At a UN celebration for Ted Turner, memories of a man who saw the power of global cooperation

One day decades ago, media mogul and CNN founder Ted Turner heard about a washerwoman in Mississippi who donated her life savings of $150,000 for scholarships so that young people could go to college. On Monday, at a celebration of Turner's life, his daughter said he was so inspired by that act of charity that he turned around and donated $1 billion to the United Nations.

Laura Turner Seydel recounted her father saying, “Well, I would have to do something really important and big and significant” to match that. A month later, in September 1997, he shocked a U.N. gala dinner after receiving a Global Leadership Award by announcing the gift to U.N. causes — the largest individual donation in history at that time.

Stressing the “challenging times” the world now faces, Seydel urged the audience of several hundred people to honor her father by following his example. “Please use your ideas, resources and ambitions to back the institutions that hold the world together,” she urged.

The UN was Turner's ‘headquarters’ in New York

Turner died in May at age 87 from the effects of Lewy body dementia, an incurable disease with which he was diagnosed in 2013, Seydel said. She was charged with spreading his ashes in the places he loved, and some fell to the floor of the U.N. Economic and Social Council chamber, where the celebration of his life was held.

“There was really nothing like the U.N., his headquarters here in New York,” Seydel said, recalling how he would talk to everyone from the secretary-general and ambassadors to the security guards and cleaners.

Turner’s $1 billion was used to start the United Nations Foundation — the U.N. itself can accept money from governments, but not individuals — and since then, Seydel said, “there’s been another $3 billion donated to match that.”

Foundation President Elizabeth Cousens said the audience reflected those “inspired by Ted and his life, vision and work” -- diplomats from all over the world, U.N. staff, philanthropists, staffers from CNN which Turner founded and members of civil society, academia and the private sector.

In a video tribute, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Turner “a one-of-a-kind visionary” whose quest for peace and a better world has helped the United Nations expand its reach and further his goals of protecting health, a flourishing environment and global disarmament.

Former U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said in his video tribute that Turner “changed the trajectory of countries and lives around the world” by establishing the U.N. Foundation. “And today, as multilateralism and the U.N. itself are facing elevated challenges in our uncertain world, it is absolutely critical that we all continue to work tirelessly in championing the very causes and vision that Ted Turner so fiercely advocated,” he said.

His family also shared memories

There were also memories from three of his 14 grandchildren. “Grandpa, you will always be my idol, my inspiration, pushing the limits of what is possible in a human lifetime,” said one, Vasser Seydel.

Several of Turner’s music favorites were also part of the celebration. Johnny Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, and his wife, Ana Cristina Cash, sang “Jackson.” Singer Carolina Rial and the Harlem Gospel Choir also performed.

Several of CNN’s biggest names gave video tributes. Wolf Blitzer said something Turner said when he hired him in 1990 has lingered — commitment to the network's global nature. Said Blitzer: “He thought that if people all over the world were seeing the same news, maybe, maybe the world would be a little bit more peaceful and a little bit better."

Christiane Amanpour said: “First and foremost, for me, is his total dedication to a global community and a global perspective — and that’s what he would want us all to keep pursuing.”

Anderson Cooper said giving $1 billion to the U.N. “was not exactly the easiest applause line in America. With Ted, he didn’t care whether it was popular or even possible. He knew he could do impossible things because he did time and time again.”

Addressing the audience, Nobel peace prize winner Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler, told the audience that working for CNN “took me to places that I never imagined” as a young reporter. “I call myself Ted’s ripple — what he created shaped my world.”

Former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Andrew Young, who is Black and was with Martin Luther King Jr. when he was assassinated, recalled entering politics and getting to know Turner when he was starting in television. “It was something in Ted that made him look beyond race … and see people as children of God,” the former Atlanta mayor said.

In the only political remarks at the two-hour event, Young said he saw “the spirit of God moving across this planet” in last week’s election when people came together. “Whether he wanted to or not," Young said, "Ted Turner was a major influence — and you ain’t seen nothing yet.”