Embassy Progressive Dinner Wednesday, June 8, 2011 in celebration of CGD's 10th Anniversary Many friends and guests – including ambassadors, members of the U.S. Congress, current and former heads of state, senior corporate executives, philanthropists, and academics – joined together to celebrate the successes achieved in CGD’s inaugural decade. The CGD@10 Prosperity Policy Breakfast kicked off the day with CGD president Nancy Birdsall hosting a high-level policy discussion at the St. Regis Hotel. Panelists Kemal Dervis, former Administrator, United Nations Development Programme, and Vice President and Director of Global Economy and Development, The Brookings Institution; Antoinette Sayeh, Director of the African Department, IMF, and former Finance Minister of Liberia; James D. Wolfensohn, Chairman, International Advisory Board, Citigroup Inc., and former President, World Bank; and Ernesto Zedillo, Director, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, and former President of Mexico, addressed how international financial institutions can become more effective at providing global public goods.
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The evening’s celebration began at the Residence of the British Ambassador and Lady Sheinwald, hosted by Deputy Head of Mission Philip Barton and Amanda Barton. Guests were treated to British canapés, Pimm’s Cup, and lively English folk dance performed by CGD senior fellow David Roodman and his dance group Cutting Edge.
Guests then progressed to dinner at the Embassy of Finland hosted by H.E. Ambassador Pekka Lintu and Mrs. Laurel Colless. As everyone enjoyed their meals, CGD Board chair Edward Scott introduced a short film on the Center’s impacts in its first ten years and laid out some challenges for CGD in the next decade. Nicky Oppenheimer, De Beers Chairman and dinner co-chair, graciously presented the Edward W. Scott Jr. Equity Advocate Award to Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank, who accepted the award via a special video message. To further celebrate the progress of development in Africa and the pivotal role played by Dr. Kaberuka and the AfDB, Jendayi Frazer led the room in a toast. The dinner concluded with the announcement by Byron Auguste, member of the Board of Directors of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, of a generous 10th Anniversary pledge to the Center.
After walking across the street to the Residence of the Ambassador of Norway H.E. Wegger Chr. Strommen and Rev. Dr. Cecilie J. Strommen, guests concluded the evening with delicious Norwegian cakes and the dulcet tones of Samuel Post on the piano. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the Center’s first decade and an inspiring start to the next ten years.
Ideas to action: independent research for global prosperity