The latest film from Oscar-winner David Puttnam will open the International School Safety Convention in Denver, April 21-23, 2010, where it will be used by 600 education leaders to help shape their group report, "100 New Ideas for Creating Safer Schools for a Safer World."

David Puttnam

The feature documentary, "We Are The People We've Been Waiting For," explores the future of education and school climate, visiting teachers who successfully connect with all their students to create safe and meaningful learning.

Special screenings at the convention will be followed by audience discussions with surprise guests from the movie. Follow-up sessions will cover topics such as education under attack around the world, new school construction, safe school design, cyber safe schools, crime prevention through environmental design, and next-generation school safety.

The International School Safety Convention and the movie screenings are by invitation only. Invitations can be requested from the host, the Foundation for the Prevention of School Violence, by visiting their website at www.PreventingSchoolViolence.org or by contacting the Foundation at Johnson & Wales University College of Business in Denver.

"This is a film that guarantees productive dialogue about preventing school violence," said program chair Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, the world's leading nonprofit campus safety organization. "The movie suggests ways to promote a culture of safety both in our schools and in a challenging world," he said.

The film's executive producer, David Puttnam, won the Academy Award for Best Picture for his film, "Chariots of Fire." His other films include "The Killing Fields" and "The Mission," widely regarded as classics of world cinema. He has also long been a champion of excellent teachers and advanced learning technologies.

In the UK, Puttnam founded the National Teaching Awards, was the founding chairman of the General Teaching Council, and was appointed chancellor of the Open University. He is also chairman of Futurelab and sits on the board of directors of Promethean, the company providing smart board technology to make the convention highly interactive and results-oriented.

The event is sponsored by the Foundation for the Prevention of School Violence and SchoolSAFE Communications, both based in Denver, and will bring onto the stage leading experts on school safety and school design, including Michael Dorn, Randy Atlas, Tod Schneider, Dave Cullen, Sara Strizzi, Dick Caster, Dennis McCarthy, Alan Ford, and architects and engineers from Perkins + Will and Weidlinger Associates.

The leadership networking events are designed for state and district-level decision-makers, architects and others involved in school design and construction, and heads of agencies, associations, and humanitarian organizations.

This is the 4th annual leadership event hosted by the Foundation, and since it takes place every year on the anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado, the event is also open to all members of the media, particularly those who will help carry forward a national and worldwide conversation on safe school design and the future of school safety.