Former President Mogae in Hollywood to promote Diamonds

source: Republic of Botswana (23/2/09): TAUTONA TIMES no 4 of 2009
The Weekly Electronic Press Circular of the Office of the President "Democracy, Development, Dignity and Discipline"

C3) 21/2/09: Former President Mogae in Hollywood to promote Diamonds

Former President Mogae is in Hollywood today where he will this evening address an Oscar eve celebrity dinner hosted by the well known actress Julianne Moore (Lost World, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and The Big Lebowski etc.) He will also be holding a press briefing.

The Former President met Ms. Moore during her recent visit to our country.

The event, which is supported by DeBeers, will further promote the Diamonds for Development message as well as Botswana's profile of good governance.

The Former President proceeded to Los Angeles on 18 February 2009 from Doha where he attended the 4th Global Conference of Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). He is scheduled to arrive back in the country on Tuesday 24th February 2009.

Below also please find a DeBeers Press Statement about the event:

"Former President Mogae in Hollywood to Promote Diamonds"

On the 21st February 2009, His Excellency, the Former President, Festus Mogae was the Guest of Honour at an event jointly hosted by De Beers and the American actress Julianne Moore to promote Botswana diamonds. President Mogae's appearance in Hollywood follows Julianne Moore's tour of the De Beers Family of Companies' operations in Southern Africa including those in Botswana in January 2009.

While in Botswana, Julianne Moore visited Jwaneng Mine, the Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTC Botswana) and the SOS Children's village a project that has a long standing relationship with Debswana. In addition, at an event hosted by De Beers Botswana and attended by the Directors of Debswana and DTC Botswana, His Excellency, the former President met Julianne Moore. During their meeting Julianne Moore was fascinated by the story of the partnership between De Beers and Botswana and that of Botswana's emergence from poverty to middle income status as told by His Excellency.

Upon her return to the United States, together with De Beers, Julianne Moore extended an invitation to Former President Mogae to a dinner and a cocktail party during which she will share her experience in Southern Africa with other celebrities. For his part, Former President Mogae will address the celebrities and will have an opportunity to meet both the Hollywood media and international press.

23/2/09 Postscript: Fox news today reported that Former President Mogae's celebrity dinner proved to be one of the social highlights of Hollywood's Oscar weekend:

"...Why weren't some of these people at the annual Beverly Hills Hotel bash for the Motion Picture Fund? What we kept hearing all night: it was very dull, there were no gift bags, there were protesters outside the hotel making noise about the Fund shutting down the hospital at the Motion Picture Home...Not the case over at the Chateau Marmont, where the Diamond Information Center hosted its annual dinner with guest star Julianne Moore. The DIC's elegant Sally Morrison introduced the former president of Botswana, the much praised Festus Mogae, to a group that also included a Diamandi-encrusted Sharon Stone, Debra Messing, Angie Harmon and Dita von Teese..." [Full article posted online @ www.foxnews.com]