Over 700 public officials, foreign Ambassadors, representa- tives from the international business and cultural communi- ties, and friends of the Meridian House, were in attendance at the 31st annual Meridian Ball. The much-anticipated evening began with exquisite dinners graciously hosted by twenty-eight embassies in the area. In an effort to involve the young professional community of D.C., the Meridian House has established a Young Benefactors Committee which sponsors a formal seated dinner at the historic White-Meyer House preceding the Ball. Following dinner, guests then adjourned next door to the stately Meridian House for dessert and dancing. Impressive decorations, flo- ral arrangements, and well-positioned lighting made the his- toric home and its beautiful gardens so much more magical for the occasion. Since 1969, the Ball benefits the Meridian International Center, a non-profit educational and cultural institution that fosters international understanding through the exchange of people, ideas, and the arts.

Ball Co-Chairs: Lillibet Hagel and Marcelle Leahy

Honorary Chair: the Honorable Mary Mel French, Chief of Protocol

Honorary Sponsor: First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton