Peace Islands Institute Annual Gala 2014

Chirlane McCray, The First Lady of New York City
Chirlane McCray, The First Lady of New York City


Date posted: December 31, 2014

New York City’s First Lady and top diplomats speak at Peace Islands Institute Gala

New York City’s First Lady, United Nations Ambassadors, Korean Cultural Center Service, iHeart Radio Host, Tiffany & Co. Ambassador, a Broadway singer and international pianist joined forces to celebrate a peacebuilding movement.

On November 20, 2014 Peace Islands Institute hosted an audience of 250 people at its Annual Gala at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The gala featured a silent auction, live appeal, dinner and exciting live performances.

The evening was a celebration of Peace Islands Institute’s youth programs, interfaith programs and global programs. Chirlane McCray, The First Lady of New York City, captured the spirit of the event, “On behalf of all New Yorkers, thank you for everything you do to bring people from different cultures together and help them find a common cause.” she said.

Helen Little, midday host for iHeart Radio’s WLTW- 106.7 Lite FM, served as Mistress of Ceremonies.

The Korean Cultural Service NY, Tiffany & Co.’s Tony Vaughn, Broadway singer Amy Rivard and international pianist Paul Knight provided entertainment.

The night concluded with an interactive live appeal that encouraged audience members to donate to their favorite programs. During the live appeal Narinder Kakar, UN Permanent Observer of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Mamadou Tangara, UN Ambassador from The Gambia, implored the audience to give. In less than 30 minutes, the live appeal raised $300,000 for Peace Islands Institute’s programs.

Source: Peace Islands Institute , December 16, 2014


Related News

A Rare Interview: Jamie Tarabay Meets Turkish Scholar Fethullah Gulen

Gulen’s lectures have inspired business and community leaders to open 135 schools in 26 states. “They’re academically focused. They’re not religious schools. It’s really about building intellectuals, intelligent and business leaders for the future,” Jamie said. Up until now, Gulen remained a mystery to the public and only appeared on video webcasts. Jamie’s interview has served as a bridge for Americans to become acquainted with the reclusive scholar.

Turkish cultural center celebrates opening in Mount Prospect

An untimely power outage couldn’t dim the mood of hundreds of people who gathered Saturday to celebrate the new Turkish American Society of Chicago Cultural Center in Mount Prospect. “There’s some irony here because out of today’s darkness, this center will be a real beacon, a light on the greatness of your community,” U.S. Rep. […]

Turkish Charity in Virginia send 30 thousand blankets to Syrian refugees

Organizing an aid campaign in USA’s Virginia state, Turkey’s Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There?) charity association managed to collect 30 thousand blankets and USD 70,000 for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Five new mosque-cemevi projects on the way

There are plans to launch joint mosque-cemevi (Alevi house of worship) projects in five other Turkish provinces in addition to the recently launched project in the Turkish capital city of Ankara, the Radikal daily reported on Tuesday. According to the daily, the locations of the new mosque-cemevi projects will be the Kartal district in İstanbul, […]

14th Annual Friendship Dinner and Award Ceremony

The event, sponsored by The Peace Islands Institute (PII) and The Turkish Cultural Center of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (TCCP), has grown each year to host Pittsburgh’s most influential community leaders. This year, the event hosted more than 300 distinguished guests including local and federal politicians and officers, NGO representatives, faculty, and other community leaders.

South Korean NGO: It’s hard to make sense of what is being done to Kimse Yok Mu

Officials of Bonita, a South Korean NGO that engages in research and efforts for children and labor rights, said they find it hard to make sense of the oppression against Kimse Yok Mu (KYM). The officials recently went to Aceh, Indonesia, to witness the KYM efforts during Eid al-Adha. The region had suffered most in the tsunami that hit the country in 2005.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Did you say extradition?

Kimse Yok Mu enables African girls to go to school

Syracuse celebrates Turkish culture, cuisine at City Hall event

At home and abroad, Erdogan shoots himself in the foot

African Professor lauds ‘Kimse Yok Mu’ as model relief organization

Erdoğan’s image in the West

KYM volunteer doctors distribute Ramadan aid in Kenya

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News