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

America Shouldn’t Give up Fethullah Gülen to Turkey

Erdoğan played the failed coup rather like Adolf Hitler used the Reichstag fire: as a fortuitous opportunity to crush critics as well as enemies. Indeed, there were suggestions that the Erdoğan government was aware of the plot but chose to allow plotters to proceed in hopes of reaping political gain.

An Interfaith Trip to Turkey: A Lesson in History

Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli In the sixth century, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian ordered a new church to be built in his capital of Constantinople. It was dedicated to Holy Wisdom and bore the name Hagia Sophia. When the construction was completed, Justinian is said to have exclaimed, “Solomon, I have outdone thee!”  For nearly a thousand […]

Hizmet Essay Contest 2015

The Hizmet Essay Contest is an annual contest series that encourages research on the Hizmet movement as well as the works of the Turkish Islamic scholar, Fethullah Gulen. The contest aims to motivate individuals to think critically about issues that affect the international society and, how to tackle these important issues from a Hizmet perspective.

Syracuse Turkish community celebrates their heritage with a Children’s Festival

The Syracuse Turkish community and representatives of the Turkish Cultural Center celebrated their National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at Syracuse City Hall

Kimse Yok Mu reaches out to tribe in Panama

Located on Ustopo Island, the volunteers form the Kimse Yok Mu went to the tribe named Kunayala through some special boats and a plane. Locals of the tribe, which has a population of 7,000 people, welcomed Kimse Yok Mu officials with great joy.

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. […]

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

Inside Turkey’s Purge

Turkey Concedes: No Evidence Linking Gulen to Coup Sent to Washington

Ugandan FA Minister: Turkish schools paved the way for Turkey to reach out to Africa

Reports of en masse wiretappings denied by prosecutors

Turkish gov’t detains more than 70 women over their alleged financial support for jailed Gülen followers

[Press Release] The Corruption and Slander against the Hizmet Movement

US calls decision by Turkey to seize Zaman newspaper ’troubling’

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News