The celebrations and the award ceremony of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF) GOOD Awards unfolded in Manhattan, amidst a gathering of celebrities and leaders of the diamond industry, film, music and fashion industries. Tiffany & Co. and Leo Schachter Diamonds and to international model and humanitarian Noella Coursaris Musunka, were given the GOOD Awards, which honours leaders committed to corporate social responsibility and promoting education empowerment and prosperity in Africa.

Russell Simmons, music mogul/entrepreneur and co-founder of the DEF, emphasized the importance that the diamond industry give back and empower the communities where their precious resources are found. “A strong Africa is an educated Africa. For the diamond industry to be sustainable in the future, empowerment of youth through education is essential,” Simmons said. Also, Varda Shine, the executive vice president of global sightholder sales for the De Beers Group and another co-founder of DEF, added, “Providing unrestricted access to schooling is the first step in creating a virtuous circle of development.”

The event hosted celebrities including Estelle, Jeffrey Wright, and Selita Ebanks; industry leaders Stephen Lussier of De Beers, Michael Kowalski of Tiffany & Co., Mark Light and Mike Barnes of Signet and African ambassadors from the diamond producing countries of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.

Apart from the formal award ceremony, the evening also included light segments of an African ceremonial dance by native Batswana dancers, performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Estelle, and music with famed DJ M.O.S. ‎