New Delhi:
Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal is set to deliver a lecture at Columbia University in New York later this week and will also attend a dinner organised by the party's supporters where he is expected to raise funds for the party.
"He has been invited to deliver a lecture at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at New York on December 7 and the dinner will be held on that night itself," a party source said. AAP said that the dinner event has been planned by party supporters based in New York.
Columbia University is an Ivy League college and SIPA is one of the leading public policy institutions in the world.
Sources said that the party hopes to collect a "substantial amount" from the dinner from those wishing to make donations.
"The dinner has been organised by party supporters. If anybody wishes to donate, they can do it online. Arvind will certainly encourage that," the source added. Of the donations coming from abroad, USA tops the chart.
During his two-day trip to the US, Mr Kejriwal's IIT batchmates and AAP supporters have planned interactions with the Indian community there.
Mr Kejriwal left for a five-day trip of Dubai and New York today afternoon. He will be in Dubai by Saturday evening before proceeding on to New York.
To encourage donations, AAP is tweeting its donors' names with the hashtag #IFundHonestPolitics.
After the Delhi Assembly elections in December last year, the party claims to have so far received donations from over 1 lakh donors. AAP aims to collect Rs 30 crore to fund its campaign for fresh Assembly elections in Delhi.