10 July 2008

Former President Bush cruises on Silversea

Silversea says its Ã¢â¬ÅâœunprecedentedÃ¢â¬~ education cruise program of world leaders was a Ã¢â¬Åâœsuccess.Ã¢â¬~

Held aboard the all-suite Silver Whisper, the 2008 symposium, titled "Rising Global Powers: China and East Asia," brought nearly 250 participants to the East Asian cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Nagasaki.

Onboard guest speakers included former US President George H.W. Bush; former US Secretary of Defense William J. Perry; and leading China scholar and author Jonathan D. Spence.

Events included:

-- A visit to the Joint Security Area of the DMZ between North and South Korea, led by former US Secretary of Defense William J. Perry;

-- A gala event at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing with former President George H.W. Bush, Mrs. Bush, and US Ambassador to China Clark Rundt;

-- Panel discussions featuring leaders in the environment, media, and business in China (including the CEOs of Intel-China, Boeing-China, and PepsiCo-China);

-- Unique excursion options, such as a visit to Beijing's Olympic Stadium with the architect who designed it; regional cooking lessons; and a visit to a traditional Chinese-medicine hospital.

Silversea has also been selected to host the 2009 World Leaders Symposium, "The Middle East in the 21st Century," next March 19 to April 3 aboard the line's newly refurbished Silver Wind. Participants will travel to the Persian Gulf states of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman.

Report by David Wilkening