Inspiration and Hope Shine at ICRW's 2007 Gala

Meryl Streep and ICRW President Geeta Rao Gupta.

Hearts were lifted and spirits soared at ICRW's 2007 gala.

Special guest Meryl Streep set the tone of the evening, saying how excited she was to be among people "whose hearts are in the right place, whose brains are attuned to learning the truth, and whose actions are about finding solutions" to the poverty and inequality faced by so many women in the developing world. (Click here to read her remarks.)

With her characteristic wit and charm, an elegant Streep dazzled the audience of dignitaries, nonprofit leaders, government officials and friends who had gathered March 7 at the East Hall in Washington, D.C.'s historic Union Station to celebrate International Women's Day.

Rev. Johannes Heath provided an emotional highpoint as he accepted ICRW's Investing in Women award for Vision on behalf of the group he co-founded, ANERELA+. The native Southern African told the story of people from all over Africa who daily face stigma, shame and discrimination for having HIV or AIDS:

Rev. Heath moved many people to tears with his acceptance speech on behalf of his organization, ANERELA+.

"Over the past number of years many have made the claim that HIV is just like any other chronically manageable illness. Nothing can be further from the truth: People don't get stoned to death for having high blood pressure. People are not thrown out of their marriage homes for having diabetes. People are not locked up like animals in a shed, left to die because they have kidney failure."

Heath described how his organization, the African Network of Religious Leaders with or personally affected by HIV/AIDS, works on the ground throughout Africa to challenge "all forms of stigma, discrimination and marginalization." With many people moved to tears, the audience gave Heath a standing ovation for ANERELA+'s story of dedication, courage and the hope for a better world. (Click here to read his remarks.)

G.V.S. Ramesh and Mekhala Krishnamurthy accepting ICRW's Investing in Women award for Innovation on behalf of ICICI Bank.

Karen Manson, vice president for communications of Tibotec, presented another Investing in Women award for Innovation to leaders of ICICI Bank for their work among the poorest of the poor in India. (Click here to read her remarks.)

Accepting on behalf of ICICI were G.V.S. Ramesh, country head of ICICI in the United States, and Mekhala Krishnamurthy of the ICICI Centre for Child Health and Nutrition. Krishnamurthy spoke passionately about the women and girls that ICICI is empowering through microcredit, nutritional programs and access to schooling. (Click here to read her remarks.)

A live auction followed the awards ceremony, once again bringing Streep back into the spotlight. After bidding on trips to Mexico, South Africa and a hilltop

Eric Lander, one of the principal leaders on the Human Genome Project, served as auctioneer.

Tuscan villa, the audience was offered the chance to have lunch with the 14-time Oscar nominated actor. Bidding began at $3,000 and quickly escalated to $20,000 for lunch with Streep and her promised "homemade egg salad."

Closing the evening, ICRW President Geeta Rao Gupta thanked everyone for coming.

"Together," she said, "we are building a better world."
(Click here to read her remarks.)

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