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| You Are In: Home > Public Affairs |
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When asked about what makes Abraham Lincoln stand out from
other great American presidents, Professor Burlingame, Holder of the Chancellor
Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies, highlighted the number of
great tragedies Lincoln faced throughout his life which only strengthened his
character. Professor Burlingame is considered to be one of the top, leading
scholars who have written with tremendous detail and insight on the life, work
and psychology of Lincoln. As such, Professor Burlingame has published 12 books
on Abraham Lincoln, with the most recent publication being “Abraham Lincoln: A
Life” (released in December 2008), to which the editors of Publisher’s Weekly
have rated it as one of the “Best Books of the Year.” While in Madrid, Professor
Burlingame shared his vast knowledge of Lincoln at both Complutense University’s
Department of Philology and the International Institute, where he also had the
pleasure of meeting the President and other various members of the Alto Consejo
de Comunidades Negras, a non-governmental agency based in Madrid. Counterterrorism Expert Lorenzo Vidino visits Spain to share insight on “Europe’s New Security Dilemma”, October 19-23, 2009
En route to Granada for the University of Granada’s “European Security:
Terrorism and Jihadi Radicalism” seminar, Lorenzo Vidino, Research Fellow in
Harvard University’s Belfer Center’s International Security Program and
Initiative on Religion in International Affairs, visited Madrid to discuss the
nature of radicalization in Europe and the challenges they pose at roundtable
discussions in the U.S. Embassy, Real Instituto Elcano, and the Juan Velazquez
de Velasco Institute of Research in Intelligence for Security and Defense at
Universidad Carlos III (Getafe). As Vidino has consistently argued, there is a
great need, for not only governments in Europe but throughout the world, to
approach counterterrorism and radicalization policies from a “more nuanced and
comprehensive” perspective. As difficult and complex as this endeavor has been
and will continue to be, Vidino provides invaluable insight into the world of
terrorist networks, most notably seen through his 2006 publication, “Al-Qaeda in
Europe: The New Battleground of International Jihad.” U.S. Embassy Madrid remembers September 11th, 2001 through collaborating with Cruz Roja Española to put on a successful blood donation drive, October 20, 2009
With the miracles of modern medicine on the rise, it is
relatively easy for one to forget the importance of donating blood. According to
the Red Cross, due to the fact that blood cannot be artificially made, blood
donations are necessary to assist in a number of medical interventions, such as
for people battling cancer, a person needing to have emergency surgery, a mother
giving birth, or for someone who has been seriously injured in a car accident.
Given the relevance of donating blood and as a way to commemorate the
anniversary of September 11th, on October 20th, 2009, the Health Unit, the
Community Liaison Office Coordinator, and the Public Affairs section
collectively teamed up to host a blood drive at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid.
Nearly three dozen volunteers signed up within the U.S. Embassy to donate blood.
Cruz Roja Espanola came to the U.S. Embassy in a medium-sized bus equipped with
four donor beds and a team of nurses who all assisted in the success of U.S.
Embassy Madrid’s blood drive. Jared Katsiane, Boston-native filmmaker, visits Soria, Spain to premiere latest film “Houna and Manny” , October 19, 2009
After visiting Afghanistan in August 2009 and observing the
presidential elections there, Brian Katulis, a Middle East and South Asian
expert at the Center for American Progress, arrived in Madrid to share his
insight stemming from his participation on an independent international observer
delegation in Kabul. During a discussion at Casa Arabe titled “U.S. policy
towards the Middle East and Afghanistan,” Mr. Katulis analyzed the Afghan
elections and spoke about the effects of the results not only in Afghanistan but
in the region as a whole. Mr. Katulis also had the opportunity to speak at a roundtable discussion on
“Elections in Afghanistan and U.S. Foreign Policy” hosted by the Toledo
International Center for Peace and the Foundation for International Relations
and Foreign Dialogue (FRIDE). He was also interviewed by various Spanish media
outlets.
Native Americans Tracy Rector of Longhouse Media and Sara London of the University of Washington visit Spain for the El Ojo Cojo Festival, October 12th-16th, 2009
During a visit to Spain, which was partially sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, Tracy Rector, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Longhouse Media, and Sara London, first-year undergraduate student at the University of Washington, expose through their filmmaking endeavors the reality of Native Americans in the United States and challenge the common misconceptions and representations of them. Through visiting a number of primary and secondary schools in Madrid, Rector and London engage with Spanish students on informing them about Native American history in the United States and these indigenous people’s cultural traditions and practices. David Lippeatt, Chief of the Economic Policy Unit at the U.S. Mission to the EU visited Madrid, October 12, 2009
The Chief of the Economic Policy Unit at the U.S. Mission to the EU, David Lippeatt, visited Madrid last week. During his stay, the U.S. diplomat had a luncheon with a group of Spanish journalists to discuss U.S. economic objectives during the Spanish EU presidency. Lippeatt also talked about the collaboration on innovation between the U.S. and the EU, a leading topic to be discussed during the Transatlantic Economic Council meeting in Washington at the end of this month. In addition, the U.S. Counselor analyzed possible responses to the financial crisis, discussed the results of the G-20 Summit, and outlined the Obama Administration’s objectives for the Climate Change Summit this December in Copenhagen.
The U.S. Embassy in Madrid supported last night’s
pre-release of the film “New York, I Love You,” an intertwining of various love
stories with New York City as the backdrop. The official opening of the movie,
distributed by WIDE Pictures and Universal, is not until tomorrow, October 16,
but the film received strong reviews from the Embassy´s guests who attended
yesterday’s event. “It´s a funny story that hits close to home. You leave the
cinema with a smile, but at the same time it’s a film that makes you think,”
said one of the guests. Featuring an A-list cast of directors and actors such as
Natalie Portman, Christina Ricci, and Ethan Hawke, “New York, I Love You”
represents with accuracy the richness and diversity of the United States’ most
emblematic city. It's 90 minutes of entertainment with a clear message: love is
possible in NYC in any situation and at any time.
“Who could ask for anything more!? It was awesome!” This
was how Laura García, a 16-year-old student at Veritas High School in Madrid,
described the October 7th basketball clinic with Utah Jazz coaches Tyrone Corbin
and Scott Layden. She and 24 other high school basketball lovers experienced one
of the greatest moments of their sports careers: a one hour hands-on practice
session with the coaches of the Utah Jazz and a photo and T-shirt by which to
remember it all. Where? Madrid Sports Arena. Dennis Ceru, Babson Collee Businnes Professor, Visits Madrid, October 1, 2009
Babson College Business Professor Dennis Ceru visited
Madrid to discuss small- and medium-sized companies’ business strategy in times
of crisis. During his presentations, Ceru talked about the challenges and
opportunities that these companies face in the near future, as well as the
influence of green initiatives and technologies in the development of these
companies. Dennis Ceru also participated in a meeting with business leaders and
in a conference organized by Carlos III University students.
Engineer Latif Ahmadi, Afghan Films Director (Kabul) visits Spain and discusses fight against Taliban fanaticism, September 29-30, 2009
During a visit to Spain, partially sponsored by the U.S.
Embassy, Latif Ahmadi, director of Afghan Films, discusses his hopes for the
future of Afghanistan and the dramatic changes he has seen since the dark times
of Taliban rule. Taking part in
a seminar hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Ahmadi tells the story of the struggle to protect Afghan cultural heritage. In
his presentations and articles, he recounts in plain words the heroic action of
Afghan Films staffers who silently risked their lives. By secretly hiding film
heritage, they kept the film archive out of the hands of the Taliban, who wanted
to destroy all music and images in the country. Ahmadi now seeks a stronger
commitment by the international community to the Afghan people and its film
heritage.
Some representatives of the Latino community participated
in a program called “Latinos in the US: culture and politics to scene” organized
by Casa América with the US Embassy collaboration. Representatives of this
communities such as the president and rector of the Cambridge College de
Massachusetts, Tito Guerrero, the founder of the party Raza Unida and leader of
the Movimiento Chicano, Jose Angel Gutiérrez, and the representative of Texas
Roberto Alonzo, gave their particular view of the Hispanic achievements in
fields such politics, culture and mass media.
Aarron Walter, Web
expert on findability, explained to an audience of international relations and
defense experts how to build
web sites easier to find, to enhance communication. He participated in the
19th EINIRAS Conference, held in Madrid, September 17-18, at the CESEDEN
(Spain’s War College), on “How Technology and Users Influence the Culture of
Information in International Relations.” EINIRAS is the The European Information
Network on International Relations and Area Studies. He was also
interviewed by major daily ABC where he highlighted the human side of
findability and its social component. U.S. Artists Teresa Foley and Carolina Loyola-García at the Opening of “Transfer Lounge” Group Exhibit in Valencia on September 17, 2009
U.S. Artists Teresa Foley and Carolina Loyola-García
visited Valencia on the occasion of their participation in “Transfer Lounge”, a
project involving artists from Spain and the U.S. The Spanish part of the
project includes a group exhibit at Forja Arte Contemporáneo, in Valencia, which
opened on September 17. The opening was attended by more than 300 people,
including the U.S. Consular Agent in Valencia, who visited with both artists and
one of the co-curators. Teresa Foley did a performance as part of her project
“What does Valencia sound like?”, inviting people to answer or play the question
in terms of a ringtone. Carolina Loyola-García presented the installation
“Encuentros bizarros” and the video “Híbridos sin lineaje”. The exhibit will be
featured until October 23. The U.S. part of “Transfer Lounge” will take place in
Pittsburg. Chargé d’Affaires, Arnold A. Chacón, attended a reception hosted by the Fulbright Commission, September 9, 2009
The Chargé d’Affaires, Arnold A. Chacón, hosted the annual Embassy Iftar dinner on September 17 to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with members of the Muslim communities in Spain. In his remarks, the Chargé highlighted the tradition of religious freedom and tolerance in the U.S. and our experience as a nation of immigrants. He emphasized that the Embassy looks forward to a continued collaboration with the Muslim community in Spain and he reiterated President Obama’s call for a new beginning between the U.S. and Muslims throughout the world. As President Obama stated: “This new beginning must be borne out in a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground.” In his remarks, Imam Abu Bakr Abdelmaksoud Mohamed Kamel of the Cultural Islamic Center of Madrid, said that “this is an invitation to extend the hand of cooperation between us with the goal of confronting our major common concerns such as extremism and terrorism and inviting us to spread love and peace among all peoples with the same common elements upon which is based on the True Islam, and we aspire with great eagerness to a brigthter, positive future among us and all the different countries of the world.”
The
US Embassy in Madrid worked with Matthew Pearl's Spanish publisher, Alfaguara,
to bring the best-selling author to Madrid during the week of September 8 to 11.
On September 8, the author kicked off a new lecture series called “Tramas
americanas” at the Spanish National Library, one of the most prestigious
cultural institutions in Spain. On September 11, he presented his new novel “The
Last Dickens” at the International Institute. At both events, Pearl proved to be
an engaging, thoughtful and articulate speaker who spoke knowledgeably about
19th century American literature and Boston society and delighted audiences with
his anecdotes about the three authors he has researched for his novels: Dante,
Poe and Dickens. Pearl's visit received extensive press coverage, with six
national dailies devoting full or half pages to interviews with this popular
contemporary American writer.
Chargé d’Affaires, Arnold A. Chacón, attended a reception hosted by the Fulbright Commission in honor of the newly arrived U.S. grantees. Over 90 Fulbright grantees from the United States have come to Spain and Andorra to engage in research on a wide range of topics from business to literature, history and music, as well as public health and immigration issues. Many of the grantees are here as English Teaching Assistants in bilingual public schools in Madrid, Valencia, and Cantabria, as well as Andorra. In his remarks, the Chargé noted that over the past 50 years, the Fulbright program has developed a stellar reputation, not only for the high academic standards of its grantees, but also for their integrity and respect for diverse cultures and peoples. He told the students that he was sure that their exchange experience will help bring us closer to Senator Fulbright’s dream that through intercultural exchange we will increase the chance that nations will learn to live in peace and friendship.
AUGUST 2009 Exchange program with American high schools students that took place from July 22-Aug. 2, 2009
A group of American high schools students from Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, spent 11 days in the town of Villa de Ingenio, where they
participated in a cultural and educational exchange program. The students
received a warm welcome from the Mayor of Ingenio and the town residents. The
goal of this program was to provide the students with an integral educational
experience, by exploring the history, natural resources and cultural traditions
of the Canary Islands. Through cultural programs with Spanish youth, including
an international folklore festival, and home stays with Spanish families, the
American students gained a deeper knowledge of the people and culture of the
Canary Islands. The Ingenio Town Council hopes to repeat the program again next
year and in the future they would like to send a group of students to the U.S. JULY 2009
Jim Rettig, after having passed the baton to the incoming ALA President in mid-
July, visited Madrid to participate in a Complutense University Summer course in
El Escorial on “Library Cooperation: Future Trends and Current Situation.” His
talk on the long American tradition of library cooperation showcased the leading
role American libraries are playing worldwide. Mr. Rettig, University Librarian
at Richmond University, kept the audience engaged by turning the session into a
participatory workshop. The audience was divided into working groups and
brainstormed proposals for Spain based on the American experience that Mr.
Rettig had laid out during his lecture. The audience was exposed to the American
style of workshops, and this lecture became an enlightening learning experience
for all those who participated. In addition, Mr. Rettig gave a talk on library
cooperation at the Madrid National Library and was interviewed for both the
professional journal Educación y Biblioteca and for the
Embassy YouTube Channel. Pictures of his
visit to Madrid and El Escorial can be seen at the
Embassy Flickr page.
Arnold Chacón, Chargé
d’Affaires, a.i, visited the Junípero Serra Museum in Petra (Mallorca) on July
11, in celebration of the museum’s 50th anniversary. Chacón described his first
visit to Spain’s Balearic Islands as “an honor and a privilege.” During the
event, which was also attended by former U.S. Consul agent to the island, Tummy
Bestard, Chacón highlighted Junípero Serra’s cultural importance in the United
States. In the 18th century, Serra founded several missions in California that
eventually became cities such as San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. More
information, in Spanish, from Diario de
Mallorca, July 10th edition, July 12th
edition and
Última Hora Digital.
Chargé d’ Affaires Arnold Chacón participated in the start of the University of Salamanca’s International Courses on July 6, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the university’s International Spanish Courses for Foreign Students. Most of the enrolled students, who come from more than 60 countries, are American. The Chargé highlighted the importance of academic exchanges in our globalized society, the importance of Spanish as the second most spoken language in the United States, and the University of Salamanca’s role in the study of American culture and literature. After the event, the Chargé visited the exhibition “800 years of the University, 80 years of International Courses” with the President of the University of Salamanca, the Vice Councilor of Culture for the Castilla y León government, writer Ricardo Martín Garzo, other faculty members and more than 300 international students. JUNE 2009
MAY 2009
Who said that the United States doesn’t have a King? Well, he might have had a different role; we refer to him as the “king of Rock and Roll” and his influence is a true iconic symbol of American culture. On May 22nd at a car show hosted in front of the Palacio Real, Señor Fernando de la Hoz exhibited his classic 1955 Cadillac Eldorado, identical to the one that Elvis Presley “the king of Rock and Roll” drove. Not only is the car beautiful in its restored condition boasting an American flag, moreover, the car’s history in Spain is notable. Upon arriving at the car show, Señor de la Hoz showed the original document describing how the car arrived in Spain. As the story goes, the Cadillac was given to Officer John Collins by the U.S. Embassy in 1957, and since, it has been passed down to the present owner. It is an excellent example of a piece of American history that has been preserved in Spain for over the last 50 years. Besides being owner of this historic automobile, Señor de la Hoz is director of La Feria Internacional del Vehículo Clásico: “Ciudad de Oviedo”. For more information on classic cars you can visit their website at www.cochesclasicosdeoviedo.com.
José Calderón, point guard for the Toronto Raptors basketball team, held a meet and greet with students from Madrid high schools on May 13 at the U.S. Embassy. The kids asked Calderón questions about his experiences in the NBA and the United States, as well as Spain’s national team. The meet and greet was a joint collaboration between the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Office and Spain’s Asociación de Baloncesto Colegial (ABC). An exclusive interview and photos of Calderón is available on the Embassy youth website: estamosunidos.es Related links:
On May 5, 2009, Chargé d’Affaires Arnold Chacón presented “Best Student Athlete
Awards” to area students for their outstanding performance in school and in the
2009 Student Basketball Cup. This season’s trophy winners were Ana Juan Barragán
from Madrid’s Colegio San Agustín and Javier Herrera Sánchez from Instituto
Veritas.
On Monday, May 4th, Chargé d’Affaires Arnold A. Chacón met with students from
Amherst, MA, who are in Spain on a State Department funded youth exchange
program. The students spent three weeks with their Spanish counterparts in Córdoba and Sevilla, learning more about Spanish society and culture. This was
the second part of an exchange program that involved a trip by the Spanish
students to the U.S. in January. In addition to getting to know more about each
other’s cultures, the students are focusing on the issues of immigration and
integration, and are collaborating on a short video about their experience. APRIL 2009
On April 16, Chargé d’Affaires Arnold Chacón presented checks totalling almost
$14,000 to three Spanish organizations. Recipients were CAVAS and SAF, which
combat child pornography and pedophilia as well as violence and sexual assault
on women, and the Diplomatic Women's Association in Spain, which organizes a
bazaar to raise funds for charities. The Chargé d’Affaires thanked each group
for their commitment to these important causes and especially CAVAS for its
collaboration with the Consular Section and the Fraud Prevention Unit of the
Embassy.
On April 16, Chargé d´Affaires Arnold Chacón attended the presentation of Solar Decathlon Europe 2010. It is the European version of Solar Decathlon, the international competition organized by the U.S. Department of Energy since 2002. This contest open to universities from around the world rewards the most attractive and efficient solar-powered homes. It will be held in Madrid in June 2010, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Spain’s Ministry of Housing and the Polytechnic University of Madrid. The international competition arrives in Europe thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the American and Spanish governments. In its European debut, 21 teams from 10 countries in Europe, North and South America and Asia will participate.
During the project presentation at Madrid’s Superior Technical School of
Architecture, Minister Corredor stated that Spain’s commitment to renewable
energy sources and sustainability made it the best place to hold the European
contest. She added that “the competition does not seek to design the house of
the future, but rather to show how the house of the present could be.”
Sandra Ríos
Balderrama of the Fresno County Public Library and Ghada Kanafani of the Boulder
Public Library visited Barcelona, Madrid and Seville from March 31-to April 3 to
meet with local librarians and cultural mediators to discuss their efforts and
share experiences on integrating minorities and the marginalized through library
programs. Besides participating in three major conferences, they also conducted
hands-on workshops with participants to further develop their outreach messages
and models. MARCH 2009
Professor of Political Science Allan Abramowitz from Emory University in Atlanta, GA spent a week in Madrid and Barcelona speaking to university students, researchers, and the general public about the challenges and opportunities facing the Administration of Barack Obama. In his presentation he discussed the ambitious policy agenda set for by President Obama and what is needed for the President to reach his goals.
Chargé d’Affaires Arnold Chacon delivered remarks at the inauguration of the
third annual Global Classrooms conference in which participated 220 students
from Madrid’s 10 public bilingual secondary schools. This year’s topic was
“Malaria, TB and other Infectious Diseases” and the students simulated meetings
of the regional commissions of the UN’s Economic and Social Council. The United
Nations Association (UNA-USA) provides the framework for the Global Classrooms
program around the world. In Madrid, the Fulbright English Teaching Assistants
work closely with the school’s professors to prepare the students for this
annual conference. FEBRUARY 2009
U.S.
Navy band “Flagship" performed for more than 90 students at IES
Cervantes, a local public middle school and high school in a highly diverse
neighborhood in downtown Madrid. The 8th and 9th grade students responded enthusiastically to the
band’s mix of
classic rock, R & B, country and rap music, jumping on stage to dance for the
final set. The concert was also well received by the school’s administration
and the representatives from Madrid’s Department of Education, who could be
seen tapping toes and clapping hands in time to the classic rock hits from
their youth. Such musical events are an excellent means of spreading goodwill
to youth audiences, while also enhancing a spirit of cooperation between PA
and our education contacts.
Chargé d'Affaires, a.i., Arnold Chacón, hosted a reception in honor of
participants in US-sponsored exchange programs on February 19, 2009.
US-sponsored professional exchange programs bring to the United States over
5,000 foreign visitors from all over the world, leaders in government, politics,
the media, education, the arts, business and other fields, to meet and confer
with their professional counterparts and to experience America firsthand. Since
the program began, more than 1,000 Spaniards have traveled to the US.
American book author, folklorist and former Fulbright Scholar Margaret Read MacDonald and veteran performer Gerald Fierst conducted a storytelling tour at 10 Madrid area bilingual public elementary schools and 6 bilingual schools in the city of Cordoba. This week-long Public Affairs program reached close to 2,000 students and teachers. This cultural program also included Scholastic book donations and was part of the Embassy’s on-going efforts to form closer ties with Spanish schools. In addition, Public Affairs hosted two storytelling workshops that were enthusiastically received by more than 150 Spanish teachers and librarians. JANUARY 2009
Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon visited Madrid January 8-9 to meet with counterparts in the Spanish Government, participate in a breakfast at Casa America, and conduct several media interviews. In the breakfast at Casa America, Shannon discussed the situation in Latin America, highlighting the situation in Venezuela and Cuba, and responded to wide-ranging questions on U.S. policy towards the region.
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Casa America
