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The Inaugural UNICEF Women of Compassion Luncheon

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On February 11, 2011, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will honor Frida Giannini, Gucci Creative Director, and Carrie Auer, UNICEF Representative in Malawi - for their key contributions to UNICEF's mission to save and improve children's lives worldwide. The awards will be bestowed at the inaugural Women of Compassion Luncheon at a private residence in Los Angeles. All proceeds from the UNICEF Women of Compassion Luncheon will benefit the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

"We are proud to honor Carrie Auer and Frida Giannini with the inaugural UNICEF Women of Compassion Awards," said U.S. Fund for UNICEF President and CEO Caryl Stern. "Carrie and Frida's commitment to UNICEF's mission to do whatever it takes to save the lives of children demonstrates the very inspiration behind the creation of this special award."

As Creative Director of Gucci, Frida Giannini has championed social responsibility by designing specific products and collections that have generated both funds and awareness for UNICEF's humanitarian mission and initiatives as well as developing high profile communications campaigns involving the celebrity friends of the brand. In November 2009, Giannini traveled with UNICEF to Malawi to see first-hand how Gucci's long term support for UNICEF is making a difference in the lives of thousands of children in sub-Saharan Africa. Giannini visited schools, a care center for orphans and a hospital and reaffirmed Gucci's on-going commitment to assisting these essential UNICEF programs.

"I am honoured to receive this Award on behalf of Gucci and all of our customers around the world, who have supported our campaigns and activities to benefit UNICEF over the last six years," said Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini. "We believe that every child has the right to an education, because an education is forever, and through UNICEF's Schools for Africa initiative, we hope to help disadvantaged children who may otherwise not have the chance to go to school."

Since the partnership began in 2005, Gucci has committed more than $9 million to UNICEF under the direction of Giannini to support UNICEF's life-saving treatment, care and prevention programs for orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi and Mozambique. Actress, recording artist and UNICEF advocate Jennifer Lopez, will present Giannini with the Women of Compassion Award at the event.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF will also present the Women of Compassion Award to Carrie Auer, UNICEF Representative in Malawi. Auer has been serving as UNICEF Representative for Malawi since December 2008. Before this recent appointment, she served as Representative for the Republic of Albania since January 2004. In this capacity, she has been responsible for the overall implementation of the country programs including planning, coordination and evaluation of a broad range of UNICEF programs, both developmental and humanitarian benefiting women and children in the country. Auer joined UNICEF in May 1998 as Project Officer, Education in New Delhi, India where she worked toward financing elementary education and building intersectoral networks with child labor, health, development and nutrition programs.

"As a member of the UNICEF family for more than a decade, I know first-hand UNICEF's true dedication to the mission of saving and improving children's lives worldwide," said UNICEF Representative in Malawi Carrie Auer. "I am humbled to be a recipient of the inaugural UNICEF Women of Compassion Award. It is a joy to do my work and a blessing to know that so many women and children have benefitted as a result."

Honorary Event Chairs for the Inaugural UNICEF Women of Compassion Luncheon include Colleen Bell, Mary J. Blige, Olivia Harrison, Ghada Irani, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Tamar Manoukian, Kelly Chapman Meyer, Mariane Pearl, Rihanna, Jane Rosenthal and Christina Zilber. The afternoon will be produced by Mitie Tucker Productions and feature cuisine by Lucques.

About UNICEF

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.

UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress: the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 22,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

SOURCE U.S. Fund for UNICEF