Sky High Diamond Event Benefits DEF

(IDEX Online News) – A charity benefit, held in the appropriately named Diamond Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Hong Kong, recently raised more than $2.5 million dollars for both the China Charity Federation (CCF) and the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF).

The “Diamonds in the Sky Hong Kong” event was co-chaired by Dr. Henry Cheng, vice chairman of the Chow Tai Fook Group, and Varda Shine, CEO of the Diamond Trading Company (DTC).

As well as aiding CCF’s and the DEF’s shared mission of empowering the economically disadvantaged in China and Africa, the evening also saw Cynthia Carroll, chief executive of Anglo American plc, and Dr. Cheng Yu-tung, chairman of the Chow Tai Fook Group, being honored for their efforts to improve the lives of individuals in China and Africa.

A live auction, MC’d by Tim Dabson of DTC, raised $700,000, with lots consisting of diamond jewelry sponsored by Chow Tai Fook and a selection of celebrity experiences including travel packages, dining packages, sports packages and a one-day fashion photo shoot in New York with DEF Angel Rahma M.

A highlight of the auction was a lot that included the honor of opening the first DTC Sight of 2012, including breakfast with De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer. DTC Sightholder Dharmanandan Diamonds placed the winning bid, $300,000.

Founded in 1994, with the objective of sustaining the traditional Chinese culture of helping others, the China Charity Federation has been actively involved in numerous humanitarian activities and charitable endeavors in various aspects.

Founded and based in the United States since 2007, the non-profit Diamond Empowerment Fund's (DEF) mission is to raise monies to support education initiatives in diamond producing countries empowering youth and promoting sustainable economic growth and social change.