The Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Los Angeles’ preeminent forum for global affairs, will hold its 2026 World Prize Gala Sept. 29 at The Taglyan Cultural Complex in Los Angeles. Dignitaries, diplomats, government officials and business leaders will convene to honor individuals whose extraordinary contributions have advanced global understanding, cooperation and progress.
Information on tickets and sponsorships can be found at LAWAC.org.
This year’s honorees include Academy Award-nominated actress Sharon Stone, Cedars-Sinai President and CEO Emeritus Thomas M. Priselac and Southern California philanthropist Lynda Boone Fetter. Emmy-award winning Los Angeles broadcast news anchor Giselle Fernandez will emcee the evening.
“The Los Angeles World Affairs Council has a seven-decade legacy of being center stage in Los Angeles and bringing together thought leaders and citizens to discuss the issues, opportunities and challenges facing the world,” said The Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, Chair of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and former member of President Obama’s cabinet. “This year’s honorees embody the Council’s mission of promoting civil discourse and civic engagement. An informed citizenry is essential to assure and deepen democracy. As the world’s 4th largest economy, Californians bear a special responsibility to understand the pressing domestic and global issues and to celebrate those Angelenos promoting greater international awareness and impacting the world.”
Sharon Stone is an internationally recognized actress, artist, producer, humanitarian and New York Times bestselling author. Her film and television credits include scores of roles, most notably “Basic Instinct” and “Casino,” for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress and an Academy Award nomination. Stone earned an Emmy award for her work on the television series “The Practice” and received two more Golden Globe nominations for her roles in “The Mighty” and “The Muse.” She has worked tirelessly to advocate for HIV/AIDS research and awareness, children’s charities, disaster relief and women’s rights. Stone has been honored with a United Nations Global Citizen Award, Nobel Peace Summit Award, a Harvard Humanitarian Award, a Human Rights Campaign Humanitarian Award and an Einstein Spirit of Achievement Award.
Thomas M. Priselac, a longtime advocate for improving quality and access in healthcare, developed strategic and operational innovations to foster high-quality, safe and efficient care for patients. Under his leadership, Cedars-Sinai earned an international reputation for quality care, research, education and community service while evolving from a community hospital into a major academic health system. During Priselac’s tenure, Cedars-Sinai was named the Official Medical Provider for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games to serve athletes, teams and visitors from around the world. He has received numerous awards for his leadership in healthcare and his commitment to improving the health of the underserved, including the American Hospital Association’s Distinguished Service Award, B’nai B’rith International’s National Healthcare Leadership Award and the Charles R. Drew University Board of Trustees Medal of Honor. Earlier this year he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Lynda Boone Fetter is a respected philanthropist, civic leader and real estate developer whose decades of leadership have strengthened organizations dedicated to healthcare, education, scientific research and global engagement. Over the past 45 years, she has been involved in the development and stewardship of a portfolio of commercial properties throughout California’s San Gabriel Valley while building a legacy of responsible development and community investment. In addition, she serves as CEO of Deer Crest Associates, overseeing the premier private residential community at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Boone Fetter serves on the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Board of Directors, supporting its mission to foster informed dialogue on local, national and international affairs while expanding civic engagement. Her philanthropic leadership has also advanced institutions including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Caltech Associates, Southern California Public Radio and Annenberg Alchemy Partners.
The 2026 Gala Chairs are Scott Porter, EY and Yesenia Monsour, Kaiser Permanente.
Nine-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Giselle Fernandez is one of America’s most accomplished broadcast journalists, recognized for reporting from global conflict zones and interviewing influential world leaders. A four-time Los Angeles Press Club Journalist of the Year, she currently hosts the Emmy Award-winning “California Stories with Giselle Fernandez” on Spectrum News 1. Fernandez is best known for her work with NBC News and CBS News, where she anchored “Weekend Today” and became the first Latina to anchor the Sunday edition of “NBC Nightly News.” Beyond journalism, she is an author, philanthropist and president of her own production company. She also produced the documentary “Our Story,” highlighting healthcare disparities affecting underserved Latino children.
During Chairwoman Contreras-Sweet’s tenure as a member of President Obama’s cabinet and the head of the U.S. SBA, she led international missions to establish partnerships, hosted the inaugural global SME ministerial and promoted America’s entrepreneurs around the world, affecting countless families and lives. Prior to that she served as California Secretary of Business Regulation, Transportation and Housing, and was the first Latina to serve as cabinet secretary.
The Los Angeles World Affairs Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civic engagement and discourse, promoting an informed citizenry and developing future leaders. For more than 70 years, the Council has stood center stage as Los Angeles’ preeminent forum for global affairs, convening leading voices to confront the world’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. Over the course of its seven decades, the Council has hosted some of the most prominent and influential figures in modern history, including Martin Luther King Jr., Golda Meir, the Dalai Lama, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, King Charles III, Elon Musk and Bill Gates. More information is available at lawac.org.
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