Rabbi
Arthur Schneier (from left),
John Whitehead, and Han Seun-soo
and
wife. |
APPEAL OF CONSCIENCE FOUNDATION
Mayor Rudy Encourages
Getting Back To Business
Story and Photos by TIM BOXER
 HERE
was talk of postponing the Appeal of Conscience Foundation’s
annual awards dinner scheduled two weeks after the World Trade
Center attack of September 11. The dinner, which attracted 650
guests, went on at the New York Marriott Marquis where Gov. George
Pataki praised the decision of Rabbi Arthur Schneier,
foundation president, to proceed as planned.
“The best thing to do,” Pataki said, “is
not let those criminal cowards scare us away from our freedoms.”
Rudy Giuliani, who dropped by with the
governor, said he had attended every firefighter’s funeral since
becoming mayor. Now he can’t. “There’s been two or three at
the same time.”
He was at Shea Stadium for a Mets game.
Whenever he goes there people yell at him: “Get outta here, you
Yankee bum!”
This time, even though he’s “an
out-of-control Yankee fan,” everyone applauded.
“I’ll know things are back to normal when
they boo me again,” he said with a wide grin.
Henry
Kissinger and
Heinrich v. Pierer of Siemens AG. |
Calling
Schneier “a remarkable leader for people of all religions,”
Giuliani also approved his decision to go ahead with the dinner.
“We should go about our business – and make
sure the Yankees win the World Series.”
The dinner honored President Kim Dae-jung
of South Korea with the World Statesman Award and Heinrich v.
Pierer, president/ceo of Siemens, the German conglomerate, with
the Appeal of Conscience Award.
As the opening of UN General Assembly was
postponed, Dae-jung did not come to New York. Standing in for him
was Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo, the newly elected
president of the General Assembly.
UN secretary general Kofi Annan said
that his Moslem friends “cringe” when they hear that people are
killing in the name of Islam.
John Whitehead, former deputy secretary
of state, introduced Henry Kissinger: “There is no one who
needs an introduction less but enjoys it more.”
George Pataki, John Whitehead,
Rabbi Arthur Schneier
and
Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Photo by Nina Boxer
|
The former secretary of state said that since
terrorists cannot survive without state backing, the objective of
the international coalition should be twofold: “cut off financial
support and limit the travel of people from countries that support
terrorism.”
Rev. Joseph O’Hare S.J., president of
Fordham University and vice president of the Appeal of Conscience
Foundation, offered prayers for the victims of the terrorist attack
on America. Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America gave the benediction.
Rabbi Schneier announced that the foundation
has established a four-year college scholarship for the children of
a firefighter and police officer who lost their lives in the World
Trade Center tragedy.
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