2018 “Raising the Roof” Concert at United Nations HQ
For Immediate Release：New York, NY: In support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and its own “Imagining the Possible” program, and in celebration of its 25th year of operations, The International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC) hosted another successful and celebratory“Raising the Roof” Concert on Monday, June 11, 2018 at United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
The evening was presented ICCC Founder Professor Dianne Davis; Concert Chair Ms. Christine Gong, Co-Founder, Chinese Cultural and Art International Organization; and Musical Chair & Producer Mark Barasch, Founder and President, bMedia NY, with priceless Programming help from John Kiehl, co-founder of Soundtrack Recording Studios. Well know television and film actress and former Miss New YorkMs. Brandi Burkhardt served as Master of The Ceremonies and led those in attendance on an eclectic musical journey that included performances by The Children's Orchestra Society (led by Conductor Michael Dadap and Executive Director Dr. Yeou-Cheng Ma); a medley of songs from the score of West Side Story perfomed by the enchanting vocalists Corinn Springer and Damian Faul; a set of South American instrumental pieces from Inti and the Moon; the beautiful operatic voice of Banglingyu Ban, a rousing performance of George Gershwin’s classic Summertime sung by Jennifer Grace with accompaniment from our Musical Chair, Mark Barasch and a stunning final from the United Nations Orchestra under the leadership of Predrag Vasic (which is comprised of musicians from literally across the globe).
In addition to the inspiring musical performances, those in attendance were able to offer appreciation and kudos to three outstanding individuals who were presented with Awards for their extensive and compelling contributions to society. Since its inception, one of ICCC’s unique goals has been to highlight the contributions that private enterprises and individuals have made to the betterment of society. To date over 35 renowned world leaders have received ICCC “Caring Citizen” Awards, and this year’s recipients are exemplary members of this outstanding community. In addition, for this year’s presentation both the ICCC and the Awards recipients were honored to have these Awards presented by Mr. Steven C. Rockefeller Jr., Co-Founder, China Culture and Art International Organization.
ICCC 2018 “Citizen” Award
Dr. Josephine Ojiambo is a well acknowledged global resource for Democracy and Sustainable Development. She is the President of the Rotary Club of Westminister West and the Immediate Past Deputy Secretary-General (Political) at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Between January 2015 and January 2018, she provided oversight of the Commonwealth’s political, human rights, rule of law and communications directorate, as well as for the Economic, social and sustainable development directorate. Prior to her role at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Dr. Ojiambo worked at the United Nations Population Fund headquarters in New York where she served as Chief of the Executive Board and External Relations Branch with responsibility for intergovernmental relations, and also for building strategic relations with UN agencies, civil society and the private sector. She was formerly Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations. In her role as Ambassador, she notably engaged with a range of committees at the UN General Assembly on themes including international peace and security, human rights, humanitarian aid and south-south cooperation.
ICCC 2018 “Caring Citizen of the Humanities” Award
Dean Urs Peter Gauchat, Dean Emeritus and Professor, College of Architecture and Design, New Jersey Institute of Technology. During his long and productive tenure, Gauchat ushered the school into the digital age, doubled its enrollment, and established the College of Architecture and Design by introducing programs in Interior Design, Industrial Design and Digital Design. The “Imaging Lab” became the platform for all studio work, making NJIT the first school in the nation to embrace a digital approach. Gauchat’s emphasis on positioning the school in a competitive academic and professional environment was matched by his concern for the student body. He fully appreciated the sacrifices many students make to complete their education while balancing family and job responsibilities. Of all his accomplishments he was perhaps most proud of the scholarship funds he raised to benefit our students -- over 30 individual scholarships, many of them endowed by alumni of the school, distributing over $60,000 annually.
ICCC Public-Private Sector Leadership Award
Mr. Bernhard Windrich is often thought of as having led two lives. His ‘First Life” began as a young man, when he left his family to join the military. While brief, it left a lasting foundation which helped him succeed as he shifted into his “Second Life”. After leaving the military, he began his career with Wuerth Company. Nearly a decade later, he became the CEO of Normfest, which has gone on to become one of the largest workshop suppliers in the field of vehicle repair in Europe. His life’s vision has been to lead a company that manages the balance between business success, caring for the social life of his employees, and having the company provide a positive impact on the local community.
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International Council for Caring Communities
ICCC was founded in 1993 to stimulate and identify creative strategies and innovative solutions to address global longevity challenges and opportunities. Through educational programs, conferences, technical support, international student architectural competitions and Windsor Consultation, ICCC promotes a “Society for All Generations.” ICCC is a not-for-profit organization that has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. ICCC is mainstreaming the impact of the new digital era on the 21st century growing “Agequake.”