Gallery – 2022 – Louisiana Consular Corps

French President Emmanuel Macron visit to New Orleans!

It was a great honor for the Consular Corps to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte Macron, to New Orleans.

Governor John Bel Edwards and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna signed a memorandum of understanding, “to further expand and enhance the strong cultural connections between France and Louisiana in the areas of the economy, clean energy and the environment.”

French adviser to assist Louisiana in transitioning to a cleaner energy under the signed agreement https://lnkd.in/gSef6vTs

The visit by Macron will also reinforce cultural connection and the french language taught in Louisiana.

Congratulations to our colleague Nathalie Beras, Consul General of France in Louisiana, for this historic visit.

The Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell met with the Consul General Ruth Emmerink of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Esther van Geloven, Senior Policy Advisor at the Consulate in Miami, and Deirdre McGlinchey the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in New Orleans,

“The City of New Orleans is focused on a range of priority industries where we can collaborate with our Dutch leaders and partners. The relationship between the Netherlands and New Orleans dates back hundreds of years with the first Netherlands consular representative in New Orleans being appointed in 1815, a dozen years after Thomas Jefferson asked Dutch bankers to help finance the Louisiana Purchase.”

The Honorary Consul Deirdre McGlinchey also hosted a Maritime Networking Reception for Dutch companies attending the International Boat Show. In addition, a mobile passport station for Dutch Citizens was offered by the consular staff while visiting New Orleans.

On November 4, the Honorable Tito Livio Morales Burelo, Consul of Mexico, hosted the U. S. Department of State and many local law enforcement, military, charities, state government and the Louisiana Consular Corps at the second in a series of Anti-Human Trafficking presentations in New Orleans. The Consular Corps was also represented by the Dean Bret A. Clesi, Honorary Consul General of Albania, Executive Committee Member Cecilia Kjellgren, Honorary Consul of Sweden, Cesar Lurati, Honorary Consul of Uruguay, newly-appointed Consul of Honduras, the Honorable Christian Mendoza and his Vice Consul, the Honorable Claudia Oyuela Guzman.

The panel discussion outlined the growing human trafficking for labor and sex trafficking victims, particularly focusing on the Latin American countries, as well as providing a plethora of local/state/federal resources available to us.

https://humantrafficking.la.gov/resources/

On Thursday, Nov. 3, Mayor LaToya Cantrell met with the Association of Former Members of Congress and the Congressional Study Group on Germany, comprised of members of the German Parliament and business executives in technology, energy and other industries to share the City’s priorities, provide insight into challenges our residents are facing and discuss how both New Orleans and Germany can work together to address and mitigate these issues.

The German delegation was led by German Economic Institute Director Dr. Michael Hüther and included numerous corporate executives and directors from blue-chip companies based in Germany and throughout Europe, as well as current and former members of the German Parliament.

Attendees from the Cantrell Administration included Chief of Staff Clifton Davis, Director of International Relations Rosine Pema Sanga, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Arthur Walton, External Relations Manager Zach Monroe of the Office of Resilience and Sustainability and Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany Susanne Cooper.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/LANOLA/bulletins/33638b5

On October 25, The Embassy of Spain, several Consuls, and Honorary Consuls attended the opening of the exhibition: “The New Orleans and the Spanish Caribbean” at The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC).

On October 20, the Consul Tito Morales of Mexico in New Orleans attended the International Reception organized by LAGCOE in Lafayette, Louisiana. At the event he met with several state officials, as well as entrepreneurs in the energy sector and local universities.

Today’s inaugural WTCNO’s International Trade Council meeting was hopefully the beginning of a long and successful partnership between the Louisiana Consular Corps, WTCNO and GNO, Inc.

Our Dean and Honorary Consul of Albania Bret Clesi, Honorary Consul of Sweden Cecilia Kjellgren, Honorary Consul of Canada Pat Denechaud, Honorary Consul of Japan Donna Fraiche, and Honorary Consul of Norway Will Baldwin participated in this morning’s meeting with the WTCNO’s International Trade Council.

Hon. William H. Hines, Honorary Consul of Portugal in New Orleans and Vice Dean of the Louisiana Consular Corps, will receive the prestigious Galvez Cup at the Azucar Ball hosted by the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Bill will be recognized by the Foundation for his leadership roles in many cultural and educational institutions and for his long-standing commitment to the nonprofit community of New Orleans.

Bill will receive the 2022 Galvez Cup during the 30^th Anniversary Azucar Ball at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Pictured at the opening of the “Arts of Japan” exhibit are: (L – R) the Hon. Bret A. Clesi, Dean of the Louisiana Consular Corps and Honorary Consul-General of Albania in New Orleans, Patrice Clesi, Lisa Rotondo-McCord, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs/Asian Arts, the Hon. Donna D. Fraiche, Honorary Consul of Japan in New Orleans, and the Hon. Yoichi Matsumoto, Consul-General of Japan in Nashville. Also attending but not pictured were the Hon. Arnaldo Partesotti, Honorary Consul of Italy in New Orleans (retired), and Bruna Partesotti.

Japan Fest’s 25^th anniversary in New Orleans was celebrated last Saturday, October 8^th, 2022, at the New Orleans Museum of Art with the opening of the exhibit “Arts of Japan”, accompanied by hundreds of guests and the presentation of traditional Japanese decorative arts, music, and Ido sword drawing. The Consul-General of Japan in Nashville, the Hon. Yoichi Matsumoto, honored the local Japanese Consulate and local guests by opening the exhibit. Earlier, Consul-General Matsumoto bestowed two of Japan’s government’s honors on two New Orleanians who have been vital to the growth of Japanese culture in New Orleans. The event also included exhibits in the NOMA Sculpture Garden and in City Park’s Japanese Garden.

On October 6, Harrison Crabtree, Business Development & Research Manager with GNO, Inc., met once again with the Consul General of Ireland Robert Hull, from the Irish Consulate Austin and representatives from IDA Ireland, in an effort to foster collaboration and strengthen the Greater New Orleans Economy.

Thank you also to Judge James F. McKay III, Honorary Consul of Ireland for his continued efforts to strengthen the ties between Louisiana and Ireland.

Learn more:

https://www.idaireland.com/

https://www.dfa.ie/irish-consulate/austin

On October 3, the Honorable Dr. Earl Quinn Peeper, Honorary Consul of Great Britain in New Orleans, hosted a meeting and dinner in New York City in the presence of HRH Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, sister of HM King Charles III of Great Britain.

Quinn hosted the meeting at the U. S. headquarters of the English Speaking Union of which is the U. S. President, and the dinner following at the Cosmopolitan Club in Manhattan. Quinn is pictured after presenting Princess Anne with a silver Tabasco bottle holder from Adler’s, as well as during cocktails at the dinner. Several years ago, Quinn’s predecessor, Jimmy Coleman, hosted Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla, in New Orleans, as well as an earlier visit from HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden, sister of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and HRH Prince Michael of Kent, the cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Michael.

On October 3, 2022, the cities of New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro renewed their 33-year-old sister city relationship!

A sister city agreement with the City of Rio de Janeiro was officially signed to further strengthen relations and providing mutual benefits for our communities.

We look forward to our exchanges on cultural, educational, economic, and governmental affairs that will further enhance our relationship.

Recent event at the Jazz Museum – Brazil Day! https://www.neworleansbrasilday.com/

Pictures: City of New Orleans

At our September luncheon meeting on Tuesday, September 20 at The Four Seasons Hotel, we were honored to have Robert Hull, Consul General of Ireland from Austin as our guest speaker. We were also pleased to have Ed Webb, CEO of WTCNO and Harrison Crabtree, Business Development & Research Manager with GNO, Inc., as our guests.

September 17 – The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York partnered up with the New Orleans Jazz Museum for an amazing performance this weekend!

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York and its partner, the New Orleans Jazz Museum presented a legendary jazz ensemble from Hong Kong, featuring guitarist Eugene Pao, pianist Ted Lo, bassist Sylvain Gagnon and drummer Anthony Fernandes. The quartet toured New Orleans along with three other U.S. cities (New York, Chicago and Washington D.C.). This tour was part of the celebration program for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The CEO of the World Trade Center, Ed Webb was there and so was Cecilia Kjellgren, the Honorary Consul of Sweden and Executive Board Member of the Consular Corps. https://www.hketony.gov.hk/

On Saturday, September 17^th, Dr. Zoltan Gombos, Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic, hosted a meeting at Antoine’s Restaurant for a delegation of Hungarian government officials visiting New Orleans.

Pictured clockwise from left: Mr. Bela Kocsy, Agricultural Attache’ at the Embassy of Hungary in Washington, DC, the Honorable Bret A. Clesi, Dean of the Louisiana Consular Corps and Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Albania, Honorary Consul Gombos, the Honorable Zsolt Lang, Member of the Hungarian Parliament and Undersecretary for Regional Development overseeing the capitol city, Budapest.

On September 9, The Honorary Consul of the Netherlands Deirdre McGlinchey met with the Dutch Minister of Trade and other women leaders in Houston. In the evening she attended an event at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts at which Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands was the honored guest.

The Honorary Consul of the Netherlands, Deirdre McGlinchey met in private with Her Majesty the Queen and discussed the many commonalities and ongoing cooperative endeavors between the Netherlands and New Orleans with a focus on water management etc.

More info. about the Queen’s visit can be found here: Working visit to the US states of California and Texas | Activity | Royal House of the Netherlands (royal-house.nl).

The Governor John Bel Edwards and the first Lady received a warm welcome in France, followed by a tour of the Sénat with Vice-President Roger Karoutchi and Senators Damien Regnard & André Gattolin. More info

Recently, the Governor visited Deltares, the water management complex that served as a model for The Water Campus in Baton Rouge. Louisiana has a long-standing partnership with their Dutch partners. More info

Lunch meeting in New Orleans with the Royal Thailand Embassy delegation on July 12, 2022.

(L – R) The Hon. Conny Willems, Ambassador Manasvi Srisodapol, the Hon. Bret Clesi, the Hon. Greg Beuerman, Minister Counsellor Chuliepote Isarankura Na Ayudhaya, and Counsellor Thitiwat Sukhasvasti Na Ayudhya

An exhibit on the European influences in and around New Orleans, presented by the Consul General of France (open air exhibit at 2406 Prytania Street).

City names, street names, surnames, landmarks, flavors, architecture, the traces of Europe are multiple and present everywhere in the United States. They constitute the common denominator of a rich history, made of varied individual and collective journeys, discoveries, pains and success.

They are French, German, Spanish, Italian, Czech, Greek, Croatian, Swedish, Irish… for some of them, the port of arrival was New Orleans.

In successive waves of immigration, they founded families and lineages, brought their culture and skills, and left their mark on the territory.

This exhibition explores these influences through stories, places and personalities to illustrate these traces of Europe at the heart of the Louisiana identity.

The New Orleans Bee (France)

The French influence in this part of the United States is first of all a name: Louisiana.

Beyond the undeniable cultural contribution in the arts, cuisine, urbanism and Louisiana society, it is first and foremost with a language and surnames that France leaves its strongest imprint, at the corner of a street, a grave or a Facebook account.

L’Abeille de La Nouvelle-Orléans was a French-language newspaper founded by François Delaup on September 1, 1827 and which ceased publication in 1925. L’Abeille featured opinionated journalism, focusing on the literary, theatrical, and musical life of the city, but also covered news from Europe and France in particular. The publication also included steamboat schedules, the arrival of new cargo shipments, and personal ads that captured the life of the times.

The Croatian Connection

Croatians played a fundamental role in the cultivation of oysters, which is the basis of Louisiana’s gastronomy. New Orleans was one of the crossroads of Croatian immigration to the United States in the early 19th century. Many of the newcomers came from towns and villages along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea. Settling among the fishing communities of Plaquemines Parish such as Olga, Empire, Buras and Port Sulphur, they imported their oyster farming skills. At 30 years old, Luke represents the 5th generation of oyster farmers in the Cibilich family and is one of the youngest in the parish. He is pictured here on his boat on the outskirts of the village of Empire.

The Czech Beads

Everybody knows what Beads are, those famous necklaces thrown to the crowd from Mardi Gras floats? Before the advent of plastic in the 1960s, beads were made of glass for Carnival and were distributed on a limited basis. So in the early 50’s, the Krewes called upon some Czechoslovakian companies to make them. Here we can see the refined composition of these necklaces and the characteristic colors used at that time.

Kira, pictured below, is Registrar & Digital Initiatives Manager for the Louisiana State Museum, which preserves a collection of these Czechoslovakian-made beads. She is herself a descendant of Czech and Slovak families.

A Swedish immigrant named Hammond

Hammond is a small town northwest of Lake Pontchartrain, well known to New Orleanians for its Swedish roots and foundation. Peter Hammond (1798-1870), anglicized from Peter av Hammerdal (Peter of Hammerdal) was a Swedish immigrant who settled in the area around 1818.

This sailor, briefly imprisoned by the British at Dartmoor Prison during the Napoleonic Wars, escaped during a riot and landed in New Orleans. Hammond used his savings to purchase a then inexpensive piece of land northwest of Lake Pontchartrain, where he founded the eponymous town. His grave, along with that of his wife Caroline and their three children, is located near the center of town under the oak tree pictured here.

The Honorable Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson, serving as the Honorary Consul of Lithuania, received the American Spirit Award Medallion!

“The Honorable Jacquelyn “Jackie” Clarkson has dedicated her life to public service and the success of the city of New Orleans. She served in a variety of political offices for more than two decades, including as a New Orleans City Councilwoman and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Among her many honors, Clarkson is a Trustee Emerita and Founders Society Member of The National WWII Museum. She was instrumental in securing the first state funding for the Museum, and her longtime support, particularly during the critical early years prior to its 2000 opening, made the vision for a museum dedicated to the American experience in World War II a reality.

As a district councilwoman, she represented New Orleans on both sides of the Mississippi River and was later elected to an at-large position. Clarkson is known for her commitment to public safety, historic preservation, and economic development, including cultivation and support for the city’s cultural economy and especially for the city’s children. Her passion for the New Orleans Recreation Department’s ballet program resulted in training for over 22,000 local children.

Clarkson’s longtime leadership has shaped New Orleans into the thriving city it is today, and her tireless dedication to advancing our community continues to inspire New Orleanians of all ages. Her commitment to public service and community engagement represent the unity of purpose and resilience embraced by all Americans during World War II. Having the love and devotion of her husband and raising a beautiful family are among her greatest achievements, says Clarkson.”

The American Spirit Award recognizes individuals who best exemplify the outstanding qualities of the American spirit, including teamwork, optimism, courage, and sacrifice, and who inspire the exploration and expression of these values through their own life and work.

Cajun-Acadian World War II Commemoration at the National World War II Museum, April 26, 2022

Antonio Genao, Consul General of the Dominican Republic, Alexandra Mora, Honorary Consul of Switzerland, Nathalie Beras, Consul General of France, Rachel McCormick, Consul General of Canada, Patricia Denechaud, Honorary Consul of Canada, Philip Lorio, Honorary Consul General of Austria (Retired), Walter Wolf, Honorary Consul of Latvia, Bret Clesi, Dean of the Louisiana Consular Corps and Honorary Consul General of Albania

On February 28, 2022, Lundi Gras, Dean Bret Clesi and the Consular Corps greeted Rex, King of Carnival, on the Mississippi Riverfront in New Orleans.

In the context of the French Presidency of the European Union Council, Deputy Ambassador Michael Curtis was invited to Louisiana by the French Consul General Nathalie Beras from February 9 to February 13.

During his visit, he met Consular Corps members, the Port of New Orleans and local business leaders to discuss climate change, infrastructure, and foreign relations. He also joined conversations at Xavier University and at the WWII Museum with Duke University students, he also enjoyed a visit at the Jazz Museum. The Deputy Ambassador also visited with Senator Bill Cassidy in Baton Rouge and toured the Water Institute with US Representative Garret Graves.

The Embassy of Sweden concluded a very successful week of meetings with Mayors, the Louisiana Governor’s office and Swedish business leaders in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The visit started off in New Orleans and the delegation from the Embassy of Sweden met with Mayor LaToya Cantrell to discuss sustainable climate solutions and many other exciting initiatives coming out of the city of New Orleans. They also had the opportunity to meet Tulane University students, local business leaders and consular corps members.

French President Emmanuel Macron visit to New Orleans!

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