EU Commission Celebrates 50 Years
On the occasion of Europe Day, Ambassador John Bruton, head of the Delegation of the European Union, and his charming wife Finola opened their pink Kalorama residence and garden to about 500 European Union ambassadors, their spouses, congressional staffers, EU officials and staff, lots of media representatives, and many, many friends.
“This year the European Union is turning 50,” said Ambassador Bruton. “We have seen 50 years of peace and prosperity in Europe. And as we continue to develop our external relations, our close relationship with the United States takes on a new importance and the global challenges require us to increase trans-Atlantic cooperation.”
If you’ve met this ambassador, who is also the former prime minister of Ireland, then you’ve had a chance to see a quintessential diplomat-politician at work. His staff loves him and the receiving line always gets bogged down with well-wishers wanting more private time.
But don’t be mistaken, Bruton, who loves a good time, knows how to get things done and so does his staff. Here since only November 2005, Bruton has already personally met 200 members of the U.S. Congress. That could be a record.
From left, wife of the Cypriot ambassador Kareen Farrell Kakouris, Finola and European Union Ambassador John Bruton, his wife Finola, and Cypriot Ambassador Andreas Kakouris attend EU Day at the EU Residence on May 9.
Front page: From left, Ambassador of Portugal João de Vallera—whose country is the next to hold the rotating European Union presidency—and Mrs. and Ambassador of the European Union John Bruton attend EU Day at the EU Residence.
Photos: Gail Scott
Mosaic Turns 10
The Mosaic Foundation was founded in 1998 by 17 spouses of Arab ambassadors to improve the lives of women and children and increase understanding of the Arab world in the United States. Ten years later, Mosaic is celebrating its successful and prosperous decade, in which the organization has raised and donated more than $5 million to local, national and international institutions. Mosaic’s recent benefit dinner, which took place at the National Building Museum, added another $2.5 million to that total.
 These Arab diplomatic spouses didn’t always think in terms of millions. In the beginning, Princess Haifa Al-Faisal, wife of former Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, was the visionary who kept urging the other Arab wives to look past mere luncheons together and discover bigger and more important horizons. Princess Haifa and Nancy Dutton help set the stage for today’s success.
At this year’s benefit dinner, not only did these female representatives from 20 Arab countries raise more than $1.5 million dollars at the lushly decorated National Building Museum, but Rim Abboud—wife of the Lebanese ambassador and Mosaic’s vice president for programs—announced an additional pledge of $1 million from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai. That donation will be used specifically for the night’s benefactor, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP)
Mosaic’s guest of honor, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein—wife of Sheikh Al Maktoum of Dubai and the daughter of Jordan’s late King Hussein—is the first Arab and the first woman to serve as a goodwill ambassador for WFP. She reminded the 750 guests that in spite of overweight and obesity problems in some developed countries, there is still overwhelming hunger throughout the world in undeveloped areas.
“Eradicating world hunger could be our legacy,” she concluded. “I have held a hungry child with AIDS. I saw his need, his pain.” This dedicated humanitarian worker chairs Dubai’s International Humanitarian City. “Strip away all our material wealth and we have something that they don’t have: It is our education, our skills and our life experiences.… We are fighting the twin evils, poverty and hunger, and we must also give them an education.”
Ambassador of Oman Hunaina Al-Mughairy echoed this sentiment, explaining that there are more than 350 million chronically hungry children worldwide and that two-thirds of them women and girls. “Every five seconds on this planet a child dies from hunger.”
The Omani ambassador was the benefit chairwoman, making this the first time that a female ambassador has chaired the Mosaic’s biggest annual event, which has previously always been chaired by a Mosaic member, all of whom are diplomatic spouses. Interestingly enough, with the advent of female ambassadors from Arab countries, Mosaic is considering a by-law that would make the group more welcoming for Arab diplomatic spouses who are men.
From left, President of the Meridian International Center Stuart Holliday, Gwen Holliday, Shamim Jawad, and Ambassador of Afghanistan Said Tayeb Jawad attend the Mosaic benefit dinner to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary at the National Building Museum.
Front page: From left, wife of the Algerian Ambassador Ilse Kherbi, wife of League of Arab States Ambassador Nevine Hassouna, and Ambassador of Oman Hunaina Al-Mughairy attend the Mosaic benefit dinner.
Photos: Gail Scott
Hungarian Ambassador Keeps Rockin’
Musicians and other supporters came from Seoul, Budapest, New Orleans and Washington to New York for the charity concert “Rockin’ in the Big Apple for the Big Easy” to raise funds for the musicians of Katrina-struck New Orleans—under the auspices of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, the Embassy of Hungary in Washington, and Hungarian Ambassador András Simonyi’s band the Coalition of the Willing.
Ambassador Simonyi, the host of the event, said: “Hungary was among the first to help the Gulf Coast area after Katrina, and the Coalition of the Willing performed a benefit for Katrina victims in Cleveland a few weeks after the disaster.” The band decided to take the stage again in New York because “we wanted to help the musicians of New Orleans who are the heart and soul of the Big Easy.”
The Coalition of the Willing includes, along with the Hungarian ambassador: rock legend Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, formerly with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan and currently a Pentagon advisor on national security matters; U.S. Ambassador to Korea Alexander Vershbow; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Lincoln Bloomfield; former presidential aide Daniel Poneman; and Executive Vice President of the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness Dan McDermott.
The Coalition performed classic rock and blues hits like “Secret Agent Man,” “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “The City of New Orleans” and “Wild Thing” (in Hungarian). The set ended with the classic rock tune “House of the Rising Sun,” a famous song about New Orleans.
Among the dignitaries attending the benefit at the Cutting Room in New York City on April 27 were Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of President Eisenhower; Bálint Magyar, Hungarian state secretary for development policy; Hungary’s honorary consuls Stephen Gergátz (New Orleans) and John Parkerson (Atlanta); Hungarian businesswoman Izabella Zwack, heiress to the Zwack Liqueur Co.; and members of the Hungarian and American media.
The presenting sponsor of the event was the Open Society Institute, founded by Hungarian-born philanthropist George Soros, and the supporting sponsor was Zwack, the maker of the national shot of Hungary.
Hungarian Ambassador András Simonyi, left, with Jeff “Skunk” Baxter perform at the “Rockin’ in the Big Apple for the Big Easy” charity concert to raise funds for the musicians of Katrina-struck New Orleans.
Photos: Hungarian News Agency, New York
Save the Date for June 1!
Under the gracious patronage of Peruvian Ambassador Felipe Ortiz de Zavallos, this year’s Washington National Opera Ball on Fri., June 1, will be held at the Peruvian Residence, an impressive 22-acre estate adjoining Rock Creek Park that seems a million miles away from the hubbub and noise of the nation’s capital.
During the Civil War, a Union fortress sat on this high wooded hill, defending the city of Washington. In the late 1920s when Washington builder Charles H. Tompkins decided this was the perfect place for his own family estate, he was careful not to compromise this historic site. The handsome three-story stone Georgian home and grounds became the property of Peru in 1944.
For the eighth time, heiress Betty Knight Scripps is chairing the Opera Ball and this year she hopes to raise $3 million to support the Washington National Opera. Helping her efforts again will be her favorite Manhattan event decorator, who creates over-the-top black-tie events that impress Washington’s highest society and international patrons.
Philip Baloun, the event designer, will feature romantic Latin night scenes of Lima’s Main Square. (In 1988, Lima’s Historical Center was declared a Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO.) Images of this important 18th-century Spanish-Colonial plaza will be used on the 50-by-100-foot translucent tent that is home to the evening’s ballroom. Giant date palms will tower over guests inside the tent and Peruvian lilies and orchids in bright, tropical colors will add color to the tables.
Scripps loves to dance and, as usual, she will be importing New York society band leader Bob Hardwick and his orchestra to keep everyone on the dance floor. Local Peruvian artists in traditional costumes will enhance the traditional big-band sound, playing in different sites on the property. They will include Zarzuela and Peruvian folk singers and dancers, as well as an Andean and Latin Fusion band.
Elegant, intimate dinners at 21 different embassies and diplomatic residences will begin the evening at 7:30 p.m., with the actual ball starting at 10 p.m. for desserts and dancing at the Peruvian Residence. A dazzling display of sweet confections, modeled after Peruvian desserts will represent the best sweets of this South American country. Gift bags will include: sterling silver bookmarks, Peru’s finest chocolates, and a CD featuring music performed during the evening.
For more information about the 2007 Washington National Opera Ball, or for tickets to the fundraiser, please call (202) 295-2437. Single tickets start at $500.
The Peruvian Residence will play host to this year’s Washington National Opera Ball on Fri., June 1.
Photo: Washington National Opera
Which Embassy Will Be the Fastest?
The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on June 2 is still accepting diplomatic teams, although many embassies and ambassadors have already signed up. Those participating include Hungarian Ambassador András Simonyi, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Faida Mitifu, Finnish Ambassador Pekka Lintu and his wife Laurel, Honduran Ambassador Roberto Flores Bermudez, Irish Ambassador Noel Fahey, and Rwandan Ambassador Zac Nsenga and his wife. The embassies of Germany and Mexico and their ambassadors may be joining in as well.
 Former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Nancy Brinker, who is now being considered for the office of U.S. Chief of Protocol, founded the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation in 1982 after her older sister, Susan G. Komen, died of breast cancer. Now, 25 years later, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation will have invested nearly $1 billion in breast cancer research and community outreach programs, making it the world’s largest source of nonprofit funds fighting the disease.
Even though the race falls on Italy’s National Day, Italian Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta might join in. His wife Lila is very active with the team and will be participating this year. The embassy’s team had nearly 100 members last year, and they have even produced a book about their race participation. The team contact there is Patricia Violante ((202) 612-4463 or patricia.violante@esteri.it).
How about you and your embassy? To register, please call the National Race for the Cure hotline number at (703) 416-7223 or go online at www.nationalraceforthecure.org.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Nancy Brinker founded the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation in honor of her sister. This year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on June 2 is still accepting diplomatic teams.
Photo: Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation
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