|
China Institute
Honors Four Extraordinary Individuals
at Annual Blue Cloud Gala
At a challenging
time for U.S.-China relations,
honorees and attendees
underscore importance of cross-cultural exchange
In a glamorous
evening of inspirational speeches, moving music, and
ballroom dancing, China Institute broughttogether over 250
leading figures in the arts, culture, business,
philanthropy, and education to underscore the importance of
understanding China and celebrate its 2018 Blue Cloud Gala
at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.
At the
Gala, China Institute bestowed its Blue Cloud Award,
representing the Chinese symbol of high virtue and status,
to four inspiring people whose exceptional achievements
contribute significantly to U.S.-China understanding.
This year’s
honorees were
Howard P. Milstein, Dame
Jillian Sackler,
John S. Long,and Liu Dan:
Howard
P. Milstein(米皓文)
leads a family that has been prominent in business and
philanthropy for four generations. He is Chairman, President
and Chief Executive Officer of New York Private Bank & Trust
and its operating bank, Emigrant Bank (the country’s largest
privately owned, family-run bank). Mr. Milstein has made
substantial contributions to Chinese medical development to
strengthen ties between the U.S. and China and is also a
board member of the
National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
Dame
Jillian Sackler (吉琳.賽克勒)
is building cultural bridges
between people around the world. Dame Sackler and her late
husband, Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, donated research centers,
health centers, and art institutions around the world. As
president and CEO of the Dame Jillian & Dr. Arthur M.
Sackler Foundation for the Arts, Sciences & Humanities, she
founded the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology
at Peking University in Beijing. She is also chairman of the
Foreign Policy Association, which promotes cross-cultural
knowledge and appreciation.
John S. Long (梁仕源)
is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Highridge Partners. Mr. Long
and his family foundationestablished the University of
California Irvine Long Institute, which bridges
understanding between the U.S. and China in the areas of
business, law, and society.
Mr. Long is
the Founding Chairman of the UCLA Real Estate Center as well
as a member of the UCLA Foundation Board of Governors and
the UCLA Anderson School’s Board of Advisors. Mr. Long also
serves on the Advisory Board of the Asia Society of Southern
California.
Liu Dan
(劉丹)
is among the mossignificant
living artists in China. Mr. Liu has pioneered an
idiosyncratic idiom in the contemporary practice of ink that
redefines the boundaries of convention. Public collections
with his works include The British Museum, London; Musée
Guimet, Paris; Andrew Mellon Foundation, New York; The
Arthur M. Sackler Museum of the Harvard University Art
Museums, Cambridge, MA; The Brooklyn Museum, New York; the
Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis and others.
“Our honorees embody the mission and ‘Qi,’ or
‘energy’ of China Institute to provide access, context, and
knowledge of China and strengthen understanding between two
of the world’s richest cultures,” said Chien Cheng (Didi)
Pei, Co-Chair of China Institute.
Two new China Institute initiatives were also
announced at the gala:
With support from The Long Family Foundation,
China Institute is launching the
U.S.-China Next
Generation Philanthropy Initiative,
which will provide opportunities for emerging Chinese and
American philanthropists and social innovators to work
together and seek solutions for today’s most pressing
challenges.
Another new initiative,
Music at China Institute (华美音乐), a collaboration with
the Bard College Conservatory of Music and its US-China
Music Institute, will bring the teaching of Chinese
traditional music to people of all ages and backgrounds in
the heart of New York City.
James Heimowitz, President of China
Institute, stressed the reasons for broader non-governmental
engagement between the U.S. and China, especially during
these particular periods:
“This is a tough time for U.S.-China
relations, as both countries adjust to China’s emergence on
the world stage. We think that makes China Institute’s
mission—educating people about China—more important than
ever,” Heimowitz said. “These are the two most important
countries on the planet, and we have to learn to work
together
to solve global challenges.”
Musicians from the U.S. China Music Institute
at Bard College Conservatory performed during the evening.
Professional ballroom champions Victor Fung and Anastasia
Muravyeva also performed. Arthur Ch’ien, WNYW Fox 5
contributor and Emmy-Award winning journalist, was master of
ceremonies for the evening.
More
information available on the gala website:
https://www.chinainstitute.org/2018-blue-cloud-gala/
Co-Chairs
Chien
Chung Pei, Board Co-Chair
Yue-Sai
Kan, Board Co-Chair
Anla
Cheng, Gala Co-Chair
About China Institute
China Institute
advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in
education, culture, art, and business. China Institute is
the go-to resource on China—from ancient art to today’s
business landscape and its rapidly shifting culture. Our
programs, school, and gallery exhibitions bring to life the
depth, complexity and dynamism of China.Founded in 1926 by
Chinese reformers Hu Shi, K.P. Wen, and John Dewey, China
Institute is the oldest bicultural, non-profit organization
in America to focus exclusively on China.
|