A Little $$$ Going a Long Way
If you’re trying to open a restaurant or start a jewelry business in a developing country, a loan of a few hundred dollars can make the difference between success and failure. For 50 years, nonprofit ACCION has pioneered supporting micro-finance projects in low-income communities around the globe, and recently raised more than a million dollars for that cause at a gala benefit dinner.
Board Chair Diana Taylor “hosted” the evening. Introduced by Newsweek/Daily Beast Editor-in-Chief Tina Brown, she lauded ACCION’s life-changing work. Anchor/author Tom Brokaw introduced Citicorp CEO Vikram Pandit, the evening’s honoree.
Successful “entrepreneurs” from Cameroon and San Diego via Cuba told the crowd how ACCION loans had enabled them to start thriving businesses, and everyone took home gift bags with sample ACCION sponsored products: acai seed bracelets from Brazil, pressed flower bookmarks from Honduras, and brightly hand-painted boxes from India. http://www.accion.org
Shopping and Sloan-Kettering
Mallett’s trio of cut glass vases, a carved wooden console table at Kentshire and Picasso’s “Old King” print at Jane Kahan’s booth were some of the items that caught our eye at the 23rd Annual Preview Party for the International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show. Sponsored for the last 23 years by the Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the party raises money for patient care, research and education programs.
Sampling delicious mini hamburgers and hot dogs, platters of smoked salmon, and tiny grilled cheese sandwich triangles catered by perennial favorite “Glorious Foods,” we spotted the “Prince of Chintz” Mario Buatta (celebrating his birthday), garden designer Memrie Lewis, decorators Bunny Williams and John Rosselli, and Mayor Bloomberg with girlfriend Diana Taylor. http://www.thesocietyofmskcc.org
Forging Future Friendship
Up at Columbia University, recognizing that the old TransAtlantic relationship is over in the light of global changes, and that understanding Europe is more important than ever, they celebrated the naming of the Donald and Vera Blinken European Studies Institute. Several new series of seminars will focus on our mutual political economy, public diplomacy and communication.
Security advisor to President Obama and Vice President Biden Antony J. Blinken delivered the inaugural address to Columbia President Lee Bollinger, fashion designer Adrienne Vittadini, Ambassadors Karoly Dan, Mark Palmer, Philip Reeker, Bruce Gelb and others feting and saluting the new underwriters, a former Ambassador to Hungary and his Hungarian-born wife. http://www.ei.columbia.edu.
