Gallery – 2025

May 12, 2025
On May 12, our honored guest and speaker at the Consular Corps lunch meeting was the Honorable Sujeevan Sathesan, British Consul-General in Houston. His jurisdiction includes Louisiana, and the U.K. is the 4th largest trading partner for Louisiana. The United Kingdom is the ninth-largest trading partner with the U.S. He also spoke at length about the new trade deal, geopolitics and the war in Europe.
 
April 25, 2025

On April 25th the Consular Corps luncheon at the Windsor Court Hotel, our honored guest and speaker was His Excellency Ervin Bushati, the Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the United States.  

Ambassador Bushati is the scion of a medieval Albanian family whose members have been leaders of the Albanian people for many centuries.  Born in Shkoder, the ancient seat of the Bushati clan, Ambassador Bushati has traveled extensively representing Albania in many official capacities, including with the EU.
April 20, 2025

On April 20, New Orleans officially welcomed the French Navy ships Mistral and Surcouf in a ceremony with the Consular Corps and the City of New Orleans – a powerful reminder of the deep ties that unite France and Louisiana, across centuries and across oceans.

The exceptional reception aboard the Mistral was also proof of the longstanding friendship between our two countries.
March 4, 2025
On March 4, after the celebration of Mardi Gras, a stately formal ball takes place every year, and a very distinguished guest was presented the Rex decoration this year: namely His Excellency Laurent Bili, Ambassador of the French Republic to the U.S., accompanied at the ball by French Consul General of Louisiana Rodolphe Sambou.
 
The Consulate General of France in New Orleans, has an artist-in-residency program called Villa Albertine. The program aims to support artists, researchers, and cultural professionals, and to foster dialogue and exchange between French and American cultural institutions. Recently, the New Orleans Jazz Museum hosted a Villa Albertine Showcase, and it was a night of true celebration of artistic exchange and innovation.
 
 
Ambassador of the French Republic to the U.S., Laurent Bili, and the French Consul General of Louisiana Rodolphe Sambou.
March 3, 2025
On March 3, 2025, Lundi Gras, was presided over by the mayor of New Orleans, marking the official start of Mardi Gras. The Louisiana Consular Corps and Deirdre McGlinchey, Vice Dean greeted Rex, the King of Carnival, up on stage by the Mississippi Riverfront in New Orleans.
Aulston Taylor, President and CEO of St. Augustine High School, Deirdre McGlinchey, Vice Dean and Honorary Consul of the Nerherlands, Maria Page, Honorary Consul of Spain, Mark Romig, Honorary Consul of Thailand.
February 13, 2025
On February 13, Japanese company UBE began construction on a $491 million facility in Waggaman to produce EV battery element. The facility is the first of its kind in the U.S., and the project is part of a broader statewide $2.4 billion investment in Louisiana’s EV materials industry.
The World Trade Center of New Orleans also hosted Consul General Shinji Watanabe from the Consulate-General of Japan to explore investment opportunities for Japanese companies in Louisiana. As Louisiana’s third largest source of foreign direct investment, Japanese investment has resulted in nearly 7,000 new jobs.
February 13, 2025
On February 13, the Louisiana Consular Corps were honored to have the Ambassador of the Cote d’Ivoire speak to us during our luncheon.
 
The presence of the Ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire, along with Rosine Pema Sanga from the Mayor’s office and the French Consul-General Rodolphe Sambou, made for a remarkable gathering.  The ceremonial robe and hat gifted to former Dean Bret Clesi was definitely a memorable cultural exchange and a very meaningful interaction.
Ambassador Ibrahima Toure and Honorary Consul General of Albania and former Dean Bret Clesi
The Consul General of Mexico Noemí Hernández and Honorary Consul of Spain Maria Page
January 28, 2025
On January 28, the Consular Corps of Louisiana was delighted to invite international LLM Tulane students and faculty to our lunch meeting.  Our honored guest and main speaker was the Irish Consul-General, Robert Hull.   
 
Herbert V. Larson, Jr., Senior Professor of the Practice and Executive Director, International and Graduate Program of Tulane University School of Law and his colleague Vernon Palmer, who specializes in comparative law and European and French civil law, together with law students met with the 29 Consuls-General, Consuls, and Honorary Consuls in attendance. 
 
Tulane’s Law School’s LLM and student exchange programs are amongst the oldest in the U.S. and extremely well regarded throughout the world.  Tulane and its law and medical schools have been key sources of international relations for New Orleans since 1834.
 
Lastly, a new dean has been selected to lead the Louisiana Consular Corps and Bret Clesi, honorary consul general of the Republic of Albania who has done a fantastic job, handed over the gavel to Dean William H. Hines, honorary consul of Portugal.