Excellencies,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, Good evening, everyone! It is a tough job to introduce a man who needs no introduction, as we have seen on the screen — Mortimer Zuckerman. As you know, Mort has had a Midas touch with everything that he has put his hand to. He is a real estate magnate — having built up the very successful Boston Properties. He is a media tycoon, as owner of U.S. News and World Report, as well as a media celebrity thanks to his regular columns and appearances on television. He is a generous philanthropist. And of course, his greatest claim to fame is that he is the vice-chair of the International Peace Institute, IPI. As President of IPI, I am in regular contact with top statesmen and diplomats. But I have seldom seen a diplomat as smooth and accomplished as Mort. As you know, Mort is an impassioned defender of the state of Israel and the Jewish people. And yet, when I have travelled with Mort across the Arab world, I am always impressed by how much he is loved and respected by those who have exactly the opposite views. Let me give you a concrete example: Every year, during the busy high-level General Assembly week in New York, IPI hosts a Middle East dinner. It is only for foreign ministers, mostly from Europe and the Arab countries. The only non-foreign minister who everyone (including Arab representatives) insists should be at the table is Mort. I attribute this not only to his well-respected EFTA00317469 knowledge of global developments, and his contacts in the Middle East. But also to the fact that he is a true gentleman who engages with people of all creeds and backgrounds with a dignity, warmth and understanding that endear him to whomever he meets. Indeed, Mort is not just the man with the golden touch. He is the man with a golden heart. While all of you know Mort's public persona, I am fortunate to know the private Mort. He is a true friend. Despite his busy life, he is always there to give advice in good times and bad. He is a fantastic father. And he has a great way of communicating with children of all ages — like my 13-year-old twins, for whom he is a role model. Knowing what it is like to have Mort as a friend, I can say with conviction — and I must admit with some emotion — that we can all be grateful that Mort is a friend of the Jewish community, the state of Israel, and the United States of America — and a champion for global peace. Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause to a man who is a leader, a friend — and first and foremost, an inspiration to us all — Mr. Mortimer Zuckerman. EFTA00317470