This year’s Diplomatic Ball will be held April 30 at the World Bank. Tickets will go on sale March 26; ticket price has not yet been determined.
“This is the first and last time the Ball will be held at the World Bank,” according to Dip Ball Committee Chair Ami Abou-Bakr (SFS ’01). Abou-Bakr said that the World Bank, which typically does not host outside events, has always rejected the requests of previous Dip Ball committees to hold the ball at that site.
After the application of this year’s committee was accepted, SFS Dean Robert Gallucci received a letter from the World Bank informing him that this would be a one-time occurrence.
Diplomatic Ball is an annual tradition at Georgetown. The event, which is open to the entire student body, typically attracts members of D.C.’s diplomatic community and up to 1,500 students. Recent venues have included the Corcoran School of Art and the National Building Museum. Abou-Bakr said that the World Bank venue is desirable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is size: 1,000 students will be able to attend this year’s ball.
The year of the first Dip Ball is unknown, as “no records were kept before this year,” according to Abou-Bakr. All that is known is that the Ball has been held for over 50 years, she said.
Last year’s ball was held at the Russian Embassy, which was only able to accommodate 700 students. Alpha Phi Omega held a second ball at the New Zealand Embassy to accommodate students who were unable to purchase tickets, and to benefit the D.C. Schools Project. The event attracted 350 students and raised over $8,000, according to event co-chair Elizabeth Khalil (COL ’99).
Khalil is an assistant Features editor for The Hoya.
Abou-Bakr also revealed that intense efforts are being made to attract more members of the diplomatic community than have attended in recent years. She also said that a “target list” of prominent members of the international community was being invited to the event, and that President and Mrs. Clinton were also being asked to attend.
As with last year’s Russian Embassy event, students will be asked to provide information to receive security clearance, and no one who has not been cleared will be allowed to attend. The heightened security surrounding Dip Ball is a result of both the diplomats expected to attend and the sensitive nature of the location.