On the second anniversary of the devastating Haitian earthquake, Cinema for Peace Los Angeles honored Sean Penn and J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) with the Cinema for Peace Award for Humanitarian Action in Haiti.
Other honorees at the January 14 event included Cheryl Mills (Counselor and Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton), Brad Horwitz (CEO, Trilogy International Partners / VOILA), and indie rock band Arcade Fire (Win Butler, Régine Chassagne and Marika Anthony-Shaw).
The event was hosted by Bill Maher with special performances by Damien Rice and Arcade Fire. Former Prime Minister of Haiti Jean-Max Bellerive, Minister of Foreign and Religious Affairs of Haiti Laurent Lamothe, and California Attorney General Kamala Harris were also in attendance. Oprah Winfrey, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Bill Clinton, and Haitian President Michel Martelly also recorded special messages for the event.
Dustin Lance Black, Orlando Bloom, Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Gandolfini, Mel Gibson, Melanie Griffith, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Salma Hayek, Eve Hewson, Felicity Jones, Diane Lane, Petra Nemcova, Julia Roberts, Hilary Swank, and Rainn Wilson were among the celebrity guests.
J/P Haitian Relief Organization is dedicated to saving lives and bringing sustainable programs to the Haitian people quickly and effectively. Following the tragic earthquake of 2010 J/P HRO began working immediately to make an impact in Haiti. J/P HRO works with both government and non-governmental agencies to deliver immediate results where the need is greatest. Efforts include but are not limited to providing emergency medical and primary care services, delivering badly needed medical equipment and medicine, distributing food and water purification systems, improving communication systems, and developing housing and education facilities.
Since 2002, Cinema for Peace has been a worldwide initiative, promoting humanity through film. Showcasing cinematic work that highlights the human condition and human values, they have created a platform for peace and tolerance. Cinema for Peace brings together international members of the entertainment community with policy makers, leaders of the business community, and civil society to celebrate the power of moving image and its ability to unite cultures.
Written by: DANIEL DAVIDSON
