Dr. John Brademas, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue and Dikembe Mutombo
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NEW YORK, April 20, 2010 – Miracle Corners of the World (MCW) celebrated its tenth anniversary at its sixth annual gala dinner and silent auction on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at New York University. Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete attended the festive event to show his continued support of MCW’s youth empowerment and community development work in Tanzania.
In his remarks, President Kikwete spoke about the challenges facing Tanzania, focusing on youth and healthcare. He highlighted the importance of building international public-private partnerships and the role that non profit organizations, like MCW, can play in Tanzania’s continued growth.
At the gala, MCW honored individuals, who have committed themselves to making a positive difference in their own communities. NYU President John Sexton presented the MCW Lifetime Achievement Award to NYU President Emeritus and former U.S. House of Representatives Majority Whip Dr. John Brademas. MCW Leadership awards were presented to retired Houston Rocket player Dikembe Mutombo, who also heads the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, and Tanzanian Ambassador to the U.S., Ombeni Sefue. CNN Chief Business Correspondent Ali Velshi emceed the evening program. Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region, and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, also attended the event.
“It is with great pride that MCW stands here tonight with such a distinguished group of honorees and guests on the occasion of MCW’s tenth anniversary,” said Executive Director Edward Bergman in his welcoming remarks. “As we look ahead to the next decade, we remain committed to ‘delivering on a promise’ to continue to empower youth to make change in their communities. And we hope to achieve another decade of success with the generous support of our donors, partners, volunteers and friends.”
The gala was attended by nearly 400 guests from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, who helped MCW raise a record of almost $600,000 for their leadership training, community center, oral healthcare and genocide prevention programs across Africa and in the United States.
The event included musical performances by Amma Agyapon, an MCW Youth Leadership Retreat Alumna, as well as a recipient of the 2009 Alumni Ventures Fund (AVF).
At the silent auction, MCW auctioned off over 35 items, with the two round-trip American Airlines business class tickets from U.S. to Europe receiving the highest bid of the evening.
On the morning of the gala, the MCW team, alongside Henry Schein Inc. representatives, rang the Opening Bell at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City’s Times Square. Dikembe Mutombo also participated in the event.
For pictures from the gala and a video of the NASDAQ opening, click here.
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