There were a few changes from last year's Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR) benefit dinner. Charlie Rose served as the M.C. instead of Tom Brokaw, who performed M.C. duties last year. And instead of orchid centerpieces, there were Zagat dining restaurant maps in the center of the tables. But the venue, Pier Sixty, was the same, thanks to Tom Bernstein, president of both Chelsea Piers Management and LCHM's board of directors. Held to benefit the Committee's efforts to provide legal representation for refugees and victims of human rights violations worldwide, the event drew more than 700 volunteer lawyers, corporate donors, staff members and activists.
The event--organized by LCHR development director Anne Travers and produced by Aaron Consulting--was a little different than most. The entire awards show was presented before the entree was served. Abigail Kirsch pre-set a cold roasted tomato soup with a parmesan foccacia crostini for the first course, and the awards show was followed up with a Moroccan striped sea bass with potatoes and a mochaccino ice cream pyramid for dessert.
For the awards presentation, Elisa Massimino, director of LCHR's Washington, D.C., bureau, presented an award to Tibetan refugee advocate Amchok Thubten Gyamtso; LCHR board member Sigourney Weaver presented an award to--and at six feet tall, towered over--award recipient and Bangladeshi women's rights organizer Salma Sobhan; and Kerry Kennedy Cuomo presented an award to Francisco de Roux, a champion of Colombian economic development and human rights. "Your cause for human rights is ours, your anger and grief is ours," Roux said in his speech, speaking of the world's sympathy for America and the victims of the World Trade Center attack.
--Suzanne Ito
The event--organized by LCHR development director Anne Travers and produced by Aaron Consulting--was a little different than most. The entire awards show was presented before the entree was served. Abigail Kirsch pre-set a cold roasted tomato soup with a parmesan foccacia crostini for the first course, and the awards show was followed up with a Moroccan striped sea bass with potatoes and a mochaccino ice cream pyramid for dessert.
For the awards presentation, Elisa Massimino, director of LCHR's Washington, D.C., bureau, presented an award to Tibetan refugee advocate Amchok Thubten Gyamtso; LCHR board member Sigourney Weaver presented an award to--and at six feet tall, towered over--award recipient and Bangladeshi women's rights organizer Salma Sobhan; and Kerry Kennedy Cuomo presented an award to Francisco de Roux, a champion of Colombian economic development and human rights. "Your cause for human rights is ours, your anger and grief is ours," Roux said in his speech, speaking of the world's sympathy for America and the victims of the World Trade Center attack.
--Suzanne Ito