Press Conference with the Presidents!

Last week I had the *awesome* privilege of going to a press conference here in Dar for President Bush and TZ president Kikwete.  The event was for World AIDS Day, put on by the ONE campaign, and Obama and Bono did a simultaneous press conference in DC.  A "friend of a friend of mine" was in town, working for the conference, and emailed me at the last minute saying he could get me a seat reserved for it (and my schedule was all of a sudden clear....) so I got to go! :)

Here's a pic during the event...

Each president spoke for about 5 minutes, speaking of their previous work and future goals to work to end the spread of AIDS .... the goal set by the ONE campaign is to have an AIDS-free generation starting by 2015 (which can be done.... check out the ONE website, www.ONE.org).  Bush has done a lot for the fight against AIDS in Africa (as have the women in his family done a lot in Africa... and are continuing to...), and he ended his speech by quoting "To whom much is given, much is required", referring to America's responsibility to act to end the suffering of so many here.  I could not agree more.

After the conference everyone rushed down to where the presidents were leaving... Bush and his family (all of whom were there- Laura, Jenna & husband, Barbara) had already been driven away but Kikwete was leaving as I got down there.  He was shaking hands with a few people (all important heads-of-departments, like the head of the Peace Corps, head of USAID, head of the Clinton Health Fund, etc etc) and he actually spotted me (taking this picture below, haha) about 5-10 feet away from him and came over toward me to shake my hand (assuming, I'm sure, that I'm some important head of a department... haha).  Was pretty cool.... :)

President Kikwete

Praying for the end of the destructive effects of HIV/AIDS ....