UNICEF Honors Quincy Jones at UNICEF Snowflake Ball, Presented by Baccarat, in New York

Also, Honors to Town & Country's Editor in Chief Pamela Fiori, the InterContinental Hotels Group and

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. October 14, 2008

NEW YORK, NY, December 1, 2005. Music icon Quincy Jones received UNICEF's Spirit of Compassion award at the second annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball, presented by Baccarat, in New York City. Jones received the award for his role as a lifelong activist and philanthropist. The evening's festivities raised $1.7 million for UNICEF programs helping children affected by emergencies like the recent earthquake in Pakistan. Twenty-five percent of the gala's proceeds will support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Pamela Fiori, Town & Country's Editor received the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award, which is named for UNICEF's legendary and highly esteemed Goodwill Ambassador. It was presented to her by Robert Wolders, Hepburn's life-long partner. Fiori was honored for her devotion to improving the lives of children in the tsunami affected countries and throughout the world. Through her leadership in media and commitment to children's causes, Fiori has brought critical issues facing children and women into the homes of her millions of readers. In March 2005 Fiori embarked on a field trip to Sri Lanka to witness UNICEF's relief efforts following the catastrophic tsunami last December.

U.S. Fund for UNICEF President Charles J. Lyons presented InterContinental Hotels Group and its Americas President, Stevan Porter with the Corporate Responsibility Award, which honors a company that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to philanthropic activity benefiting children. Stevan Porter, President, the Americas, was recognized for his personal commitment to UNICEF. In 2001, IHG embraced UNICEF as the primary recipient of its global philanthropic efforts, further strengthening the company's commitment to children around the world. IHG and its employees actively support UNICEF through a number of activities and events including corporate grants, employee giving, Priority Club(R) Rewards Room for Hope (R) program, which allows its 24 million members to contribute their points in support of UNICEF and emergency relief efforts. IHG has contributed more than $3 million to UNICEF over five years.

The evening was presented by Baccarat and chaired by internationally recognized interior designer Charlotte Moss. Moss welcomed the more than 700 guests and introduced the KIPP Academy String and Rhythm Orchestra. Highlighting the evening was a solo performance by jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton, who earlier this year won JazzWeek's Vocalist of the Year Award; and a live auction by Sotheby's auctioneer Jamie Niven of a Graff designed, one-of-a kind platinum and diamond Snowflake brooch featuring over 250 glistening white diamonds. The Graff Brooch, which was created in honor of the UNICEF Crystal Snowflake, was worn by Pamela Fiori and auctioned off to benefit UNICEF. Its sale and the sale of engraved Snowflake Crystals, raised $41,000 for UNICEF.

The event coincided with the annual lighting ceremony of the UNICEF Crystal Snowflake on 57th Street and 5th Avenue. The new UNICEF Crystal Snowflake is entirely designed, engineered and handcrafted by Ingo Maurer and team in Germany using 16,000 Baccarat crystal prisms. This magnificent creation, 40 percent larger than last year's Snowflake, is a three-dimensional structure consisting of 12 double-sided branches. It is 23 feet in diameter, over 28 feet in height and weighs more than 3300 pounds. Lighting the Snowflake this year were honoree Quincy Jones, UNICEF Ambassadors Lucy Liu and Whoopi Goldberg and children affected by Hurricane Katrina and the South Asia Tsunami.

Jones, who has devoted much of the past 30 years to humanitarian causes, believes that every child deserves an equal opportunity to grow to their full potential. In 1991, he founded the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation in 1991 to support programs that meet the healthcare and educational needs of children and works to bridge the gap between privilege and poverty for young people around the world. As producer and conductor of the historic "We Are The World" recording (the best-selling single of all time), Quincy Jones is one of the most successful and admired creative artist/executives in the entertainment industry. Jones has been awarded virtually every accolade imaginable: an Emmy, seven Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, 27 Grammy Awards, N.A.R.A.S.' prestigious Trustee's Award and the Grammy Living Legend Award. He has received the most Grammy nominations of all time, with a total of 79.

About UNICEF

Founded in 1946, UNICEF helps save, protect and improve the lives of children in 157 countries through immunization, education, health care, nutrition, clean water and sanitation. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority. For more information about UNICEF or to make a donation, please visit www.unicefusa.org or call 1-800-4UNICEF.