Governor Irwandi Yusuf of Aceh, Indonesia Begins Business Development Tour of U.S.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and the Building Bridges to the Future Foundation, Inc. today announced the beginning of Governor Irwandi Yusuf’s visit to the United States.

“Aceh Reborn: Economic and Social Reintegration after the Tsunami and Peace Accord”

“After 30 years of conflict and the devastating tsunami in December 2004, the people of Aceh are at an important cross-road that will determine success for future generations,” said Sara Henderson, President of the Building Bridges to the Future Foundation. “For the first time in their history, the people of Aceh have a democratically- elected leader who will vigorously represent their interests in recovery and in sustainable economic development to create jobs.”

“Aceh is open for business and the US is already their largest trade and investment partner,” declared Wayne Forrest, President of the American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. “Irwandi’s vision for Aceh is to create jobs and encourage economic development. He is in the US to promote Aceh’s world-famous Sumatran Arabica coffee beans, significant palm oil resources that can be produced into biodiesel, and his commitment to environmental policies that will generate carbon credits that can be sold to carbon-generating countries like the US.”

Following is Governor Irwandi’s schedule of events in the US, as of September 9^th. He is accompanied by a delegation of Aceh business leaders and the Aceh Investment Office. This schedule may change and media are welcome to attend events noted below:

NEW YORK:  Sept. 10-11, 2007
     Mon, 10th     -  *OPEN TO MEDIA* 12:00 p.m., American Indonesian
                      Chamber of Commerce Luncheon; Yale Club,
                      50 Vanderbilt Avenue; Co-Hosted by Starbucks and
                      AIG
                   -  Welcome reception at the Indonesian Consulate,
                      7:30 p.m.
     Tues, 11th    -  Private meetings with Asia Society and Goldman
                      Sachs Foundation

WASHINGTON:  Sept. 12-14, 2007
     Wed, 12th     - Private Meetings with Senate leaders interested
                     Aceh
                   - Meeting with Indonesian Ambassador to the US,
                     Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat
                   - Meeting with senior staff at the International
                     Finance Corporation

     Thurs, 13th   - US-ASEAN Business Council Meeting

                   - *OPEN TO MEDIA* 11:00 a.m. - Irwandi speech, "My
                     Vision of Aceh: Our Hope and Concerns" Cosmos
                     Club, 2121 Mass. Ave., NW
                   - Private Meetings with officials at the US State
                     Department and World Bank
     Fri, 14th     - Welcome Reception hosted by Indonesian Embassy

BALTIMORE:  Saturday, Sept. 15, Irwandi and delegation tour Maryland
            Port Administration

HARRISBURG, Penn.:  Saturday, Sept. 15, Irwandi attends barbeque with
                    Acehnese community

SAN FRANCSICO:  Sept. 17-18
     Mon, 17th     - *OPEN TO MEDIA* 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Business
                     Roundtable discussions on Aceh Trade, Investment
                     and Tourism; sponsored by California-Asia
                     Business Council and Sustain Sumatra;
                     Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market Street
                     Topics:  Resources Conservation; Carbon Trading;
                     and US Biofuels Market

                   - Welcome Reception at the Indonesian Consulate,
                     6:30 p.m.

     Tues, 18th    - Business discussions with US coffee importers and
                     roasters

                   - *OPEN TO MEDIA* Irwandi speech, "Aceh Reborn:
                     Economic and Social Reintegration after the
                     Tsunami and Peace Accord"
                     World Affairs Council of Northern California,
                     312 Sutter Street, Suite 200

                   - Private meetings with potential investors and
                     business partners in biofuels/renewable energy

                   - Private group meeting with Bay Area foundations
                     interested in post-tsunami economic development
                     in Aceh; The Asia Foundation, Give2Asia Fund,
                     and others

                   - Irwandi meetings at Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.
                     Headquarters in Berkley

EUGENE, Ore.:        Sept. 19 at Oregon State University, where
                     Irwandi earn a degree in veterinary medicine
     Wed, 19th     - *OPEN TO MEDIA*  12:00 p.m.  Welcome Lunch and
                     Media Availability; 109 Memorial Union, Oregon
                     State University Campus

                   - Roundtable with Oregon State University Faculty

     Thurs, 20th-    Tour of O.H. Tinsdale Wave Research Facility

                   - Tour of Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station
                     (COMES)

                   - Tour of Hatfield Marine Science Center

SEATTLE:  Sept. 20

     Fri, 20th     - Meetings at Starbucks Coffee Company

                   - More details will be available by Sept 17,
                     212.233.2212 ext. 3631

Founded in 2005, Building Bridges to the Future Foundation

100% of donations received go directly to current projects. We are governed by a US-based Board of Directors, and benefit from the guidance of an advisory group in Indonesia.

We are grateful to have received financial support from the following donors: CSLA, Islamic Relief, Just A Drop, Perfetti Van Melle, ThyssenKrupp, Wilmington Trust, UNIFEM, and Individual Donors.