Haute Scene: Eli and Edye Broad Honored at the 2016 Gala for Child Protection: Building Safer Childhoods

On Thursday, May 5^th, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), a non-profit organization that advocates, trains and collaborates with global partners to protect children from abduction, sexual abuse and exploitation, held the 2016 Gala for Child Protection: Building Safer Childhoods at Gotham Hall in New York City.

The organization honored Haute 100 listers Eli and Edye Broad as well as Motorola Solutions Foundation (MSF) for their efforts to make a significant impact on the lives of children worldwide. The husband and wife power duo received ICMEC’s Champion for Children Award. The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation has supported ICMEC for more than a decade. The Broads are dedicated philanthropists whose generosity and support have significantly impacted ICMEC’s work through The Koons Family Institute of International Law & Policy, the organization’s research arm. Most recently, through supporting the redesign of ICMEC’s website, the Broads have enabled ICMEC to transform the way it provides critical information to international partners on child abduction, sexual abuse and exploitation.

As for the MSF, the organization received the Global Impact for Child Protection Award. Manuel Cuevas-Trisan accepted the award on the organization’s behalf. Since 2010, MSF has partnered with ICMEC to enhance law enforcement and non-governmental organization responses to reports of missing and abducted children.

“Sixteen years ago, ICMEC decided they were going to change the world! And, we are,” said Ambassador Maura Harty, the President and CEO of ICMEC. “We have responded to compelling child protection needs with research, advocacy, training – and the creation of an ever-widening circle of people who share our goal to make safer childhoods for all children because one child harmed is one too many.”

Chairman of Roche Holding Ltd, Dr. Franz Humer, chaired the night’s festivities. Internationally celebrated American artists and 2015 Honorees and Haute 100 listers Jeff and Justine Koons served as honorary co-chairs. ABC News Nightline co-anchor Juju Chang served as host. Former contestant on NBC’s The Voice, Matthew Schuler, performed the songs “Cough Syrup,” “I’ll Be There” and “Hallelujah” for the nearly 260 guests in attendance. The event raised more than $1.6 million for ICMEC’s Global Impact Fund.