Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Greg Mortenson
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White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Fareed Zakaria
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Michael Douglas, Rima Al-Sabah, Ambassador Salem Al-Sabah
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Jackie and Ken Duberstein and Samia Farouki
Photo by Tony Powell
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Ashford and Simpson
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In a party that rivaled the Academy Awards celebration going on at the same time, the ambassador of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah and his wife Sheikha Rima Al-Sabah hosted the Kuwait-America Foundation’s annual gala entitled “Journey for Peace” at their embassy residence on Sunday evening.
The gala honored Greg Mortensen, co-founder of Central Asia Institute and author of Three Cups of Tea, for his work in promoting education in underserved regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
D.C. got a taste of Hollywood with special guest Michael Douglas (The American President, Fatal Attraction), who spoke at the event. Douglas was appointed U.N. Messenger of Peace by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1998. He was also the Kuwait-American Foundation Humanitarian Award recipient in 2006.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) made special remarks at the event, acknowledging gala chairman and founder Rima Al-Sabah’s ability to get attendees to break from the frenzy and partisanship of D.C. to come together for a cause.
“I’m also delighted Michael Douglas is here, someone who actually got to be an American president,” Kerry joked in his speech.
The 144 guests at the intimate affair were also treated to musical selections by Motown singer-songwriter duo Ashford and Simpson, singing hits like “Solid as a Rock” and “You’re All I Need to Get By.” They ended their set with “Aint’ No Mountain High Enough,” which got the normally serious Washington crowd bobbing their heads and singing along.
Dr. Fareed Zakaria served as master of ceremonies during the four-course meal, which included: smoked salmon and sevruga caviar, a wild mushroom and foie gras terrine, New York sirloin strip steak, asparagus spears and wasabi mashed potatoes, salted caramel ice cream with chocolate crunch cake, and traditional Arabic coffee and sweets.
The ballroom in the residence was decorated with tall, cascading floral centerpieces and brown and turquoise china at each table.
In addition to the featured speakers at the event, guests included: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, Justice Anthony Kennedy, Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Sec. of Transportation Ray LaHood and his wife and son, Sec. of Commerce Gary Locke, outgoing White House social secretary Desiree Rogers, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and wife Debbie, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and his wife Janis, Chief of Protocol of the United States Ambassador Capricia Marshall, former Reagan White House Chief of Staff Ken Duberstein and wife Jackie, Mayor Adrian Fenty, the Honorable and Mrs. Wayne Berman, Buffy Cafritz, Tom Friedman and his wife Ann, John Hofmeister, President of Georgetown University Jack DeGoia and his wife Teresa, and Roger and Vicky Sant. Report By Kate Oczypok and photographs by Vicky Pombo
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