A glamorous posse of Australian and New Zealand compatriots dolled up and stepped out for the annual ANZAC Black & Gold Ball held in the spectacular ballroom of the Grand Hyatt, Dubai.
The annual gala is a much-anticipated event on the Dubai social calendar, none more so than this year as it heralded in a weekend dedicated to the centenary formation of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (ANZACs) during WWI.
The glamorous black tie event, hosted by Dubai-based community group The Australia New Zealand Association (ANZA), was attended by a number of VIP guests including the Consul Generals of each country and the ball’s patrons Australian Ambassador HE Pablo Kang and New Zealand Ambasssador HE Jeremy Clarke-Watson.
After a moving, formal ANZAC remembrance procedure, guests danced the night away imbibed by summery cocktails, delicious local food and a saucy selection of Australian and New Zealand sweets that included hand-made mini pavlovas and lamingtons from the hotel’s pastry chef as well as Antipodean sweetie bags flown in especially for the night.
The annual event has an important philanthropic focus and raises money for charities such as the The Fred Hollows Foundation, which restores sight to people in third world countries – and the Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association.
