TAYLOR SWIFT was honored by her ex-boyfriend CONOR KENNEDY's famous family at the Ripple of Hope Awards Dinner in New York on Monday evening (03Dec12).

The Love Story hitmaker was announced as the guest of honor at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights' 2012 gala by Conor's aunt Kerry Kennedy in October (12) - just weeks after their summer romance fizzled out.

She was handed the night's top prize, the Ripple of Hope Award, in recognition to her commitment for social change through music, and also performed several tracks from her latest hit album Red.

Conor did not attend the event, but Swift posed for pictures with members of his family on the red carpet.

The singer has now been linked to One Direction star Harry Styles and she reportedly left the gala early to catch the pop band's performance at Madison Square Garden that night.