The Louisiana Consular Corps’s 2021 Christmas Party was held on December 21st at the Uptown home of Honorary Consul of Monaco and Mrs. Calvin Clifford Fayard, Jr. Of the 25 Consuls, Honorary Consuls, and spouses in attendance, pictured are the Honorary Consul of Great Britain E. Quinn Peeper, and the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands and Secretary of the Consular Corps Deirdre McGlinchey. Guests were entertained by a local musician and feted with great regional seafood and other local specialties. All present also celebrated Frances Fayard’s birthday which was the same day. The Consular Corps’s 2022 Christmas Party will be hosted by the Honorary Consul of Brazil David Paul Schulingkamp at his newly restored 1790s French Quarter home.
On December 20, 2021, Japanese Consul-General Fukushima Kayoko (pictured) visited Honorary Consul Donna Fraiche (pictured) on the Consul-General’s farewell tour of her territory (AK, KY, LA, MS, and TN). The Consul-General will return to Tokyo shortly and then will be re-assigned to another foreign post. The Consul-General was accompanied by her Research Advisor, Naoe Soma (not pictured). Both Consul-General Kayoko and Advisor Soma are clearly very close to Donna and their admiration for and gratitude to Donna were very obvious to me. Donna invited me (pictured) to join her and her Japanese guests at the Sazerac Bar and we discussed New Orleans and Japanese history and customs, the origins of the Sazerac and of the Ramos Gin Fizz, amongst other existential issues. Not that this is a big surprise to any of us, but I continue to be blown away by the great acclaim Donna has earned in the Japanese and legal (and wine) communities.
The Louisiana Consular Corps enjoyed Oktoberfest at The Deutsches Haus! The opening was well attended, and Mayor Cantrell, Lt. Gov Nungesser, and Susanne Veters Cooper, the Honorary Consul of Germany, performed the traditional 'tapping of the keg.' The visit by The Budweiser Clydesdales was an exciting sight for all, young and old.
On October 12th, Bret Clesi the Dean of the Consular Corps and Honorary Consul of Albania, hosted an impromptu lunch meeting with Rosine Pema Sanga, Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Director for International Relations to discuss the City’s 2022 INTERNATIONAL WEEK proposed for next May. It’s a priority for the Cantrell administration to make sure our city is a welcoming city through cultural experiences. Honorary Consul of Japan and Treasurer of the Consular Corps Donna Fraiche discussed the upcoming Japana America Society awards. Honorary Consul of Sweden and Consular Corps Executive Committee Member Cecilia Kjellgren discussed a proposed Sister City agreement with Stockholm, Sweden. Honorary Consul of Finland Philip Claverie attended the meeting as well to coordinate the upcoming visit of Finland’s Consul General in the U.S. with Mayor Cantrell.
Tour of the Four Season Hotel on October 14th as the Consular Corps considers a new location for future Louisiana Consular Corps monthly meetings and for the revival of the Consular Corps Ball next Spring.
Dinner for Panamanian Ambassador Carmen Gisela Vergara, Yelsica H. Caballero & Panamanian Consul General Estefania Cheng P., New Orleans, Fri., October 1st, 2021
The Panamanian mission visited New Orleans late last week to promote the Panamanian Specialty Coffee Association Expo at the Convention Center. In addition to Ambassador Vergara and Miss Caballero, other members of the Panamanian trade missions included Mr. Wilford Lamastus representing the President of the Panamanian Specialty Coffee Association, Ms. Grethel Mendez, the Café Gallardo and winner of the 1st Place Prize at the exhibition, Mr. Ivan Gonzalez Amar, the representative of Bambito Estate Coffee and winner of the 2ndPlace Prize, and Mr. Graciano Cruz, representing Empresa Hiu Coffee. The Honorable Consul General Estefania Cheng was the hostess of the Panamanian delegation for the week.
(from left to right) Panamanian Ambassador Carmen Gisela Vergara, Louisiana Consular Dean and Honorary Consul General of Albania Bret Clesi, Patrice Clesi, Panamanian Consul General in New Orleans Estefania Cheng P., and Yelsica H. Caballero, Panamanian Coordinator of Mission.
Louisiana Consular Corps farewell to French Consul; others welcome new British Honorary Consul
“It was such an honor to be a part of the re-signing of the France-Louisiana Accords this morning in our beautiful Louisiana State Museum – The Cabildo. This renewal for the 2020 – 2024 term continues the working relationship between Louisiana and France to provide educational opportunities for our students in the French language 🇫🇷
