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A fashion show--and a fundraiser for refugees

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Just before the Ludus Athletics models began parading down the runway at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, Vincent Cochetel, North America’s representative to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, suggested people imagine an area the size of California under 5 to 8 feet of water for two and a half months.

That is the scope, Cochetel said, of last summer’s disastrous Pakistan floods, which affected an estimated 20 million people. With Pakistan hosting 1.7 million refugees, primarily from Afghanistan, the U.S. association for UNHCR paired up with Ludus Athletics to raise awareness and funds for these refugees.

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‘Al Qaeda and the Taliban operate in these areas,’ said Hamed Wardak, chief executive of Ludus Athletics, speaking at the Wednesday event. ‘If we don’t get involved to win the hearts and minds of these people, Al Qaeda and the Taliban will.’ Wardek said proceeds from sales of his new line of T-shirts and yoga pants would go toward relief efforts.

Also attending were Marc Breslaw, USA for UNHCR’s executive director; Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan; actress Azita Ghanizada of ‘General Hospital;’ Sonia Nassery Cole, producer of ‘The Black Tulip’ and founder of the Afghanistan World Foundation; and Riffat Masood, Consul General of Pakistan.

To read more about the fashion show and see photos from the event, click here.

--Ellen Olivier

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