WD | Culture | Spotlight
Diplomatic Spotlight
August 2016
Refugees International
Aschiana Annual Benefit
Refugees International (RI), an independent advocacy organization, celebrated individuals who have helped shed light on the growing number of global refugees at its 37th annual Anniversary Dinner, held at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Honorees included British billionaire and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Ukrainian civil society leader Olena Honcharova. Nearly 60 million people are displaced from their homes around the world due to war, disease, natural disaster, poverty, persecution and terrorism, the largest number since World War II.
On June 7, the Aschiana Foundation hosted its annual benefit gala at the French Embassy to honor Gen. John F. Campbell, former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and Shinkai Karokhail, a member of the Afghan Parliament. The annual event is the primary fundraiser for the Aschiana Foundation, a D.C.-based, volunteer nonprofit dedicated to supporting grassroots programs in Afghanistan that provide children with basic education, health care, psycho-social recovery support, recreational activities, vocational training and the opportunities to grow and develop in a safe environment.
Refugees International (RI) President Michel Gabaudan and RI Board Chair Eileen Shields-West join Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who was given RI’s Congressional Leadership Award.
Photos: Refugees International
Ambassador of Spain Ramon Gil-Casares and restaurateurs Maria and Fabio Trabocchi. Roberta Mastromichele, Ambassador of Kosovo Vlora Çitaku, Mariella Trager, restaurateur Maria Trabocchi, Marisol Pearlstein and Casila Garcia-Quiroz.
Ambassador of Afghanistan Hamdullah Mohib and Aschiana Foundation President Sanya Younossi.
Mark and Barbara Heller, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham, Kristin Cairns and Dean Fischer.
RI Board Member Emeritus Sam Waterston and Sir Richard Branson. Economist Sylvia Charles and Ambassador of Dominica Hubert J. Charles. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.
Former U.S. Ambassador Walter Cutler and photographer Didi Cutler.
Shamim Jawad and former Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad.
Honorary chair Ambassador of France Gérard Araud.
Chief Defense Attaché of the French Embassy Brig. Gen. Vincent Cousin and Ellyn Dunford, wife of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. Volunteers Arzo Wardak and Tamana Heela wear traditional Afghan dresses.
Ambassador of Thailand Pisan Manawapat asks a question.
Photos: Aschiana Foundation / French Embassy
Handmade jewelry was on display.
Judge Laurence Silberman, Aschiana Foundation President Sanya Younossi and Vice President for Research of Inova Health System Zobair Younossi.
Gen. John F. Campbell, Ellyn Dunford and Mary Jo Myers introduce volunteers Nahid Paiman and Tamana Heela.
TECRO Delegation
Drones at Italian Embassy The Institute for Education (IFE) hosted an innovation salon on the expanding use of commercial drones at the Italian Embassy on July 11. Panelists talked about the potential uses of unmanned aircraft, from emergency and humanitarian assistance to pizza delivery, along with the challenges of regulating a ballooning industry. FlyMotion Unmanned Systems also did a drone demonstration inside the embassy’s cavernous lobby.
Lael Mohib, Ambassador of Afghanistan Hamdullah Mohib, Sima Calkin of the Aschiana Foundation Board, honoree and Afghan Parliamentarian Shinkai Karokhail and Mary Jo Myers of the Aschiana Foundation Board.
Photos: James Cullum
An unmanned drone flies inside the Italian Embassy.
IFE Steward Marci Robinson, journalist Jan Smith and Joanne Ke of the Global Development Incubator.
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Ambassador of Italy Armando Varricchio welcomes guests.
Ambassador of Italy Armando Varricchio, Ambassador of Colombia Juan Carlos Pinzón and Ambassador of Sweden Björn Lyrvall listen to the panelists.
Founder and CEO of the Institute for Education (IFE) coach Kathy Kemper; Ambassador of Kosovo Vlora Çitaku; Ambassador of Afghanistan Hamdullah Mohib; Ambassador of Sweden Björn Lyrvall; Ambassador of Colombia Juan Carlos Pinzón; and Special Assistant to the President for Economic and Technology Policy at the National Economic Council R. David Edelman.
Panelists R. David Edelman, special assistant at the White House; Ryan English, president and co-founder of FlyMotion Unmanned Systems; humanitarian technology expert Patrick Meier; civilian airline pilot Tiziano Vercellino; and Sergio Barlocchetti, project manager for Elytron Aeronautica.
Photo: TECRO
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) hosted a welcome dinner for a business delegation from Taiwan to the third SelectUSA Investment Summit at the W Hotel on June 19. Participants included TECRO Representative Stanley Kao (first row center), U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Marcus Jadotte (third from left), U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Kurt Tong (third from right) and Chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council Francis Kuo-Hsin Liang (second from left).