Announcing the 50th Annual Meridian Ball and Global Leadership Summit

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Media Contact:
Megan Devlin | (202) 939-5550 | mdevlin@meridian.org

For Immediate Release
June 18, 2018
Meridian International Center

PRESS RELEASE

Washington D.C.: The 50th Annual Meridian Ball and Global Leadership Summit will take place on Friday, October 12, 2018. One of the most highly regarded events in Washington, D.C., the Meridian Ball and Global Leadership Summit brings together high-level leaders from the diplomatic, business and government communities in support of Meridian International Center’s public diplomacy and global leadership initiatives. We are pleased to announce this year’s event Chairs:

Meridian Corporate Chair
United Airlines
Meridian Global Engagement Chair
Whittle Schools & Studios
50th Annual Meridian Ball Leadership Committee

Former Meridian Ball Chairs from the last 50 years

  • Loran and Robbie Aiken
  • Lisa Barry and James Gale
  • The Honorable Don Beyer and Mrs. Megan Beyer
  • The Honorable James Blanchard and Mrs. Janet Blanchard
  • Samia and Huda Farouki
  • Heather and Andy Florance
  • Jane Sloat Ritchie
  • Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin
Committee Members:
  • The Honorable John Barrasso and Mrs. Bobbie Barrasso
  • Evelyn and Charles DiBona
  • The Honorable Debbie Dingell and The Honorable John Dingell Jr.
  • The Honorable Mary Mel French
  • Antonia and John Gore
  • Mae Haney Grennan and Ande Grennan
  • The Honorable Lloyd Hand and Ann Hand
  • The Honorable Steven Horsford and Dr. Sonya Horsford
  • Sydney and Admiral Jay Johnson, Ret.
  • The Honorable Tom C. Korologos and The Honorable Ann McLaughlin Korologos
  • The Honorable Patrick Leahy and Marcelle Leahy
  • The Honorable Fred Malek and Marlene Malek
  • The Honorable Edward Markey and Dr. Susan Blumenthal
  • The Honorable Capricia Marshall and Dr. Robert Marshall
  • The Honorable Doris Matsui
  • The Honorable Michael McCaul and Linda McCaul
  • The Honorable Selwa “Lucky” Roosevelt
  • The Honorable Bill Stuckey and Ethelene Stuckey
  • The Honorable John Tanner and Betty Ann Tanner
  • Jean and Dick Thompson

About the Meridian Ball and Global Leadership Summit

The Meridian Global Leadership Summit is the premiere convening of diplomatic, business and government leaders in a neutral, nonpartisan forum to exchange ideas and collaborate on solutions to address the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly globalizing world. Now in its 7th year, the program will take place the morning of Friday, October 12, 2018 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. This year’s Summit will focus on Technology and Innovation Across Borders.

Later in the evening, Summit attendees continue conversations with other Washington influencers, Congressional leaders and international dignitaries at the Meridian Ball, which begins with Ambassador-hosted dinners at over 25 embassies and residences around Washington, followed by dessert, dancing, and entertainment at Meridian House, a national historic site.

To date, the following Embassies are confirmed to host dinners: Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia.

Proceeds from the Meridian Ball and Global Leadership Summit go to Meridian International Center.

About Meridian International Center

Meridian International Center, founded in 1960, is a leading non-partisan, not-for-profit public diplomacy and global leadership institution that strengthens U.S. engagement with the world and builds global leaders through the exchange of people, ideas and culture. We believe that the United States is stronger at home when globally engaged, setting the tone for collaboration and consensus building across nations for the formation of a more secure and prosperous world for all.

Meridian works with the U.S. government, the private sector and the diplomatic community to create innovative exchange, training, culture and convening programs that advance three goals:

  • Strengthen U.S. engagement with the world through the power of exchange
  • Prepare public and private sector leaders for a complex global future
  • Provide a neutral forum for international collaboration across sectors

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 4,600 flights a day to 354 airports across five continents. In 2017, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 148 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 750 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express carriers operate 545 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 191 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL."

About Whittle School & Studios

Whittle School & Studios is the first truly modern institution providing a global education for Pre K-12th grade with campuses in the world’s leading cities. Through its network of schools, this highly integrated global learning community is led by an international faculty teaching a curriculum with experiential learning to a diverse body of day and boarding students. The campuses work collaboratively through exchanges and online activities, creating an organization linked with a new collective intelligence unlike any single-site institution in the world. For more information, visit whittleschool.org.

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