On 8 November 2026 the United Society Council (USC) held the USC Award Gala at Bellagio by MGM Shanghai, during the China International Import Expo. Hosted by USC President Jessica Chaijaya, the evening opened with a red carpet, presented six honours for humanitarian, cultural and artistic work, and marked a symbolic donation to the Wonderful Foundation in Indonesia. On the evening before, guests met at the Paramount, the Shanghai ballroom that opened in 1933.
The eve of the gala at the Paramount
On Saturday 7 November, USC welcomed guests to a VIP networking reception at the Paramount (百乐门), 218 Yuyuan Road, Jing’an District. Many guests came in the dress of 1930s Shanghai: feathered headpieces, beaded gowns, white suits and fedoras. They met at long tables under the gilded ceiling, posed in a period photo corner with a gramophone and high-backed chairs, and danced on the ballroom floor until late in the evening.
A red carpet at Bellagio by MGM Shanghai
The gala began on Sunday 8 November with the USC VVIP Red Carpet. From about 17:00, guests walked a long red carpet lined by ushers in white jackets, under a tall screen that showed each guest’s portrait and name, to a media wall marked “USC Award Gala”. Photographers and video crews from Chinese media lined the carpet, and Jessica Chaijaya gave interviews to the press before the ceremony.
Global Bridge Forum
In the ballroom, the stage carried the title of the evening’s programme: Global Bridge Forum (全球桥梁论坛). Four drummers in red opened the ceremony. The hosts then welcomed the guests, and Jessica Chaijaya addressed them from the stage.
Six honours
USC presented the International Humanitarian & Cultural Legacy Award (国际人道主义与文化传承奖) to five guests: Professor Fadel Muhammad, Madame Ike Bakrie, Madame Inti Subagio, Madame Farina Wijaya and the singer Victoria Bulieieva, known as VICTORI. Each recipient received a glass trophy and a red scarf on stage.
Professor Fadel Muhammad is a former Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia and a former Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), with a long record of work for social development and public welfare. Madame Ike Bakrie belongs to the Bakrie family, one of the largest Indonesian business families.
The Artistic Contribution Award (艺术贡献奖) went to Nok Chong (庄诺), from China.
| International Humanitarian & Cultural Legacy Award | Professor Fadel Muhammad Madame Ike Bakrie Madame Inti Subagio Madame Farina Wijaya Madame Victoria Bulieieva (VICTORI) |
|---|---|
| Artistic Contribution Award | Nok Chong (庄诺) |
A gift of hope for the Wonderful Foundation
USC also made a humanitarian donation to the Wonderful Foundation in Indonesia, in support of its charitable work, with particular attention to communities affected by natural disasters and forest fires. On stage, USC presented a symbolic cheque, “A Gift of Hope”, to the head of the foundation, Madame Hana Fadel, who is the wife of Professor Fadel Muhammad. The cheque carried the words: “Together, we can bring hope and make a difference.”
Music and a message from Syahrini
The Indonesian singer Syahrini, honoured by USC in Cannes in 2025, sent a video message. She could not attend because she was preparing for a concert on 1 December, and she congratulated the award recipients:
“May we continue to build bridges of friendship, spread kindness, and work together to make the world a better place.”
SYAHRINI
A dancer in traditional Chinese dress performed among the tables. After a short film about her career, including her time on The Voice, Victoria Bulieieva sang for the guests. Dinner followed, and many guests stayed for photographs in the ballroom until late in the evening.
From Brussels to Shanghai
The Shanghai gala followed USC’s flagship dinners in Cannes, Davos and Brussels, and brought the Council’s mission to Asia. USC began in 2018 at the La Nuit des Étoiles gala in Brussels, as a new kind of institution: one that brings together business, research and policy for environmental stewardship, fair development and cooperation across sectors. Since then, USC has supported The King’s Trust (2019), visited Shenyang to promote cultural and economic dialogue between China, Europe and South-East Asia (2019), met Irish leaders on building an inclusive society (2023 and 2024), hosted a gala for cultural diplomacy with music in Cannes (2024), and sent a delegation to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos (2026).
Why Shanghai, and why a red carpet
Jessica Chaijaya’s family history links China and Indonesia. In 1943 her grandmother sailed from Chaozhou to Indonesia and settled in Pematangsiantar, in North Sumatra. After more than thirty years in the beauty industry, Jessica Chaijaya turned to philanthropy and to building an inclusive platform for international exchange. She remembers the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival as a moment she will never forget, and she brought that experience to Shanghai because she believes that every guest deserves a moment to shine.
“Before the first guest arrives, there is a feeling of anticipation that has a charm beyond words.”
JESSICA CHAIJAYA
The venue added its own meaning. Bellagio by MGM Shanghai faces the Huangpu River, with the historic Bund on one side and the towers of Lujiazui on the other: heritage and ambition, East and West, in one frame.
The programme, the venues and the history of the Paramount are on the event page.
In the Chinese press
Chinese news and video sites reported on the evening on 9 and 10 November 2026 under the headline “On ideals, charity and global connection: the USC Award Gala opens in splendour in Shanghai” (关于理想、公益与全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕). The Huaxia Morning Post published a video report on ifeng.com, and the report also appeared on NetEase News, Sohu Video, Youku, Bilibili and AcFun. A second video, “USC Award Gala opens in splendour in Shanghai: President Jessica Chaijaya shares a vision of cultural exchange”, appeared on Bilibili and Tencent Video. The fashion news site 时尚之家 (Shishang Zhijia) published the full report, with the awards, the donation to the Wonderful Foundation and Jessica Chaijaya’s family story.
References
- 时尚之家 (Shishang Zhijia) (2026). USC Award Gala 颁奖盛典于上海璀璨启幕. Article, 10 November 2026.
- ifeng.com (2026). 关于理想、公益与全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕. Video report by the Huaxia Morning Post (华夏早报), 9 November 2026.
- NetEase News (2026). 关于理想、公益与全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕. Video, 10 November 2026.
- Sohu Video (2026). 关于理想、公益与全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕. Video, 10 November 2026.
- Youku (2026). 全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕. Video, 10 November 2026.
- AcFun (2026). 关于理想、公益与全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕. Video, 10 November 2026.
- Bilibili (2026). 关于理想、公益与全球联结 USC Award Gala颁奖盛典在沪璀璨启幕. Video, 10 November 2026.
- Bilibili (2026). USC Award Gala 颁奖盛典于上海璀璨启幕 主席蔡欣燕传达文化交流美好愿景. Video, 9 November 2026.
- Tencent Video (2026). USC Award Gala 颁奖盛典于上海璀璨启幕 主席蔡欣燕传达文化交流美好愿景. Video.
