NEW YORK CITY—Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder was
honored Thursday night at an intimate
celebration hosted by the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation,
becoming the fifth recipient of its prestigious Peace
and Innovation Award, designed by the late Shimon Peres
himself. The event was co-hosted by the UN Women for Peace
Association (UNWFPA), an international women’s empowerment
group.
Chemi Peres,
one of the world’s most respected technology venture
capitalists, the son of Israel’s Ninth President Shimon Peres
and chairman of the board of the Peres Center for Peace and
Innovation, presented the award. He noted that his father’s
stroke, which precipitated his passing, occurred exactly two
years ago to the day. He reflected on Shimon’s legacy, his close
friendship with Ambassador Lauder, and the special meaning of
the occasion.
“Ambassador Lauder is one of the few Jewish leaders who speaks
out, who states their mind, who cares, who has actions
everywhere, and I’m deeply honored to present him with this
award today,” Chemi Peres said.
Ambassador Lauder shared
memories of his friendship with the late President Peres,
including the time he took his two grandsons to meet Peres in
Israel, and traveling with Peres to a nanotechnology conference
at the University of Pennsylvania and being floored by his
mastery of the issue. He also spoke about continuing Peres’s
work on the two-state solution.
“It’s my basic belief that the future of Israel
is through peace with our Arab neighbors,” Lauder said. “And
until that time comes, my fear, very much, is that we’ll miss an
opportunity.” Lauder, who has been President of the World
Jewish Congress since 2007, is one of the world’s most
influential voices on Jewish issues and a strong advocate of the
two-state solution.
The invitation-only dinner was attended by 40
guests, including leading Jewish philanthropists.
The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation was
founded in 1996 by the Ninth President of Israel and Nobel
Laureate Shimon Peres.
For further inquiries, please contact: Michal
Grayevsky, JCS International,
O: 347-556-5198,office@mg745fifth.com.
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