Peter Gelb has received the Foreign Policy Association’s medal for his cultural diplomacy.

The Metropolitan Opera’s general manager received the recognition at the FPA’s annual dinner at The St. Regis New York Hotel, chaired by Vice Chairman Sana Sabbagh.

In a statement, Gelb said, “I have devoted my career to cultural diplomacy and playing a role in elevating humanity through art and artistic exchange.”

In his acceptance speech, the General Manager added, that cultural exchanges can bridge political divides noting “I was the 33-year-old manager of Vladimir Horowitz. I brought him to Moscow, an official recognition of the pending detente negotiated by Gorbachev and Reagan. He was the first event in the cultural exchange agreement signed by the two leaders.”

The evening also saw Sir Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall, Susan Jaffe, Artistic and Interim Executive Director of American Ballet Theater, and Ian Wardropper, Director of the Frick Collection receive medals.