By Business & Finance 
The American Ireland Fund will host its 22nd Annual National Gala on Thursday evening, March 13th in Washington DC.
As the focal point of the evening, The American Ireland Fund will recognise The Honorable Joseph R. Biden Jr., for his distinguished public service as Vice President of the United States, with The American Ireland Fund Peace Award, a rarely-presented award whose past recipients include President Clinton.
“We are delighted to recognise the enormous contributions Vice President Biden has made to the welfare of Ireland,” said Kieran McLoughlin, president and CEO of The Worldwide Ireland Funds.
“Vice President Biden has been committed to the cause of strong US/Irish relations throughout his public service. As senator, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and then as Vice President, Joe Biden has been an invaluable voice for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.”
The American Ireland Fund will also recognise Robert J. McCann, chief executive officer of UBS Group Americas, with The American Ireland Fund International Business Leadership Award for his role as an exemplary business leader and philanthropist.
“Bob McCann has had a great impact on communities throughout Ireland as a philanthropist and in his professional life by making investments there,” said Kieran McLoughlin. “He has a focus on reconciliation in Northern Ireland and has been very generous to the integrated schools movement in particular.”
“I am honored to receive this award in recognition of my and UBS’s commitment to serving our communities,” said McCann. “There is no more important service I can think of than to contribute meaningfully to the development of the communities in which we live and work – and I am proud to know that these contributions have made a lasting impact.”
The gala will feature a keynote address by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, John Fitzpatrick, chairman of The American Ireland Fund, will join gala chairs, Irish and Irish American leaders, leaders in business, the media and the arts at the event celebrating Irish culture and heritage and generating funds for The Worldwide Ireland Funds’ Promising Ireland Campaign which has assisted over 650 Irish charities to-date.
