Former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, who made one of his final public appearances at this year’s Al Smith Dinner in October, died Wednesday at his home in Connecticut, Kissinger Associates Inc. announced in a statement.
The 78th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, as the event is officially known, was held October 19, and featured Kissinger as its keynote speaker. This year’s event raised a record $7 million for the Foundation, which supports charitable endeavors throughout the Archdiocese of New York and beyond, including Catholic schools, migrant outreach, substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation, and pediatric care for those in need.
Kissinger, who turned 100 on May 27, was born in Germany and grew up in the Washington Heights section of Upper Manhattan after his family emigrated to the United States in 1938. He served as U.S. National Security Advisor from 1969 to 1975, and Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977, under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He shared the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with Vietnam’s Lê Đức Thọ, who refused to accept it.
“[Kissinger has] made it to almost every dinner since 1973, so we wanted to honor him this year, in his 100th anniversary,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan told reporters in remarks prior to the beginning of the October event.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg was slated to introduce Kissinger but was unable to attend after contracting Covid. Instead, E. John Rosenwald Jr., vice chairman of JP Morgan Chase, gave the introduction.
In his remarks, Kissinger recalled his previous speech at the Al Smith Dinner in 1974, while he was still Secretary of State during President Richard Nixon’s term.
“On that occasion, there was a public controversy about Senator Jacob Javits going to Cuba which was under sanction, without State Department permission. I was then Secretary of State and I commented about it at this dinner by saying “People ask me whether I was bothered by Senator Javits going to Cuba without sanction. The fact is, what bothered me was not his going, but that he came back,” a political joke that still evoked laughter almost a half-century later.
Kissinger then focused on more serious topics. Having just returned from China, Kissinger said he hoped the United States would use both diplomacy and military deterrence to prevent conflict between the two nations. “Much therefore depends on whether the leaders of the two countries can find a context in which they prevent such a conflict and I wish [President Biden] every success in the negotiations which he is about to undertake.”
Turning his attention to Russia and Ukraine, he said, “We have to cooperate in finding a solution that affirms the independence and freedom and the resistance to outside intervention of Ukraine. And we also need to build Russia back into the European system.”
After decrying the recent violence in the Middle East and expressing hope that the United States would continue to support Israel, he closed by saying, “The future is one of hope if America has confidence in itself…And on that basis, I hope we can build a peace of strength and reconciliation for the next decade.”
Kissinger is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Nancy Maginnes Kissinger, two children by his first marriage, David and Elizabeth, and five grandchildren.
“He will be interred at a private family service. At a later date, there will be a memorial service in New York City,” Kissinger Associates said.