Sir Elton John and David Furnish to Host 17th Annual Academy Awards(R) Viewing Party Benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation

Sir Elton John and David Furnish to Host 17th Annual Academy Awards(R) Viewing Party Benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation

Chopard, Jo & Raffy Manoukian and Vh1 to Present this Year's Event

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The 17th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Academy Awards(R) Viewing Party hosted by Sir Elton John and David Furnish will be held Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Pacific Design Center and will be co-sponsored by Chopard, Jo & Raffy Manoukian and Vh1. The event will begin at 4PM with a cocktail reception, followed by a formal dinner and viewing of the 81st Annual Academy Awards(R), an exciting auction and a very special soon-to-be-announced musical performer invited by Sir Elton John.

Over the past 16 years the Elton John AIDS Foundation's annual Oscar-night gala has raised over $20 million for the fight against HIV/AIDS, making it the most highly visible and successful fundraising event held on Hollywood's big night. Last year alone, the event raised a record-breaking $5.1 million and organizers hope patrons will help them continue that success. EJAF will invest the money raised at the event in its grant-making initiatives that support prevention education programs, harm reduction, and direct services to persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially populations with special needs.

"HIV/AIDS continues to take a tremendous toll on our world. While we have seen advances in HIV treatments, we are far from wiping this horrible disease from the earth. EJAF is committed to raising funds to support important HIV prevention education and direct service programs in the Americas and the Caribbean," says EJAF Director Scott Campbell. "At this year's Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards(R) Viewing Party, we know that our loyal supporters will stand up and show the world that even in today's tough economic climate, fighting HIV/AIDS is our number one priority."

The 17th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation gala is guaranteed to bring out today's brightest Hollywood stars. This year we are especially honored to have Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, David and Victoria Beckham, Diana Jenkins, Donatella Versace, Ed Limato, Jo and Raffy Manoukian, John Waters, Mary J. Blige, Nicole Kidman and Tom Calerone serve as co-chairs for the event. Past guests have included Hollywood luminaries, Oscar winners and music stars such as Marion Cotillard, Kevin Spacey, Halle Berry, Ellen DeGeneres, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, Mary J. Blige, Larry King, Sean Penn, Jeremy Piven, Quincy Jones, Heidi Klum and Seal, Sir Paul McCartney, Denzel Washington, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Benicio Del Toro, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sir Ian McKellen, Zoe Saldana, Sissy Spacek, Billy Joel, Chace Crawford and Sting.

ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION: The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) was established in the United States in 1992 (EJAF-US) and in the United Kingdom in 1993 (EJAF-UK) by founder and chairman Sir Elton John. Together, both entities have raised over $150 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs in 55 countries around the globe since inception. Today, EJAF is one of the world's leading nonprofit HIV/AIDS organizations supporting innovative HIV prevention programs, efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and direct care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS. EJAF-US's current grant-making priorities target HIV prevention programs in the Southern United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America; HIV prevention and care services for highly marginalized and vulnerable populations; and HIV/AIDS prevention education and the promotion of sexual health for adolescents.

CHOPARD: There are few jewelers in the world whose designs are immediately recognizable. At the forefront of that list is Chopard. For over 140 years, the "World of Chopard" has embraced elegance, originality and individuality. Renowned internationally for its award-winning "Happy Diamonds" creations, the Chopard collection also includes an array of designs that adorn celebrities around the world. Meticulously crafted in Geneva, Switzerland since 1860, Chopard has distinguished itself worldwide for luxurious jewels and impeccably crafted high-precision timepieces that embody imaginative design and sophistication. To mark Chopard's 10 years of support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele has designed a new watch collection in collaboration with Sir Elton John himself. A testament to their friendship, the watch collection reflects the artist's extravagant personality as well as his tremendous generosity. A percentage of sales from these watches benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. For further information, phone 1.800.CHOPARD or explore Chopard on line at www.chopard.com.

JO AND RAFFY MANOUKIAN: Jo & Raffy Manoukian are honored to be one of the sponsors of the annual Elton John Aids Foundation Academy Awards(R) Viewing Party. They have been personal friends of Sir Elton John since the early 1990s and are actively involved with the Foundation in the capacity of both Trustees and Board Members. The Elton John Aids Foundation forms only one part of Jo & Raffy's philanthropy. Their charitable efforts span the globe with special emphasis on health, education, sports and media ventures.

VH1: Vh1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. Vh1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. Vh1 also has an array of digital channels and services including Vh1Classic, Vh1 Soul, Vh1 Mobile, Vh1Games and extensive broadband video on Vh1.com. Connect with Vh1 at www.vh1.com.

AMERICAN AIRLINES: American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection airlines serve 250 cities in over 40 countries with more than 3,400 daily flights. American Airlines is the official airline of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

   Contact:      Christina Lee/ Ivy Mollenkamp                 ROGERS & COWAN                 310-854-8100  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Elton John AIDS Foundation

CONTACT: Christina Lee or Ivy Mollenkamp, both of ROGERS & COWAN,
+1-310-854-8100, for Elton John AIDS Foundation

Web Site: http://www.chopard.com/
http://www.vh1.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment