November 28 7:30-10pm
The Pierre Hotel ballroom in New York City

China Institute brings together leading figures in the arts, culture, business, philanthropy, and education to celebrate its 2018 Blue Cloud Gala on November 28 at The Pierre Hotel ballroom in New York City.

Named for the “Qingyun” or “Blue Cloud”, our Blue Cloud Award represents the traditional Chinese symbol of high virtue and status. Since 1984, China Institute bestows this honor on inspiring people whose exceptional achievements contribute significantly to U.S.-China friendship and understanding.

This year, we recognize Howard P. Milstein, Dame Jillian Sackler, John S. Long, and Liu Dan:
Howard P. Milstein (米皓文) leads a family that has been prominent in business and philanthropy for four generations. He is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Private Bank & Trust and its operating bank, Emigrant Bank (the country’s largest privately owned, family-run bank). He also chairs and operates the Milstein family’s real estate companies, including Milstein Properties, Milford Management and various Milstein Brothers entities. Mr. Milstein has made substantial contributions to Chinese medical development to strengthen ties between the U.S. and China and is also a board member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

Dame Jillian Sackler (吉琳.賽克勒) is building cultural bridges between people around the world. With her husband, Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, they donated research centers, health centers, and art institutions that have greatly contributed to our society. As president and CEO of the Dame Jillian & Dr. Arthur M. Sackler Foundation for the Arts, Sciences & Humanities, she founded the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology at Peking University in Beijing, China, among other museums and galleries. She is also chairman of the Foreign Policy Association, which works to promote deeper cross-cultural knowledge and appreciation.

John S. Long (梁仕源) is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Highridge Partners. Mr. Long and his family foundation have established the University of California Irvine Long Institute, which focuses on bridging common understanding between US and China in the areas of business, law and society. Mr. Long is the Founding Chairman of the UCLA Real Estate Center as well as a member of the UCLA Foundation Board of Governors and the UCLA Anderson School’s Board of Advisors. Mr. Long also serves on the Advisory Board of the Asia Society of Southern California.

Liu Dan (劉丹) is among the most original and significant living artists in China. While working with the triad of ink, paper, and brush, Liu Dan has pioneered an idiosyncratic idiom in the contemporary practice of ink that redefines the boundaries of the convention. Public collections with his works include The British Museum, London; Musée Guimet, Paris; Andrew Mellon Foundation, New York; The Arthur M. Sackler Museum of the Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts; The Brooklyn Museum, New York; the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis and others.

We are proud to welcome Arthur Ch’ien, WNYW Fox 5 contributor and Emmy Award winning journalist as our master of ceremonies for the Blue Cloud Gala.

“The Blue Cloud Gala is the most important, and highest-profile, event China Institute holds all year. Our mission to deepen trust between China and the United States is exemplified by our distinguished honorees, and their contributions to enhanced U.S.-China relations are second to none. We are so very proud to recognize their achievements with our Blue Cloud award and look forward to sharing a spectacular evening with our many prominent guests and our growing community,” says China Institute President James Heimowitz.

More information available on the gala website: https://www.chinainstitute.org/2018-blue-cloud-gala/