African Wildlife Foundation Stages First Fundraising Event in Chicago

CHICAGO, April 5, 2004 - For the first time, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) will hold a gala fundraising event in Chicago on May 6, 2004. The dinner and auction will take place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Internationally acclaimed and award-winning wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert will share their personal experiences and breathtaking wildlife footage at the event, which will also include a silent and live auction. The event will also pay tribute to the legacy of the late Jeffrey R. Short, Jr., a Chicago native who served on the AWF board for more than 20 years.

This year's event, titled Passport to the African Heartlands, will celebrate the magnificent lands and wildlife of Africa. The goal is to raise more than $300,000 to support AWF's important program initiatives which include conservation enterprise, species conservation, land conservation, and education.

"As the only conservation organization exclusively dedicated to preserving the land and species native to Africa, we feel it is our responsibility as global citizens to not only protect the wildlife, but to empower and involve the people of Africa," said Chicagoan Leila Green, current chairperson of the AWF board of trustees. "As more species become endangered, there is a greater need to educate and motivate the hearts and minds of people who have the desire and the will to make a difference."

Green is a native of South Africa who has lived in Chicago for nearly 30 years. During much of that time she was a senior planning executive at the Leo Burnett advertising agency for which she continues to consult. Other prominent Chicagoans on the AWF board of trustees include Dennis Keller, chairman and co-chief executive officer of DeVry Inc., and James Foght, chairman and co-founder of Vector Securities.

Live and silent auctions at the event will feature such items as original pieces of African art, limited edition prints, photography, safari gear, and two world class African safari packages.

For information regarding ticket sales and sponsorships, contact Amy Wiedemann at (202) 939-3343 or awiedemann@awf.org.

About Dereck and Beverly Joubert

Together, Dereck and Beverly Joubert have created award-winning wildlife films for National Geographic, Disney, and the BBC, while Beverly's still photography has graced National Geographic's cover multiple times. As conservationists, they are trustees of the Chobe Wildlife Trust and Conservation International Botswana. As media personalities, they have appeared on Larry King, The Conan O'Brien Show, and NBC's Today Show, most recently during the "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" series stop in Botswana in 2004.

About the African Wildlife Foundation

Founded in 1961 the African Wildlife Foundation is the leading conservation organization focused solely on the African continent. It designs sustainable conservation strategies that are based on science that are compatible with human benefit. Since its inception AWF has protected endangered species by saving their habitat and training hundreds of Africans in conservation to ensure the survival of Africa's wildlife heritage. The African Wildlife Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C. with regional offices in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.