2008 UNICEF Snowflake Ball honors Lucy Liu and Gary Cohen
Fundraising gala, presented by Baccarat, to take place in New York City on Dec 3
NEW YORK (December 2, 2008) — The UNICEF Snowflake Ball will take place on December 3 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The special evening is an annual black-tie fundraising gala 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, will be co-chaired by Hilary Gumbel and Amy Robbins. Barbara Bush and Maggie Betts will serve as Gala Junior Chairs. Town & Country Editor-in-Chief Pamela Fiori and internationally recognized interior designer Charlotte Moss will serve as UNICEF Snowflake Project Co-Chairs.
The evening will entail a live auction hosted by Hugh Hildesley from Sotheby’s as well as a very special dinner menu designed by the Chef Committee, which is led by UNICEF Ambassador Marcus Samuelsson and includes Matt Hoyle of Nobu 57 and Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago.
At the NYC Ball, UNICEF will present 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 will present 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.
Additionally during dinner, guests will enjoy a live performance from Island recording artist Jon McLaughlin. “Beating My Heart,” the single from Jon’s newest release OK NOW is burning up the radio charts. Last year Jon performed at the 80th Annual Academy Awards show; his show stopping performance of the song "So Close," from Disney’s Enchanted, resulted in a 1,514 percent overnight sales increase on Amazon.com. Visit jonmcl.com for more details.
This year’s gala is 100 percent underwritten and all proceeds raised will go directly towards UNICEF. The 2007 NYC UNICEF Snowflake Ball raised $2.4 million. For UNICEF Snowflake Ball Tickets, please call Event Associates at 212.245.6570.
About UNICEF
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. For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicefusa.org.
About Baccarat
Founded in 1764, Baccarat is recognized globally as the eminent creator of luxury crystal, with a diverse product assortment that in addition to traditional crystal lighting, home décor, stemware, barware and giftware now includes jewelry and fashion accessories. Headquartered in Paris, with manufacturing in Baccarat, France, the company is majority owned by Starwood Capital, whose interests also include luxury hotels such as the Crillon and Lutetia and French fragrance-house Annick Goutal. Baccarat is available in the U.S. at leading department stores and fine specialty and jewelry stores, as well as at the company’s 12 freestanding boutiques in New York, Houston, Dallas, Hawaii, Troy, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, Palm Desert, Greenwich, Costa Mesa and Atlantic City.
Press Contacts
Katherine White, Paul Wilmot Communications, 212.206.7447 ext. 22, kwhite@greatpress.com
Marci Greenberg, U.S. Fund for UNICEF Media, 212.922.2464, MGreenberg@unicefusa.org
