Diane von Furstenberg Honored Priyanka Chopra Jonas at the 15th Annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball

Of all the magical things about the holiday season, giving remains the most rewarding. At the 15th annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball, generosity was on full display. Hosted at Cipriani Wall Street, the event gathered hundreds of luminaries and philanthropists to raise $4.95 million to help save countless children through immunization, nutrition, protection, and education.

Before dinner, the Sing Harlem Choir set a merry tone. That spirit continued throughout the night with delicious food, infectious music, and incomparable company. Acting as master of ceremonies, Sofia Carson stunned in her black-and-white gown and kept the energy high. Marjolein and Ewout Steenbergen, devout advocates for children, received the Spirit of Compassion Award.

Later on in the evening, Diane von Furstenberg presented Priyanka Chopra Jonas, a longtime UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, with the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award. In her glowing introduction, von Furstenberg compared Chopra Jonas’s compassion and elegance to that of the late Audrey Hepburn, a friend of the legendary designer.

Many of the honorees remarked on the personal moments that shaped their generosity and hope. “Growing up in India,” Chopra Jonas recalled, “my parents were doctors in the Indian Army and iterated the importance of giving back. They taught me that whatever we had was considered a privilege. My mother taught me to use my privilege in the service of others.”

Inspired, the people in the room demonstrated the extent of their generosity by donating large funds that directly aided the construction of schools and wells. Others used their social influence to draw attention to causes too often ignored in a media already oversaturated by violence. Others still worked in the field, holding and helping the children in need. Many did all three.

Walk the Moon electrified the room with their hit “Shut Up and Dance.” The night continued with a riotous after-party, where guests danced to tracks spun by Timo Weiland and DJ Nicole Rosé.