Billboard co-chief content officer Leila Cobo was honored by Fashion 4 Development on Tuesday, Sept. 22, for her work preserving and celebrating Latin culture through music. Cobo received the recognition during Fashion 4 Development’s 14th annual Official First Ladies Luncheon in New York, held during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Cobo was among a group of honorees that included Veronica Berti Bocelli, vice chair and co-founder of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation; the late fashion designer Oscar de la Renta; and media executive and philanthropist Ted Turner. Actor and singer Anthony Ramos introduced Cobo before she accepted the honor at The Pier hotel in New York City.

During her acceptance remarks, Cobo spoke about her longstanding work highlighting Latin artists and creatives, particularly musicians, and bringing their work to international audiences. She described her role as a bridge between cultures and said the recognition from Fashion 4 Development reinforced her belief that collective efforts can produce tangible change.

Fashion 4 Development founder and president Evie Evangelou said Cobo embodied the organization’s mission through her efforts to preserve and celebrate Latin culture through music. Evangelou also described cultural preservation as an important part of her own work and emphasized the importance of protecting cultural heritage for future generations.

The luncheon, co-hosted by Evangelou and Dame Amanda Schumacher, focused on the relationship between diplomacy, fashion, culture and global development. Organizers said the event has grown from an initiative supporting United Nations goals into an international platform highlighting collaborations connected to social development and cultural preservation.

The event also included a special presentation from Oscar de la Renta, whose legacy at the intersection of fashion and philanthropy was recognized during the luncheon. Alex Bolen, CEO of Oscar de la Renta, accepted the recognition on behalf of the fashion house.

Ted Turner and the Turner Foundation were recognized with the Humankind Award, with Turner’s granddaughter Vasser Seydel accepting the honor. Reema Bandar Al-Saud, ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States, received the Women’s Empowerment Award, while Sally Ann Ranney and Veronica Berti Bocelli received UNG Leading Lady Honors.

Fashion 4 Development was founded by Evangelou in 2011 in cooperation with then-United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The organization works through partnerships involving fashion, beauty and lifestyle industries while supporting economic and social development, cultural preservation and women’s empowerment.

Cobo’s recognition adds another honor to her career in music journalism and media, where she has spent years documenting Latin music and its growing international reach through her work with Billboard.