UNHQ: Celebrating Ted Turner's Billion Dollar Legacy | Event Recap
Updated: 2 hours ago
UNA-USA Joins the United Nations Foundation in Honoring Ted Turner’s Vision and Commitment to Global Cooperation
President Marcia Brewster and Vice President Nikolina Gelmanovski attended the UN Foundation’s A Call to the Bold: Celebrating the Life and Vision of Ted Turner on November 9, 2026, in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber at United Nations Headquarters in New York – bringing together international leaders, advocates, and members of the global community to celebrate Ted Turner's contributions and legacy.
Ted Turner, founder of CNN and a longtime supporter of the United Nations, made history in 1997 with his $1 billion pledge to the United Nations. His contribution led to the establishment of the United Nations Foundation in 1998, an organization dedicated to supporting the work of the UN and mobilizing partnerships to address global challenges.
Turner's historic donation reflected his belief that the world's most pressing issues require collective action and international cooperation. Through the United Nations Foundation, his vision helped strengthen partnerships between the United Nations, governments, businesses, and individuals working toward a better world.
The November 9 event featured several distinguished speakers and guests, including UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Ressa, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, Baroness Valerie Amos, and Laura Turner Seydel. The program also included musical performances by John Carter Cash, the Harlem Gospel Choir, and Carolina Rial.
The gathering offered an opportunity to reflect on Turner's extraordinary commitment to global progress and the importance of continuing the work he helped inspire. His legacy serves as a reminder that individuals can make a meaningful difference when they use their resources, influence, and ideas to support collective action.
For UNA-USA and its members, Turner's vision reflects the importance of strengthening public support for the United Nations, encouraging civic engagement, and building partnerships to address challenges that extend beyond national borders.
As we honor his legacy, we are reminded that creating a better world requires bold ideas, shared responsibility, and most importantly – ACTION.
