Go Inside the 2011 Consuls Ball!

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The United Nations Association of Greater Boston (UNA-GB) hosted its Annual Consuls Ball – an elegant, high-spirited international event that gives tribute to the city’s global leaders of today while benefiting the global leaders of tomorrow – at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston on Friday, April 29, 2011. More than 350 guests and 30 consuls who facilitate business, trade, education, and collaboration came out to celebrate the international community in Boston.

Along with celebrating the Consular Corps of Boston’s service and commitment to international cooperation in the community, the night most notably honored Carol Fulp, Senior Vice President of the Brand Development Group at John Hancock Financial.  Ms. Fulp received UNA-GB’s Leadership Award, a prestigious award given to a Boston leader who has made outstanding contributions to the local and international community.  Past awardees have included Senator John Kerry and Carol Bellamy, former Executive Director of UNICEF.  This past fall, Fulp was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as a Representative of the U.S. to the 65th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

“Carol’s commitment to the Boston community, to our youth, and to the global community through her work at the US Mission to the UN makes her an excellent recipient for our 2011 Leadership Award,” says UNA-GB Executive Director, Lena Granberg.  “She embodies effective global leadership and is a role model for the many students who participate in our Model UN program and who may one day have the opportunity to represent their country in the General Assembly.”

The Ball not only recognized the global leaders of today, but also offered an opportunity to support Boston’s future global leaders.  Judi Allen, Director of History and Social Studies in the Malden School District, and Rebecca Jean, a student from Malden High School, reflected on the impact of UNA-GB’s Model UN program, which teaches 6th-12th grade students in local public schools to think critically about complex global issues, increase their understanding of diversity and the world beyond our borders, and provide them with conflict resolution and public speaking skills.

“Coming from Haiti and growing up in an urban environment I never really thought I would be able to get involved in something like [Model UN],” Jean shared.  “It is an opportunity to have a voice; to jump out of comfort zones, and most importantly, take that experience into the future real world such as in college, in the workplace and in terms of communicating with others.”

In the 2010 school year, over 2,300 students — 1,730 from urban schools — participated in UNA-GB’s Model UN program in over 70 schools throughout the Greater Boston area, including every 7th grader in the Malden School District.

Other elements of the evening’s program included a nod to the Royal Wedding, which was celebrated worldwide earlier that day.  Dr. Phil Budden, Britain’s Consul General to New England, gave a special toast to the Royal Couple and two guests were crowned the “royal” winners of the evening with a Mystery Box drawing featuring a sapphire and diamond ring inspired by Kate Middleton’s engagement ring and a Longines men’s watch fit for a prince, courtesy of Ball sponsor Shreve, Crump & Low. The Ball also featured both a live auction and a silent auction, with the most prominent items of the night being a coveted pair of Red Sox/Yankee tickets, an Olympic escape to Vancouver and a tropical trip to the Cayman Islands.

R.D. Sahl, the evening’s Master of Ceremonies and former NECN broadcaster shared Governor Deval Patrick’s official proclamation, which declared April 29 as 2011 Consuls Day in Massachusetts.  Leonard Kopelman, the Honorary Consul General of Finland and the Dean of the Consular Corps of Boston, and UNA-GB President, Richard Golob, addressed the guests as well.  In addition, the honorary Consular Corps Procession was followed by a moment of silence this year for the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

Sponsors of the Ball were Shreve, Crump & Low, State Street Corporation, John Hancock Financial, GGA Software Services, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Hult International Business School, Suffolk Sawyer Business School, and the British School of Boston.

Overall, the Consuls Ball was a great success, even receiving diverse local media coverage!

We had almost a full page feature in the May 5th G Section with photos by Bill Brett.  You can check the lead photo out online here:  http://www.boston.com/ae/events/articles/2011/05/05/party_lines/

Secondly, we had some live television coverage the evening of the Ball by Channel 7 news, in relation to the Royal Wedding.  They did live shots at 10 pm and 11 pm.  You can see footage from the evening here: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/entertainment/royal-wedding/12004182675761/royal-wedding-parties-continue-in-the-bay-state/

And lastly, we’ve been hard at work here in the office putting up photos from the Ball on our Facebook page:

Reception:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150180787254310.320235.271253314309

Program/Dinner:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150180808144310.320244.271253314309

Enjoy!  And we hope you join us next year as well for THE global gala of the season!