Elton John will once again host his annual White Tie and Tiara Ball at his home in the UK on June 23, 2011 to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Thirty years ago, a mysterious new illness that seemed to attack the body’s immune system was first diagnosed in the United States. Buoyed by denial, stigma and lack of understanding, HIV spread across the world infecting 60 million people and taking the lives of 30 million.

Through the efforts of dedicated campaigners and health professionals, the epidemic has begun to turn a corner. For the first time ever, the latest UNAIDS Global Report has shown that the spread of HIV has been halted and is beginning to be reversed. New infections have fallen by almost 20% in the last 10 years and between 2003 and 2009 there was a 13-fold increase in treatment coverage.

Coming at a most poignant time in the HIV story, this years’ White Tie and Tiara Ball will provide a opportunity to reflect on the incredible progress made in fighting the epidemic, and also to look to the future – a future free of HIV. Always promising to be a special evening for guests and playing host to a wealth of celebrities, the White Tie and Tiara Ball is now in its thirteenth amazing year. Hosted by Elton John and David Furnish at their country estate in Old Windsor, England, the ball has raised more than £40m since its inception. This has allowed the Foundation to reach millions of people infected or affected by HIV.

A highlight of the year’s social calendar, the ball always attracts a wealth of celebrities. In previous years, guests have included Diana Ross, Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta Jones, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Sean Connery, Guy Richie, Joss Stone, P. Diddy, Boris Becker, Joan Collins, Joan Rivers, Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Elizabeth Hurley & Hugh Grant, Victoria & David Beckham, Elle Macpherson, Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall, Kylie Minogue, Pierce Brosnan, Anastacia, Spice Girls, Roger Federer, Dawn French & Lenny Henry, Ronan Keating, George Michael, Trudie Styler, Sir Tim Rice, Jasper Conran, Jane Seymour, Sir Bob Geldof, Sophie Dahl, Diana Krall, Lulu, Sir David Frost, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Daldry, Nigella Lawson, Richard E. Grant and the list goes on!

Related News