New York Benefit Dinner Held To Help Save Pungalina-Seven Emu
AWC Board member:
Professor Tim Flannery
Over 350 guests gathered in the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York last night to help save Pungalina and Seven Emu, two remarkable properties in the remote Gulf of Carpentaria region.
The benefit dinner – Wild About Wildlife – was a feature event of Australia Week, hosted by the Australian Consul General in New York. With Richard Wilkins as MC, the highlights of the night included :
- The world premiere of a new short film about Pungalina-Seven Emu. Hugo Weaving, one of Australia’s leading actors, generously donated his services to provide the narration for the film.
- Entertainment by indigenous artist, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu.
- An address by Professor Tim Flannery, Australian of the Year in 2007 and an AWC Board member.
The generous Australian community in New York, together with a large number of native New Yorkers, all gathered together to support the dinner and ensured the night was a huge success. Other support has came from as far afield as Florida and the west coast. A diversity of corporate supporters also got behind the event.
Media interest from Time, The Today Show and other media helped spread the word about the plight of Australia’s threatened wildlife.
It was an exciting and very special evening. All proceeds went toward the acquisition and management of Pungalina and Seven Emu - a critically important project if AWC is to save the iconic wildlife of northern Australia.
For more information about Pungalina-Seven Emu: www.australianwildlife.org/Pungalina.aspx