Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, the former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, economist Muhammad Yunus, fashion designer Reem Acra and philanthropist Amanda Schumaker were among the honorees at Fashion 4 Development’s First Ladies Luncheon Tuesday at The Pierre hotel.

Coinciding with the opening day of the 80th edition of the U.N. General Assembly, the annual event highlighted how fashion can be a tool for diplomacy and self-sufficiency in this polarized world.

Along with the organization’s 15th anniversary, F4D founder Evie Evangelou had another reason to celebrate — the release of her F4D-focused book. She also touted “The Ultimate Model,” a book about model Carmen Del’Orefice by photographer Fadil Berisha, who was among the guests at the luncheon. Model Carol Alt, stylist Phillip Bloch, astronaut Amanda Nguyen and actor Natane Boudreau were also in the mix. Attendees caught a Reem Acra fashion show in the hotel’s ballroom. There also was one with styles from the Ukrainian brands J’Amemme and Khrystyna Rachytska, thanks in part to The Lions chief executive officer Julia Kisla.

Ban, whose medal was to be presented Wednesday night, was saluted for being instrumental in the development of F4D and for his commitment to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. In a video message, he said that F4D has shown that fashion is “so much more than style,” and is a competitive force for sustainable values and diplomacy. The international dignitary encouraged a renewed commitment to the SDGs across all sectors.

Accepting an agent of change award, Osmani spoke passionately about her country, explaining, “Our story is a story of resistance, since we were the victims of a genocidal regime.”

Recalling how rape was used as a tool of war in the country’s most recent conflict, which ended after NATO intervened in 1999, Osmani claimed that about 20,000 women were raped. She added, “But they turned their pain into strength and became the voice of survivors all around the world.”

As a symbol of that strength, the Kosovo president gave Evangelou one of the cultural works that had been created by the women survivors from Kosovo. That token was meant as a reminder to support survivors all around the world.

“After experiencing unimaginable hardships, we know how important it is to give back and to give back to those, [who are] most in need. That is why Kosovo stands ready to work hand-in-hand with all international partners in addressing the greatest challenges of our time, because real change always comes from joint efforts,” she said.

“My country is determined to play a part by contributing with our voice and our values to the common good. We stand with each and every one of you in this mission to give back by working together across borders and across oceans to tackle the challenges that no one nation can face alone. When we join forces, we not only change lives. We change the course of history,” Osmani said.

The economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, who created the concept of microcredits and microfinance, was also honored. Wearing a Grameen check shirt, which is made in Bangladesh and is marketed globally, Yunus said, “I’m not a fashion guy, but sometimes I am a type of fashion model.”

His concept for microloans started in 1974 as an act of “desperation,” due to the famine in Bangladesh, where more than 1.5 million people died of hunger within 18 months. The Grameen Bank founder started loaning the impoverished incremental loans of $1, $2 or $5 to buy what they needed to provide incomes for themselves.

Yunus recalled how years ago four dresses were once made by a craftswoman for the former First Lady Hillary Clinton, while she was visiting Bangladesh. Yunus noted how the maker did not know whom they were being made for, nor could she envision the types of events and dinners that those garments would be worn to. “When we talk about fashion for development, that’s what we’re talking about. The creativity of people. If you give them a chance, they can express themselves to make success.”

Acra received her award from Qatari diplomat Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, who previously served as the president of the U.N. General Assembly. As images of Melania Trump, Usha Vance, Naomi Biden, Jill Biden, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez and Elle Fanning, wearing her designs, flashed on a video screen, Acra said, “Fashion has always been my language — a way to celebrate beauty, dignity and identity. But today reminds me that fashion is also diplomacy. It is a bridge between cultures, a celebration of cultures and a tool for us.”

Afterward, the former first lady of Malta Michelle Muscat spoke with WWD about the role that fashion can have in diplomacy and said that she was looking forward to the global runway show that F4D is planning down-the-road. She said, “With social media and the world being such a small village in a lot of ways with everyone keeping up with each other, fashion is something that very much embraces everyone whether they are young or old. It can be a unifying too to get people together especially when it is fashion that crosses cultures.”

From the stage, Schumacher suggested another way to connect, by instructing attendees to stand to hug their tablemates. She closed with, “As we walk out, let’s walk hand-in-hand to make a change. Freedom to the world.”