Thank you for joining us for our 13th Annual Global

Gala!

 

 

The Northern Nevada International Center celebrated its 13th Annual Global Gala on Friday, March 30, 2012 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Honorary Chair, First Lady Kathleen Sandoval as well as her husband, Governor Sandoval joined about 250 attendees for an evening showcasing Reno’s cultural highlights, including a geography quiz, live and silent auctions with an international flair, and honoring our inaugural Corporate Global Citizen of the Year, IGT.

NNIC also honored IGT with the inaugural Corporate Global Citizen award. The award is designed to recognize a local business, non-profit or educational institution for its role in building global partnerships, international initiatives and for improving the local economy.

International Game Technology employs more than 5,000 employees in 60 offices across six continents. They operate in every legal gaming jurisdiction worldwide, and serve a broad range of customers.

NNIC also honored Carlos Kovac, a participant in the 2009 Algeria Youth Leadership Program. Carlos wrote the winning essay “In the Eyes of Another” and won a check for $500.

You can read Carlos’ essay below. Please visit our American Applicants page to view all the great essays that were submitted.

“Hijacker! Terrorist! Bomber!” The controversies that arose after 911 geared a vast majority of my views to look upon Muslims as “the enemy.” The actions of a small portion of Muslims led to the perception that all Muslims were of malicious, destructive mentalities. It is discernable that there was a huge tension created anytime someone mentioned the words Muslim, hijacker, 911, or Islam. Muslims were not only deemed to be inferior individuals, but were also shunned within American society.

The Algerian Youth Leadership program aimed to change the perspectives of young Americans that may have fallen as victims to societal views after 911. It aimed to unite the divisive lines that have been drawn since the occurrence of that horrendous event, while simultaneously breaking stereotypes that influence our perspectives of others. By connecting American and Algerian teenagers with one another, this program aimed toward turning individual’s naïve outlooks, into educated awareness of others.

Upon meeting the Algerian participants, I was dumbfounded. The characteristics that I had placed on Muslims were proven wrong: I had this misperception of them as being a completely different species of a human being. How could it be that they were just like me? How was it that I related to them in so many more ways than I ever thought would be possible? Through my development of friendships with people that I may have categorized in the past as “terrorists,” I was not only able to learn about others, but I was able to discover certain traits within myself, further maturing my mind. I saw the world from different eyes, walked atop the ground with different shoes. I was able to feel the pain and agony of being judged, which they experience because of something as simple as a scarf resting on their head. I then too felt the stares that they experience. In the past I had never considered how they felt, nor did I consider their point of view.

After I participated in AYLP, I no longer saw race, color, religious views, or ethnicity as relevant factors that define a person, rather I just saw people. I saw human beings that are of equal importance. I developed a skill I had never discovered before; the inquiry of society and its views. Through my experience, I was able to see that by making generalizations of people, I was missing out on discovering the beauty that lies behind the differences and imperfections that people may possess. I came to the realization that If we keep going down this road we are going to miss out not only on potential friendships, but also on the diversification of our minds, which is truly an important part of becoming a better human being. The Algerian Youth Leadership program taught me that as young leaders, the

responsibility is upon us to stop this indirect belittlement and inequality that goes on everyday not only toward Muslims, but toward all people.

NNIC thanks its many sponsors and donors who made the 13th Annual Global Gala a great fund and friendraiser:

 

Event Title Sponsor

Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

 

A Special Thanks to Our Table Sponsors

Holland & Hart LLC

Myths and Mountains

Patricia and Randy Idler

Hon. Miriam Shearing

Karren and Michael Smith

University Studies Abroad Consortium

Dee Gamal-Eldin

University of Nevada, Reno

Wells Fargo Advisors

Jill Derby

Truckee Meadows Community College

George Kent

Jill Winter

McQueen High School

Mei Herbert

Paul Dugan & Steve Mulvenon

 

…and the Silent and Live Auction Donors

Dr. Firdous Ahmad

Ben Aleck

Jonathan Andrews

Linda Azar

Valerie Brown

Sean Cary

Keith Chestnut

Gary Clarkson

Joe Clements

Linda & Phil Dahan

Bradd Davidson

Alma Faulstich

Sandy Goff

Chelsea Hahn

Tom Hall

John Hanson

Toni Harris

House of Bread

Wayne Howle

Marc Johnson

Brad Johnston

Tim & Claudia Lukas

Jennifer Mahon

Nancy Nelson

Deanna Marie Razka

Todd Renwick

Sophia Sefchik

Karren Smith

Jodi Tennenbaum

Tres Image Salon

Mel Wade

Jim Van Winkle

Allison Wren

Palkin Zed