Speakers confronted rising antisemitism and called on the entertainment industry to use its influence to foster dialogue, education, and greater understanding.
LOS ANGELES (Oct. 21 2026) – Creative Community For Peace (CCFP), an entertainment industry non-profit organization, hosted its eighth annual “Ambassadors of Peace” (AOP) event to honor prominent entertainment industry leaders for their commitment to speaking out against hate and using arts and culture to bring people together, bridge divides, and effect positive change in the world.
This year’s honorees were Gene Simmons, Rock Icon & Multi-Hyphenate Businessman; Erin Foster, Actress, Producer, Writer (Nobody Wants This); Kevin Weaver, President, Atlantic Music Group; Lynn Harris, Producer (Clayface, The Notebook, Se7en, Boogie Nights, King Richard); and Ethiopia Habtemariam, President of Music, HYBE AMERICA. The event was held at the Beverly Hills residence of Aton Ben-Horin, Executive VP A&R, Warner Music Group, and CEO Plush Management.
Artists and entertainment leaders from across the industry were in attendance, including Jerry Bruckheimer, Producer, David Foster, Producer and Composer, Haim Saban, Chairman and CEO of Saban Capital Group, Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, Elliot Grainge, CEO of Atlantic Records, Gary Barber, Co-Founder of Spyglass Media Group, Perry Farrell, Artist, Lawrence Bender, Producer, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Actress, Tom Corson, COO of Warner Music Group, Val Blavatnik, Managing Director of Warner Music Group, Michael Rotenberg, Founder and Partner at 3 Arts Entertainment, Mark Beaven, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Advanced Alternative Media; and David Zedeck, Global Co-Head of Music at UTA, among many others.
Previous Ambassadors of Peace honorees include Eugene Levy, Actor, Diane Warren, Songwriter, Liev Schreiber, Actor, Director and Producer, Ziggy Marley, Artist, Scooter Braun, Music Executive, Darren Star, Producer and Showrunner, Mayim Bialik, Actress, Writer and Host, Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, Troy Carter, Founder of Q&A and Atom Factory, Ben Silverman, Chairman and Co-CEO of Propagate Content, Elliot Grainge, CEO of Atlantic Music Group, Bruce Resnikoff, President and CEO of Universal Music Enterprises, Blair Kohan, Partner and Board Member at UTA, Aaron Bay-Schuck, CEO and Co-Chairman of Warner Records, Kat Graham, Actress, Artist and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, Ezekiel Lewis, President of Epic Records, Afo Verde, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Latin America, and Jacqueline Saturn, President of Virgin Music, among others, many of whom were in attendance this year.
Paying tribute to this year’s honorees were actress Shannon Tweed-Simmons, KISS co-founder Paul Stanley, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, former Paramount Pictures Chair and CEO Sherry Lansing, producer Matti Leshem, music executive Simon Tikhman, and music executive Carianne Marshall.
CCFP Chairman and Co-Founder, David Renzer, opened the evening and said, “Slogans are not solutions and we have to remember that they have real consequences. We must emphasize facts over misinformation, context over caricatures, debate over demonization, human dignity over hatred.”
Ari Ingel, CCFP Executive Director, said, “The strength of CCFP comes from the members of the entertainment industry who care about standing against hate. In an industry that celebrates diversity we cannot stay silent when Jewish and Israeli creatives are being excluded.”
The evening featured heartfelt speeches from the honorees, each reflecting on their personal commitment to using their platforms to advance peace and unity.
Honoree Gene Simmons said, “Hate spreads like a cancer and we must stop the hatred now. Today. And we cannot be passive about it.”
Honoree Erin Foster said, “I want to thank the community here who has welcomed me to learn and grow with you and never making me feel like I don’t belong.”
Honoree Kevin Weaver said, “We are living through a time of pain and division and in our creative community we have a responsibility to listen carefully, make room for different experiences and remember the human beings behind every story. We can disagree and still care deeply about each other. That is why the work CCFP matters so much.”
Honoree Lynn Harris said, “We are in an epic battle against an algorithm fed by misplaced rage and misinformation. The power of CCFP begins with that algorithm, helping us understand and distinguish the difference between noise and reality and uniting leaders and storytellers and empowering and encouraging us to take back our narrative.”
Honoree Ethiopia Habtemariam said, “I will always be about peace first. I won’t allow people to be bullies or treat others like they don’t matter.”
While celebratory, the evening also offered a moment for reflection. Three years after the October 7 attacks, speakers reflected on the lasting impact on the Jewish community and the alarming rise in antisemitism, reaffirming their commitment to speaking out against hate, challenging misinformation, and using their platforms to bring people together.
Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized the responsibility of the entertainment community to stand against efforts to divide people and to use the reach of music, film, television, and storytelling to encourage dialogue and human connection.