Annual Hadrian Gala Hosted by the World Monuments Fund
17 OCTOBER 2017

On Monday, October 16th, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) hosted their annual Hadrian Gala in New York City. The evening honored Deborah Lehr with the 2017 Hadrian Award, in recognition of her work with the Antiquities Coalition, and for her commitment to safeguarding and preserving antiquities under threat from conflict, extremism, and looting, particularly in the Middle East. Frank Stella also received the 2017 Watch Award, to acknowledge his activism, which helped save the A. Conger Goodyear House, a modern landmark, from demolition.

The event was attended by representatives of the arts, historical and heritage preservation, business and philanthropy, including attendees from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). The SNF had received the Hadrian Award in 2016. 

This year, for the first time, the 2018 World Monuments Watch was announced at the gala, a call for international action for cultural heritage sites at risk around the globe. 

The World Monuments Fund is the leading independent organization dedicated to saving the world’s most treasured places. Founded in 1965, it is dedicated to the preservation of culturally and historically significant architecture and sites around the world. WMF acts as a catalyst, identifying sites in need of preservation and working, in cooperation with local communities and preservation authorities, to secure international sponsorship for necessary intervention. 

The SNF has supported the WMF for restoration work on the Ancient Messene archaeological site in Greece, and the preservation of cultural heritage sites in Yangon, Burma, in addition to general support.

To read about the Hadrian Award, click here.