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(12 Dec 1995) English/Nat
Britain's Princess Diana has been named Humanitarian of the Year at a star-studded charity event in New York.
The Princess of Wales received the award from the United Cerebral Palsy charity in recognition of her work with sick and underprivileged children.
The gala event was attended by some of America's foremost glitterati, millionaires and billionaires, including Donald Trump and Dr Henry Kissinger.
It was Princess Diana's first visit to the United States since appearing in a much- publicised interview on British television.
Riding on a wave of popularity in the U-S since that interview, the Princess was greeted by her fans, including former U-S Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
She joined him and other celebrity guests at the Hilton Hotel for a dinner that raised two point one (m) million dollars for United Cerebral Palsy of New York City.
Among the V-I-Ps present at the charity event were Gulf War Hero General Colin Powell and one of America's top television news readers, Barbara Walters.
The Princess demonstrated the skills which have helped to make her so popular when she met some children at the gala evening.
The two disabled children, both three years old, presented her with teddy bears.
After a chance for the celebrities to meet and have photographs taken with Princess Diana, it was time for the main event of the evening.
The Princess received the United Cerebral Palsy's Humanitarian of the Year Award, given to her in recognition of her work with sick and underprivileged children.
The Princess devotes much of her time to charities and recently went on a walkabout in London late at night to meet some of the city's homeless.
She also helped to break down some prejudices when she kissed an H-I-V positive man in hospital when many people were still ignorant of AIDS.
Doctor Kissinger presented the Princess with the award.
He probably described the feelings of many of those present when he said she had become a "symbol for caring, because she has in fact cared deeply".
But the Princess felt she was not the only one deserving of the award.
SOUNDBITE:
"I want to say a sincere and heartfelt thank you for this award. It is humbling to receive it and to know that some of you seated here tonight feel that I should be honoured in this way. But perhaps you will forgive me if I suggest that I would like to share this award with a number of other individuals this evening. That there are others who might be equally - if not better - qualified to receive it tonight. I think of the parents who this very night are standing around a hospital bed not knowing if their child will wake in the morning. They are anxious, they are tired, yet they seem to possess a never-ending supply of compassion for their child."
SUPER CAPTION: Diana, Princess of Wales
Princess Diana's trip to New York comes at a time when she is seeking a formal ambassadorship, saying she sees herself as the "queen of people's hearts".
And successful public appearances such as this can only help build the love and respect she commands from so many fans.
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