Eric T. Schneiderman, Peter Ward to Receive 2012 Yitzhak Rabin Awards

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Friends of the Yitzhak Rabin Center (AFYRC) will honor New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York Hotel Trades President Peter Ward with the 2012 Yitzhak Rabin Leadership and Public Service Award. The awards will be presented at a gala dinner held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on Sept. 12, 2012.

“I am humbled by the contributions these two individuals have made to their communities and my father would be proud to know that people like Eric and Peter are committed to making public service a first priority in their lives.”

True to the legacy of the late Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli prime minister, who devoted his life to public service, Schneiderman and Ward will be recognized for leadership in their communities and contributions to public life. Chelsea Clinton will provide introductory remarks at the event, while Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts, and John Wilhelm, president of UNITEHERE!, will present the awards.

“It is with a very great honor that we recognize Eric Schneiderman and Peter Ward at this event,” said Dalia Rabin. “I am humbled by the contributions these two individuals have made to their communities and my father would be proud to know that people like Eric and Peter are committed to making public service a first priority in their lives.”

As prime minister, Rabin dedicated his time in office to initiating significant changes in national priorities, investing in education and social welfare, and building basic infrastructure, with a goal of equalizing opportunity for all. Schneiderman and Ward will join a prominent list of past honorees of the AFYRC that exemplify Rabin’s core beliefs in job dignity, fair pay and adequate working conditions. These individuals include James P. Hoffa, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Cecil E. Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America; Terry O’Sullivan, president of the Laborers International Union of America; Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers; and others.

The AFYRC is a non-profit organization that supports the mission of the Yitzhak Rabin Center in Tel Aviv. The Israeli center is the official memorial to Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995. It is led by Dalia Rabin, a former deputy minister of defense and member of the Knesset, who left politics in 2002 to head the center.

Modeled after an American Presidential library, the Yitzhak Rabin Center includes an interactive museum, archives and an educational wing that teaches conflict resolution and instills democratic values among Israel’s youth and diverse population. Rabin, who dedicated his life to peace, leadership and public service, served as an ambassador to the United States and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

For information about the gala dinner, please call 212-616-6161. For more information on the Yitzhak Rabin Center, visit www.friendsofrabin.org. The AFYRC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.