American Friends of Cité des Civilisations du Vin to Host VIP Benefit for U.N. Secretary General and Ambassadors

For Immediate Release March 13, 2015 American Friends of Cité des Civilisations du Vin (AFCCV) has announced that on Thursday, April 30, 2015, it will host an elegant reception and fundraising event in the United Nation’s Delegates Dining Room in New York City. The soirée— at the invitation and under the patronage of His Excellency François Delattre, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, and Former Prime Minister Alain Juppé, Mayor of Bordeaux— will see some 193 ambassadors from member countries of the United Nations in attendance as well as the Secretary General and notable board members of AFCCV. Cité des Civilisations du Vin, scheduled to open in 2016 in Bordeaux, France, will act as an innovative cultural and information center dedicated to wine civilizations in all their universality and singularity. It aims to engage visitors through history, geography, the life sciences, ethnography, literature, philosophy, the arts and the senses that typify the wine culture. The primary goal of the American Friends of the Cité des Civilisations du Vin and this benefit is to fund the naming of the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium in the Cité. President Jefferson not only served as Ambassador to France, but was an early champion of Bordeaux wines and is often crediting with introducing the varietals to Americans. Following the VIP cocktail, the main event festivities will commence as His Excellency Delattre and Mayor Juppé will then co-host the “Wines and Civilizations Tasting Extravaganza," alongside AFCCV President George Sape, AFCCV Board Chairman Robert Wilmers, and Sylvie Cazes, President of the Cité des Civilisations du Vin. The extraordinary tasting reception will feature wines from over 50 countries, including France, the United States, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Germany and South Africa, in addition to the lesser-known wines of China, India, Brazil, Lebanon, Israel, Thailand, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Kenya. The Wines & Civilizations Tasting Extravaganza will be organized in a non-formal but sophisticated setting, allowing patrons to more casually mingle and enjoy the varietals from Europe, Africa, Asia, America and the Middle East throughout the evening. A unique assortment of delicious international foods, prepared exclusively by some of the world’s most respected chefs, will complement the wines. A late-night, “Young VIPs” party is also planned for patrons under 35 years of age and will consist of a DJ set, desserts and the continuation of wine tastings from around the globe. A limited number of tickets are available for the invite-only fundraiser. Individual tickets range from $250-$650. To register, click here. For a detailed schedule of events and to request specific information or detailed pricing, please email: American Friends of Cité des Civilisations du Vin. The American Friends of the Cité des Civilisations du Vin became a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization in 2014.