The
UNICEF Snowflake Ball was held on December 3, 2008 at Cipriani 42nd
Street in New York City. Over $2 million was raised at this
special evening celebrating the lighting of the UNICEF Snowflake
and honoring those individuals who have made key contributions to
UNICEF's mission to save and improve children's lives
worldwide.
The lighting of the UNICEF Snowflake—which is suspended at
the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in New York—marks
the beginning of the holiday giving season and exists as a beacon
of hope, peace and compassion for children around the world. The
New York Snowflake, donated by the Stonbely family, was engineered
and entirely handcrafted by designer Ingo Maurer and his team in
Germany, and is 23 feet in diameter, over 28 feet in height, weighs
more than 3,300 pounds and uses 16,000 Baccarat crystal prisms.
The 2008 NYC Snowflake Ball, hosted by Bryant Gumbel, was co-chaired
by Hilary Gumbel and Amy Robbins. Barbara Bush and Maggie Betts served
as Gala Junior chairs. Town & Country editor-in-chief Pamela
Fiori and internationally recognized interior designer Charlotte
Moss served as UNICEF Snowflake Project co-chairs.
The evening included a live auction hosted by Hugh Hildesley from
Sotheby's as well as a very special dinner menu designed by
the Chef Committee, which was led by UNICEF Ambassador Marcus Samuelsson
and included Matt Hoyle of Nobu 57 and Charlie Trotter of Charlie
Trotter's, Chicago.
At the NYC Ball, UNICEF presented the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award
to Lucy Liu, UNICEF Ambassador, who has used her influence as a force
for the survival, protection and development of women and children. Additionally,
UNICEF presented the Helenka Pantaleoni Award to Board member Gary
Cohen, an executive vice president of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company),
who has dedicated a significant amount of both his professional and
personal life to addressing developing world health issues.
Guests included: Mayor Bloomberg, Lauren Bush, Lisa Dennison, Donny
Deutsch, Sanjay Gupta, Olivia Harrison, Jessica Joffe, Annette Lauer
and Matt Lauer, Cynthia Lufkin and Dan Lufkin, David Lauren, Alexandra
Lebenthal, Tea Leoni, Naeem Khan, Sylvester Miniter and Gillian
Miniter, Dikembe Mutombo, Anthony Pantaleoni, Marcus Samuelsson,
and Cicely Tyson.
For more than 60 years, UNICEF has been the world's leading
international children's organization, working in over 150
countries to address the ongoing issues that affect why kids are
dying. UNICEF provides lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education,
protection and emergency response saving more young lives than any
other humanitarian organization in the world. While millions
of children die every year of preventable causes like dehydration,
upper respiratory infections and measles, UNICEF, with the support
of partnering organizations and donors alike, has the global experience,
resources and reach to give children the best hope of survival.
