Monte-Carlo - The eyes of the athletics world will be on the Principality of Monaco next weekend.

On Sunday 25 November, the prestigious annual World Athletics Gala will be hosted at the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d’Eté, Monte-Carlo by International Athletic Foundation (IAF) Honorary President HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and IAF & IAAF President Lamine Diack.

The highlight of the evening will of course be the announcement of the Male and Female World Athletes of the Year 2007, with the winning names being announced live on stage.

The Gala will also give the global Athletics family the opportunity to honour other outstanding athletic achievements via a number of other awards and honours including the Performance of the Year, Rising Star, Coaches’ Awards….

The Gala’s 600+ guests, who will include many of the world’s top athletics stars, past and present, will be entertained this year by Cuba’s legendary Orchestra Aragón, who formed in 1939 have since the 1950s travelled the world spreading the sound and rhythms of charanga.

A two-day meeting of the IAAF Council, Friday 23 and Saturday 24 November, will be the focus of a packed schedule of meetings which will straddle the Gala. Gatherings of various IAAF Commissions, the IAAF Advisory Board and the IAF Council will take place before the Gala and meetings of the IAAF Area Associations, and a two day IAAF Sponsors’ Workshop will be staged on the Monday (26) and Tuesday (27) afterwards.

IAAF