The United Nations Association of New York 2018 UN Day Humanitarian Awards Dinner

From left: Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Amina J. Mohammed looks on as 2018 honoree Bill McDermott, the Chief Executive of SAP, exchanges warm greetings with fellow honoree Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the former President of the Republic of Liberia. | All photos: Melanie Quinn Photography

On Tuesday, the 2nd of October, the United Nations Association of New York announced the honorees for its annual Humanitarian of the Year Awards, during the celebratory UN Day Gala Dinner commemorating the 73rd Anniversary of the United Nations.

The honorees this year were: Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada; Bill McDermott, Chief Executive Officer of SAP; and Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the former president of the Republic of Liberia.

Receiving the award this year were individuals and organizations which were honored for their extraordinary commitment in advancing gender equality through innovation and technology, as well as dedicated efforts towards ending discrimination against women and girls, and fostering human rights, peace and development.

"SAP is an outspoken leader in this regard, and its vision — to help the world run better and improve lives — dovetails perfectly with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. There are far too few corporations in the world that, like SAP, openly and proudly state that they stand for a higher purpose beyond economic success and pledge to use their extensive resources to make a positive global impact," stated Abid Qureshi, the president of UNA-NYC.

The UN Day Gala recognized SAP, and awarded the leadership of its Chief Executive "SAP is an outspoken leader in this regard, and its vision — to help the world run better and improve lives — dovetails perfectly with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. There are far too few corporations in the world that, like SAP, openly and proudly state that they stand for a higher purpose beyond economic success and pledge to use their extensive resources to make a positive global impact," stated Abid Qureshi, the president of UNA-NYC.

The UN Day Gala recognized SAP, and awarded the leadership of its Chief Executive Bill McDermott, for the example it sets in the corporate world by supporting the UN’s mission. Particularly applauded were SAP’s efforts in pursuit of achieving gender equality. Recognizing that gender equality is a necessary foundation for a peaceful and prosperous world, SAP has led and supported countless initiatives to eradicate financial exclusion, enable entrepreneurial success, and eliminate inequity in workplaces around the world.

After an introduction by Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business News, McDermott addressed the collective efforts within his corporation. “I couldn’t be prouder of what my 95,000 SAP colleagues have done to make us a champion not only for equality, but for all 17 UN Global Goals,” McDermott said in his acceptance remarks. “We have big challenges. For some, these may be mistaken as impossible. On the contrary, I believe our greatest challenges are also our biggest opportunities.”, for the example it sets in the corporate world by supporting the UN’s mission. Particularly applauded were SAP’s efforts in pursuit of achieving gender equality. Recognizing that gender equality is a necessary foundation for a peaceful and prosperous world, SAP has led and supported countless initiatives to eradicate financial exclusion, enable entrepreneurial success, and eliminate inequity in workplaces around the world.

After an introduction by Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business News, McDermott addressed the collective efforts within his corporation. “I couldn’t be prouder of what my 95,000 SAP colleagues have done to make us a champion not only for equality, but for all 17 UN global goals,” McDermott said in his acceptance remarks. “We have big challenges. For some, these may be mistaken as impossible. On the contrary, I believe our greatest challenges are also our biggest opportunities.”

Progress in endeavors to end gender discrimination also requires robust leadership. And so the gala honored the dedicated pursuit of freedom, peace, women’s empowerment, and democratic rule that Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has demonstrated throughout her life. Whether during her two terms as President of Liberia, her earlier role as assistant secretary-general at the United Nations Development Program, or her numerous other international positions, President Sirleaf has won international acclaim for achieving economic, social, and political change, with bestowed honors far too numerous to list here.

In the evening’s award ceremonies, UNA-NYC proudly honored Sirleaf’s efforts as a global leader for women’s empowerment and civil rights. She has used her influence to great effect in expanding freedom and improving lives in Africa and around the world.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister, could not be present at the dinner, but offered her heartfelt congratulations to her fellow honorees, and inspiring acceptance remarks via a recorded message.

Trudeau is an engaged advocate for gender equality, and for the past 15 years has been involved with a variety of causes as speaker and mentor, including teenage self-esteem, women and girls’ rights and freedoms, eating disorders and mental health. Part of her advocacy is her work as an official spokesperson for Plan Canada’s “Because I Am a Girl” initiative and the FitSpirit Foundation. In 2013, she received the UN Women National Committee Canada Recognition Award for her contribution to human rights and in 2017, was named as an influencer for the Deliver for Good campaign of Women Deliver.

“In accepting this award tonight, I am reminded of how important it is to be accepting of ourselves, of others, of our truths, and the differences amongst us and between us,” she said. “To see ourselves in our true light — as individuals, communities, countries, and as a planet — is a true gift. We must continue to work for equal opportunities for all, and cultivate a strong commitment to inclusiveness, particularly around gender equality.”

“Through my own work as an advocate, I am fortunate to meet brilliant young people, to celebrate their accomplishments, to hear their struggles, their own stories, and to share my own vulnerabilities as well,” Trudeau continued. “A need to cultivate humanity, and to see others’ humanity — we need to educate with this in mind. Love and compassion matter when it comes to leaders, teachers, mentors, and parents. All of us need to ignite emotions of self-respect, love and empathy, so that young people across the planet feel inspired and empowered, to create justice and peace… Every single word and action counts, to create more equality on our shared journey.”

Gracing the evening with their own youthful energy and enthusiasm, our 2018 Summer Scholars recipients — Cori Fain, Ji-Young Kim, Justine LaVoye and Erick Regalado — shared their inspirations this year as interns working in the field.

One of our key programs and completely funded by UNA-NYC, the Summer Scholars fellowships are awarded to select students each year for the purpose of enabling students in graduate degree programs to experience work abroad with the United Nations or its agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations.

The mission of the Scholars program is to foster direct knowledge and understanding of the United Nations and international organizations. This year's fellowships were situated in Belarus, Egypt and Rwanda, in collaborations with UNFPA and Plan International.

The United Nations Association of New York is the host city chapter of UNA-USA, and we are dedicated to supporting the principles and vital work of the United Nations, strengthening the UN system and promoting constructive U.S. leadership. We want to express our deepest gratitude for the ongoing passion and commitment of our attendees and sponsors, who generously continue to acknowledge and support the important work of the UN.

All Photography: MelanieQuinnPhotography.com