On 04 June 2010, Richard Gere appeared at the first Aruba Film Festival to accept an award of the Golden Aruba Award, the first ever given by the minister of tourism of Aruba Otmar Oduber and the festival organizer Claudio Massenza. It was given for Gere's lifetime achievements as true screen legend as well as humanitarian activist. Audiences were moved by Gere's eloquent acceptance speech as he praised Aruba for having put such a festival together. 

It was Gere's first time to Aruba and he opened his speech describing Aruba and its people, 'beauuutiful!' He praised the AIFF organizers and people for taking this grand opportunity to expand on Arubian culture and awareness through this international film festival. He expressed awe in Aruban IFF crew putting it all together.

Gere stated: "They just said, 'we're just gonna do it. We dont know how but we're gonna do it'" and do it greatly and successfully, they have...