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Excellencies, 
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
Dear Friends, 
Good evening, everyone! 
It is a tough job to introduce a man who needs no introduction, as we 
have seen on the screen — Mortimer Zuckerman. 
As you know, Mort has had a Midas touch with everything that he 
has put his hand to. He is a real estate  magnate — having built up the 
very successful Boston Properties. He is a media tycoon, as owner of 
U.S. News and World Report, as well as a media celebrity thanks to 
his regular columns and appearances on television. He is a generous 
philanthropist. And of course, his greatest claim to fame is that he is 
the vice-chair of the International Peace Institute, IPI. 
As President of IPI, I am in regular contact with top statesmen and 
diplomats. But I have seldom seen a diplomat as smooth and 
accomplished as Mort. 
As you know, Mort is an impassioned defender of the state of Israel 
and the Jewish people. 
And yet, when I have travelled with Mort across the Arab world, I am 
always impressed by how much he is loved and respected by those 
who have exactly the opposite views. 
Let me give you a concrete example: 
Every year, during the busy high-level General Assembly week in New 
York, IPI hosts a Middle East dinner. It is only for foreign ministers, 
mostly from Europe and the Arab countries. The only non-foreign 
minister who everyone (including Arab representatives) insists should 
be at the table is Mort. I attribute this not only to his well-respected 
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knowledge of global developments, and his contacts in the Middle 
East. But also to the fact that he is a true gentleman who engages 
with people of all creeds and backgrounds with a dignity, warmth and 
understanding that endear him to whomever he meets. 
Indeed, Mort is not just the man with the golden touch. He is the 
man with a golden heart. While all of you know Mort's public 
persona, I am fortunate to know the private Mort. He is a true friend. 
Despite his busy life, he is always there to give advice in good times 
and bad. He is a fantastic father. And he has a great way of 
communicating with children of all ages — like my 13-year-old twins, 
for whom he is a role model. 
Knowing what it is like to have Mort as a friend, I can say with 
conviction — and I must admit with some emotion — that we can all be 
grateful that Mort is a friend of the Jewish community, the state of 
Israel, and the United States of America — and a champion for global 
peace. 
Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause to a 
man who is a leader, a friend — and first and foremost, an inspiration 
to us all — Mr. Mortimer Zuckerman. 
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