FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 4, 2008
(Berkeley, CA) – Two hundred and fifty guests will gather April 16, 2008 under the iconic dome of International House Berkeley for its 20th Annual Celebration and Awards Gala, this year honoring Richard Blum as Global Citizen of the Year and author Chitra Divakaruni as the Alumna of the Year. The evening is the largest fundraising event of the year for non-profit “I-House” which for close to eight decades has housed nearly 600 students daily from around-the-world and across the U.S. in order to foster a more peaceful world through cross-cultural respect and understanding.
Mr. Blum, internationally renowned business leader, will be recognized for his dedication in combating global poverty and advancing educational opportunities in developing countries for over three decades. Ms. Divakaruni, award winning author and poet, will be celebrated for her work promoting cross-cultural understanding through her bestselling literary works, resulting films, and work to combat violence against women in both India and the US.
Richard Blum is Chairman of the University Of California Board Of Regents. In 2006, he founded the Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley. The Center improves the well being of poor people through dissemination of scalable and sustainable technologies and systems, while educating and inspiring students as a new generation of global citizens. The Center followed on the establishment in 2003 of the Global Economy and Development Center at the Brookings Institution as well as the annual Blum Brookings conference launched that same year. Mr. Blum is Founder and Chairman of the American Himalayan Foundation which has over 160 healthcare, education, environmental and social service projects throughout the Himalayan region. He is a trustee and member of the executive committee of The Carter Center in Atlanta, and serves as Honorary Consul to Mongolia and Nepal. He is the former Co-Chair of the World Conference of Religions for Peace.
Chitra Divakaruni’s bestselling collection of stories, Arranged Marriage, received an American Book Award. Her novels, The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart, were made into films. Her writing has been translated into 16 languages and included in 50 anthologies. Her latest novel is The Palace of Illusions. Born in India, Divakaruni completed a Ph.D. in English at UC Berkeley. During that time she was a resident of I-House (’78-’79) and began her lifelong involvement on the issue of violence against women through volunteerism at the Women’s Center. Currently she serves on the boards of two organizations helping the South Asian American community fight domestic violence: Maitri in the San Francisco Bay Area and Daya in Houston. She is also on the board of Pratham, whose mission is to bring literacy to underprivileged children in India.
The Gala takes place Wednesday, April 16th, 2008, at 6 pm, at International House, Berkeley. In addition to remarks from honorees the night features musical and dance performances by talented residents of I-House, valet parking, and menu selections by Chef / Teacher Sukhi Singh. Tickets for event are $275 and table sponsorship ranges form $3,750 to $25,000. For more information, visit http://ihouse.berkeley.edu/a/gala2008/index.html or contact I-House Development Office at (510) 642-4128.
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Founded in 1930, International House is a residential and program center at the University of California at Berkeley, dedicated to fostering understanding and friendship among the peoples of all nations, races and cultures. Its active program schedule, ranging from cultural festivals to discussions on world issues, enhances global understanding in the community and on the Berkeley campus. International House is a separate and self-supporting non-profit organization with close ties to the University of California, Berkeley.
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Richard Blum - 2008 Global Citizen of the Year
Chitra Divakaruni - 2008 Alumna of the Year
View Press Release (PDF)
View Gala Information
CONTACT:
Shanti Corrigan
phone: (510) 642-0124
fax: (510) 643-8968
e-mail: shanti@berkeley.edu
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