Starkey Hearing Foundation has announced that Steven Tyler, one of the most powerful frontmen in music, will headline the 17th annual So the World May Hear Awards Gala benefiting Starkey Hearing Foundation on July 16th, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This year’s guest list also includes Ben Affleck, who will be honored for his humanitarian work with the Eastern Congo Initiative.

The So The World May Hear Awards Gala is one of the most acclaimed fundraising events in the country. Because of the generosity of gala sponsors and guests, Starkey Hearing Foundation is leading the world in the creation of a community-based hearing healthcare program and other global strategic hearing health initiatives.

“On behalf of everyone at Starkey Hearing Foundation, we’re honored to host the 17th annual So the World May Hear Awards Gala in Minnesota,” said Bill Austin, award-winning global humanitarian and co-founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation. “Thanks to the continued support of our fellow humanitarians, we are able to share the life-changing gift of hearing by providing hearing aids and hearing healthcare education to children and adults in the U.S. and more than 100 countries around the world.”

This year’s gala will kick off with a star-studded red carpet event. After a silent auction and dinner, Starkey Hearing Foundation will honor global humanitarians for their passion and continued commitment to changing the world. This year’s honorees include Ben Affleck, director, actor, writer, producer, and founder of Eastern Congo Initiative; Esther Lungu, First Lady of Zambia; the Wilf Family Foundations; FedEx; and Scott Borchetta and Sandi Spika Borchetta of Big Machine Records and Music Has Value.

The evening’s entertainment, hosted by emcee Sinbad, will also include performances by Steven Tyler with his Nashville-based band The Loving Mary Band; singer/songwriter Darius Rucker; singer/songwriter John Fogerty; Zambian pop singer and philanthropist Portia Clark; 13-year-old singer/ukulele sensation and winner of America’s Got Talent Grace VanderWaal; and acclaimed Australian vocal group ARIA.

Since the inception of the gala in 2000, Starkey Hearing Foundation has honored many notable humanitarians including George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States; Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Sir Richard Branson; actress and philanthropist Jennifer Garner; and many others. To learn more, visit starkeyhearingfoundation.org/Gala.