- Client: Institut Curie
Institut Curie: Legacy Initiative Gala
Challenge
Institut Curie is a leading center in the fight against cancer. Based in Paris, France, it combines an internationally renowned research center with a hospital group that treats all types of cancer, including the rarest forms.
In 2021, Institut Curie celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Curie Foundation and the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie’s first trip to the United States in May 1921. To commemorate these two anniversaries and looking ahead to its next century of innovative research and treatment, Institut Curie launched the Marie Curie Legacy Initiative.
The Legacy Initiative celebrates Institut Curie’s longstanding history of groundbreaking research and lays the foundation for the next step in Institut Curie’s fight against cancer through the creation of the Chemical Biology Research Center. The initiative also celebrates the important friendship Institut Curie has with the United States.
Institut Curie asked Faircom New York to organize an event to celebrate the centenary and officially launch the Legacy Initiative.
Solution
- Services: In-Person Events
Faircom New York oversaw all event logistics from start to finish, including designing all event collaterals and coordinating with gala co-chairs, guests of honor, sponsors and vendors to create a unique experience. We worked closely with Institut Curie and the auctioneer to craft a successful strategy for fundraising calls to action in the room.
The dinner was held at the prestigious Harvard Club of New York City in November 2021, hosted under the high patronage of Ambassador of France to the United States, Philippe Etienne, and General Consul of France in New York, Jérémie Robert. Gala co-chairs Mrs. Christine Schwarzman and Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, MD, welcomed 180 guests, including Marc Joliot, great-grandson of Pierre and Marie Curie.
Master of Ceremonies Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, guided guests through an amazing program that included special virtual appearances by Dr. Frances H Arnold, 2018 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry; Pierce Brosnan, actor, producer and artist; and Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie. In their poignant remarks, Brosnan and Jolie reminded the audience of the importance of the fight against cancer and the crucial work done by the teams at Institut Curie.
Results
Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the gala dinner was a success, funds were raised through sponsorships, ticket sales and “fund a need” donations. It helped cultivate Institut Curie ambassadors and introduce new audiences to the organization’s mission and new campaign. Affirming the important relationship between France and the US, Institut Curie built strong partnerships with major American corporations and received many commitments from guests to support the creation of the Chemical Biology Research Center.
