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The Foreign Diplomats Inaugural Ball committee, in conjunction with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia will host a pre-inauguration ball celebrating the inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama and Vice-President Elect Joseph Biden, Jr. at the historic President James Monroe Mansion in Washington, DC on Sunday, January 18, 2009 from 5:30 pm to 11 pm. The President and Vice-President elect; Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and all ambassadors and staff of all embassies in the United States have been invited to attend.

The election of Senator Barack Obama was truly a remarkable event in the history of the United States and demonstrates once again the greatness of this nation, said Dr. Samuel Assefa, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia. Of course, this election has a special meaning for the people of Africa. One of our own sons was elected President of the United States. This will even further strengthen the ties between the people of Africa and the people of the United States.

The Foreign Diplomats Inaugural Ball is unique in that it will feature NetGeneration of Youth (NGY) Ambassadors, a high school group of cyber journalists from the Foshay Learning Center in the 33rd Congressional District of Los Angeles. The Honorable Diane Watson (D-Ca), who is the schools Congressional Representative, has agreed to provide greetings and introduce her constituents. Foshays NGY Ambassadors will serve as roving cyber journalists interviewing guests and dignitaries at the Foreign Diplomats Inaugural Ball. Upon return to their school, the young journalists will author digital stories that will then be disseminated locally, nationally and internationally. The Foshay NGY Ambassadors are also members of the Sesame Workshop Panwapa initiative that works to cultivate global citizenry and promote appreciation and knowledge of world cultures among American youth. Sesame Workshop CEO Gary Knell has confirmed to attend the event.

A VIP Reception will take place from 5:30-7:00 pm followed by a dinner reception featuring cocktails, dancing, trans-continental cuisine from Ethiopia and other African nations and performances by Ethiopian-born 2009 Grammy nominated artist, Wayna and master African drummer Asante Okyerema from 7:00pm to 11:00 pm.

The event is being sponsored, in part by Nuvo, Diageo, Ciroc, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, Tanqueray, Smirnoff, and Simon Pearce. Tickets are available by accessing the event website at www.fdib2009.com or contacting JJ@ghatt.com and Tammi Ketler at tamara@tmksande.com who are also the contact for requests for media credentials and volunteer requests. A generous portion of the proceeds will benefit nonprofit organizations that provide social and legal services to African immigrants in Washington DC. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. The event is being produced by Enjoyment Enjoyment Inc., in conjunction with JJ Ghatt Public Relations Inc. and TMK Sports and Entertainment LLC