In the same week that the Louvre in Paris opened its new $125 million Islamic galleries, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston celebrated its upcoming initiatives for the Arts of the Islamic World department and the inaugural Turkish Film Festival with a cocktail reception in the home of Catherine and Dr. Cenk Ozdogan.

Cenk, whose Turkish roots reach back to Istanbul, serves on the Arts of the Islamic World patron subcommittee of the MFAH and is architect of the film festival. Of the festival, which launches in April, Cenk emailed, "Most Houstonians probably aren’t familiar with Turkish movies but a Turkish film, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, was winner of the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011. "

The cocktail evening was aimed at stirring support for both the film fest and the Arts of the Islamic World Gala on Jan. 25. MFAH director Gary Tinterow shared his enthusiasm for both events.

Sharing an interest in both events were Aliyya Stude, Arshad and Shazma Matin, Sima and Masoud Ladjevardian, Eileen Lawal, Turkish Consul General Cemalettin Aydin, Kara Howes, Dr. Atilla Ertan, Jessica Rossman and Gordon Bethune and Tiffany and Randall Wong.

Charity begins at home

Just ask jewelry designer Joan Horning, who donates all profits from her line to the charity of the purchaser's choice. Her personal appearance in Tootsies was dedicated to the American Hospital in Paris and a few of the ladies in attendance had personal stories to share about their experiences with the non-profit.

In fact, Tootsies sales associate Candy Senn told of her son, hot actor and Dolce & Gabbana model Adam Senn, being born at the hospital in Paris.

Donna Josey Chapman, chair of the American Hospital of Paris Foundation, along with hospital ambassadors Diane Lokey Farb, Linda Barrett and Danielle Ellis spread the good word on the non-profit to guests including Jo Furr, Erin Furr Stimming, Donna Kurka, Judith Oudt, Anne Mendelsoh, Barbara Van Postman, Kathi Rovere and Laura Codman.

Honors in Beijing

Congratulations to attorney Y. Ping Sun, who just returned from her native China where she was honored as an Outstanding Alumnus at the Beijing Languages University. The degree in Beijing was just the start of her education that included earning a degree cum laude from the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton and a law degree from Columbia.

Today, she is of counsel at YetterColeman LLP and serves as a University Representative for Rice University where her husband, David Leebron, is president.