Celebrities Unite to Honor Five 'Heroes' on Oct. 17

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Actors, models and sports stars will join an international gathering in Ft. Lauderdale Oct. 17 to honor five outstanding individuals from Latin America and the Caribbean who have improved the lives of the most disadvantaged people in their communities, the Pan American Development Foundation announced. www.HeroesoftheHemisphere.org

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Called Heroes of the Hemisphere, this second annual celebration will include the following VIP attendees:

• Jimmy Jean-Louis, NBC's Heroes and PADF's Goodwill Ambassador
• Dania Ramirez, Cover Girl model and actress (NBC's Heroes, HBO's Entourage and currently filming Premium Rush) and Cover Girl Ambassador for the Clean Water Act Campaign
• Gabrielle Union, actress from the hit films Bring It On, Bad Boys 2 and Cadillac Records, as well as Ambassador for Susan G. Komen
• Maria Elvira Salazar, winner of five Emmy Awards, host of Maria Elvira Live! on Mega TV and author
• Cliff Robinson, retired NBA player who had an impressive career with the Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors and the New Jersey Nets
• Satcha Pretto Padilla, co-anchor on Univision's Primer Impacto Fin de Semana, will return to the event as the emcee

"We are excited that these talented professionals are able to join PADF in its celebration of the 2010 Heroes honorees," says Amy Coughenour, PADF's deputy executive director. "They will greatly contribute to the success of the celebration and increase awareness of PADF's successful programs in the hemisphere."

In addition to these celebrities, Colombian singer/songwriter Marre will perform at the awards ceremony. Marre, whose album released by EMI includes singles such as "Cada Vez" and "Mas y Mas," has appeared on stage in Latin America and the United States. www.MarreMusic.com

The singer (born Maria del Rosario but nicknamed Marre at a young age) comes to PADF through its relationship with MTV Latin America, a co-sponsor of the 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere celebration. MTV Networks Latin America, US Hispanic & Canada, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), owns and operates the company's portfolio of entertainment brands.

The non-profit Pan American Development Foundation's 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere will take place on Sunday, Oct. 17, on Celebrity Cruises' award-winning, stylish, 2,850-guest Celebrity Solstice, which will be docked in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Celebrity Cruises is hosting the event for 250 VIPs, including  diplomats, executives, elected officials and donors. www.HeroesoftheHemisphere.com

The 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere's honorees are from Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Brazil. PADF will present an award to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for its efforts related to corporate social responsibility. In addition, PADF and its guests will recognize the efforts of everyone who helped Haiti after the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake, the worst natural disaster in the history of the Western Hemisphere. More than 230,000 people died and in excess of 1.2 million are living in displacement camps. For more information, please visit: www.ImUnitedforHaiti.org

Supporters of the 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere include: Chevron; Caterpillar; Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; the Private Sector of the Americas; Greenberg Traurig; United Way; Univision; IMCA; Merck; MTV; and Interlex.

About Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers, with modern, sophisticated environments, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring onboard programs, and world-class cuisine. The ultimate in premium cruising, Celebrity sails in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, Europe, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity's fleet currently consists of 10 ships.  www.celebritycruises.com

About PADF

PADF is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that focuses on sustainable economic development, strengthening civil society and responding to natural disasters in the Western Hemisphere.  In 2009 it had more than 5.6 million beneficiaries in 18 countries.

PADF is based in Washington, D.C., and has field offices in Colombia, Haiti and elsewhere. The non-profit's largest field operation is in Colombia, where it is working on alternate development, internally displaced persons and other projects. www.padf.org

In Haiti, the Foundation is one of the largest non-governmental organizations on the island. With nearly three decades of work in Haiti, PADF now manages a large portfolio of activities ranging from community-driven development to protecting human rights. www.ImUnitedforHaiti.org

SOURCE Pan American Development Foundation