Connecting Goodness
Writer

Jim Luce

352 pieces, 427,624 words

Jim Luce: Thought Leaders & Global Citizens

In New York: Crazy, Kids - or Old Fashioned Hatred? You Be The Judge

January 2, 2020

Roosevelt Island, N.Y. With the rising tide of homophobia, xenophobia, racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism since the election of Donald Trump in America, indeed the wo…

2019: On Eve of Twentieth Anniversary, Incredible Banner Year

December 9, 2019

New York, N.Y. 2019, our 19th year, was a tremendous breakthrough year for Orphans International Worldwide , the J. Luce Foundation , and the New York Global Leaders Lion…

74 Years After Hiroshima, Nagasaki: Authoritarianism, Hatred on Rise

August 6, 2019

New York, N.Y. The 26th Annual Interfaith Peace Ceremony to Commemorate the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings was held this week at the Japan Society in New York Cit…

Blue America Stands Proudly, Strongly With New Immigrants

June 22, 2019

Moral America to ICE: "¡Nunca Aqui!" - Not In Our Community! New York, N.Y. When my family came to America twelve generations and four hundred years ago, they stepped off…

Dharamshala for Americans: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Hometown

October 15, 2019

Dharamshala, India. First, it’s in India. Second, it’s spelled four ways. And third, it’s His Holiness the Dalai Lama ’s hometown. At least, for now. We arrived in Dharam…

First Trip to Manjushree Tibetan Orphanage High in Himalayas

October 10, 2019

Tawang, India. Waking up my first morning in Manjushree, I hear the children already up and practicing their spirituality, chanting in Tibetan. Their soft voices can be h…

Fountain House Gallery Auctions 100 Artworks at Mad About Art Benefit

December 11, 2019

New York, N.Y. We have attended and reviewed Mad About Art for years. This November’s event was the best ever – an unqualified success, artistically and financially. Foun…

Gay Indian Prince Recognized for Charity in NYC's Webster Hall in 2010

May 27, 2019

New York, N.Y. Following the earthquake that ravaged Haiti in 2010, where Orphans International Worldwide ( OIW ) had already been on the ground for ten years, we present…

Himalayas: From India/Pakistan to Bhutan & Nepal + Chinese Tibet

October 15, 2019

Tawang, India. As I sit here at 10,000 feet on the veranda overlooking the cloud-covered mountain range before me, I study over my books on this spectacular mountain rang…

In Himalayas: Once Greater Tibet, Now Tragically Divided

October 15, 2019

Delhi, India. With its original capital in Lhasa, Tibet and Tibetan influence once reached from India to Mongolia and included Mount Everest. The Tibetan Empire (Tibetan:…

India: Great Protector of the Tibetan People

October 14, 2019

Delhi, India. Call me an Ugly American, but India has made great sacrifices to safeguard the Tibetan people and continues to protect them to this day at enormous cost aga…

Lama Thupten Phuntsok: Tibetan Monk’s Life Outside Monastery

October 10, 2019

Tawang, India. Born in Tawang, the middle of three sons, Lama Thupten was by tradition placed by his parents in a Tibetan monastery here. By this tradition here, the firs…

Luce Foundation Founder Looks to Social Enterprise in Third Decade

August 5, 2019

New York, N.Y. As we move into our third decade this year with Orphans International Worldwide, the J. Luce Foundation , and the New York Young Global Leaders ( Facebook…

Meet Japanese Grandmother of Tibetan Orphanage in India

October 9, 2019

Tawang, India. I first met Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, OMD, at a Christie’s benefit for Tibet House at Rockefeller Center in 2o10. We began to chat about Japan, where I had…

Raising, Supporting, Educating Youth in India and Around World

December 6, 2019

Bihar, India . The Lotus Charitable Trust was founded in Bihar, India 2018. Located above Calcutta (Kolkata), Bihar is the poorest province of India. The Trust’s Mission…

Reflections on Leadership from Marietta's McDonough Conference

April 10, 2019

Marietta College, Ohio. The J. Luce Foundation ( link ) is opening the Luce Leadership Centre at Caribbean Maritime University ( link ) in June, open to its 6,000 student…

Shock of a Lifetime - My Dream Fulfilled Under the Buddha Tree

November 28, 2019

Bihar, India. I began working ‘in the field,’ out of New York in developing countries, in 1999. Never in two decades of helping humanity have I been more shocked that I w…

Simple: Whatever Faith Tradition, It’s All About Kindness

October 15, 2019

Tawang, India. Since 2000, we have been operating charities Raising, Supporting, and soon Educating Young Global Leaders. From every corner of the world and from every fa…

The Dalai Lama and Dr. Kazuko: A 47-Year Friendship

September 28, 2019

Dharamshala, India. Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura and I had an audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India, yesterday. They have been friends for…

Tibetan Children’s Village: Step One to Success

October 8, 2019

Dharamshala, India. When China illegally annexed Tibet in 1949, up to a million Tibetans are said to have perished. When His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled into exile in 19…

Volunteer Opportunities in India - Where Lord Buddha Walked

December 2, 2019

Bihar, India . We are pleased to announce that by June 2020 we will have guest rooms constructed above the Lotus Free School in Bodhgaya, India. Then, by January 2021, we…

With Wonderful Tibetan Orphans, Reflecting on How I Got Here

October 7, 2019

Tawang, India. Twenty-five years ago, I stumbled upon a ten-month old infant in Indonesia who would change the direction of my life: my son, Mathew James Tendean Luce. Wi…

Art Triumphant: Our Foundation's Artist-in-Residence on Cuban Ballet

October 2, 2018

New York, N.Y. I first met the accomplished South African native Nan Melville about a decade ago through the Indo-American Arts Council where I was on the Board. Nan is a…

Bauer Fund Highlighted as Suicide Continues to Stalk America

June 8, 2018

Fountain House is the premier organization working with New Yorkers living with mental illness. Photo: Courtesy Fountain House. Last year the Fountain House Symposium and…

Dr. Kazuko: Planning Nine Orphanages Globally Through Gaia

October 15, 2018

Tawang, India. Sitting on the veranda of the Manjushree Orphanage high in the Himalayan Mountains, with 200 plus Tibetan children playing happily during their recess belo…

First Class: Cricket Fever Ignites in America on Hotstar

March 17, 2018

New York, N.Y. On a cold, rainy and dreary Saturday afternoon during the end of February, I schlepped out to Brooklyn from Roosevelt Island to learn more about a sport I…

Orphanage Burns in Indonesia; Matt Luce Pledges to Rebuild

October 15, 2018

Hong Kong. Given the global nature of our work, it's only natural that I write about Indonesia during a stopover between Delhi and New York. I write about something parti…

Creating Reasons to Live: Overcoming Gay-Bashing and Ebola in Africa

September 6, 2017

New York, N.Y. In 2017 the J. Luce Foundation awarded HIV & AIDS educator, activist and human rights defender-in-exile Ghislain Joël Nkontchou Honorable Mention for his w…

Dalai Lama: Most-Photographed Man Prepares to Retire

May 09, 2017

Bodh Gaya, India. The 14th Dalai Lama , known to his followers for having a charismatic personality and universal values, is actually named Tenzin Gyatso. Dalai Lamas are…

Ending My Ten-Year Vow of Poverty

June 30, 2017

New York, N.Y. Borrowed from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer , ten years ago I took a Vow of Poverty, asking in my HuffPo column, “ Will A Vow Of Poverty Fill The Voi…

From Challenge Grants to P.R.: Many Facets of J. Luce Foundation

June 25, 2017

New York, N.Y. When my mother passed away in 2001, I was inspired to create Orphans International Worldwide ( OIWW ) that went on to help vulnerable children in Africa, A…

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité: Immigrant Doctors in France Save Grand-maman

December 10, 2017

With Tony Abdel ghany. Provins, France. The entire world seems divided at year-end between the forces of love and hatred. Authoritarian regimes have reared their ugly hea…

Next Generation Leadership for Dalai Lama's First U.S. Temple

February 11, 2017

Howell, N.J. The year I was born, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama escaped the Chinese occupation, crossing over into India on a two-week trek to find refuge in India. Th…

NYC Gala in Support of Tibetan Orphans Set for January

December 24, 2017

Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, founder of Gaia Holistic Foundation, at the Tibetan Buddhist Orphanage at Manjushree. Photo: Dr. Kazuko. Although Leila and Hank Luce had be…

Peace, Compassion and The Dalai Lama’s NYC Birthday Extravaganza

June 3, 2017

New York, N.Y. If Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura were a rolling stone, she would gather no moss. Last month she was in India, and has made trips to Panama and German since.…

Students of Indian Origin at American U. of Antigua Recognized

May 24, 2017

St. John’s, Antigua. As part of its mission to offer world-class educations and opportunities to students of all backgrounds, American University of Antigua ( AUA ) would…

This NYC Startup is Shaping the Next Generation of Young Leaders

December 10, 2017

New York, N.Y. What happens when you drop out of college to start your own company — and are looking to make an impact? Inspire college students, according to Isaac J. Ka…

Tibetan, Alone, Imprisoned: Free These Young Men Now!

September 3, 2017

New York, N.Y. An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. In these days when the world seems to have gone mad, from children being ripped from their mothers’ breas…

"Butterflies of Bill Baker" Winner of Best Narrative at Film Festival

May 03, 2016

Los Angeles, CA. A new psychological drama, Butterflies of Bill Baker , starring Tony-nominee Will Chase (Nashville) , Marin Hinkle (Madame Secretary) , Sterling Jerins (…

A Special Project – Orphaned Kids Raising Orphaned Cats

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Much like the cats that have touched my own life, abandoned cats around the world are doing the same everyday for hundreds of orphaned children. Our childr…

Addressing Phi Theta Kappa on Social Responsibility

May 03, 2016

Hartford, CT. I was recently asked to give the keynote address of the New England Regional Convention of the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa. Founded in 1918,…

AFS: World Peace Begins with High School Exchanges

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. In World War I, there was a group of over 2,500 American men who did not join the U.S. Army. U.S. volunteers who came to France in WWI did so starting with…

After the Tsunami: Campus of Orphans International Sumatera

May 29, 2016

The business and entertainment communities of Puerto Rico have lent enormous support for the creation of Puerto Rico House. Puerto Rican culture is wonderfully vibrant, w…

Agreed: U.N. Renews Call for End to U.S. Embargo Against Cuba

May 13, 2016

New York, N.Y. For the 22nd consecutive year at the United Nations, the General Assembly yesterday adopted a resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial and…

Akanksha Foundation Wows NYC Crowd

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. The leader of India's charter school movement, Akanksha Foundation , participated in the recent Clinton Global Initiative Conference for the second year in…

Ambassadors Awarded for Achievement in Global Goals

May 08, 2016

New York, N.Y. It’s a heady experience to be surrounded by world leaders, so it was a particular pleasure for me to attend a special celebration of the adoption of the ne…

Aquino Asked to Serve as Chair of OIWW Philippines

May 13, 2016

6 March 2009Her Excellency, Madame CORAZON COJUANGCO AQUINO Freedom President of The Philippines Times Street, West Triangle Quezon City, Metrom Manila SUBJECT: Honorary…

Asian-Pacific American Culture Celebrated at Macy's in Flushing NYC

May 03, 2016

Queens, N.Y. Macy’s continues its local leadership by celebrating Asian-Pacific American Month at is flagship store in Flushing, New York City – where 60% of the local po…

At Cipriani: 2012 Women Refugee Voices of Courage

May 29, 2016

New York, N.Y. Actress and humanitarian Liv Ullmann kicked off the Women's Refugee Commission 's 2012 Voices of Courage Awards luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New Yor…

Best Indian Restaurant I Have Found - in Small Town New Jersey!

October 28, 2016

Freehold, N.J. Having funded projects in and travelled to India, and serving on the Board of the Indo-American Arts Council, not to mention assisting each year with the S…

Cambodian Anti-Child Trafficking Film Premiere in New York

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. I attended the world premier of REDLIGHT this week in New York City, and was overwhelmed by the plight of children not just in Cambodia but around the worl…

CharityHelp: An Electronic Bridge to Kids in Need

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. CharityHelp International (CHI) is using the power of communication technologies and the Internet to assist individuals and organizations in the most chall…

Chief Economist on Talent and the Economy

May 29, 2016

New York, N.Y. I recently spoke off-the-record with one of Wall Street's chief economists. "It will take a long time to get back to where we were," he said, agreeing with…

Close to My Heart, Habitat for Humanity Launches IndiaBUILDS

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Habitat for Humanity International was very important to my father . He had been a college professor and loved to build houses during the summer as his hob…

Comedian Papa CJ Bares Body, Soul to Standing Ovations on Broadway

March 22, 2016

The hilarious Indian comedian, Papa CJ. Photo: Papa CJ/Prakash Daniel. Papa CJ defies Indian stereotypes. He is a world-class global comedian whose material can be relate…

Defending the Land: Young Veterans Take Up Sustainable Farming

January 7, 2016

New York, N.Y. In 2007, Michael Sandoval, a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, was on patrol in Iraq when an Iraqi soldier nearby stepped on an IED. Shrapnel flew, and Mi…

Delivering Social Good via Technology in Bad Economy

May 13, 2016

The Golden Venture washed up on our shores. This drama led to not only the Tribeca Film Festival film Golden Venture , but also to the founding of a national nonprofit or…

Dr. Kazuko in India to Open Academic Building at Tibetan Orphanage

May 29, 2016

FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST Last month, Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura Hillyer attended the grand opening of the Academic Building of Manjushree Tibetan Orphanage in Tawang, India that…

Dr. Kazuko Opens Academic Building at Tibetan Orphanage in India

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Last month, Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura Hillyer attended the grand opening of the Academic Building of Manjushree Tibetan Orphanage in Tawang, India that she help…

Embracing Family Care For Orphans

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Ten years ago I envisioned helping orphans in the developing world by building small homes and hiring houseparents. It seemed obvious that the key to prope…

Fall Pick: American University of Nigeria

May 30, 2016

New York, N.Y. Forget Harvard, although the Dudley Gates do beckon. So much for Yale, despite the allure of the Henry Luce International Center. No, for my money, I would…

Fame: Spotlight on Super Woman Clare Boothe Luce

June 14, 2016

New York, N.Y. Although I attended her funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, I never knew Clare Boothe Luce in life. Through Sylvia Jukes Morris’ twin works, Ra…

First Orphans International Child Passes Away; Organization In Mourning

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. The following was released to the boards and staffs of Orphans International Worldwide April 18 by Jim Luce, Founder & Director of Orphans International Wo…

Following the Footsteps of the Buddha Across North East India

May 30, 2016

A mericans have been flocking to India in search of enlightenment since before America was founded. Europeans, too, the conscientious objector E.M. Forster and psychoanal…

Foundation Launches Young Leadership Experience to Hellas

May 08, 2016

New York, N.Y. Leadership. The ability to motivate others towards a common goal. When coupled with a charity or philanthropy, the art of connecting with others to better…

Fountain House Gallery Honors Boosters of Artists with Mental Illness

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Fountain House Gallery , New York City’s premier venue representing artists living with mental illness, recently held its End of Annual Meeting Season Cele…

Fountain House Symposium Looks for Answers to Suicide

May 24, 2016

In light of recent reports that suicide in the U.S. has surged to the highest levels in nearly thirty years, the symposium’s focus was timely. Suicide tragically ends the…

Fountain House Symposium Spotlights Borderline Personality Disorder

May 29, 2016

New York, N.Y. The Fountain House Symposium and Luncheon, held each spring at The Pierre, is the go-to forum for those of us eager to learn the latest on mental health. T…

Fountain House Symposium Takes On Schizophrenia

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. I’m interested in mental health issues, but I’m not a physician and have no medical training. That’s why I look forward to the annual Fountain House Sympos…

Frank Perdue: All in the Name of Charity

May 29, 2016

Co-authored by Lorraine Cancro-Silvetz, M.S.W. New York, N.Y. Many came from far and wide to hear Mrs. Frank Perdue or "Mitzi," as she is known to so many, present her la…

Fútbol une a Presidente de Bolivia, diplomáticos y altos funcionarios de la ONU para poner fin a la violencia contra la mujer

May 03, 2016

Nueva York,, N.Y. El Presidente de Bolivia, Evo Morales, altos funcionarios y embajadores ante las Naciones Unidas hicieron hoy una pausa durante la Asamblea Genera l par…

Global China Connection: From Columbia to Stanford

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. The previous century was the American Century. The next 100 years belong to the Chinese. Amid this rapidly changing order, hundreds of Chinese students and…

Goldman Sachs Helps 10,000 Women, Including Andeisha Farid

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. In March 2008, Goldman Sachs announced a significant new initiative called 10,000 Women that has two goals: To increase the number of underserved women rec…

Habitat for Humanity Notes Importance of World Toilet Day

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. The jokes are too easy, the ramifications too deadly. People are dying all over the world from a lack of proper sanitation and hygiene – and access to basi…

Haitian Leadership Mentoring Program for Léogâne Orphans

May 03, 2016

Léogâne , Haiti. There is no reason for Haiti to be a hell hole. It has abundant and beautiful natural resources, an incredible and indomitable people, and is only two ho…

Hellenic Education Continues Thanks to The Orpheus Luxury Collection

September 12, 2016

New York, N.Y. In synchrony with their philosophy of "indulging in the finer things in life for a deep appreciation of humanity and nature," The Orpheus Luxury Collection…

Historic Dental Organization Promotes Helping Disadvantaged Youth in NYC

November 16, 2016

New York, N.Y. Last week, the New York City chapter of Alpha Omega ( AO ) International Dental Fraternity celebrated a global tradition with an evening reminiscent of com…

How Can We Help Orphans in Kenya - With 2.4 Million of Them?

May 03, 2016

By Jim Luce with Rebecca Aikman. Becca Aikman was just reflecting a few weeks ago on the New Year with me. We were still feeling the happy glow of the past holiday season…

Hyper-Local Papers in NYC See the Light

May 31, 2016

Roosevelt Island, between Manhattan and Queens, has its own newspaper. New York City has many examples just in specific languages. Any subway rider is likely to see fello…

I Married a Munster: Review of 'My Life with Grandpa Al Lewis'

January 22, 2016

New York, N.Y. Al Lewis was one of the most recognized entertainers of all time. He was best known for his character Grampa Munster. Al was the comic genius behind “The M…

Immigration, Ambition, Identity Shape Film Miss India America

March 25, 2016

Dallas, Texas. Immigration, ambition and identity tend to be perceived as intertwined strands of the American DNA, and it always renews itself. It should come as no surpr…

In New York, Yun-Chin Zhou Seduces Zankel Hall Audience

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Last week I attended the Peter Marino Concert opening the 54th Young Concert Artists Series at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall. I was prepared to hear an excellent…

In Sri Lanka: A Look at the Refugee Camp

May 03, 2016

Colombo, Sri Lanka. In the aftermath of Sri Lanka's victory over terrorism, there are many tears.The Tamil Tigers have been defeated, but 280,000 Sri Lankan Tamils are no…

Indo-American Arts Council Presents Wedding Fung Shui

May 03, 2016

New York, NY. Laura Lau , the daughter of best-selling author Theodora Lau who married into the Indian Karmarkar family, read excerpts from her book at an Indo-American A…

Interview with a Tsunami Orphan - The Story of Fandi

May 04, 2016

Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Fandi, his parents, his sister, and his two brothers tried to outrun the wave, but all but he and his sister were washed away. Fandi was carried th…

Interview: Founder, South Asian Performing Arts Festival NYC

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Recently I had the privilege of spending a day with the multi-talented Arpita Mukherjee, co-founder of the South Asian International Performing Arts Festiv…

Italian Cultural Institute Hosts "Milano for the Young Generation"

May 04, 2016

New York, N.Y. Fifty selected guests were invited this week to a "one-day-art-event: Nourishment for the Soul" in New York. Hosted by the Comune di Milano and EXPO2015 ,…

Italy Hosts Child Soldiers Symposium with U.N.

May 04, 2016

New York, N.Y. The obscene issue of child soldiers is being discussed this week at an international symposium in Rome. The Italian government is hosting this important sy…

Jumping for Joy: Happiness Day 2016 at the United Nations

March 29, 2016

New York, N.Y. Over 700 people from all walks of life assembled in a large conference room in the United Nations headquarters last weekend to celebrate the International…

Lions Clubs International Focuses on Global Issues at U.N.

March 18, 2016

With Kristopher Kempski. New York, N.Y. On March 12, 2016, just a few days after International Women’s Day, more than 700 Lions, Leos, ambassadors and guests gathered at…

Live from Leogane: Orphans International Partners with Haitian School Founded by Orphan

May 04, 2016

Leogane, Haiti. "My father, Ambroise Beauliere, wrote our school's mission statement forty years ago to provide private education at the best possible quality at the lowe…

Long After Tsunami, Rotary's Youth Centre Continues in Indonesia

May 08, 2016

New York, NY. I arrived in Aceh a few weeks after the catastrophic Tsunami of December 2004. As founder of Orphans International Worldwide ( OIWW ), I wanted to use our o…

Marietta College McDonough Leadership Conference Set for 2016

May 08, 2016

Marietta, OH. The 2016 McDonough Leadership Conference of the McDonough Center at Marietta College has received its lead sponsorship - The McDonough Corporation. Bank of…

Memphis Hosts Habitat’s Jimmy Carter Work Project

May 08, 2016

Atlanta, GA. Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, along with country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, helped build a home tod…

Miss America Advocates for Prison Reform

May 08, 2016

New York, N.Y. Recently I was surprised to meet Miss America following her rousing speech on the rights of prisoners and their families to a particularly well-heeled crow…

Mother-Daughter Duo Sketch 888 Taiwanese Faces

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. - I met the most amazing mother-daughter duo the other week. Americans, they were speaking at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York ( TECO-NY…

Mu Sochua Speaks on Lack of Human Rights at Home

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. Jean-Michel Tijerina, CEO and Founder of the Cambodia Project , insisted I must meet her. After an hour over coffee, I fully comprehended why. I was talkin…

My First Trip to Haiti: Fear and Empowerment (2001)

May 08, 2016

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I was afraid of Haiti due to the images of overwhelming poverty, the countless coups and endless violence. But I did choose Haiti - and others join…

New York Times Essay: First One Orphan, Then Many More

May 03, 2016

New York, N.Y. The United States has plenty of affluent do-gooders who are taken with the idea that with their experience and creativity they could harness expertise and…

On Leadership, College Awards, Cooperates with Foundation

May 12, 2016

With Ryan D. Turnewitsch 1972: walking up the hill to Marietta Junior High School in Ohio, I never imagined I would one day be working in developing nations around the wo…

On the Banks of the Ganges: Reflections of a Journey in Time

May 12, 2016

Varanasi, India . I realize this is winter in northern India just like in New York, but I had thought that India would be warmer and greener. The countryside is often dra…

Orphans in Afghanistan Thrive Due To CharityHelp International

May 05, 2016

New York, N.Y. Several weeks ago Brian Williams profiled the children of the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization ( AFCECO ) and its founder Andeisha Farid in Kab…

Photo of the Day - and Launch of our Global Photo Share

May 03, 2016

A girl and her bike in the fishing village of Kampong Khleang, Cambodia on May 4, 2013. Want to see your images in our Photo of the Day posts? Use Flickr and tag your pho…

Photo of the Day: The Ruins at Stonehenge, England

May 12, 2016

Salisbury, England. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is the remains of a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. It is in the middle of the mo…

Rare Disease Patients Fighting the Isolation Thru Social Media

February 26, 2016

Anyone can get involved. Hundreds of thousands of people will come together on February 29th to hold events all over the world . Children living with a rare disease, the…

Six Years Ago on BBC: Fleeing the Mob up a Haitian Mountain

May 03, 2016

Gonaives, Haiti. As founder of Orphans International Worldwide ( OIWW ), the U.N.-recognized network of orphanages around the globe, I am used to travelling to Indonesia,…

Sixteenth Annual Leadership Awards Reception Rocks New York

March 14, 2016

New York, N.Y. What an absolutely amazing event last week! The breadth of our activities over the last sixteen years blew me away. Our St. John’s University event, featur…

Smart Move: Soliya & U.N. Alliance of Civilizations Merge

May 05, 2016

Shamil Idriss, co-founder of the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations and new CEO of Soliya. Soliya is an organization, united with the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations last fall…

True Love Found Through Helping Humanity, Together

May 03, 2016

By Jim Luce with Mitzi Perdue. Name a person who wouldn't like to find true love and a soul mate? Lorraine Silvetz nee Cancro and her new husband, Dr. Robert Silvetz are…

United Gala for Orphaned Children in Developing World

May 13, 2016

New York, N.Y. Orphaned children-especially in poor countries-face daunting odds against succeeding in life. In many countries they have little, if any, opportunity to ob…

2007: Orphans Around World Look up to Silicon Valley Prodigy as Hero

December 1, 2015

New York, N.Y. Orphans International Worldwide ( OIWW ) has added Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, to its list of Global Heroes and Role Models. This list in…

At Hands of Luce Leader, ShapeU Becomes FitMango

December 1, 2015

New York, N.Y. The Johns Hopkins undergraduate students behind ShapeU are changing the name of their fitness technology startup to FitMango, according to founder and C.E.…

At NASDAQ, Wells Fargo Gives Big Check to Operation Smile Founders

October 19, 2015

New York, N.Y. I have known - and written about - the good work of our friends at Wells Fargo for years. I caught up with them again last week at NASDAQ on Times Square.…

BAD - Defending the Land: Young Veterans Take Up Sustainable Farming

January 2, 2015

With Leora Barish. New York, N.Y. In 2007, Michael S., a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, was on patrol in Iraq when an Iraqi soldier nearby stepped on an IED. Shrapnel…

Biden-Warren Win Dem. Debate; Sanders, Clinton Tie for Second

October 13, 2015

New York, N.Y. With his comment, "I don't give a damn about Hillary Clinton's emails!," the U.S. Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, won the first Democratic debate in…

Dollhouse Castle Hosts Dancers Dec. 3, Orphans International Dec. 5

December 2, 2015

New York, N.Y. Master photographer Kevin Richardson, founder of Dance as Art - The New York Photography Project , along with both accomplished dancers and young aspiring…

Focus on a Young Global Leader at Johns Hopkins

January 19, 2015

Baltimore, MD. Seal-Bin Han, 19, is an inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropic Korean-American who will receive our foundation's coveted 2014 Luce Leadership Award for h…

Fountain House Gallery Artists Shine at “Mad About Art”

December 17, 2015

New York, N.Y. Fountain House Gallery ’s recent Mad About Art event was a smash. This annual art auction and benefit is a perennial favorite on my calendar, and I was del…

Fund Launch for Kids in Greece with Ancient Hellenic Ideals

December 21, 2015

New York, N.Y. The recent launch of the J. Luce Foundation 's Hellenic Fund to support children in Greece - whether economically distressed, orphaned, or refugee - was an…

He's Back! NBC's Brian Williams - Changing World for Better (2009)

September 25, 2015

Originally published in The Huffington Post , November 13, 2009. New York, N.Y. Several weeks ago Brian Williams profiled the children of the Afghan Child Education and C…

Hellenic Fund Launching to Help Kids, including Refugees, in Hellas

October 7, 2015

New York, N.Y. I am pleased to announce that our Foundation will launch our Hellenic Fund to support children in Greece - whether economically distressed, orphaned, or re…

Help Me to Support Education and Orphan Care in Bihar, India

August 19, 2015

Bodhgaya, India. One of the highlights of my pilgrimage to India has been meeting Ranjan Kumar, founder and president of the Gyanjyoti Rural Development Welfare Trust. Ra…

How Losing My Son to Meningitis Created a Dedicated Community

April 23, 2015

With Lynn Bozof New York, N.Y. I first met Lynn Bozof, president of the National Meningitis Association (NMA), three years ago when I wrote for this publication, Meningit…

In Sri Lanka: The Basics for Americans

November 25, 2015

Galle, Sri Lanka. As I travel through Sri Lanka, covering the nation as it seeks reconciliation among its diverse population after decades of conflict, I am receiving e-m…

J. Luce Foundation Announces New Fellows from Marietta College

October 16, 2015

New York, N.Y. The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation has announced this week that six Marietta College students have been chosen as 2015-16 J. Luce Fellows. These are: Man…

Japanese Holistic Healer in NYC to Build Tibetan School

August 21, 2015

New York, N.Y. I first met Kazuko Tatsumura, OMD at a Christie's benefit for Tibet House at Rockefeller Center. We began to chat about Japan, where I had once studied, as…

Jimmy Carter in Memphis for Habitat for Humanity Build

November 3, 2015

Memphis, TN. In 1975, as a high school student in the Midwest, I was a strong supporter of Jimmy Carter's bid for the White House. Fast forward forty years, and I continu…

Jonathan Reckford, C.E.O., Leads Habitat for Humanity

November 2, 2015

New York, N.Y. I met Jonathan T.M. Reckford this fall when Habitat for Humanity International (LINK) invited several foundations, including the Ford Foundation and our ow…

Living Passionately: 21 People Who Found Purpose – How You Can Too

October 23, 2015

New York, N.Y. In our hearts, we all wish for a life filled with meaning and purpose, but how many of us are meeting this goal? Life seems to continually throw obstacles…

Mayflower Roots - and a Metrocard - Get One on the Subway

November 25, 2015

New York, N.Y. Who we are is shaped by where we have been as much as by where we wish to go. For me, knowing where my family has been over the last several centuries give…

My Mother: "God Damn It James, I Raised You Better Than That!"

November 24, 2015

N ew York, N.Y. My mother's words still ring out in my head, year after year. It was Thanksgiving 1998, Boston. I was continuing to complain about how traumatized I felt…

My NYC Chiropractor: Treatment To Help Us Live Our Best Lives

November 19, 2015

New York, N.Y. Trying to better the world is hardly pain-free… I know from experience. Luckily, my friend and doctor Curtis McClelland, D.C. is committed to helping…

NYC's Delhi Art Gallery Opens First International Gallery

March 16, 2015

New York, N.Y. India’s Delhi Art Gallery has announced the opening of its first international venture, a stunning, 7000-square-foot gallery space in the iconic Fuller Bui…

On #GivingTuesday, the Possibilities Endless, the Impact Great

December 1, 2015

New York, N.Y. Are you suffering from #GivingTuesday fatigue yet? The needs truly are endless, yet each and every gift, whether to animal care or reproductive rights, goe…

Peter Yarrow, Operation Respect Take Center Stage in Ohio

September 22, 2015

Marietta, Ohio. I moved from Oxford, Ohio to Marietta, Ohio in 1972 - with a box of Peter, Paul & Mary albums. I was raised by liberal parents in the ‘60’s - Dad fighting…

RUSH: Russell Simmons Family Supporting the Arts in New York

July 22, 2015

With Alana Galloway. New York, N.Y. I first met Russell Simmons several years ago at the United Nations. We chatted about meditation and the earthquake in Haiti. I was in…

So Many In Need, it's Hopeless? Quandary of Assisting Youth in Greece

October 28, 2015

New York, N.Y. The needs of children and young adults in Greece are enormous. The problems there are so insurmountable that the Greek government alone cannot solve them.…

Swap The Biz: Adding Philanthropy to Networking

March 19, 2015

New York, N.Y. If ever there were a more perfect match between philanthropy and business networking, I have not seen it. Swap The Biz is a high-end, red-carpet, business-…

Untold South Asian Stories at IAAC Literary Festival in New York

November 17, 2015

New York, N.Y. Aroon Shivdasani, Executive and Artistic Director of the Indo-American Arts Council ( IAAC ), did not sleep much last month - though she seldom does. Aroon…

Vietnamese-American Pianist Chau Giang Nguyen Plays Carnegie Hall, Helps Children

May 07, 2015

New York, N.Y. I recently had lunch in the beautiful home of my friend, the glamorous and generous Vietnamese-American pianist Chau Giang Thi Nguyen. She is interested in…

Warzone to U.S. Campuses: Stories of Syrian Professors Making Impact

October 5, 2015

Salisbury, MD. The images of toddlers washing up on the shores of Europe have moved us all except, perhaps, the leader of Hungary. When Jews were forced to flee Europe to…

Young French Clarinetist of Extraordinary Talent Plays New York

April 21, 2015

New York, N.Y. One can become addicted to the young global talent that plays upon the stages of the world under the banner of Young Concert Artists ( YCA) , directed by t…

DRAFT 4: In Jamaica, Striving to Make 'One Love' True - for All

October 30, 2014

— New York, N.Y . I was discussing homophobia in Jamaica with one of our Foundation‘s Global Advisers recently over tea at The Yale Club. The Hon. Geneive Brown Metzger,…

In New York, Fountain Gallery Wows Crowd at “Mad About Art”

December 10, 2014

New York, N.Y. I recently caught up with my friends from Fountain Gallery at Mad About Art, the Gallery’s Annual Art Auction and Benefit, held this year at the Waterfront…

Pratham: Chelsea Clinton on Board USS Intrepid for Education in India

January 10, 2014

New York, N.Y. In looking back at 2013's most successful Manhattan events, the one gala that stands out for me took place on the USS Intrepid along the West Side Highway…

Stage and Screen Stars Unite to Salute Rita Cosby for Wounded Warriors

November 26, 2014

New York, N.Y. Last week over a thousand New Yorkers had the opportunity to “Celebrate America’s Heroes” on the occasion of Emmy-Winning TV and Radio Host Rita Cosby ’s f…

Tough Man, Tender Chicken: Philanthropist Frank Perdue

December 29, 2014

Salisbury, MD. I grew up with my family watching Frank Perdue on TV and eating his chicken once a week, the first corporate executive to market his own product. He was a…

TV Host Rita Cosby Uses Her Starpower to Honor the Wounded Warriors

November 24, 2014

New York, N.Y. Last week over a thousand New Yorkers had the opportunity to “Celebrate America’s Heroes” on the occasion of Emmy-Winning TV and Radio Host Rita Cosby ’s f…

Young Global Leader Embraces Prison Reform thru Osborne

November 29, 2014

By Jim Luce and Alana Galloway New York, N.Y. As a high school student and Luce Leader 2015, part of the J. Luce Foundation ’s Young Global Leadership program, I have bec…

Young Global Leader Nabs Harvard Master's Degree – at Sixteen

November 28, 2014

New York, N.Y. When I first met Eugenie Carys de Silva last spring on Central Park South in New York City, I was overwhelmed with her academic credentials. Living with he…

At Clinton Forum, Western Union Highlights 'NGO GlobalPay'

October 8, 2013

New York, N.Y. I was delighted to breakfast with my friends at Western Union at the Clinton Global Initiative ( CGI ) this week, including its President and CEO Hikmet Er…

Autistic Teen Leader Joey Lowenstein Wows Me at NYU Gala

April 18, 2013

New York, N.Y. I have traveled extensively over the years searching for worthwhile initiatives and like-minded individuals dedicated to the promotion of positive social c…

Bloomberg Transfers 12 Acres of Roosevelt Island to Cornell Tech

December 19, 2013

New York, N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg, Cornell University President David J. Skorton, and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology President Peretz Lavie today formally executed…

Bollywood for Beginners - A Seeker’s Guide

May 11, 2013

New York, N.Y. Speaking broadly, we don’t appreciate Bollywood because we don’t understand it. We fail to grasp it not for any intellectual flaw, but for a major cultural…

Bollywood's Economic Impact - on New York

January 29, 2013

I first met New York-based music composer Wayne Sharpe two years ago at the New York Indo-American Film Festival ( NYIFF ). He was the first American I had ever encounter…

Communist Comedy of Manners in Upper East Side Art Salon

June 5, 2013

New York, N.Y. I have several token conservative friends and acquaintances just to prove to myself that I am indeed liberal. One of them is a former New York Post writer…

Empire State Pride Agenda Uncovers Health Disparities for LGBT NY'ers

August 19, 2013

New York, N.Y. The Empire State Pride Agenda, New York’s statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today revealed the most compre…

Essay Five Years Ago: Will a Vow of Poverty Fill the Void In My Soul?

August 16, 2013

New York, N.Y. As I approach my fiftieth birthday, I am feeling incomplete. Part of me - my soul? - is still missing. In secular terms, I think I am not yet in touch with…

Fifth Annual Meningitis Gala Honors NASCAR Driving Philanthropist

May 8, 2013

New York, N.Y. The National Meningitis Association gala Give Kids a Shot, held recently at the New York Athletic Club, attracted people from all over the nation and from…

First Person: A Japanese Dinner with Raul Castro’s Daughter

June 1, 2013

New York, N.Y. Taking my shoes off in the private alcove of the exclusive Japanese dining room, I open the shoji screen to reveal a beautiful 12- tatami mat room complete…

Fountain Gallery Raises Funds, Boosts Artists with Mental Illness

June 17, 2013

New York, N.Y. It was raining. Torrents. But the atmosphere was anything but damp at a recent fundraising wingding where I joined in a high-spirited soiree featuring an e…

Fountain House Symposium Honors Author Andrew Solomon

May 8, 2013

New York, N.Y. New York City has an annual event that educates the public on mental health that I believe is the finest in America. This symposium - and luncheon - is hos…

Friends of DeCosta Headley to Honor Humanitarians at Annual Dinner

May 1, 2013

New York, N.Y. Many philanthropists toil and make personal sacrifices—with pleasure—because of their commitment to improving the lives of others. Few realize the challeng…

Happy Passover to all People

March 25, 2013

New York, N.Y. Happy Passover to our Jewish friends around world. And a toast to all other's traditions-beliefs, from Atheism to Zoroastrianism! May all the peoples of th…

Homophobic Russian Olympics: Boycott or Be Gay & Visible?

August 7, 2013

New York, N.Y. The 1936 Summer Olympics held by the Nazis - the Games of the XI Olympiad - were held in Berlin two years before the pogrom Kristallnacht against Jews thro…

Indo-American Arts Council at 15 with Who’s Who of S. Asian Celebs

December 4, 2013

New York, N.Y. No one in Manhattan can throw a gala like Aroon Shivdasani , and the fifteenth anniversary fete of her Indo-American Arts Council ( IAAC ) was everything I…

J. Luce Foundation Welcomes New Executive Staff

June 17, 2013

New York, N.Y. Please join me in welcoming two new members of the J. Luce Foundation executive staff: Jeremy Hu and Nigel Roberts. Jeremy serves as our foundation's execu…

Jonathan Hollander’s Battery Dance Company 38 Years Later

August 19, 2013

New York, N.Y. I’ve always considered myself fortunate to meet the people who are doing big things—positively impacting lives in meaningful ways. Recently I met a kindred…

Luce Leader Accepted to Ivy League College on Scholarship

June 25, 2013

New Haven, CT. Christopher Rim recalls that it was exactly 4:56 in the afternoon when he got into his mother’s car and sat down nervously. He was ready to begin opening m…

New Indian Wines Add to New York’s Diverse Cuisine Scene

June 4, 2013

New York, N.Y. One of the things I love most about New York City—why I moved here 30 years ago - is its dynamic multicultural scene. European immigrants long ago contribu…

Next Generation of Global Indian Cinema

May 13, 2013

New York, N.Y. I recently attended Ticket2Bollywood ( T2B ) sponsored by Molecule Communications . I had the opportunity to interview its director Ajay Shrivastav and his…

Notnim Tikva: Giving Hope to Kids with Cancer in Israel - Photo Essay

July 18, 2013

New York, N.Y. I first met the dynamic Sara Kremer at an event for her organization Notnim Tikva (“Giving Hope”) along with the Israel Counsel General in New York, H.E. I…

NY Indian American Film Festival Triumphant in 13th Year

May 25, 2013

New York, N.Y. The New York Indian Film Festival ( NYIFF ) announced the winners of its competition categories at a ceremony at NYU’s Skirball Center last week, in the fi…

NYS Prisons: Scrapheaps or Repair Shops?

June 21, 2013

New York, N.Y. A staggering two million children have one or more parents incarcerated in the United States. New York State - with the fifth highest population of incarce…

One Year Ago: Operatic Incubator Celebrates Excellence

July 17, 2013

New York, N.Y. In the opulent setting of the Grand Ball Room of the Essex House, several hundred glitterati gathered to toast the leadership of David Bender and Barbara M…

Osborne Association's Lighting the Way Breakfast Comments

June 20, 2013

New York, N.Y. At a June fundraising breakfast on Park Avenue, over 600 prominent New Yorkers heard stories from people who were once locked up – far from the comforts of…

Photo of the Day - May 18, 2013

May 18, 2013

South Sudanese Returnees Board Plane for Journey Home Malakal, South Sudan. Today in Malakal, South Sudan, 150 returnees line up to board a plane chartered by the Interna…

Photo of the Day: Happy Canada Day, Neighbors!

July 1, 2013

New York, N.Y. I hitchhiked up to Canada in 1976 when I was 16 from our summer home in New Hampshire. With no place to go, they would not let me across the border - but I…

Photo of the Day: POTUS #44 and #42 Backstage at CGI

September 24, 2013

New York, N.Y. The hashtag for the Annual Meeting is #CGI2013. Follow CGI on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news…

Photos of the Day: May 8, 2013 at the United Nations

May 8, 2013

Secretary-General Meets President of Republic of Korea United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea.…

PlayMusician Committed to Promoting Diverse Musical Talent

July 19, 2013

New York, N.Y. Variety is wonderful, and that is exactly what you get at PlayMusician Jam Nights (PM-jamnites). For audiences open to experiencing an array of musical sty…

Polish Cultural Salon for All Opens in New York City

August 21, 2013

New York, N.Y. I first met cultural icon Barbara Plewińska - “Basia” to her many friends in New York and around the world - after she passed recently from cancer. I met h…

Pope Wants a Church of the Poor and For the Poor

October 6, 2013

Assisi, Italy . Pope Francis made a pilgrimage this week to the hillside Italian town of Assisi, following in the footsteps of his namesake, St. Francis, the 13th-century…

Possibility of Museum on NYC's 'New' Roosevelt Island

September 16, 2013

New York, N.Y. Not often does an important new museum open in New York City. One is possible now because the Roosevelt Island Steam Plant is about to be decommissioned. T…

Prince Harry: From Polo in Connecticut to Orphans in Africa

May 23, 2013

Greenwich, CT. Not often do I have the chance to meet with royals who care deeply about orphans. Unable to get out of meetings in Manhattan, I did the next best thing: I…

Prison Reform Advocate on Reflection, Remorse, Responsibility

June 21, 2013

Editor's Note: Elizabeth Gaynes, director of an organization creating opportunities for people affected by the criminal justice system to further develop their strengths…

Recipients of Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards Announced

September 24, 2013

New York, N.Y. President Bill Clinton announced the recipients of the seventh annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards, where he, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Cli…

Remembering My Friend, Mentor, Social Activist Betty Millard

October 12, 2013

New York, N.Y. Betty Millard of Chicago, a long-time social activist who had danced with Zhou Enlai after the Chinese Revolution and then was called to testify as a hosti…

Roosevelt Island Prepares for Third Annual Cherry Blossom Festival

April 10, 2013

New York, N.Y. Warm weather is upon us at last, and with it comes the Third Annual Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossom Festival. Located under the 59th Street Bridge, across…

SAMAA Dedicated to Keeping Indian Classical Music Alive

July 29, 2013

New York, N.Y . Preserving the classics is a noble endeavor. Jazz, for example, is an original American music art form that once dominated the airwaves, dance halls, and…

U.N. Panel Urges Uruguay to Reconsider New Cannabis Sale Law

August 1, 2013

United Nations, N.Y. The United Nations reported today that the independent U.N. body tasked with monitoring the production and consumption of narcotics worldwide today u…

Up-Close Look at Group's Grassroots Effort to Reduce Homelessness

May 2, 2013

Bronx, N.Y. It is an understatement to call homelessness a growing problem. More accurately, it's a tragedy. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that an average of…

Update: Nobel Winner Mario Vargas Llosa Unveils New Novel

September 11, 2013

UPDATE: Nobel-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa is unveiling his new novel, titled The Discreet Hero and set in his native Peru. The novel revisits two influential cities…

Who Knew: Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on Long Island

June 27, 2013

Long Island, N.Y. Call me “Long Island Ignorant,” but I was completely amazed to experience the Tilles Center for Performing Arts on the C.W. Post campus of Long Island U…

With Dosa Hunt, Filmmaker Singh Emerges as Generational Voice

May 28, 2013

New York, N.Y. The closing gala for this year’s New York Indian Film Festival ( HuffPo ) , held in a banquet hall above NYU’s Skirball Auditorium, was alive with artists,…

World Youth Initiative: Tomorrow's Leaders, Solving Today's Issues

May 13, 2013

New York, N.Y. Last fall, teen philanthropist Isaac J. Kassin was awarded our James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation's coveted Luce Leader 2012 Award for his work in philanthro…

Young Concert Artists Presents Ravishing Soprano at Merkin Hall

April 22, 2013

New York, N.Y. The LA-based pianist, conductor, and composer André Previn called Susan Wadsworth , who founded Young Concert Artists ( YCA ) in 1961, last week to tell he…

"One Day on Earth" Film Premieres at U.N.

June 15, 2012

The film premiered this week at the United Nations and around the world. Photo: U.N. United Nations, N.Y. This week I was extremely pleased to view a special, global scre…

A "Gandhi" for our Age: Indian Film Chittagong

June 28, 2012

New York, N.Y. Using visual cues from the paintings of Caravaggio, Indian filmmaker Bedabrata Pain has produced a triumphant film, Chittagong , that screened in New York…

Ambassador: From the Killing Fields to the White House

September 8, 2012

New York, N.Y. I first met Ambassador Sichan Siv in 2004 when I was invited to hear him speak at the imposing Women's Republican National Club, just north of Rockefeller…

Art Students League's "Scroll for Japan" Benefit

June 18, 2012

T he Art Students League of New York, one of America's premier art schools, will be unveiling Baptism of Concrete Estuary , an amazing and historic 30-foot-long scroll by…

Baltimore: Out From Under "The Wire"

June 30, 2012

Baltimore, MD. Can Good News Revive a City? A new media experiment is underway in Baltimore, Maryland to find out. One goal is to inspire social change by celebrating the…

Buddhism and the Universal Concept of Social Responsibility

January 18, 2012

Bodh Gaya, India . Studying in Japan back in college, I had a very unique Buddhist experience, one of which I did not understand until years afterwards. I had joined a Bu…

Buddhism for Beginners: Insights from a Non-Buddhist

January 16, 2012

Bodh Gaya, India. Sitting here in the media tent of His Holiness The Dalai Lama 14th in Bodh Gaya , the town where Prince Siddhartha, the Gautama Buddha – following his p…

CIA Chief Awarded at Soldiers and Sailors Pierre Hotel Gala

October 11, 2012

New York, N.Y . Although Rear Admiral Stephen Bleecker Luce founded the Naval War Academy in Newport, R.I. and my father served under General Patton, I have little connec…

Comedy Takes Stand for Troops in Manhattan

July 12, 2012

New York, N.Y. The organization Stand for the Troops ( SFTT ) had a benefit at New York's famed Gotham Comedy Club next to the Chelsea Hotel headlined by Saturday Night L…

David Lynch Fnd.: Women, Violence & T.M.

August 25, 2012

New York, N.Y. When I first read that 19,000 women a year get raped in the military, I thought it was a typo. When I read the next sentence that women in our military wer…

David Lynch Foundation Hosts Gala for Soldiers at Fort Hamilton

August 24, 2012

New York, N.Y. Recently I had the privilege of attending an open-air gala at historic Fort Hamilton Army Garrison underneath the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn for the Davi…

David Lynch Foundation Lauded by Global Stress Initiative

June 29, 2012

New York, N.Y. Kevin McGovern , founder and chairman of The Water Initiative , partnered recently with the Global Stress Initiative ( GSI ) to host an evening in his pent…

Fountain House Stands Up to Mental Illness

June 18, 2012

New York, N.Y. I thought I knew charity events, but I was not prepared for the magnitude of the recent Fountain House symposium and luncheon in the Grand Ballroom of The…

Global Indians Illuminate Taj Pierre Hotel at Light of India Awards

August 2, 2012

New York, N.Y. More than 300 of New York's crème de la crème from the business, finance, and entertainment communities converged at the second annual The Light of India A…

Hip Hop Saves Lives’ Wan-Luv Summer Music Series in NYC

July 22, 2012

New York, N.Y. Summer in New York City is a special time with heat, rain – and outdoor festivals! On July 26, the Wan-Luv 2012 Summer Music Series will present a “Pre Car…

IAHD Institutes Recognize Anchor Rita Cosby

July 2, 2012

New York, N.Y. Founded in 1957 by Dr. Jack M. Gootzeit, the Institutes of Applied Human Dynamics ( IAHD ) - serving the Developmental Disabled in The Bronx and Westcheste…

Indian Film Festival Thrills New York - Again

June 22, 2012

New York, N.Y. Over fifty Indian features, documentaries and short films screened over Memorial Day Weekend as the 12th Annual New York Indian Film Festival ( NYIFF ) pla…

Joan Rivers Supports Healing Center in New Orleans

July 21, 2012

New Orleans, LA. I spoke this week with Sallie Ann Glassman who told me how proud the New Orleans Healing Center ( NOHC ) is to present an “Evening with Joan Rivers” next…

Luce Leader: Anti-Bullying Hero Hopes for Harvard

November 21, 2012

New York, N.Y. I met Christopher Rim, the founder and president of an anti-bullying awareness organization called It Ends Today , about a year before Lady Gaga did. Enorm…

Meningitis: Give Kids a Shot - Save a Kid's Life

April 26, 2012

New York, N.Y. This week, hundreds gathered at the iconic New York Athletic Club on Central Park South to share stories, support and more stories to make more parents awa…

MOOTAS Officers, Advisory Board & Visibility

August 26, 2012

Friends of the Roosevelt Island Steam Plant (FRISP) is incubating The Museum of Technology, Art & Science (MOTAAS) Both FRISP and MOOTAS are supported by The James Jay Du…

Most Powerful and Influential Indians Gather

July 1, 2012

New York, N.Y. The most powerful, influential and international Indian leaders gathered in New York City recently to see who amongst them were worthy of award. Why should…

Museum of Technology, Art and Science on Roosevelt Island?

October 5, 2012

New York, N.Y. Cornell NYC Tech is headed to Roosevelt Island, New York City - 'Silicon Island of the East.' Architect Tadeusz Sudol of the Roosevelt Island Visual Art As…

My Pilgrimage Complete: Life Continues Like a Wheel

January 21, 2012

Bodh Gaya, India. Four years ago I wrote the most-read piece of my life: Will a Vow of Poverty Fill the Void in My Soul? One of the reasons I was interested in this pilgr…

New York Indian Film Festival 2012 Premieres

June 15, 2012

Aseem Chhabra, director of the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) with Aroon Shivdasani, founder/di rector of the Indo-American Arts Council. Photo courtesy of Archana…

Next Step of Indian Pilgrimage: Vultures’ Peak Where Buddha Preached

January 15, 2012

Rajgir, India. Following several days in Bodh Gaya, where Buddha obtained enlightenment under the tree, we continue our pilgrimage to another holy site of Buddhism: Rajgi…

NYC Foundation Unveils Global e-Fellowship

June 19, 2012

New York, N.Y. The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation , founded in 2011 in support of young global leadership, unveiled its e-fellowship program last week in New York City.…

NYC Gay Pride Parade 2011 Unlike Others: Marriage

June 23, 2012

New York, NY. A sea change in New York Although I have attended the NYC Pride Parade since 1983 – many as a marshal – this one was different. As the lesbian on motorcycle…

On Park Avenue, Son & Mother’s Talk on Prison

June 27, 2012

New York, N.Y. I recently had the opportunity to attend The Osborne Association ’s 2012 Annual Lighting the Way Breakfast where I heard an array of speakers, both polishe…

Photo Essay - Light of India Awards 2012

June 29, 2012

New York, N.Y. The Second Annual Light of India Awards were held recently at the Taj Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue. Hundreds of the brightest Indian minds gathered – the c…

Plewińska Fund Officers, Advisory Board & Visibility

August 27, 2012

The Barbara Plewińska Foundation is being incubated as The Barbara Plewinska Arts Fund of the J. Luce Foundation . Officers To be determined Advisory Board Jeremy Hu Janu…

Rediscovering the World’s First Great University in Buddhist India

January 17, 2012

Nālandā, India. The next stop of our pilgrimage is the ancient center of higher learning , Nālandā. Unknown to me before in New York, the Buddhists built the first great…

Riveting Speech on Prison Reform from Experience

June 27, 2012

New York, N.Y. I was fortunate to be invited to The Osborne Association ’s 2012 Annual Lighting the Way Breakfast recently where I heard attorney Elizabeth Gaynes present…

Roosevelt Island Art Bridges Two NYC Boroughs

April 3, 2012

New York, N.Y. Roosevelt Island has been much in the news as Cornell prepares to make it the East Coast's tech center. This narrow, 2.5 mile long island, opposite the U.N…

Slow Food at Sprig Fights Fast-Food Culture

August 22, 2012

New York, N.Y. In a sea of steaks, burritos and grab-and-go food in busy Midtown East, there is a beacon of the Slow Food movement, serving healthful food in an elegant,…

Stewardship Report on Target at Clinton Global Initiative

September 24, 2012

New York, N.Y. At the Clinton Global Initiative ( CGI ) 2012, Bill Clinton, Queen Rania, Ban Ki-moon, and the head of the World Bank discussed that an enormous need for m…

The Two Krishnas: A Novel You Can't Ignore

August 28, 2012

New York, N.Y. When I was a freshman in college I moved into the international dorm and was faced with people from around the world who spoke English better than I. Many…

Through a Pinhole: Photographing Sri Lanka's Architectural Heritage

September 13, 2012

New York, N.Y. I met an incredible individual, Liz Doles , who also happens to be a talented artist last week at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the U.N. We bonded…

UNPUBLISHED: Close to My Heart, Habitat for Humanity Launches IndiaBUILDS

June 7, 2012

New York, N.Y. Habitat for Humanity International had been very important to my father . He had been a college professor and loved to build houses during the summer as hi…

UNPUBLISHED: Guys Making Pies To Help Humanity on Boston’s South Shore

June 17, 2012

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UNPUBLISHED: Old Meets Young as World Moves Beyond MDGs in 2015

June 15, 2012

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UNPUBLISHED: Vietnamese-American Pianist Chau Giang Nguyen Plays Carnegie Hall, Helps Children

May 26, 2012

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World Youth Initiative: Tomorrow's Leaders, Solving Today's Issues

May 12, 2012

New York, N.Y. Last fall, teen philanthropist Isaac J. Kassin was awarded our James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation's coveted Luce Leader 2012 Award for his work in philanthro…

Yale Honors Indian Actor Shah Rukh Khan

June 20, 2012

New Haven, CT. Interpreting Indian culture to an American audience is a challenge, but Shah Rukh Khan is so important to global art and social activism, I will attempt to…

Young Concert Artists Triumphs at Alice Tully Hall

June 20, 2012

New York, N.Y. Last week Young Concert Artists ( YCA ) held its annual Gala Concert at Alice Tully Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, presenting the Lincoln Center de…

Celebration for U.S Colonel Who Changed Course of Sri Lanka

September 14, 2011

Princeton, N.J. When Colonel Henry Steel Olcott landed by ship in the southern coastal town of Galle in the British colonized island of Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) on…

Construirá Escuela para Huérfanos Tibetanos

January 24, 2011

Tawang , India . Conocí a Kazuko Tatsumura, OMD, en un evento de beneficencia de Christie’s para la Case del Tíbet ( Tibet House ), en el Rockefeller Center. Comenzamos a…

DRAFT 5: N.Y. Times Hatchet Job on Haiti: Both Sides Now

August 4, 2011

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Eleventh Annual New York Indian Film Festival Triumphant!

May 11, 2011

New York, NY. I enjoyed this year’s Indian Film Festival so much! Opening Night I saw the Disney-backed film Do Dooni Chaar , directed by Habib Faisal, then Iti Mri…

Ethiopian-American Film Co-Produced by Ugly Betty Star

December 3, 2011

New York, N.Y. I recently caught up with Salome Mulugeta for lunch on 42nd Street. I was intrigued because there are not a lot of Ethiopian-American independent film make…

Exploring the World, Poetically, Through The Sufi's Garland

April 26, 2011

New York, NY. I recently met Manav Sachdeva Maasoom at a Chinese-Indian book reading in Manhattan ( story ) and he presented me with a copy of his beautiful hardback trib…

Extremist Threat Explored Think Tank at NY Indian Consulate

March 23, 2011

New York, NY. Jeff M. Smith , a Kraemer Strategy Fellow at Washington’s American Foreign Policy Council ( AFPC ), recently addressed a packed dining room of New York’s In…

Fascinating: Khubilai Khan's Lost Fleet Found in Japan

April 20, 2011

New York, NY. I have never been disappointed by a program at the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park in New York City, and Dr. James P. Delgado 's recent lecture was no e…

Global Thinker & President of the College of Wooster

November 30, 2011

New York, N.Y. My father went to Andover, Dartmouth and Yale. My grandfather 12 times over signed the charter that created Harvard. Yet I attended the College of Wooster…

Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest: Modern Indian Art - in Atlanta

April 7, 2011

New York, NY. Don Rubin is becoming perhaps my favorite role model. He is the ultimate in cool. At 76, he and his wife Shelley do what they want - redo Barney's in Chelse…

Haiti History & Politics Seen Through Amazing Film of One Big Band

April 29, 2011

When the Drum is Beating is a film depicting Haiti’s rich musical culture and its legendary and beloved band, Orchestre Septentrional . Through its sweeping historical na…

Helping Form Gay & Lesbian Support Group in Ohio in 1980

November 10, 2011

Wooster, Ohio. In May 1980 I joined with a group of friends and associates to form the first gay and lesbian support group on the campus of my school, the College of Woos…

Indian Spring Festival Holi, Celebrated at South Street Seaport

March 22, 2011

New York, NY. Raised Christian, I believed Easter was the kick-off of spring. After I became the token goy of a Torah study in Manhattan, I switched my spring allegiance…

Intense, Ironic, Iconic: Hahn-Bin Takes Joe's Pub at The Public

December 14, 2011

New York, N.Y. "Hahn-Bin, the World's Saddest Clown, Dies at 24." So proclaimed the faux New York Times article on each table before the performance began. It continued,…

International Crowd Gathers for "Uni Haiti" at Upper East Side Gala

November 14, 2011

New York, N.Y. Although 200 guests were expected, 250 arrived to the United Nations's social club Aux Antilles's 21st annual dinner, this year to benefit the Internationa…

Japan Relief: Where to Give? I Suggest Tokyo's Waseda University

April 23, 2011

New York, NY. Another natural disaster, another time to figure out the myriad options for helping in our own, small ways. Although I am devastated by the tragedies in Jap…

Jim Luce on History

June 26, 2011

A lthough a Japanese literature, Jim Luce was fascinated by world history from a child through today. His interest in genealogy stems from the fasciation he feels connect…

Jim Luce on New Jersey

June 26, 2011

Jim Luce first visited New Jersey the year he moved from Japan to New York City - 1983. He has spoken at Princeton, visited social programs in Newark, and enjoyed the qua…

Jim Luce on Pakistan

June 29, 2011

Jim Luce began to write about Pakistan's development and challenges with extreme Islam several years ago. He looks forward to visiting thsi fascinating and vital nation.…

My Own Hero, Robin Lim, May Become CNN’s Worldwide Hero

September 24, 2011

U bud, a very small town and the cultural center of the Island of Bali, became my second home, during the cold New York City winters. About 12 years ago, I had the great…

One of Many: Diaspora Doctor Continues to Help Haiti

December 28, 2011

New York, N.Y. Most Americans think they know Haiti, that squalid, refugee-camp-ridden place somewhere south of Florida. Some Americans think they know Haitian-Americans,…

Renaissance Man Opens Brilliant Show in Italy

June 25, 2011

New York, NY. The renowned gallery LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea is proud to present Unitas Multiplex - A New World, a solo exhibition by Antonio Pio Saracino . In some…

Wedding Feng Shui: Chinese Horoscope for Planning Weddings

January 18, 2011

New York, NY. I hope to marry the man of my dreams and he is Chinese. So it was with great interest that I picked up mother-daughter Theodora and Laura Lau’s Wedding Feng…

World's Top Toy Collection Seeks Home in New York City

October 29, 2011

New York, N.Y. These tin toys were objects to be played with rather than be looked at and consequently the vast majority were destroyed or damaged by their youthful owner…

Young Explorer Q. Roosevelt Searched Art in Wartime China

July 1, 2011

New York, NY. In 1939, at the height of the Sino-Japanese War, a 19-year-old Harvard art history student set off for the remote region of Lijiang, China, in search of the…

'Orphan Doctor' Calls on World Community to End Orphan Crisis

July 1, 2010

New York, N.Y. I profiled Dr. Jane Aronson in "Orphan Doctor" Dedicated to Tomorrow's Thought Leaders . Jane, an internationally-renowned pediatrician and child advocate…

2010 World Peace Gala Awards Juan Mendez Peace Prize in Chicago

January 12, 2010

Chicago, IL. Chicago witnessed a spectacle last week in their magnificent Auditorium Theater on East Congress Parkway – “The 2010 World Peace Gala.” The Hon. Juan Méndez,…

Acclaimed NYC Modern Dance Company Invited to Mexico City

July 9, 2010

New York, NY. Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater ( AGDT ), the critically acclaimed New York-based modern dance company with a Latin touch, has the great honor of being inv…

Allure of the Hive: Connectivity, Social Networking & Change

May 10, 2010

New York, N.Y. A distinguished panel of experts gathered Saturday at the Philoctetes Center for the Multidisciplinary Study of Imagination for a standing room-only roundt…

Andeisha Farid and the Orphaned Children of Afghanistan

April 8, 2010

New York, N.Y. I met "Orphans Hero" Andeisha Farid this fall when she was in town as part of Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Women Program . Then I saw her on Brian Williams' brill…

Annabella Gonzalez Dance Troupe Presents Spring Series "Juntos"

April 6, 2010

New York, N.Y. The latest offering from the Annabella Gonzalez Dance Troup ( AGDT ), Juntos ('United'), was triumphant. I was particularly impressed with the strength of…

Asia Society's President on Global Citizens Like Barack Obama

April 10, 2010

New York, N.Y. “As Americans, we have the unfortunate idea that we should and need to learn more about the world, but it’s not a priority. “We get to it when we can, whic…

Book Speaks to Man's Successful Mission to Help Humanity

October 31, 2010

Washington , DC. Although our lives have turned out different, I learned in my friend Charles "Chic" Dambach's exciting new book, Exhaust the Limits , that we have much i…

Brooklyn Steppers March Forward, Giving to Community, Gaining in Process

May 13, 2010

Brooklyn, N.Y. In high school I had been manager of our marching band in Ohio. It was a grueling task, but rewarding to see my friends play and march so well. The program…

C.E.O. Brooke Partridge Helps Lead Technology Thought in Developing World

March 14, 2010

New York, N.Y. Despite our best efforts to meet in Barcelona, at the GSM World Congress , with 49,000 participants spread between 1,300 vendors, C.E.O. Brooke Partridge a…

Cambodian Children's Hospital Benefits In N.Y. & L.A.

April 8, 2010

New York, N.Y. I have been a friend of Friends Without A Border (FWAB), the international fundraising source of the Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC), for several years.…

Can the World's Poorest Girls Save the MDGs?

September 21, 2010

New York, N.Y. The United Nations is riveted this week on how badly our leaders are doing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ). One woman of action, a glo…

Caroline Goulding Makes Magic at Young Concert Artists 50th Anniversary

October 14, 2010

New York, N.Y. Self assured, poised, and performing with a wide range of emotional energy and intensity, 18-year old Caroline Goulding 's debut performance at Merkin Hall…

Changing Roles of Women Discussed at College of Wooster

July 2, 2010

Wooster, Ohio. First paragraph missing . During this discussion, a part of the annual Women’s Week activities, representatives from Thailand, India, Japan, Malaysia, Sri…

Chatting with UNICEF's Director Ann Veneman

April 8, 2010

New York, N.Y. I met UNICEF 's executive director Ann M. Veneman recently at Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden's World Childhood Foundation luncheon at the United Nation…

Chinese Media Students Interview Rep. Carolyn Maloney

April 6, 2010

By Yanning Cui, Edited by Jim Luce Queens, N.Y. On an afternoon in February, I accompanied the Chinese Young Press Corps and came to Opa! Greek Restaurant to interview U.…

Connectivity Is Key To Social Change

October 6, 2010

New York, NY. Approaching my 24th trip to Haiti in 12 years, just before the first anniversary of the earthquake, I have decided to call Haiti home for a while. I am able…

Dr. Judy on Trauma of Disasters - like Haitian Earthquake

April 7, 2010

Dr. Judy Kuriansky trained local Boy Scouts to be "comforters" in the wake of the earthquake that recently destroyed Haiti. The patients were also grateful that anyone ca…

El Museo del Barrio: Fifth Avenue on Fire

April 10, 2010

New York, N.Y. Forty years ago, El Museo del Barrio was a dream contained in a single classroom so far north that “sophisticated” Manhattanites would not visit there afte…

Empowering World's Poorest Girls to Transform World

September 21, 2010

New York, N.Y. I first met Jin In off a snowy sidewalk near Bryant Park in New York City this past winter. She just returned from Nepal, energized. There, she was working…

Evil in America? U.S. Fundamentalist Group to Burn Koran on 9/11

September 5, 2010

New York, N.Y. One need not journey to the mountains of Afghanistan or Pakistan to discover evil. We have our own home-grown variety of dangerous extremism here in Florid…

Eye Witness: Teens Paint House, Learn About Appalachia

June 26, 2010

The Developing World is not just outside the United States. August 24. The name of the town and the fact that we would be painting the house of a senior citizen were all…

Eyewitness: Haiti Has Improved Somewhat in Last Two Months

May 28, 2010

Léogâne, Haiti. I am sitting in the office of Belo Water in Léogâne, Haiti, on the first morning of my 21st trip here. This is my second trip since the terrible January 1…

Failed States: Index Quantifies that Feeling in My Gut

June 26, 2010

United Nations, N.Y. What is a failed state? Building orphanages and orphan care programs around the world, I have dealt in terrible conditions, where the government - an…

Fifty Lessons Learned from Decade in International Development

April 19, 2010

New York, N.Y. The purpose of the symposium was to train and support the next generation of progressive political entrepreneurs. Mark Green 's former campaign staffer Kei…

Film on the Life & Times of Stonewall Veteran Storme DeLarverie

July 13, 2010

"If we turn our back, she will die." - Sam Bassett New York, N.Y. Storme , a documentary by Sam Bassett based on the life and times of Stonewall Veteran Storme DeLarverie…

Film Shown at U.N. Donor Conference on Collapse of Haiti's Presidential Palace

April 18, 2010

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The film "Thirty-Five Long Seconds: Haiti's Deadly Earthquake" was screened recently as part of the recent Donor's Conference at the United Nations…

First 'Davos' for Women's International Development in NYC

July 1, 2010

New York, N.Y. I met Cecilia Attias, former First Lady of France and founder and executive chair of the Cecilia Attias Foundation for It was extraordinarily successful -…

Franketienne: Haiti's First Nobel Laureate - Hopefully

January 12, 2010

New York, N.Y. As a cultural area studies graduate, seldom do I feel over my head culturally. Standing in the home of possibly the next Nobel Prize recipient for Literatu…

French Artist & Legend CharlElie Couture in New York City

July 2, 2010

New York, N.Y. We first met French Contemporary Artist CharlElie Couture at the French Embassy in New York for the Wynton Marsalis ceremony in the fall of 2009. He impres…

Gay Community's Rosa Parks Faces Death, Impoverished, Alone

July 13, 2010

New York, NY. I know dementia. My father and grandmother both died with it. But they had both resources and families to protect them - and neither were living cultural an…

Greece for Americans: From Aristotle to Athens, Astoria - and Loula

April 21, 2010

New York, NY. “Hellas” – the Hellenic Republic – has intrigued me since by boyhood when I collected foreign postage stamps and had to ask my father to identify the origin…

Haitian-American Professionals Return to Haiti to Help Post-Quake

August 21, 2010

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haitian-Americans are becoming increasingly vital to the reconstruction of Haiti. I accompanied several back to their native land last week to work…

Helping Women: Eliminating Obstetric Fistula in Developing World

April 10, 2010

New York, N.Y. Ana Langer, M.D., spoke recently at a Smith Barney seminar on health in the developing world. She was talking about the problem of obstetric fistula, of wh…

Historic Gathering of 1,000+ Global Peace Activists in NYC

April 30, 2010

G et a taste of what the mighty international movement for peace, nuclear abolition and justice is planning for building the movement and the path to a world free of nucl…

Ian Pounds Sells Vermont Home, Moves to Kabul to Help Orphans

April 8, 2010

"The whirling belongs to you," wrote the Sufi poet Rumi, who was born in northern Afghanistan in the 13th Century – "and you belong to the whirling..-." New York, N.Y. I…

Indo-American Arts Council Feeds American Mind with Sub-Continental Culture

May 15, 2010

New York, N.Y. The IAAC supports all the artistic disciplines in classical, fusion, folk, and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India. They work cooperatively wi…

Indo-American Arts Council Fete Recreates Mughal Court in NYC

May 19, 2010

New York, N.Y. The Indo-American Arts Council threw a purposefully decadent, fun-filled party last week for the new book Islamicate Cultures of Bombay Cinema by Ira Bhask…

Indonesian Orphaned Children Grow - and Go Mainstream

August 15, 2010

Manado, Indonesia. In 2001 Orphans International Worldwide ( OIWW ) built its first full-care project in Indonesia, outside Manado in predominantly Christian North Sulawe…

Janusz Korczak Helped Inspire Me to Build Orphans International

April 10, 2010

By Jim Luce and David Gilfix. New York, N.Y. Many years ago my good friend David Gilfix wrote a play about the great Jewish-Polish orphanage director, Janusz Korczak, and…

Let Us Not Waste The Limited Number of Hours We Have Left

September 7, 2010

New York, NY. 9/11 brings back haunting memories. Having buried by brother and mother almost back-to-back just before 9/11, losing all three of my life-long mentors over…

My Favorite Coffee Table Book: India Unveiled

April 10, 2010

R obert Arnett's India Unveiled is, for my taste, Coffee Book of the Decade. Did you know that India is the most populous democracy in the world? It is the second-most po…

My First HuffPo Piece: Orphans International Worldwide

January 15, 2010

I t has been a banner week in my life. Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary hosted a benefit for Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW), the U.N.-accredited organization…

N.Y. Film Academy Focuses on Turkish Film

April 10, 2010

A skin Dansi is a documentary movie which presents the life and poetry of well-know philosopher Mawlana Jelaladdin Rumi who lived in the 13th century in Anatolia. The "Tu…

New Year's Resolution: Sponsor an Overseas Child in 2010

April 8, 2010

With the kids of OI Haiti in Jacmel, who have survived hurricane after hurricane. But OIWW is only one option. Other options include the Afghan Child Education & Care Org…

Orphans International Haiti Survives Earthquake in Jacmel

April 7, 2010

Sadly, the children of Orphans International Worldwide Haiti are used to natural disasters. Here, they pose near the washed out road near our home outside Jacmel in Cyvad…

Orphans International Unveils New Website for Sponsoring Kids

August 23, 2010

New York, NY. Orphans International Worldwide ( OIWW ) unveiled its new website , the third since its founding in 1999. I created the first, which was indeed primitive. T…

Queen Noor on Obama, Islam & Global Communications

June 20, 2010

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan addressed Soliya's "11-9: From Hate to Hope" symposium. Queen Noor was present at an event entitled "11-9: From Hate to Hope," in partner…

Relationships Between Israelis and Arabs – Thru Gaming?

May 13, 2010

I learned from my American grandparents – who had family fight in WWII on both fronts – that Germans and Japanese ‘were not like us.’ It was hinted that they were "other"…

Remembering my Teenage Years with Dad in New Hampshire

July 29, 2010

New York, N.Y. I first met Luan (Louise) Fiber through my Dad just after Halloween the year I was eleven. They were dating. By Easter, I liked her enough to bring her lil…

Roshan: Cell Phone Company Helping to Change Afghanistan

April 6, 2010

Behind Karim's twinkling eyes, I could almost see his brain synapses flashing . Photo courtesy of Film Officer William Inganga, Republic of Kenya. Since its inception in…

Searching NYC for the Perfect Family Apartment Pooch

July 18, 2010

We are looking to adopt a young, male Shih Tzu, Havanese, Maltese, Papillion, or Lhasa Apso. I am 50-year old and a writer and orphan care expert. My partner is a diamond…

Spectacular Sold-Out Premiere of Anti-Child Trafficking Film in NYC

June 27, 2010

New York, N.Y. Cambodian Parliament Member Mu Sochua received a standing ovation from the sold-out, standing room-only crowd at the red carpet world premier of REDLIGHT l…

Stewardship Report: First Ambassador Writes Op-Ed "Diplomatic Viewpoint"

May 6, 2010

New York, N.Y. The Hon. Kenneth H. Merten, American Ambassador to Haiti, has written the first " Diplomatic Viewpoint " for The Jim Luce Stewardship Report launched two w…

The Technicolor Amish: Cult or Counterculture

July 3, 2010

The Farm is an intentional community in Lewis County, Tennessee, based on principles of nonviolence and respect for the Earth. Led by a ‘hippie’ prophet, Stephen Gaskin ,…

Tokyo of the Mind: A Study of the Figurative Language of Abe Kobo

June 26, 2010

F igurative language plays an essential part, if not the leading role, in the literature of Abe Kōbō . Because traditional Japanese literature has developed outside of We…

U.N. Blue Helmets from Sri Lanka Come to Our Assistance in Haiti

April 5, 2010

Leogane, Haiti. Another early day here in Leogane, Haiti - epicenter of the earthquake - for our international NGO post-disaster relief team. I brief the team over breakf…

Who Was Chea Vichea and Why Does He Matter?

April 29, 2010

New York, N.Y. In my own special screening, director Bradley Cox recently showed me his 55-minute film Who Killed Chea Vichea? in his office in Manhattan. Bradley is now…

Zafèn Microloan Program for Haitian Businesses Announced

April 29, 2010

Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop Guy Sansaricq, the only Haitian-born U.S. bishop, encouraged members of the New York Haitian Diaspora to use the website as a means to help Hait…

Zafèn: New Interest-Free Microloan Initiative Launched for Haiti

April 29, 2010

Creations Blaise in Jacmel makes functional products such as trays, under-plates and bookends in wood, glass and papier mache. Its long-term business plan is to establish…

2,870 Mayors for Peace: Does Yours Belong?

August 25, 2009

New York, N.Y . 2,870 cities in 134 countries. That's how many cities have committed themselves to not being a nuclear target by joining the U.N.-associated Mayors for Pe…

Airlines Applauded as Our Tsunami Docs Return from New Orleans

September 18, 2009

New Orleans, LA. Orphans International Worldwide’s Indonesian “Tsunami Docs,” wearing traditional Moslem head covering, were present as they passed through New York to re…

Essay: Busy Lives Crossing in Busy Airports - Dr. Jean Pape

September 18, 2009

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Dr. Jean Pape is known internationally for his skill and knowledge regarding HIV disease in Haiti, and also his know-how in distributing antiretrov…

Essay: Global Heroes as Role Models

August 24, 2009

My mother, Frances Alleman-Luce, had challenged me to think about what would make Orphans International unique in the bleak world of orphanages. I told her I planned to h…

Hip Campaign from World's Oldest Humanitarian Program

October 24, 2009

Geneva, Switzerland. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent can be best understood as a collection of pieces building a whole. In my first piece, I told the story o…

In Sri Lanka: Orphans International Worldwide Continues

August 25, 2009

Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. Orphans International Sri Lanka, an affiliate of Orphans International Worldwide , was founded in Sri Lanka following the Tsunami. The organization,…

Indian Legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Plays NYC, Thanks Obama

August 29, 2009

New York, N.Y. Indian classical musician Ustad Amjad Ali Khan played the Indian Consulate of New York last week. He played in the grand ballroom of the former mansion on…

Korean-American Hahn-Bin Wows Carnegie Hall In Debut

October 15, 2009

New York, NY. There are few male Asian-American sex symbols. Violin prodigy Hahn-Bin , studying under Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho, is one of the few. Opening the 49t…

Micah Kellner: Harvey Milk Lives - in Albany

August 25, 2009

"I receive $400 a month from my pension, but have lost my public housing since I retired. I must now pay $1,300 each month for my apartment. I also need to pay for health…

Orphans International Worldwide: Our First Teenager - Bahrizal

August 28, 2009

Orphans International Family Milestone Orphans International Sumatera in Indonesia celebrated Bahrizal’s birthday in February 2006. He turned 13, making him the first tee…

Remembering My Battle Against Fundamentalists

August 29, 2009

New York, N.Y. I left Wall Street unexpectedly following an appearance on the Phil Donahue Show in 1985. There, on the Oprah Winfrey Show of its day, Richard Yao and I di…

Slumdog: Greater Insult "Slum," Not "Dog"

August 24, 2009

The friends and neighbors of "Slumdog Millionaire" child actor Mohammed Azharuddin Ismail cheer while watching the Oscars award ceremony on television outside his shanty,…

Sundance Film Afghan Star Incredible

August 29, 2009

New York, N.Y. Thirty years ago people could sing and dance in Afghanistan. Then the Taliban took control, instituted Sharia law and, as described in the film The Kite Ru…

Wall Street Lawyer on "The Positive Presumption"

March 28, 2009

Associate Eugene Lee recommends the practice of Positive Intent. In Eugene's words, "It's simply what we learned or should have learned when we were little kids. It's wha…

Women for Peace Concert at the U.N. General Assembly

September 18, 2009

T onight I find myself at the performance of Women for Peace at the U.N. General Assembly, hosted by Mrs. Ban Soon-taek. This show has African drummers, the Drum Café Dan…

Ending Orphanages Globally

October 31, 2008

New York, N.Y. The mission of Orphans International Worldwide , which began as "Raising Global Citizens," has now expanded. Today our mission statement has evolved throug…

Giving Newly-Arrived Home Attendants Nursing Education

November 16, 2008

New York, N.Y. There exists a large population of bright home attendants in New York City from around the world, often burdened with family obligations coupled with low i…

Orphans International Worldwide 6th Annual Benefit with Peter Yarrow

November 3, 2007

New York, N.Y. Peter was everything we had hoped for and more. I was honored to receive U.S. Congressional recognition initiated by Rep. Carolyn Maloney , and Peter was d…

Christmas 2006 Essay: Regrets of a Busy Man

December 24, 2006

New York, N.Y. As much as I am committed to moving Orphans International forward at all costs – Quand Meme – it does take a toll on me and I must admit having regrets. I…

Indonesian Tsunami Docs To Assist In Gulf

September 5, 2005

New York, N.Y. The Orphans International (OI) Sumatera Tsunami Medical Team has volunteered to come to the United States and help assist refugees left in Katrina’s wake.…

Tsunami Saint – NY’er Opens Heart and an Indonesian Orphanage

April 18, 2005

New York, N.Y. A New York man has raised about $100,000 and opened an orphanage in tsunami-ravaged Indonesia. "These kids are the most defenseless people in the world," J…

In Japan: Fat Gaijin (Me!) Races 500 Junior High Students

October 10, 1980

Morioka, Japan. l thought was going to die. My legs were numb, my lungs were bursting; l expected at any moment to succumb to heart attack. In self-pity, looked back at h…

Notes from Japan: Japanese, English Language Far Apart

October 17, 1980

Morioka, Japan. There are many reasons why foreign language programs in Japan are, in the words of former ambassador Edwin Reischauer, ”˜extraordinarily poor.’ Domestic p…

Notes from Japan: Living with a Former Samurai Family

October 24, 1980

Morioka, Japan. The Ueda family, although not particularly representative of that which is ”˜typical,’ does represent a very old and important segment of Japanese society…

Remembering Cultural Icon Mary Hartman (1976)

September 24, 1976

Marietta, Ohio. “It’s just incredible. The Fernwood flasher, mass murders, chickens, goats”¦ and my floor has a yellow waxy build-up.” To those of you who are new fans o…