16 First Ladies Gather, but Not Michelle Obama

It's a huge deal: The African First Ladies Summit, called in Los Angeles to address healthcare and girls' education, has attracted first ladies from 16 nations on the continent, but we hear that Michelle Obama won't make it. "She is not attending," said her office, in news disappointing to the organizers. "It's a small moment to make a big difference," said an organizer. No matter. Today, actors Danny Glover and Sharon Stone, both dedicated to African healthcare issues, plan to announce which nations are participating in the summit. We hear that first ladies from the following countries are coming: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia. The group expects 16 first ladies, but the 16th African nation hasn't been revealed. Delegations from the Central African Republic, Swaziland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, South Africa, and Uganda also are attending. Here are the details from the summit's organizers:

SHARON STONE & DANNY GLOVER LEAD ANNOUNCEMENT
Press Conference Thursday April 16, To Kick-Off African First Ladies ' Health Summit and Gala PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS:

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009
Speakers: Ted Alemayhu (pron. AH LAH MAY YOU), Founder of U.S. Doctors for Africa
Sharon Stone, actress
Danny Glover, actor
Jean Stéphane Biatcha, Executive Secretary, African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering; Technical Advisor to the President of The Republic of Cameroon
Time: begins at 9:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Location: The Beverly Hilton Hotel - press conference to be held in The Wilshire Ballroom
9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, Calif. 90210 WHO/ WHAT/ WHY:

Oscar nominated actress Sharon Stone and distinguished actor Danny Glover - regarded as highly for their work off camera lending support to Africa and other philanthropic causes - will join Ted Alemayhu, Founder and CEO of U.S. Doctors for Africa (USDFA) at a press conference Thursday, April 16, 2009 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills to announce the African First Ladies ' Health Summit and Gala to be held Monday, April 20, through Tuesday, April 21, 2009, in Los Angeles. The African First Ladies Summit and Gala is an historic moment for California and the nation. Sixteen First Ladies from different African countries will travel to Los Angeles to meet with key political leaders, healthcare policy experts, as well as aid organizations and leaders in business. The Summit's focus will be on the First Ladies of Africa and their role in addressing such critical issues as HIV/AIDS, maternal, reproductive and child health, and girls' education throughout Africa.

"Empowering Africa's First Ladies is an innovative approach to bettering the lives of millions of Africans. The Summit will pair these leaders with U.S. experts, key political figures and important organizations to create ongoing partnerships. These are some of Africa's most important leaders and aiding their efforts is critical to improving health throughout Africa," said Ted Alemayhu, founder of U.S. Doctors for Africa.

The Summit will be held at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. It is a private event closed to the public. A special post Summit Gala event - which will also be attended by the First Ladies - will be open to the public and held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel Tuesday, April 21. The Gala will be a star-studded fundraising event and include a performance by Grammy award-winning singer Natalie Cole. Tickets and more information can be found at www.usdfa.org.

WHO:

The Summit is a joint effort of the southern California-based nonprofit, U.S. Doctors for Africa (USDFA), and African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering ( www.synergiesafricaines.org), a charitable group formed by 22 First Ladies from Africa. USDFA is dedicated to aiding and empowering the people of Africa during their healthcare crisis. USDFA delivers teams of healthcare professionals to resource-poor regions in Africa providing medical care, strategic planning, education, training, and other health-related services.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Sponsors for the African First Ladies Health Summit include: RAND Corporation, General Electric, ONE, Procter & Gamble, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Vital Voices Global Partnership, White Ribbon Alliance, World Health Organization, Dalberg, Chevron, Global Health Council, Pfizer, Women Deliver, Africare, AllAfrica.com, Qiagen, Until There's A Cure and UCLA's Center for International Medicine. ExxonMobil is the official sponsor for the Gala event on April 21.