Our next performer is Miss Kerry Walsh. She is an internationally respected soprano whose wide range of musical talents encompasses a wide range of styles.

She trained at the Juilliard School in New York, and her voice has been highly praised by admirers with words such as “glamorous”, “rapturous” and “meltingly beautiful”, which is interestingly the same words that I used to describe Lionel. She excels in lyric soprano and dramatic coloratura with a repertoire that ranges from early through modern music, theatre, chamber music, as well as romantic opera.

Noted for her wonderful grace and her charm on screen as well as on stage, Kerry has also been an actress in theatre, television, film. She can sing in over 20 languages, which is quite an accomplishment, and these include Japanese, Ethiopian, Balinese and Arabic. With a seemingly endless variety and reserve of musical abilities, Kerry is also a very talented flutist.

Tonight she will be performing “Habanera” from Bizet’s wonderful opera “Carmen”. Ladies and gentleman, please warmly welcome Miss Kerry Walsh.

Thank you. I just wanted to say a little word about this song. I was trying to decide what I would bring to this wonderful occasion, and I thought, what’s more appropriate than a song about love, because everywhere Supreme Master is, there is so much love surrounding the occasion and everyone there. And you will hear “amour, amour, amour” over and over and over again in this song, very famous song about love.

Love is a rebellious bird That nobody can tame, And you call him quite in vain If it suits him not to come. Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer. One man talks well, the other's mum; It's the other one that I prefer. He's silent but I like his looks. Love! Love! Love! Love! Love is a gypsy's child, It has never, ever known a law; If you love me not, then I love you; If I love you, you'd best beware! If you love me not, if you love me not, I love you. But if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

If you love me not, if you love me not, I love you. But if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware! The bird you thought you had caught Beat its wings and flew away… Love stays away, you may wait. When least expected, there it is. All around you, swift, so swift, It comes, it goes, and then returns ... You think you hold it fast, it flees. You think you're free, it holds you fast. Love! Love! Love! Love! Love is a gypsy's child, it has never, ever known a law. If you love me not, then I love you; If I love you, you'd best beware! If you love me not, if you love me not, I love you. But if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

If you love me not, if you love me not, I love you. But if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

No matter how many times I have sung that song, it’s always so much fun. (Encore!) I don’t know, I’ve sung it a million times, but it’s just always a blast. I just wanted to say again this is such an honor and such a thrill to be here. I’ve had the, the privilege and the pleasure to be acquainted with Supreme Master for twelve years. And I can’t say too much, because I get very emotional, but I hope everyone is having a wonderful time. It’s just magical. I feel the energy in the air, and I am so honored, and this song I sang with all the love in my heart to Supreme Master.

Bravo! Bravo, Kerry.

(Wonderful!) Thank you so much for that truly moving performance.

(Just gorgeous!)

What a voice! I wish I had a voice like that.

There is a reason why we are all here.

There is a very good reason why we are all here, and that is obviously a concern for the world in which we live. Both Mariana and I are vegans. And maybe you want to tell the folks in the room as well as me, because I don’t know what made you become a vegetarian, what made you adopt this lifestyle?

Well, I had grown up vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian since I was four years old. And that actually happened one evening when my family and I were in a car driving on a freeway, and next to us was one of those very long trucks with the slats on the side. And I looked over and I locked eyes with a cow, who was staring at me. And these eyes were just so soulful to me, I knew that there was sadness behind there.

And I asked my Dad, I said, “Where are they going?” And he very unceremoniously turned to me and said, “They are going to be dinner.” And at that age, I knew instantly that I didn’t want any part of that. There was an energy to it that I didn’t want to be part of. (How old were you?) I was four or five years old at that point. And that was the last time that I ate anything that had eyes and possessed a soul in the way that I sensed it did.

And about seven years ago, I visited an animal sanctuary, a farm animal sanctuary and was schooled about what really happens on farms in terms of egg production and milk production. I didn’t realize that the process of driving milk from cows entails keeping them (Very cruel!) in a constant state that was very cruel. (I also did not know.) And then the babies that were born were put into the whole cycle of production.

And at that point, that’s all I needed to know, and I went vegan instantly. I haven’t felt like I have been in a deficit for it. So…(And you are still beautiful.) Thank you very much. Why don’t you tell us about your story?

Well, I became vegetarian about…must be at least 45 years ago now. I was working on a film, and we were working on a sound stage. And during the break, the lunch break, the crew decided, well, let’s go up the road, and the closest restaurant was a steakhouse. And we had been up there a number of times, and so we decided to go up there again.

And we sat down, and on the crew, there was a vegetarian. And I ordered the usual hamburger and salad, and he stopped me and he said, “Have you ever thought about what you’re eating?” And I said, “Yes.” And he said, “No, but really thought about it. You know that you’re taking an animal’s life?” And it instantly clicked with me that there is something wrong with this.

So I come to it as well, as Mariana did, I guess from the moral standpoint. It really bugged me. It played on my mind for a long, long time, until I gained enough conviction to take up this lifestyle. And of course, ever since then, one realizes that this does make an enormous difference, not only to your health, but to the planet. And I think an occasion like this, COP16 is a great opportunity to recognize it. It’s not only about what you put in your gas tank, but what you put on your plate, is what is so important. So, with that in mind…

Very well said. Very well said. Thank you.

And now we have a beautiful traditional Mexican dance, titled “El Son de la Negra” performed by the Ballet Folklorico de Cancún.

Yes, Mexicans, the great! Look at your people! I love this! I've always loved it! So happy!

Bronzed girl, cause of my sorrow, flittering eyes, Bronzed girl, cause of my sorrow, flittering eyes, Say yes to everyone, but don’t tell them when, say like that to me That’s why I live in sorrow, like a piece of tired metal! Play it nicely! Yes sir! Let me hear it! For sure! Yes, sir! For sure, yes! Yes, sir!

Long live Mexico!

Bravo, bravo, thank you! Long live Mexico!

Long live Mexico!

That was fantastic. (Yes!) It makes me want to go out and take dancing lessons, doesn’t it? I think I could do that. (I know.) Not with this dress, but… Come up here and dance with me! It’s very contagious, when we saw something like this.

We want to do the same!

The riches of our planet doesn’t only consist of the environment and so on, but people as well. People are what makes the world so amazing. So wonderfully spectrum and colorful and incredibly diverse. And so when you come to an opportunity like this and listen to a group like that, you hear all this wonderful, cultural richness that we have at our disposal, and it’s a real treat. So thank you all again very much for that.

Yes! Long live Cancún! Long live Mexico!

Mexico number 1!

I've had a spectacular time. This has been so much fun. I can't even believe it, magical from when we arrived and the buzz was flying around and we were all sort of giddy and giggling. We were so excited and there was just one amazing performance and we all support each other and admire each other and we’re all honored to be here and it's just wonderful.

I think we're very fortunate with all the resources we have and we don't realize how much gratitude we should have and how much blessing there is all around us for every, every tiny little thing. Everything blesses us and that's why we need to be respectful of all the beings around us, our fellow humans and our fellow creatures and the Earth itself. And I am very happy to hear her and I want to try to help get all these messages across as much as I can.

We should make the public and each individual realize that the Earth desperately needs our diligent protection. I feel it’s wonderful that so many people are promoting the vegan diet, the plant-based diet, and the act of non-killing. To me, it’s a brand new concept. I didn’t pay much attention to this idea before.

Today I heard some of their speeches and saw so many living examples who do not consume animal products. They eat only plant-based food. I think this idea is very progressive. It’s one of the very important messages that we want to deliver to our citizens.

In your own work in the media, will you increase the coverage on veganism in the future?

Yes! I will! In my media work, I have met some friends who have started to be vegetarian. I admire this act and I commend it.

I think it’s really needed to come back to the roots, and those roots to me represent, in a wider sense, being in touch and aligned and in harmony with nature. And that means having a good diet that really supports the entire planet and ecology, and that does not include at all eating animals. Definitely, there’s more than enough in the world to supply everybody without having to eat any animals.

It was a very nice meeting, a very good organization, a very good quality of artists. I liked everything. I think that these are very important messages that the Master is making.

Would you consider going vegan or moving towards more vegetarian diet?

Sure, I will start tomorrow to change it.

Please help! Everybody meditate, vegan, please help! Okay? Not just help yourself, help the world! Supreme Master Ching Hai, I’m going vegan right now! Wow! You’re my hero! One more hero! I was most impressed by her [Supreme Master Ching Hai]. I have received some of your promotional materials in the last few days. I have started reading them. I think veganism is an excellent idea. It’s very important in terms of protecting the Earth and our civilization. I respect her very much. I think we should help spread her ideal. I think more and more people will follow her ideal.

I would like to really thank Supreme Master for her work to the world and to uplift humanity, and to uplift consciousness, and I would love to be able to contribute to her work and message in whatever way possible at any point.

So what would you like to say to our viewers tonight, any message from you?

Well, from me personally, just to follow your heart and try to be a better person in whatever way you can. And watch Supreme Master TV because there's a lot of very, very interesting and inspiring programs on there that people have no idea and you can learn all kinds of interesting things. And of course: Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet!

We appreciated your company today for Supreme Master Television’s rebroadcast of “The Greenest Heroes Gala.” Please join us Wednesday, March 9 for part 5 of our showcase on multi-cultural artistic talent. Stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Words of Wisdom. May all God’s creations be cherished, respected and protected.