Photo Flash: 2015 Luce Leader Awards Reception Honors Humanitarians & Future Global Leaders

Pioneering humanitarians and tomorrow's global leaders were honored at an elegant reception hosted by The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation in conjunction with Orphans International Worldwide at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations on Thursday February 26, 2015. Scroll down for photos from the event!

Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW), founded in 1999, and the James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation, launched in 2009, have a long history of acknowledging the efforts of individuals who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of humanity.

Following warm welcomes by Ambassador H E Palitha Kohona, of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and Jim Luce, founder of both the James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation and International Worldwide (OIWW), the honorees, Luce Scholarship winners and Micro Grant Recipients were announced.

Ralph De Palo, PhD, New York University and William Bauer, PhD. Marietta College introduced the Young Global Leader honorees. The 2014 J. Luce Foundation Leaders Award Recipients are Seal Bin-Han a sophomore at Johns Hopkins and co-founder of health tech social enterprise, ShapeU; Jamil Patacon Fuller, attending Lawrence University with a Posse Foundation Full Scholarship & radio host; and the 2015 recipients Alana Galloway, a student at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and a published journalist on subjects form bullying to sex trafficking and Eugenie Carys De Silva; a 16 year old with several academic world records, editor of several academic books and a Ph. D candidate at Harvard.. Leadership Gifts to these four included: Poetry: The Sufi''s Garland by Manav Sachdeva Maasoom, our Poet Laureate; Biography: Frank Perdue: Tough Man, Tender Chicken by Mitzi Perdue, and Management: Fearless Leadership in a Social World by Alison Fine.

Vishu Grover, Director of the Legacy High School introduced the Luce Scholarship Program and this year''s scholarship winners Yu "Jeff" Guan and Jeremy Leung.

New York City Councilman Benjamin Kallos presented the 2015 Humanitarians of the Year to the following: Meera Gandhi, Founder and CEO of the Giving Back Foundation geared towards alleviating illness, poverty and suffering while addressing issues which affect women and children around the world; Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura Hillyer, internationally acclaimed impresario who has produced thousands of cultural events around the world. She led the battles to Save the Beacon Theater, Help the homeless, Save the Boat people and assists in disaster relief efforts globally and is founder of the GAIA Foundation; Kevin McGovern, Chairman of The Water Initiative, who has founded over fifteen companies, seven of which have become world/category leaders, has been lead negotiator/principal in over twenty-five global joint ventures and serves as Chairman of McGovern Capital. A water purification packet created by one of his company for Procter & Gamble is an amazing innovation that quickly turns 10 liters of dirty, potentially deadly water into clean and drinkable water. Created to enable people anywhere in the world to purify dirty water in a simple, affordable and convenient way, the packet is based on technology similar to municipal water systems in developed countries and The Honorable Mitzi Perdue widow of Frank Perdue author and syndicated columnist and talk show host. Ms. Perdue sits on the boards of the Institute of International Education, The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. She is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Woman''s Day Magazine Women Who Inspire Us Award.

Past Awards from OIWW and the Foundation were presented to H.S.H. Albert II of Monaco, H.E. Amb. Dr. Palitha Kohona (Sri Lanka), H.E. Hon. Li Baodong (China), H.E. Haya Rashed Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Peter Yarrow, and Hon. Carolyn Maloney.

Highlights of the evening included a number of very special performances including singer Jordan Centena, a student at Legacy High School; Sri Lankan singers Eranga and Prianga Pieris accompanied by Russel Daisey and a stunning Sri Lankan contemporary dance work performed by Dhammika Navinna, the National Women''s Dance Troupe of Sri Lanka. The Foundation is also holding an online auction of unique items and one-of-a-kind experiences on Charity Buzz. Visit www.charitybuzz.com/lucefoundation.

Among the prominent international political figures, educators, philanthropists and arts advocates were The Honorable Luis Javier Baro, Sara Herbert Galloway & Barry Klarberg, Lynette Dallas, Dianne Davis, Ph.D., Isheeta Ganguly, Elizabeth "Liz" Gaynes, Esq. , Jonathan Hollander (E.D., Battery Dance Co.), Timothy Jayasundera, M.D., Sri Lankan Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona , Judy Kuriansky, Ph.D. ("Dr. Judy") , Marlene Tedeschi, Tomaczek Bednarek, Montgomery Frazier, Ben Mindich, Mariebel Lieberman, Caroline Lieberman Gerard McKeon, Nanette Melville, Susan Needles, Chau-Giang Thi Nguyen ("Coco"), Lobsang Nyandak, Nan O'Brien, Ross Lewis & Peter Herbert, Deborah Pierre, Frank Recchia (CT media), concert pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski, Sha-mayne and Daniela Zahradnikova

The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation (www.lucefoundation.org) was inspired by college professor Stanford Livingston Luce, Jr. who passed away in 2007. The Foundation Mission is to support Young Global Leadership, often in Haiti, Indonesia or Sri Lanka, frequently focused on Education, the Arts, and Orphan Care. The Foundation publishes The Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness (www.StewardshipReport.com).

Orphans International Worldwide (www.oiww.org) began in 1999 with the support of child psychologist and civil rights activist Frances Dudley Alleman-Luce who died in 2001. It built facilities for children after the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and after hurricanes and the earthquake in Haiti beginning in 2002. During this period it was affiliated with the United Nations. Today, it serves to fund preexisting institutions such as the Dalai Lama''s home for Tibetan orphans in India and Ebola orphanages in West Africa (2015). Jim Luce, the son of Stanford Livingston Luce, Jr. and Frances Dudley Alleman-Luce, founded both organizations.

Notes Jim Luce, "The needs of the world are vast, but so too are our many resources. One of humanity's most valuable resources is young global leadership impacting positive social change, which this foundation endeavors to support. The Luce and Dudley families have had a long and historical commitment to youth, education, and social improvement in the United States and around the world. I aspire to continue this family tradition through the grants, awards, and publications of The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation - playing a role, however humble, in bettering humanity. My goal is uplifting the worst of humanity while celebrating the best of humanity - especially the arts".

Additionally, The Foundation announced its plans to award micro grants for leadership development, education and/or the Arts in 2015 to non-profit organizations in the U.S., including: Battery Dance Company (Jonathan Hollander, Dir.), The Child School-Legacy High School NYC (Vishu Grover, Dir.), The Children''s Institute-Center for Independence of N.J. (Benjamin M. Imbrogno Memorial Fund), College of Wooster (Gran Cornwall, Pres.), Habitat for Humanity (Stan Luce Fund), Humanist Association of Harvard (Greg Epstein, Dir.), Indo-American Arts Council (Aroon Shivdasani, Dir.), Marietta College (McDonough Leadership Program), Osborne Association (Elizabeth Gaines, Dir.), Project Reach NYC (Summer Social Justice Bootcamp), University of California Berkeley (Center for Nonprofit & Public Leadership), among other organizations uplifting of humanity.

Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) and the Foundation have raised $1.52 million over the last 15 years, including having received generous proceeds from four estates. Children have graduated from OIWW homes and gone on to university. Young global Luce Leaders have gone on to Harvard, Yale, and NYU. The Foundation''s Stewardship Report has highlighted over 1,500 organizations and individuals uplifting humanity.

Photo Credit: AnnieWatt.com