During co-hosting duties for the Asia-Pacific Economic Leaders Meeting, Mrs. Obama will bring her signature campaigns to the international stage... UPDATE: More details about Mrs. Obama's event ARE HERE. The President and Mrs. Obama will host an APEC dinner and reception on Nov. 12. The President's APEC schedule is here.
Later this month, First Lady Michelle Obama will join President Obama in hosting this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Leaders Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, the East Wing announced today.
During her three-day stay on the island of Oahu, beginning on Nov. 12, Mrs. Obama will bring both her Let's Move! and Joining Forces campaigns to the international community, hosting APEC Leaders' spouses for two events designed to "introduce" her signature initiatives, according to the East Wing. Mrs. Obama will also host a farm-to-table luncheon for the spouses at the historic Kualoa Ranch, a massive grass-fed cattle operation that doubles as an agritourism venue. The luncheon has savvy political and economic overtones.
Mrs. Obama's first Let's Move! event on Nov. 12 spotlights farm-to-table sourcing and youth agricultural education, and is at the 24.5-acre certified organic MA’O Organic Farms. The next day, the First Lady's luncheon will take place at the lush, mountaintop Kualoa Ranch, which overlooks the sea. The 4,000-acre working cattle ranch was established in 1850, and is on protected land. Produce from MA’O Organic Farms will be used for the luncheon, and Mrs. Obama has invited chef Ed Kenney of Town restaurant in Honolulu to join her for both events, and mastermind the menu. Kenny is an award-winning chef who is also cooking for other APEC events, including for the Senior Officials Reception.
In September of 2010, Mrs. Obama hosted a farm-to-table luncheon for the spouses of UN Leaders attending the 65th General Assembly (steak was not on the menu). The First Family spends the Christmas holiday on Oahu each year in the town of Kailua; President Obama was born in Honolulu, and attended school there as a boy.
Details of Mrs. Obama's Hawaii Joining Forces event are below.
The First Lady's schedule, per the East Wing:
Saturday, November 12, 2011, 11:30 AM:
First Lady Michelle Obama will kick off her trip with a visit to MA’O Organic Farms located in the Waianae area, the largest Native Hawaiian community in the world and one of the most economically challenged communities in the state. MA’O is a 24.5 acre certified organic farm that grows 35-45 different varieties of produce which they sell to a multitude of restaurants, grocery stores and farmers markets. The farm is primarily run by area youth who participate in the Youth Leadership Training (YLT) internship which requires interns to work for three years and in exchange receive a full tuition waiver at a local community college plus a monthly stipend.
Students will guide the First Lady on a tour of the farm and then sit down with her for a conversation about youth leadership, engagement and community responsibility as well as access to healthy, affordable food. Joining Mrs. Obama will also be Ed Kenney, chef of Town restaurant, who has been a longtime supporter of MA’O Farms, has purchased the majority of his restaurant’s produce from the farm and regularly visited with students. At the First Lady’s request, Chef Kenney will prepare the luncheon meal for APEC Leaders’ spouses on Sunday using local ingredients from MA’O.
Sunday, November 13, 2011, 11:30 AM:
First Lady Michelle Obama will host a special event for the APEC Leaders’ spouses at the historic Kualoa Ranch, a largely preserved and protected 4,000-acre working cattle ranch established in 1850 overlooking the Palikū mountains and the Kualoa beach front. The First Lady will greet each spouse as they arrive to the ranch and invite them to a luncheon featuring local foods prepared by Hawaiian Chef Ed Kenney. Kenney will create a meal from the fresh produce harvested from MA’O farms and with the help of the farm’s young interns. Spouses will also be treated to a musical performance by the Honolulu Boys Choir.
Monday, November 14, 2011, time TBA:
First Lady Michelle Obama will meet military families and speak at a hiring fair sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for service men and women, veterans and military families on Hickam Air Force Base. Since the launch of Joining Forces the Chamber committed to hosting 100 hiring fairs and expanding that number in the next year. To date, 30 Chamber hiring fairs have connected 29,000 veterans with more than 1,000 different employers.
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*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/ObamaFoodorama.com