The International Women's Club gives Muscovites the chance to be transported to a Venetian carnival for the night Friday at their 16th annual Embassies of the World Dinner and Ball.
The evening begins with cocktails and dinner courtesy of the embassies of Columbia, the EU, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and the United States, who have volunteered their support.
"The night is completely one of a kind. Different ambassadors open the doors of their residences and welcome our guests," said the club's president Anu Trigunayat, "This is an opportunity for people to visit different diplomatic residences and experience the taste and flavor of the country."
The Ritz-Carlton Moscow provides a suitably opulent setting for the second half of events — the Venetian Carnival Ball. Black-tie and Venetian-mask clad guests will be treated to a plethora of entertainment: solos from mezzo soprano Henriette Serline Schenk and baritone Oleg Alexandrov, a masquerade dance by students from the Bolshoi Academy and a silent auction. The top raffle prize is two airline tickets to Abu Dhabi.
The MC for the evening will be Russia Today presenter Martyn Andrews and Moscow's Lexicon Band will provide the music with a mix of jazz, ballroom, Latin and disco.
The club was founded in the late 1970s when very few expat women lived in Moscow. Today it gas over 500 members from 65 different countries.
The ball is the IWC's largest fundraiser, and all of its proceeds will go straight to charity.
The club contributes to more than 30 different charities and focuses on helping children and the elderly. Help can come in many different ways such as food, clothing, school supplies and medical equipment or the support of day centers that provide English lessons and computer skills, and give vital support to homeless and to women readjusting to everyday life after time in detention centers.
"I hope many of you will come and join us in our noble cause," Trigunayat said.
Dinner will take place between 7 and 10 p.m. and the ball from 9.30 p.m. to 2 a.m. The price of a dinner and ball ticket is $275 and a ball ticket $175. They can be reserved by e-mailing iwcembassies.ball@gmail.com or bought at the Ritz-Carlton Moscow on the night. For more information on the International Women's Club of Moscow, see
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
