals and nations alike succeed or fail-and define their essential character-by the way they respond to challenges and cope with fear. I applaud the Omega Institute for the work it is doing in this area," he said.

The Omega Institute was founded 30 years ago and has grown into the nation's most respected source for wellness and personal growth. Every year, more than 20,000 people attend workshops, seminars, conferences and learning vacations. Most come to Omega's campus, which is situated on 195 acres in Rhinebeck, NY, but Omega also hosts events in New York City and in various places throughout the world. This year, there are retreats in Costa Rica and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Omega is also building a year-round community through live streaming and downloads.

"Through all of our conferences and workshops, we seek to create a space where meaningful dialogue can take place. It's not just personal growth that people want, but broader social change. This conference also reflects our desire to play a bigger role in facilitating a larger dialogue," Backus said.

Tickets to the "Being Fearless" conference can be obtained by calling 1-800-944-1001 or by visiting www.eomega.org or www.beingfearless.org .

For press planning purposes only:

Al Gore's speech will not be open press, but all other keynote sessions- Arianna Huffington, Nora Ephron and Jane Goodall will be open press. However, these speakers will not be available for individual interviews. There will be no cameras allowed at any time.

Dozens of other speakers will speak to conference attendees throughout the weekend. A complete list can be found here: http://www.beingfearless.org /faculty.html. These sessions are open press, but we request if you would like to specifically interview a faculty member, you go through the formal approval process facilitated by me. As we do everything in our power to respect our relationships with faculty, we ask that you do the same and do not try to interview faculty outside of the arranged times.