President Barack Obama and their daughters, Malia (r) and Sasha (l) walking from the White House in Washington, Apr 2009

Days before embarking on a multi-stop international trip, U.S. President Barack Obama is tending to an important item on his domestic agenda - a celebration of his daughter's 11th birthday.

Mr. Obama told the Associated Press the celebration will be at the Camp David presidential retreat outside Washington.  He said the thought of having about 20 pre-teen girls at the camp for Malia's party is a "little intimidating."

Mr. Obama departed the White House Friday morning for Camp David and will return to Washington Saturday, ahead of a Fourth of July celebration on the South Lawn of the executive mansion.

Sunday, Mr. Obama travels to Russia, where he will attend an arms control summit in Moscow.  Later in the week, he heads to Italy for a meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.  

He then travels on to Ghana, where he will deliver a speech on democracy and development goals in the developing world.  The trip will likely be an emotional one, as Mr. Obama, the first African-American U.S. president, will visit an old slave fort called Cape Coast Castle.