Soros honored at International Rescue Committee’s annual Freedom Award Dinner in New York. Event raises almost $3.5 million to support the IRC’s life-saving work.
New York – The International Rescue Committee hosted its annual Freedom Award Dinner last night,raising almost $3.5 million to support the organization’s lifesaving humanitarian aid work around the world. The dinner, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, honored democracy and human rights supporter, philanthropist and businessman George Soros, who received the IRC’s Freedom Award.
Soros described the Syria crisis as a glaring failure of international governance and called for a more robust humanitarian response.
“Right now we are witnessing a major unresolved humanitarian crisis in Syria,” Soros said. “People are starving. Soon they will be freezing, children are malnourished and the first cases of actual starvation have been observed.” Soros warned that if the situation stretches into winter the death toll could well begin to exceed the victims of violence.
“The IRC is as much needed today as it was when it was founded in 1933 to assist the victims of Nazi persecution,” Soros said. He announced he was donating $1 million “to encourage the IRC to step up its efforts with the dual aim of activating global public opinion and mobilizing a meaningful response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.” (View video of George Soros’ speech here.)
The evening’s program also included former President Bill Clinton, founding chairman of the Clinton Global Initiative. Introducing David Miliband, the IRC’s new president and CEO, Clinton joked that he was “just a tad jealous” when he heard that Mr. Miliband was joining the IRC. “I couldn’t tell whether I was jealous that he wasn’t running my foundation or that I wasn’t asked to run yours,” Clinton said. Clinton went on to describe the IRC as an “astonishingly active partner” with CGI. He expressed appreciation that the IRC goes to the world’s most difficult places, like Syria and Jordan and deals with the most complex of problems with “a commitment to be fast and lean and good.”
David Miliband in his remarks to approximately 950 IRC donors and supporters said, “The world has never more needed the IRC. Fewer wars than ever before, yet more refugees than ever before; the average refugee out of their home for 17 years; more than 70% of refugees not in refugee camps. We need new ways of rebuilding and saving lives and that is what the IRC does best. The IRC is ready to do things that few others dare to do in the 40 countries we operated in. Private donations help us back innovation so we can pioneer the ideas that help us change lives right around the world.” (View video of David Miliband’s speech here).
The evening’s program also featured remarks by CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, former U.S. secretary of stateMadeleine Albright, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, and JS Capital CEO Jonathan Soros and a performance by acclaimed jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman, with pianist Aaron Goldberg.
Also in attendance were musician Debbie Harry, Sarah Wayne Callies (“The Walking Dead”), Reshma Shetty (USA Network “Royal Pains”), Danushka Lysek (Food Network), Brad Raider (“Kensho at the Bedfellow”), Kathryn Erbe (“Law & Order”), Kaley Ronayne (“Carrie Diaries”), Sahr Ngaujah (“Fela!”), and IRC New Roots Spokespeople and celebrity chefsDavid Burke and Viet Pham and The Cooking Channel host Eden Grinshpan.
About the International Rescue Committee: A global leader in humanitarian assistance, the International Rescue Committee works in more than 40 countries offering help and hope to refugees and others impacted by violent conflict and disaster. During crises, IRC teams provide health care, shelter, clean water, sanitation, learning programs for children and special aid for women. As emergencies subside, the IRC stays to revive livelihoods and help shattered communities recover and rebuild. Every year, the IRC also helps resettle thousands of refugees admitted into the United States, in 22 cities across the country. A tireless advocate for the most vulnerable, the IRC is committed to restoring hope, dignity and opportunity. For more information, visit www.rescue.org. Follow the IRC on Twitter: @theIRC, @IRCPress.
