A couple of Monday’s ago, the World Monuments Fund screened the film “Enchanting Angkor” followed by a dinner at Lincoln Center. WMF events are very glamorous, prestigious and very high-minded – they’re trying to save the civilization’s connections to its history. This isn’t easy.

The WMF is the foremost private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered architectural and cultural sites around the world. Since 1965, it has worked tirelessly to stem the loss of historic structures at more than 450 sites in over 80 countries. Its work spans a wide range of sites, including the vast temple complexes at Angkor, Cambodia; the historic center of Mexico City; Nicholas Hawksmoor's London masterpiece, St. George's, Bloomsbury; the iconic modernist A. Conger Goodyear house, Old Westbury, New York; and the extraordinary 18th-century Qianlong Garden complex in Beijing's Forbidden City. From its headquarters in New York City — and offices and affiliates in Paris, London, Madrid, and Lisbon — WMF works with local partners and communities to identify and save important heritage through innovative programs of project planning, fieldwork, advocacy, grant-making, education, and on-site training. Every two years, WMF issues its World Monuments Watch list of 100 Most Endangered Sites, a global call to action on behalf of sites in need of immediate intervention.

WMF was founded in 1965 by a retired American army colonel, James A. Gray (1909-1994), a man with a keen interest in engineering problems and monuments. Gray formed the International Fund for Monuments (the name was changed to World Monuments Fund in 1985).

In 1966, when floodwaters inundated Venice, focusing an international spotlight on the plight of its celebrated buildings and monuments. Col. Gray led the American response to the disaster and began WMF’s involvement in Venice, an effort which continues to this day.

Joining WMF Chairman Marilyn Perry and WMF President Bonnie Burnham for the screening and dinner were Event chairs, Roger and Brook Berlind, Drs. Georges and Lois de Menil, The Honorable William and Ann Nitze, Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon B. Polsky and H. Peter Stern, as well as Event vice-chairs, Anne Bass, Mrs. Henry Clay Frick II, Betty Wold Johnson and Douglas Bushnell, Jorie Kent, and Judy Taubman. Among the guests: Tom and Bunty Armstrong, Anne H. Bass, John Berendt, Roger and Brook Berlind, Olivier Bernier, Ivan and Jane Chermayeff, Joan Hardy Clark, Charles Cowles, Mary Sharp Cronson, Elizabeth de Cuevas, Sylvia de Cuevas, Catherine G. Curran, Frederick and Michele Oka Doner, Pamela Fiori, Barbara G. Fleischman, Elizabeth Fondaras, Marco and Chris Grassi, Ashton Hawkins, Sandy Hill, Wendy Vanderbilt Lehman, Mary McFadden, Samuel and Rosetta Miller, Mary Ellen Oldenburg, Samuel and Judy Peabody, Charles and Barbara Pierce, James and Ellyn Polshek, Katharine and William Rayner, Mrs. and Mrs. Samuel Sachs, Joel Siegel, Patricia P. Tang, Barbara and Frederick A. Terry, Jr., Joan Washburn, Bunny Williams and John Roselli, and Baroness Mariuccia and Marino Zerilli.

The American Theatre Wing held its Annual Spring Dinner at Cipriani 42nd Street.  It was a special evening of dinner and entertainment to honor CBS and Leslie Moonves, Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Viacom and CBS, for their steadfast commitment to the Tony telecast and live theatre.

Broadway’s past and present legends lined up to salute Mr. Moonves and the network, including Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. The evening raised funds to sustain American Theatre Wing’s programs in support of excellence and education in theatre.

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