reem acra2
Photo Credit: Shoot Me Peter Photography

Non-profit “Bridges of Understanding” held their annual awards dinner at Lincoln Center which honored fashion’s Reem Acra.

Presented by Steven Kolb, the CEO of the CFDA, the event was co-chaired by philanthropists Cathie Black and Tom Harvey.

“The Council of Fashion Designers of America is proud to count Reem Acra among its prestigious membership of creative talent,” says Kolb. “Fashion is a universal language of which Reem has a powerful voice.  Her beautiful clothes empower women around the world and there is no better example that similarities of cultures are greater than their differences.”
The evening included a performance by Saudi-American singer TamTam, as well as the premiere of an original piece by Arab-American playwright Heather Raffo (writer of “9 Parts of Desire”) in tribute to Acra, and featuring famed Syrian opera singer Lubana AlQuntar.
Of the honor, Reem Acra said: “It is both an honor and a privilege to be standing here tonight, an honor to be recognized for my participation in our efforts to promote a better world for building bridges between the Americans and the Arab World.  It’s a privilege to find myself amongst such a group of people who understand the importance of our mission in these troubled times. We are fortunate to have the young people of these two cultures understand each other in the hopes of achieving a more peaceful world; it’s something that I could not let pass.  As you are aware, I spend the majority of my time in a world of magic and elegance; finding new ways to celebrate the woman’s inherent beauty and make life a more luxurious experience for everyone that I can touch.  I am always conscious however, of the need that we all have to give back.  When I became aware of “Bridges of Understanding,”  I knew that it was a place where my humble efforts could add to those of others, and together we could achieve the kind of change we all know is possible.  I’d like tonight to reinforce my belief that we can and will bridge the gap that feels more like a chasm between these two cultures.”