diff --git a/tools/invite2summit/send.py b/tools/invite2summit/send.py
index bee63688c3..ccaf25c2af 100644
--- a/tools/invite2summit/send.py
+++ b/tools/invite2summit/send.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 import csv
 import email.utils
+import email.mime.text
 import settings
 import smtplib
 import sys
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ from string import Template
 class ATC(object):
     def __init__(self, row):
         self.lpid = row[0]
-        self.name = row[1]
+        self.name = unicode(row[1], 'utf8')
         self.emails = row[2:]
 
 
@@ -67,22 +68,17 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         content = template.substitute(name=committer.name,
                                       code=code,
                                       signature=settings.EMAIL_SIGNATURE)
-        msg = (
-            "From: %s\r\n"
-            "To: %s\r\n"
-            "Date: %s\r\n"
-            "Message-ID: %s\r\n"
-            "Subject: %s\r\n"
-            "%s"
-            % (
-                settings.EMAIL_FROM,
-                ','.join(committer.emails),
-                email.utils.formatdate(),
-                email.utils.make_msgid(),
-                settings.EMAIL_SUBJECT,
-                content))
 
-        session.sendmail(settings.EMAIL_FROM, committer.emails, msg)
+        msg = email.mime.text.MIMEText(content, 'plain',
+                                       'utf8')
+        msg["From"] = settings.EMAIL_FROM
+        msg["To"] = ','.join(committer.emails)
+        msg["Date"] = email.utils.formatdate()
+        msg["Message-ID"] = email.utils.make_msgid()
+        msg["Subject"] = settings.EMAIL_SUBJECT
+
+        session.sendmail(settings.EMAIL_FROM, committer.emails,
+                         msg.as_string())
         print "%s,ATC,%s" % (code, committer.name)
         session.quit()
         time.sleep(settings.EMAIL_PAUSE)
diff --git a/tools/invite2summit/settings.py.sample b/tools/invite2summit/settings.py.sample
index 00107a9b7c..4d61662098 100644
--- a/tools/invite2summit/settings.py.sample
+++ b/tools/invite2summit/settings.py.sample
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# coding=utf8
 # Settings for the passcode-sending application
 #
 # Copyright 2013 Thierry Carrez <thierry@openstack.org>
@@ -15,9 +16,9 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
-EMAIL_SUBJECT = "Your registration code for OpenStack Summit in Portland"
+EMAIL_SUBJECT = u"Your registration code for OpenStack Summit in Portland"
 
-EMAIL_TEMPLATE = """
+EMAIL_TEMPLATE = u"""
 Hello $name,
 
 As you may already know, we'll be having our next OpenStack Summit
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ $signature
 """
 
 EMAIL_FROM = "thierry@openstack.org"
-EMAIL_SIGNATURE = "Thierry Carrez\nOpenStack Foundation"
+EMAIL_SIGNATURE = u"Thierry Carrez\nOpenStack Foundation"
 EMAIL_HOST = "secure.emailsrvr.com"
 EMAIL_PORT = 465
 EMAIL_USER = "thierry.carrez@openstack.org"