California First Lady Maria Shriver announced Monday an extraordinary lineup of newsmakers and world-renowned leaders that are confirmed for the Women’s Conference 2008 to be held on October 21 and 22 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Tickets to the conference are on sale at http://www.californiawomen.org.

Guest speakers will include: Christiane Amanpour, Lance Armstrong, Cherie Blair, Bono, Warren Buffett, Sister Joan Chittister, Marian Wright Edelman, Sally Field, Michael J. Fox, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Caroline Kennedy, Heidi Klum, Jack Kornfield, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Matthews, Jenny McCarthy, Indra Nooyi, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Russell Simmons and Gloria Steinem.

The conference, which is the largest gathering of women in the nation, was started in 1991 by then-governor Pete Wilson. It was originally a non-profit initiative to give working women more opportunities for networking, but under the leadership of California’s First Lady for the past five years, the conference has blossomed into something more significant.

"(It) has become the nation’s premier forum for women," Shriver said. "The world’s greatest hearts and minds convene every year to empower women to find a common purpose, be united by a shared conversation …

"This year, I am urging women to take time to explore their deepest hopes and aspirations, and I hope they leave the conference with a better sense of just who they want to be — and the knowledge of how to get there."

Conference tickets start at $125.

For more information and registration, visit the conference’s website, www.californiawomen.org.

Check out the official promo clip and hear from past speakers including Oprah Winfrey and Queen of Jordan Rania Al Abdullah.