Selected Events January - June 2009 - Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany

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About the Consulate

Consul General

Middle East Expert Discusses

Impact of Recession on Arab

World

June 29, 2009. Prof. Mohamed Rabie, Ph.D., a Palestinian-American author and professor of

international political economy, led a lively, intimate discussion about the impact of the current economic crisis on the Arab world. Hosted by the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz’s Center for Resarch on the Arab World, Prof. Rabie explained that the recession has affected Arab countries differently, but on average less than the rest of the world, as their financial sectors were much less prominent than those of countries like the U.S. or Great Britain. Oil-exporting Arab countries, he said, were less affected than others which rely heavily on tourism and remittances from citizens working abroad.

Seminar for School Newspaper

Editors

June 26 and 27, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt joined forces with the Atlantic Academy Rhineland-Palatinate and the Fridtjof-Nansen-Academy

Ingelheim in organizing, for the first time, a two-day seminar for school newspaper editors from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the Atlantic Academy in Kaiserslautern. Conducted in German and English, the seminar on “’All the News That’s Fit to Print’: The Future of Journalism in the Digital Age” attracted 20 high school students who listened to and discussed presentations by Thomas Moorstedt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Dr. Holger Schmidt, Faz.Net and Stephanie Siek, an American journalist formerly with AP and the Boston Globe and now working for Spiegel-Online. Exclusively writing for printed school newspapers, the 15-19 year-old editors learned about the crisis of print and the rise of online journalism in the United States and Germany. They debated with the experts the differences as well as advantages and disadvantages of old-traditional versus online journalism and implications for their own current and future work.

Frankfurt Lord Mayor Petra Roth bids farewell to Consul

General Jo Ellen Powell June 25, 2009. Frankfurt Lord Mayor Petra Roth and City Council Chairman Karlheinz Bührmann met Consul General at

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Selected Events January - June 2009 - Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt City Hall on June 25 for a last call. Lord Mayor Roth presented Consul General Powell china made in Hoechst as a farewell present. Ms. Powell who had assumed charge of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt in August 2006 will depart Frankfurt later in July. Prior to her

assignment to Frankfurt Jo Ellen Powell, a career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, was Executive Director of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA), 2004-2006. She served as director of the Human Resources bureau’s Office of Employee Relations, 2001- 2004, and as the Management Counselor, U.S. Embassy Canberra, 1998-2001.

“Are You Occupied Territory?”—A Discussion about African-

Americans in Post-war Germany June 25, 2009. On June 25, Dr. Werner Sollors of Harvard University gave a

lecture entitled, “Are You Occupied Territory?” about relationships and fraternization between African-American GIs and Germans after the Second World War. Hosted by the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Dr. Sollors also discussed the paradox of US racism toward African-Americans during the de-Nazification of occupied Germany. The lecture was attended by approximately fifty university students and faculty, and a discussion section with Professor Sollors followed.

American Author Delights German Audience June 24, 2009. On June 24, American author Irene Dische read from her new crime novel, “Ein Job”, at the Romanfabrik. The reading was the first in a series of readings

concerning life in several cities, such as New York, Istanbul, and Berlin. The book tells the story of a young Kurdish-German man who moves to New York City to lead a life of crime.

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Selected Events January - June 2009 - Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany

Irene Dische, who splits her time between New York and Berlin, incorporated many Kurdish expressions, which she learned from her Kurdish friends in Berlin, into the work. A question and answer session with the approximately fifty audience members followed the reading.

"MEETUS" at Mainz Gymnasium

June 24, 2009. Katie Kyle and Katelyn Andell, two interns with the U.S. Consulate General's Public Affairs section, offered a workshop each on "The United States - A Country of Immigrants" to 7th and 12th graders at the Maria-Ward-

School in Mainz. The workshops were part of the consulate's school program "MeetUS." The interns explained and discussed with the students the historical, cultural, social, economic and political dimension of immigration to the United States. At the end of the workshops Kyle and Andell presented the teacher with topic-related materials which were received as a welcome addition to the school’s teaching collection.

Oberursel Students Hear About High School Exchange

Opportunities

June 24, 2009. More than 80 students and parents attended an evening information session in Obersursel on exchange

opportunities with the United States and other countries. EducationUSA/U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt gave a presentation on "Spending a High School Year in the United States", focusing on what to consider when choosing an exchange organization and visa issues. Students also received information and had their questions answered from exchange organizations and former exchange students. A mother gave valuable tips on what an exchange means for parents.

Aspiring Diplomats Engage with Jo Ellen Powell in Stuttgart June 19, 2009. On June 19, Consul General Jo Ellen Powell traveled to the Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart as a guest

diplomat to speak with Model United Nations students from Baden-Württemberg about her experiences in the US Foreign Service. The Model United Nations is an academic representation of

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Selected Events January - June 2009 - Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany

the intergovernmental organization, in which students take on the roles of diplomats from different countries and participate in debates, negotiations, and problem-solving activities. The students asked Mrs. Powell questions about her career, ranging from her daily schedule and wake-up time to experiences of making a difference in her host communities. Mrs. Powell explained that the most important role of a diplomat is to promote mutual understanding through interaction and dialogue between the United States and other nations.

Seminar on transatlantic security relations

June 19 and 20, 2009. The U.S.Consulate General, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation and the Deutsche Atlantische Gesellschaft jointly organized a seminar on “Time for Building New Bridges: The United States and the Western Alliance” at the Ramada Hotel Frankfurt Airport in Hofheim. American expert Crister Garrett, Professor of American Foreign Policy and International Studies at the University of Leipzig, referred to a wide variety of specific policy statements and decisions, demonstrating that President Obama pursued a pragmatic balance between soft and hard power creating new political opportunities with allied as well as non-allied countries. He also showed that the president subscribed to a highly nuanced view of the world and to a broader concept of security, including, for example, economic factors.

USA Info in great demand at "away-Auslandsmesse" in

Frankfurt June 19, 2009. Information on exchange opportunities with the U.S. was in great demand at the “Away Aulsandsmesse” in Frankfurt. Hundreds of

students visited the EducationUSA/U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt booth, and more than 100 visitors received individual advice. The majority was interested in a high school year in the U.S. and in studying in the United States. A quiz with questions on the U.S. was popular and quiz-takers received the CD-ROM "About the USA" and information on the U.S. for the correct answer.

It’s the final countdown… Students of Pestalozzischule in

Ludwigshafen get ready for

Windows on America program June 17, 2009. On June 17th, 2009, Consul General Jo

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Selected Events January - June 2009 - Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany

Ellen Powell and Ludwigshafen’s Lord Mayor Dr. Eva Lohse greeted the students of the Pestalozzihauptschule who have been selected to

participate in the U.S. Embassy’s next Windows on America (WoA) exchange program in August. Addressing the students, their parents and siblings, Consul General Powell praised the essays by the students on their personal “Window on America”. She also conveyed the best wishes from the sponsors of this trip, the Robert Bosch Foundation, Fresenius and The English Theatre Frankfurt. Lord Mayor Lohse thanked the U.S. Mission to Germany for giving kids from Ludwigshafen the opportunity to experience America first hand and emphasized that the Pestalozzischule with its diverse student body and active engagement in the field of intercultural understanding was the best choice for this program. Maja Lutterbei from the exchange organization Experiment e.V. that organizes the trip in cooperation with World Learning in America briefed the students about the detailed program while Vice Consul Ryan Russell from the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt explained the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and the visa procedure. More | Photo Gallery

Back Bay Guitar Trio in

Frankfurt

June 17, 2009. In cooperation with the Frankfurter Künstlerclub e.V. and composer Theodor Köhler, the U.S. Consulate General organized a concert with the Back Bay Guitar

Trio from Boston/Massachussetts on June 17 at Nebbiensches Gartenhaus. The trio was founded in 2002 by David Newsam, Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music, Steve Marchena and John Mason. For an audience of about 40 the group performed pieces from their new CD "The Journey" showcasing their wide stylistic range. The trio brought energy, excitement and humor to their live performance, which not only included classical works but also Latin American compositions from Paulo Bellinati and Astor Piazzolla as well as transcriptions of George Gershwin and Dave Brubeck. A special highlight of the evening was the European premiere of a guitar trio written by Frankfurt composer and co-organizer Theodor Köhler.

Trade Policy Under the New U.

S. Administration

June 16, 2009. Prof. Susan

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Aaronson of The Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University gave a lecture on “The Impact of the World Economic and Financial Crisis on International Trade” at a dinner hosted jointly by the American-German Business Club Karlsruhe and the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt in

Ettlingen. Addressing representatives of the business community in the Karlsruhe region, Aaronson emphasized the importance of international trade for an economic recovery and called on her interlocutors to support a transatlantic free-trade policy, particularly during the current global economic crisis.

300th Anniversary of First

Mass Emigration from the

Palatinate

June 12-13, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General, the Atlantic Academy and the Institute for Palatinate History jointly organized a two-day expert conference at the Atlantic Academy in Kaiserslautern

on the 300th anniversary of the beginning of mass emigration from the Palatinate to America. American historians Prof. Philip Otterness, Warren Wilson College, Ashville, N.C., Prof. William Woys Weaver, Drexel University, Philadelphia, and Prof. Robert Reynolds, Kutztown University, shared their research on Palatine settlements in the Hudson Valley, the survival of Palatine cooking and eating traditions as a well as on the Palatines’ material culture, as expressed particularly in architecture and travelling and household items. The conference gave the experts, academics as well as local historians, a unique opportunity for sharing and gaining insights into little known aspects of emigration from the Palatinate to America, one of the major chapters of German-American history.

Discussion of American Labor

Market

June 8, 2009. Professor Phil Martin from the University of California, Davis, delivered a lecture on "The Economic Crisis, Immigration and the U.S. Labor Market" at the

University of Koblenz-Laudau, Landau campus. Professor Martin discussed his views on the Obama administration’s immigration and labor market policy, as well as the impact of the current recession on the American labor market. An active question and answer session following the lecture compared German and American immigration and labor market issues.

An Outlook on the Environment in Germany, America and the

World June 5, 2009. On June 5, Dr. Miranda Schreurs, an American political science and environmental policy

professor at the Freie Universität in Berlin, traveled to ZDF headquarters in Mainz to

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discuss the changing state of environmental policy in the United States, Europe and beyond. Dr. Schreurs answered questions from members of Abenteuer Wissen, a scientific programming division aimed to provide cutting-edge science in a user-friendly fashion.

Frankfurt Celebrates Consul

General Jo Ellen Powell

June 4, 2009. On June 4, 2009, City Councilor Dr. Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg hosted friends of Consul General Jo Ellen Powell

at the variety theater Tigerpalast to honor her time in Frankfurt. The event encompassed a reflective discussion of multiculturalism and Consul General Powell’s impressions of Germany, the diversity of Frankfurt and her political role as the Consul General of the largest U.S. Consulate in the world. The celebration continued with vibrant performances by a young hip-hop group and dancer Nathalie Enterline from New York. | Photo Gallery | Video: Jo Ellen Powell on her work

Seminar on American Politics

Under the New Administration

June 3-4, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General, the Atlantic Academy and the Rhineland–Palatinate teacher training institution IFB jointly organized a

seminar on “A New President, a New Administration, New Policies?” at the Pfalz-Academy in Lambrecht, Rhineland–Palatinate, on June 3 and 4. Over 40 teachers from the states of Rhineland–Palatinate and Hesse thoroughly enjoyed presentations by a faculty of five experts, among them three Americans, Prof. David Goldfield, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Prof. Russell Riley, University of Virginia at Charlottesville, and Miranda Schreurs, Free University of Berlin and member of the Environmental Expert Council of the Federal Ministry for the Environment. The teachers received detailed and cutting-edge information as well as sound analysis of the administrations’ new policy directions and were also offered a live TV broadcast of President Obama’s major policy speech at Cairo University. The presentations and the speech triggered intensive discussions which revealed highly positive perceptions of the new administration on part of the audience.

Transatlantic Exchange of

Lyrics and Dialogue

June 3, 2009. The June 3 opening of the 2009 Frankfurter Lyriktage at the Instituto Cervantes featured

poetic talent from all over the world. This year, the festival, supported by the U.S. Consulate Frankfurt, explored nature as artistic inspiration, from classical and romantic poetry to the artists of the present. At the festival, Ann Lauterbach, a renown poet and German poet and Matthias Göritz shared their poetry and extended the conversation to include Lauterbach’s fascination with “fragments,” the role of music in her poetry and the impact of September 11th on her work. Matthias Göritz provided a German translation of Ms. Lauterbach’s poems. Other poets featured at the festival included Juan Gelman

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(Mexico City), Harald Hartung (Berlin), Valerio Magrelli (Cassino), Paola Barbon (Bochum), Jean Daive (Marseille) and Silke Scheuermann (Frankfurt). The Frankfurter Lyriktage continue until June 6, 2009.

Trier bikers visit art gallery

May 28, 2009. A cross-generational crowd of over 400 guests composed of American studies students, art lovers, motorcycle fans and Harley Davidson bikers

attended last nights’ opening of the exhibition “Motorcycle: Beschleunigung und Rebellion” at Europäische Kunstakademie in Trier. The exhibition and an accompanying program are part of the celebrations of the 5th anniversary of the Trier Center for American Studies of the University of Trier and was created in close cooperation between students, professors, artists and museum staff. In her welcoming comments, PAO Jeanine Collins congratulated the director of the Trier American Studies Center, Prof. Dr. Gerd Hurm, for his achievements in building up the Center in its first 5 years. The program accompanying the exhibition includes film screenings, music, lectures, a symposium, and a teacher training seminar. Professors Steven E. Alford and Suzanne Ferriss, from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida have contributed a companion volume to the exhibition and program. The exhibition and program will run until June 27, 2009. More information: http://www.motorcycle-trier.de

Consul General Jo Ellen Powell says farewell to Frankfurt

Interfaith and Intercultural Women’s Network

May 27, 2009. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell invited members of the Frankfurt interfaith and intercultural network to her residence to say farewell after three years in Frankfurt. Together with the former Ambassador’s wife Sue Timken, Jo Ellen Powell strongly supported the network since its inauguration in December 2007. Guest of honor for the farewell was Iranian-American author Nahid Rachlin who read a short piece of her novel “Persian Girls”.

Youth Culture in Music and Film

May 19, 2009. U.S. professors Dr. David James and Dr. Murray Forman caught the attention of over 60 American Studies and high school students as well as

professors and teachers by giving insights into current U.S.

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youth culture. David James, film historian from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, spoke about the struggle of minorities in Los Angeles to represent themselves in Hollywood films, how Latino youth create visual vocabulary and representations and how they are shown in films. Murray Forman from Northeastern University in Boston addressed the developments in hip hop as a major part of youth culture in the U.S. and about a generational dissonance between the three generations within the hip hop community. Forman also emphazised the involvement of the hip hop movement in the U.S. in the recent presidential elections and that the hip hop community encouraged their audience to participate in the elections. Both speaker will also participate in the U.S. Embassy Fachleiter Conference in Bonn from May 20-23.

Consul General Jo Ellen Powell

at opening of Blickachsen 7

May 17, 2009. Together with Hessen Minister President, Roland Koch, Consul General Jo Ellen Powell attended the opening of Blickachsen 7 in the historical parks of Bad Homburg v.d. Höhe.

This years' Blickachsen, a bi-annual exhibition of contemporary sculptures and installations by leading as well as promising international artists, collaborates with the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Organized by Bad Homburg gallerist Dr. Christian Scheffel, Blickachsen places modern works in the classical setting of Bad Homburg Kurpark, and offers new perspectives on both the works themselves and on the original “Blickachsen”, or “lines of vision”, designed for the gardens by the celebrated nineteenth-century landscape artist Peter Joseph Lenné. Participating American artists in Blickachsen 7 are Donald Baechler, Jonathan Borofsky, Michele Oka Doner, Dennis Oppenheim, Tom Otterness, Beverly Pepper, and George Rickey. “Blickachsen 7” will be shown until October 4, 2009.

America a hit at Baden-Wuerttemberg Tag in

Reutlingen May 17, 2008. The U.S. Consulate General joined the four German-American Institutes located in Baden-Wuerttemberg

(Heidelberg, Tuebingen, Freiburg, Stuttgart) at the fourth Baden-Wuerttemberg Tag. The institutes and the Consulate presented their programs and services and EducationUSA Frankfurt provided information on studying and working in the United States. Hundreds of visitors checked their knowledge about America by taking a USA quiz. They also picked up information on the United States, enjoyed American-style salted popcorn and tried their skill at basketball. Thousnads of visitors enjoyed the Baden-Wuerttemberg Tag, with more than 80 exhibitors showcasing services and organizations in Baden-Wuerttemberg. |

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Photogallery

USA Booth draws crowd at "Berufsinfomesse" (BIM) in

Offenburg

May 15./16, 2009. Information on exchange opportunities with the U.S. was in great demand at the two day career fair “Berufsinfomesse” (BIM)

in Offenburg. Hundreds of high school students visited the EducationUSA/U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt booth. More than 200 visitors received individual advice, with the majority asking about studying in the United States, internships and Au Pair. The CD-ROM "About the USA" and information on the services of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt were also popular. More than 20,000 visitors attended the BIM.

Charge d'affaires John Koenig at Heidelberg Sicherheitsforum

May 15, 2009. Charge d’affaires John Koenig spoke on “Regional Crises – Global Risks” at the Heidelberg SicherheitsFORUM on May 15. The seminar, at which Defense Minister Franz

Josef Jung also spoke, focused on changes in defense industry and procurement. The audience included senior German military officers, defense policy analysts from a variety of think tanks and representatives from the defense industry.

Roundtable at the Hesse State

Chancellery

May 15, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General co-sponsored a roundtable at the Hesse State Chancellery in Wiesbaden on “The Obama

Strategy on Stimulus, Monetary Policy and Financial Reform in a Global Context” with Dr. Kent Hughes, Director of the Science, Technology, America and the Global Economy Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Hughes participated in a discussion with fifteen members of the state chancellery and offered an in-depth analysis of the origins and manifold effects of the economic crisis and of the intricacies of President Obama’s economic policy.

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60 Years Berlin Airlift

Commemorated

May 12, 2009. The City of Frankfurt, Frankfurt International Airport, the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, U.S. Airforce together

with Luftbrücke Chapter celebrated the end of the Berlin blockade and the success of the Berlin Airlift 60 years ago in a May 12 ceremony in honor of those who had given their lives during the Airlift. Consul Ann Meceda laid a wreath at the Airlift Memorial on the premises of Frankfurt International Airport. Speakers emphasized that the Berlin Airlift helped to change the face of Europe and laid the foundation for German-American friendship.

Consul General Powell

Discusses German-American

Relations and New U.S.

Administration

May 11, 2009. In an assessment of the performance of the U.S.

administration’s first 100 days, Consul General Jo Ellen Powell, Tagesspiegel Washington correspondent Dr. Christoph von Marschall and Matthias Borst, the Managing Director Germany of Becton & Dickinson, analyzed current transatlantic trends and developments in the financial crisis in a May 11 event in Heidelberg sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce. More then 30 businessmen of the Rhein-Neckar Triangle region used the opportunity to discuss the second G-20 conference in London, the future of free trade and the Doha round. The panel discussion, moderated by Internation Herald Tribune’s Carter Dougherty, is part of AmCham Germany’s Political Talks series, organized by AmCham Germany Rhein-Neckar Triangle and supported by the International Herald Tribune and Becton & Dickinson.

Visaapplication 101:

Heidelberg and Mannheim Students on their way to the U.

S. May 11, 2009. On May 11th, EducationUSA visited the

University of Heidelberg to brief exchange students from Heidelberg and Mannheim on the visa application process. More than 60 students who will spent an academic year or do an internship in the United States had their questions answered. Heidelberg University cooperates with a large number of U.S. universities, including Arizona State University, California State University Sacramento and Harvard University. The University of Applied Sciences Mannheim cooperates with six U.S. universities, including the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

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Consul General Powell

Opens Musikfestspiele

Saar

May 9, 2009. U.S. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell joined Saarland’s Minister President Peter Müller and festival director Prof.

Robert Leonardy at the Industriekathedrale Alte Schmelz in St. Ingbert on May 9 in opening the Musikfestspiele Saar. The music festival, which runs until July 25 features American music under the motto ‘Welcome America!'. The extensive program under the artistic direction of Prof. Robert Leonardy is testament to the diversity and breadth of classical and modern American music. Tzimon Barto, one of America’s leading pianists of his generation, opened the evening with a performance of Gershwin's piano concert in F. It was followed by Bernstein’s “Kaddish” symphony, never heard in the Saarland before, interpreted by the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern under the direction of Christoph Poppen together with the National Chorus of Korea, the Ulsan Metropolitan Chorus, the Gwacheon Metropolitan Children’s Choir, soprano Juliane Banse and narrator August Zirner. The opening concert was broadcast live on SR2 KulturRadio and will be shown on ARTE on November 8, 2009. | Photo Gallery

American Days: Panel

Discussion about Obama's First

100 Days

May 8, 2009. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins joined SPD’s Bundestag Defense spokesman Rainer Arnold and Denise

O’Donohue in a panel discussion on the “First 100 Days of President Barack Obama.” The discussion, organized by the Europa Zentrum and Friederich Ebert Stiftung, took place in the Stuttgart Town Hall, before a hundred-strong audience. The ensuing discussion allowed the audience to raise questions from Africa-policy to climate change.

Discussion on the First 100

Days of the New Administration

May 7, 2009. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins participated in a May 7 panel discussion on the “The New U.S. Administration”, hosted by the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung

and Karl-Hermann-Flach-Stiftung. FDP Bundestag parliamentarian and foreign policy expert Dr. Werner Hoyer, Professor Michael R. Pfau of the University of San Diego, FAZ Washington correspondent Matthias Rüb, participated in this panel discussion and a prior similar discussion in Hamburg. Questions, during the lively 2 hour discussion before a near-capacity audience, ranged from the financial crisis to the Mid-East peace process.

NASA Engineer Cox at ESOC in

Darmstadt

May 7, 2009. Nagin Cox of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in

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Pasadena, California, visited the European Space Agency’s control center ESOC in Darmstadt. As a Deputy Flight System Engineering Manager on the Mars Science Laboratory she is working on the next NASA rover to Mars in 2011. She was welcomed by the Head of ESA’s Mission Operations

Department and then exchanged experiences on Mars exploration with ESA’s Spacecraft Operations Manager Mars Express and his deputy. Ms. Cox took the opportunity to also speak about her mission to one hundred students and teachers at the Lichtenbergschule in Darmstadt who received insights into the scientific dimension and technical challenges of landing rovers on Mars.

"Crossing Borders" Exchange Fair in Karlsruhe May 7, 2009. 350 high school and university students from Karlsruhe checked out opportunities to “cross borders” to other countries during an exchange fair at the University of

Applied Sciences Karlsruhe. 30 organizations presented programs and information on working and studying in European and overseas countries, including the United States, Australia and Canada. At the EducationUSA booth, about 40 students received advice on internships, studying a semester abroad, Au Pair and high school year in the United States.

Sculptures for Democracy and

Freedom

May 6, 2009. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins represented the U.S. Consulate at the opening of a unique arts project at the former inner German border and the opening of the exhibition “Freiheiten!“ at memorial site Point Alpha. The sculpture way „Wege der Hoffnung“ with sculptures by artist Ulrich Barnickel enables the

viewers to gain their own interpretation of life under the communist dictatorships. With media citations, objects, photographs and documents, the exhibition „Freiheiten!“ shows the restrictions on individual and societal freedoms during the SED dictatorship. Among the guests of the opening were the president of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert, Minister President Dieter Althaus, and Hessen Interior Minister Volker Bouffier.

Opening of Stuttgart’s American Days features the

Wings of Dixie and the Spirit of

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Change

May 6th, 2009. On May 6th, Consul General Jo Ellen Powell opened Stuttgart’s second "American Days" at the Neues Schloss along

with representatives of the state of Baden-Württemberg, the city of Stuttgart, the Bosch Foundation and the Board of the James-F.-Byrnes Institute. More than forty German-American organizations will feature events highlighting the cultural commonalties and strong transatlantic relationship in more than 90 events from May 6th through 17th. In her remarks, Consul General Powell pointed to the various events dealing with President Barack Obama and the new administration and also talked about the president’s recent visit to Baden-Württemberg during the NATO summit. After the opening speeches, the "Wings of Dixie," Ensemble of the United States Air Forces in Europe, entertained the enthusiastic audience of 500 with their repertoire. More | Program | Full text remarks

Departure to America

April 29, 2009. The exhibition “Aufbruch nach Amerika, 1709-2009” at Theodor-Zink-Museum in Kaiserslautern opened a series of events to

commemorate the 300 year history of emigration from Rheinland-Pfalz to the United States. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins emphazised in her opening remarks the important role of German immigrants for the United States and reminded the audience that the United States would not be the same without the German immigrants. The exhibition and the accompanying events are organized by the Atlantische Akademie Rheinland-Pfalz, the Theodor-Zink-Museum, the Institute for Palatinate History and Folklore as well as a number of other cultural institutions in Rheinland-Pfalz. The exhibit will be shown until Augsut 2, 2009 at Theodor-Zink-Museum, Steinstrasse 48, 67657 Kaiserslautern (www.theodor-zink-museum.de) More information on the program can be found at www.atlantische-akademie.de

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Midwest Folk Music Live in

Frankfurt

April 23, 2009. Chicago-based singer songwriter Bucky Halker and guitarist Andy Dee played to a capacity crowd at Frankfurt’s Dreikönigskeller on April 23 in a

concert co-sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt. In Germany, Bucky Halker is still considered an insider’s tip, in the U.S. the historian and Grammy finalist of 1999 already released eight CDs and is well known for his music-history programs on Woody Guthrie and the Great Depression and working-class protest music from 1865-1950. In Frankfurt, he presented his most recent CD “2-13-63 Wisconsin, volume 2” along with interpretations of Woody Guthrie songs and traditional Blues tunes, leading the audience through the history of American roots music. Bucky Halker was accompanied by dobro, bass, slide and electric guitar player Andy Dee. The evening was opened by Janis Elko, an American singer songwriter from New Jersey based in Frankfurt, and at the end of the night the three artists were joined on stage by bass player Annika Hohl for two final numbers. | More

Lecture on the Election of

Obama

April 23, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General and the Atlantic Academy Rhineland-Palatinate organized a lecture on "Individualism, Work and Assimilation: From the Puritans to Barack Obama" by

Stephen Kalberg, Associate Professor of Sociology at Boston University, at Mainz University’s American Studies Department. Kalberg argued that the legacy of the Puritan work ethic with its emphasis on individual achievement had lessened the significance of race and ethnicity and, consequently, also tensions between white and black Americans, an important factor for the electability of Obama. After the lecture, students and the hosting professor, Dr. Scheiding, used the opportunity for an additional discussion session with Prof. Kalberg, delving deeper into the reasons and significance of the election of Barack Obama for president.

Happy EARTH DAY at IHK

Frankfurt

April 22, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt once again joined forces with the German committee of Earth Day International and the Frankfurt

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) in celebrating Earth Day at the IHK. Titled "Energy Efficiency – The New Dynamics in the United States," the event featured Matt Clouse, Director of Renewable Energy Policy and Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC, and Peter Jacobs, co-founder of Wagner & Co., a pioneering German company in the field of commercial solar energy production. In her welcoming remarks, Consul Jeanine Collins, head of the consulate’s press & cultural section, stressed President Obama’s strong commitment to environmental protection, a theme which Mr. Clouse elaborated on in his following keynote lecture. He emphasized the key role of renewable energy in the president’s policy agenda and explained the various legislative and technical measures envisioned for reaching the ambitious goal of 80% reduction in CO2 emissions in the U.S. by the year

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2050. | More on Climate Change

President Obama and the New Administration Featured

Prominently at Stuttgart’s

American Days April 20, 2009. The Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum/James-F.-Byrnes-Institute,

organizer of the American Days, hosted a press conference on April 20th to provide an overview of Stuttgart’s second American Days. More than forty German-American organizations will feature events highlighting the cultural commonalites and strong transatlantic relationship in more than 90 events from May 6th through 17th. Representatives of the DAZ and the sponsors -- Robert Bosch Foundation, Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg, and the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt --briefed the journalists on the importance of the American Days for the German American friendship and their reasons for supporting the program. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins highlighted the various events dealing with President Barack Obama and the new administration. More | Photo gallery | Program

President Obama’s Town Hall

Meeting in Strasbourg

April 3, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt teamed up with the German American Institutes (GAIs) in Baden-Württemberg (Freiburg, Heidelberg, Stuttgart and Tübingen) to organize the

German participation in President Barack Obama’s historic first town hall in Europe at the Rhenus Sports Arena in Strasbourg, France, on April 3, 2009. The participants included enthusiastic German high school and university students, American exchange students, as well as alumni of State Department exchange programs, city officials, journalists and GAI members. Addressing the audience of four thousand, President Obama said it was important "for me to have an opportunity to not only speak with you but also to hear from you, because that's ultimately how we can learn about each other." The town hall was one of the events of the NATO summit celebrating the 60th anniversary of the alliance in the French city of Strasbourg and German city of Baden-Baden. More | Transcript | Photo Gallery | White House Blog: A Town Hall in Strasbourg | Video

Students Discuss U.S. Politics

and Energy Policy After the

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Election

March 25-26, 2009. Public Affairs interns Allison Gibbs and Dana Rawlings spent two days visiting schools in the Frankfurt consular district as part of the MeetUS school outreach program to discuss changes in the U.S. after

the election of Barack Obama. On March 25, Gibbs talked to forty 11th and 12th graders at the Trifels-Gymnasium in Annweiler about politics in the U.S. after President Obama’s election. The following day she discussed U.S. energy policy of the Bush and Obama administrations with 160 12th graders at the Staatliche Fachoberschule in Obernburg, while Rawlings talked to thirty 12th graders at the Gutenberg-Schule in Wiesbaden about changes in U.S. politics after the election. Following their presentations both Gibbs and Rawlings answered students’ questions about politics and life in the United States.

Study Opportunities in the U.S. of great interest to Frankfurt

High School Students

March 24, 2009. As part of "infotage 2009", more than 120 high school students from the Frankfurt region attended

an information session on studying in the United States. EducationUSA Frankfurt gave a presentation on the U.S. higher education system, the application process, financial aid and exchange opportunities. The presentation was followed by a questions & answer session on the topic. Students picked up information material on the services of the U.S. Consulate General, EducationUSA and the Information Resource Center. "infotage", organized by the German Labor Exchange, is a week-long information fair at Frankfurt universities, which provides 11th and 12th graders with the opportunity to experience college life, listen to lectures and visit the campuses.

U.S. Speaker Discussed NATO at 60 March 22-24, 2009. From March 22-24, Dr. Donald Abenheim of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California,

presented his views on the history and future of NATO at the 19th Spring Academy on Security Policy hosted by the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. The event was also sponsored by the Atlantic Academy Rhineland-Palatinate, the Pfalz-Akademie and was supported by NATO’s Division

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of Public Diplomacy. Dr. Abenheim met with 30 selected graduate and doctoral students from all over Germany and several university professors to discuss “Present at the Creation of an Entangling Alliance: The Origins of NATO in the U.S. Decision Making Process” on March 22-/23. With 15 senior research associates of the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt he talked about “U.S. Foreign and Security Policy Under the Obama Administration and the Future of Transatlantic Security Relations” on March 24 at the Peace Institute in Frankfurt. Later on the same day he gave a lecture for over 20 professors, senior research associates and students of the Institute for Conflict Research / Political Science Department of the University Marburg on “60 Years of NATO: Is the Alliance Still Needed?”. The lively discussions focussed on strategies to secure world peace, the hot spots of international politics, U.S. military strategy, and nonproliferation issues.

Students discuss Obama and life in America

March 23, 2009. US Consulate Frankfurt interns Dana Rawlings and Allison Gibbs discussed the election of Barack Obama with 30

twelfth graders at the Friedrich-Dessauer-Gymnasium in Frankfurt-Höchst. Gibbs and Rawlings talked about Obama’s childhood and background as well as Obama’s almost celebrity status in the United States. Following the presentation Rawlings and Gibbs answered students’ questions about the United States.

T.C. Boyle gives insight to his new novel

March 19, 2009. T.C. Boyle visited Frankfurt on his tour through Germany on March 19th and sat down with Dana Rawlings of the U.S. Consulate General for

an interview surrounding his newest novel, “The Women.” The novel, which has been published by Carl Hanser Verlag in German, is based on the life of the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and how his genius was shaped and inspired by the women in his life. The interview provided close insight as to the motivations of the writer and his

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personal work ethic. Boyle explained that using socially unconventional main characters was an attempt to make the audience think outside their own box. T.C. Boyle is an acclaimed writer in America and around the world for pursuing themes and issues usually controversial during the time, including his book on immigration, “The Tortilla Curtain,” his treatment of the sexual revolution led by Alfred Kinsey in “The Inner Circle,” and his work on identity theft in “Talk Talk.” T.C. Boyle was featured in a public event later that day to a sold out crowd at the Kulturkirche St. Peter, organized by Frankurter Rundschau. | For video please click here

U.S. Consul General Jo Ellen

Powell Visits Baunatal School

March 17, 2009. U.S. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell visited the Theodor-Heuss school at the invitation of a class of 30 eighth

graders on March 17 in Baunatal. As part of their English class, the students had prepared several presentations about life in the U.S, including skating in Los Angeles and music in New Orleans, that they showed the Consul General. Other students prepared a delicious Hawaiian pineapple cake. After a tour of the school, Consul General Powell answered questions posed by students about exchange opportunities, President Obama, the meaning of the American Dream and her own personal experiences. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Consul General presented a selection of books about the U.S. to the school library. The students were excited and impressed that their letters to ex-Ambassador Timken had provided them with opportunities for first-hand engagement with the Consul General. | For video please click here

Consul General Enjoys Magic of

Hawaiian Architecture

March 13, 2009. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell attended the opening of the "Hawaii Moderne" exhibit on Friday, March 13th, at the Deutsches Architekturmuseum. The museum currently shows works of Russian-born U.S. architect Vladimir Ossipoff. Jo Ellen Powell opened the exhibit noting her admiration for the man and architect Vladimir

Ossipoff and his ability to integrate the natural world into domestic architecture. She also remarked on the affinity she felt with the architect as both spent childhoods traveling to different countries. Vladimir Ossipoff was a leader of the Hawaiian Modern movement and has a legacy of over 500 buildings and other structures on the islands of Hawaii. Later, Bob Liljestrand, a resident of one of Ossipoff’s houses built on Waikiki, presented pictures of what it was like to live in one of the master’s houses. The exhibition "Hawaii Moderne" is shown at Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) until June 14. At the same time DAM shows “Bauhaus zwanzig – 21”, photos by U.S. photographer Gordon Watkinson until April 26.

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"Starting" to the U.S. - Students to visit America March 12, 2009. Students who will be participating in the U.S government sponsored “Youth Exchange Program” visited

the Consulate General today for their visa interview and a pre-departure briefing. American interns Allison Gibbs and Dana Rawlings gave the group a brief overview of life in the United States and answered the students’ questions which ranged from how prevalent fast food is in the U.S. to what to pack for their trip. The trip to the United States is part of the START program of the Hertie Foundation. Students with immigrant background receive a scholarship to enable them a higher educational degree, and therefore better opportunities for integration and participation in German society. The “Youth Exchange Program” offers twelve students the opportunity to travel to the U.S. this April. They will meet with different organizations as well as American students to discuss life in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment.

Ambassador's Certificate of

Appreciation to German-

American Institute Saarbrücken

March 12, 2009. PAO Jeanine Collins presented the Ambassador’s Certificate of Appreciation to the Director of the

German-American Institute Saarbrücken Dr. Hartmut H. Gimmler and representatives of the Institute on March 12th. For the past fifty years, the Institute has been engaged throughout the state of Saarland in cultivating German citizens’ knowledge about American politics, society, and culture. Its programs have promoted interpersonal exchanges between U.S. citizens and citizens of Saarland and it has gained wide respect through its ambitious conference and seminar programs. The conferences, seminars, workshops, and lectures for different target groups are realized in cooperation with regional and national partners, among them the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt. Ms. Collins led a strategic planning session with the leadership of the Institute and discussed future joint programs.

The United States and the New

Power of Spanish

March 10, 2009. Dominican-American author and 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz presented his Pulitzer Prize winning novel

“The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” at the Instituto Cervantes in Frankfurt. A captivated audience listened as Díaz

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and German actress Jasmin Tabatabai read from the English and German editions of the novel, which explores the life of a Dominican-American family, from its history in the Dominican Republic under dictator Rafael Trujillo to present-day New Jersey. In between readings Díaz discussed the importance of language with moderator Hans Jürgen Balmes of the Fischer Verlag. Later Díaz answered questions from the audience on subjects ranging from the title of his novel to his daily writing routine. | For video please click here

U.S. Consul General Powell guest of honor at Palais Biron,

Baden-Baden

March 9, 2009. U.S. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell was a guest of honor at an evening event on "Change

-American Politics Under the New President Barack Obama" hosted by the Karlsruhe Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Palais Biron in Baden-Baden. In her welcoming remarks to almost 100 representatives of the regional business community, she considered the high approval rate and popularity of President Obama among the American and German public as an excellent starting point for the further development of the German-American partnership. She also took the opportunity to welcome personally the keynote speaker and former diplomatic colleague, Ambassador (ret.) J.D. Bindenagel. | Speech by Amb. Bindenagel (pdf)

Think Tanker Offers Forecast

for Major Geopolitical Trends March 9, 2009. George Friedman, founder and CEO of Stratfor, a think tank offering advice on national and international security issues, warfare and geopolitics, gave a lecture on "The Next 100

Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century" at the German National Library in Frankfurt. Jointly organized by the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, Campus Verlag, the Hesse Center for Political Education, the German-British Society and the National Library, the event attracted over 200 guests. After identifying the historical events and trends which defined the major global trends of the past, Friedman discussed a wide variety of strengths and weaknesses of the real as well as potential

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players in current geopolitics. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he predicted that inherent geographic, demographic, social, economic and political constraints will keep China, India and Russia from developing into countries powerful enough to create a bi- or even multi-polar world within the next hundred years.

USA Info in great demand at "Horizon" in Stuttgart March 7/8, 2009. Information on the U.S. was in great demand at the two day career fair “Horizon” in Stuttgart. Hundreds of high school and university

students visited the booth shared by EducationUSA Frankfurt and the German-American Institute Stuttgart. They picked up information on the activities of the German-American Institute, EducationUSA and the United States. About 250 received individual advice, with the majority asking about studying in the United States, internships and Au Pair. About 4000 students visited the Horizon.

Celebrating International Women’s Day: Public Affairs

Officer Jeanine Collins on

“Women’s Empowerment”

March 6, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General

Frankfurt teamed up with the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum/James-F.-Byrnes-Institute in Stuttgart for an event at the Hohenheim University celebrating the International Women’s Day on March 8th. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins and other women professionals, including Prof. Anne C. Bellows from Hohenheim University, Marketing Specialist Stacey Lindsay and Psychologist Barbara Schulz, led a discussion with some 40 attendees about “Women’s Empowerment – Finding a Work/Life Balance” Ms. Collins first gave a general overview of women in the workforce in the United States and then addressed specifically the situation of working mothers in America. She also shared her experiences of raising two kids in the State Department environment and started the discussion with her observations on the different standing of working mothers in Germany and America. Prof. Bellows highlighted

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the successful mentoring program for women at the Hohenheim University that could be used as a model for other universities.

Europe-USA: The Next

Generation Takes the Floor

March 6, 2009. Together with Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen, Alumni of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), journalists of Frankfurter

Rundschau and Frankfurter Neue Presse, Alumni of the Neighborhood Ambassador program of Polytechnische Gesellschaft as well as American and German interns at the Consulate were able to join participants online at over 125 locations in 30 European countries to watch Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s town hall meeting with over 800 interns and young professionals at the European Parliament in Brussels. The IVLP alumni and journalists in Frankfurt watched the meeting live via webstream. Introduced by the European Parliament president, Hans-Gert Pöttering, Clinton spoke briefly about the challenges facing this younger generation and noted that hope is the most important commodity today but that hope alone is not enough. Clinton then answered questions from the audience ranging from settlements in the West Bank to Darfur and U.S.-Russian relations.

Which visa do I need? EducationUSA and Visa

Information Session at German-

American Institute Tübingen March 5, 2009. On March 5th, 25 participants attended an EducationUSA and visa information session at the German-American Institute in Tübingen. The mostly young visitors from

the Tübingen region, but also from as far away as Heidelberg, asked about a wide variety of topics, ranging from privately organized stays at U.S. high schools to internships and visa for post-doc positions. They received information on visa in general as well as individual advise. EducationUSA Frankfurt talked about various exchange opportunities with the United States, including studying at U.S. colleges.

Discussion of New Directions in

U.S. Economic Policy

March 4, 2009. Amy Houpt Medearis, senior economist in the Economic, Financial and Development Affairs section in the

European Commission's Washington bureau, conferred with over 20 portfolio managers

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at the headquarters of Union Investment, one of Germany's largest asset management banks. Hosted by the bank's chief economist, Medearis shared her insights and analysis of the latest thinking in the new administration and in Congress on strategies to manage the current financial and economic crisis. A key topic were the political backgrounds and economic philosophies of President Obama's cabinet members and economic advisors and how these might shape the administration’s economic policy decisions.

U.S. TV Journalist Discusses

First 40 Days of Obama

Administration

March 2, 2009. Jonathan Ebinger, former producer for the ABC News program "Nightline", original producer of ESPN’s “Outside the Lines”, and part of the production teams of BBC, CNBC, PBS, and The National Geographic Channel, met with ZDF public broadcast editors and with students of Johannes-

Gutenberg University Mainz to discuss U.S. Media and the Obama Administration on March 2. In Mainz, Ebinger talked about U.S. media expectations of the new administration, the manner in which the Obama administration is engaging the media, and the interaction between mainstream media and internet-based media, including social media. Responding to questions, Ebinger explained how U.S. TV and print media present complicated policy programs like the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The audience included ten senior ZDF editors, among them “Heute Journal” anchor Dr. Claus Kleber and deputy editor-in-chief Elmar Theveßen. In his evening lecture at the Johannes-Gutenberg University, journalism students, American studies majors and alumni heard Ebinger lecture on President Obama.

Deputy Principal Officer Rosen

enjoys “Peter Pan” at the

English Theatre

February 28, 2009. At the invitation of Dr. Kastening and his wife Astrid, Deputy Principal Officer Doria Rosen visited the

English Theatre Frankfurt to enjoy the musical "Peter Pan" on February 28th. Some 40 young actors, mostly from the Frankfurt International School (FIS), performed in the play under the direction of Ms. Sheelagh Maythem, Director of Theatre Unlimited. Dr. Kastening, who grew up in Berlin after WWII and received his first chocolate bar from an American soldier, also invited children of American military families to the premiere of "Peter Pan" to demonstrate his appreciation for the kindness of the American military of an earlier generation. Peter Pan is one of the most beloved childrens stories about the boy who doesn’t want to grow up. The musical chronicles the adventures of Peter Pan, a boy who lives in the magical Neverland with his band of Lost Boys. One night Peter Pan meets Wendy and whisks her and her two brothers off to Neverland where they meet the Lost Boys, Indians and Captain Hook with his band of pirates. | Photo Gallery

Abstract Expressionism

Connects Cultures in

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Kaiserslautern

February 27, 2009. Sculptures and paintings by U.S. artist Adolph Gottlieb are currently shown at a unique exhibit at Pfalzgalerie in Kaiserslautern. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins attended the opening on February 27 and

delivered welcome remarks for Consul General Jo Ellen Powell, who serves as patron for the exhibit. Collins spoke of the power of art, that it bridges cultures and languages, and allows different countries to work together. Following the introduction to the art of Adolph Gottlieb by Pfalzgalerie director Dr. Britta E. Buhlmann, and curator Dr. Heinz Höfchen, the audience was invited to experience Gottlieb’s works personally. The Adolph Gottlieb Foundation was represented by its Executive Director Sanford Hirsch, who traveled from New York for the opening. Following its showing in Kaiserslautern until June 1, 2009, the exhibit will then move to the Guggenheim in Venice.

Ambassador’s Certificate of

Appreciation to Atlantic

Academy in Kaiserslautern

February 27, 2009. PAO Jeanine Collins presented the Ambassador’s Certificate of Appreciation to representatives of

the Atlantic Academy in Kaiserslautern on February 27th. For the past thirteen years, the Academy has been engaged throughout the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in cultivating German citizens’ knowledge about American politics, society, and culture as well as extending the relationship between US citizens and citizens of Rhineland-Palatinate, which has been shaped by the military presence in the region, through cultural, economical, and interpersonal exchange. It has gained wide respect through its ambitious conference and seminar programs as well as its publication series “Atlantic Texts.” The subject-specific conferences, seminars, workshops, and lectures for different target groups are realized in cooperation with regional and national partners, among them the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt. Ms. Collins led a strategic planning session with the leadership of the Atlantic Academy and discussed future joint programs.

U.S. Consulate General visits Fulda Region: The

American Dream in Baunatal,

Public Affairs Officer visits

Point Alpha

February 25, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General

Frankfurt, Public Affairs Office, visited students at the Theodor-Heuss School in Baunatal on Wednesday, February 25th. Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins introduced the presentation of the American Dream to the 75 8th graders, and Public Affairs Interns Allison Gibbs and Dana Rawlings presented the idea of not just an “American Dream” but a universal one. The students were excited to greet native American speakers. | Photogallery

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Later, Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins and Cultural Affairs Specialist Kirsten Gerstner met with Memorial Site Point Alpha Foundation Director Uta Thofern, and Program Director Stefanie Herget in Geisa to discuss upcoming cooperative programming. The group toured the Point Alpha site, where American soldiers were posted to guard the border between East Germany and West Germany during the Cold War. Now a memorial, the site provides information for visitors as to the lives of the soldiers guarding the border and history surrounding the Cold War.

Input for ambitious student book project

12. Februar 2009. The U.S.-Consulate General welcomed 45 12th grade students from the Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium in Neuwied to an intensive workshop on the United States at the Haus der Jugend in Frankfurt. The

visit was part of a three-day seminar at the Europa-Haus Bad Marienberg. Consul Jeanine Collins, head of the consulate’s press and cultural section opened the workshop with welcoming remarks and a presentation of the manifold functions of the consulate general. Representing the American Chamber of Commerce, Matthias Riegel followed with a lecture on the origins and implications of the current financial and economic crisis. David Goldfield, Professor for American History at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, concluded with an analysis of the political and social meaning of the election of Barack Obama as president. Based on personal memories of his childhood days in Memphis, Tennessee, he discussed with the students the long journey towards equality and tolerance American society had taken since then. The workshop served as a particularly welcome input for the many students who, after having had just founded their own publishing company, were working, as publishers and authors, on an extensive book on German-American relations.

Standing Room Only Left – USA

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Infosession at Koblenz Public

Library Draws a Crowd

February 11, 2009. For the fourth year, EducationUSA Frankfurt held an evening information session on studying and working in the United States at the public library in Koblenz. The event, organized by

the German-American Club Koblenz and the Koblenz - Austin, TX, partnership association, drew a young audience of 70. The presentation on exchange opportunities with the United States was followed by an intense questions & answer session on topics ranging from organizing a high school year abroad, working as an Au Pair, visa regulations to attending college in the U.S. Afterwards, participants used the opportunity to discuss their specific plans. The audience picked up information material on the United States, EducationUSA and services of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt. A book package compiled by the Information Resource Center of the U.S. Consulate was added to previous donations of books on the United States.

a New Discourse on A Multi-

racial Society

February 10, 2009. Bharati Mukherjee, U.S. writer of Indian origin, seized the attention of over 50 students of American and Canadian studies at Philipps-Universität Marburg with her lecture “Towards a post-racial society: An American experiment.” Mukherjee analyzed the election of President Barack

Obama in the context of the discourse about a post-racial society. Presenting as role models both individuals and families with numerous multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-cultural backgrounds, she showed the reality of a multiracial society in the U.S. She emphasized that the discourse will shift away from race more towards one based on class and the equalization of economic opportunities. Mukherjee said the United States was an experiment in itself and a continuing work in progress.

Consul General Powell presents “her” Germany in Wiesbaden

February 9, 2009. U.S. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell, at the invitation of the Konrad-Adenauer-

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Foundation, presented a collection of pictures and reminiscences on Germany at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Wiesbaden. Showing photos of German history and culture as well as her own personal experiences as Consul General, she shared her views of

Germany with an audience of over 180 guests. Ms. Powell emphasized that it was not possible for her to capture the essence of “her” Germany in a few stereotypical statements and stressed the diversity and breadth of German society. Germany was quaint and romantic, but also open-minded and modern. It offered idyllic castles and vineyards along the Rhine, a bustling international airport and high-tech laboratories. Germans had a deep sense of history and a long, impressive intellectual tradition, but also a great sense of humor, not only during “Fastnacht” season. She also reflected on Germany’s remarkable development from an enemy of the United States to a reliable friend and ally assuming ever more much-appreciated responsibilities in different parts of the world. | Speech

USA Info at Startschuss Abi

February 7, 2009. Information on studying in the United States was in great demand at the EducationUSA/U.S. Consulate Frankfurt booth at the Startschuss Abi in Frankfurt on February 7th. Of the 500 high school students attending, more

than 100 picked up information and discussed their plans with Public Affair’s Renate Vollmer and State Department interns Allison Gibbs and Dana Rawlings. The participants took away information on exchange opportunities with the United States as well as information on the United States, including the CD Rom “About the USA” and the German-language publication “Barack Obama – 44. Präsident”. Students interested in attending Startschuss Abi have to register beforehand and must have at least a B-minus average.

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Students discuss the American Dream

February 6, 2009. U.S. Consulate Frankfurt interns Dana Rawlings and Allison Gibbs discussed the “American Dream” with 60 eighth graders at Stadtschule am Solgraben in Bad Nauheim. They also answered questions

about everyday life in America. Dana Rawlings explained to the students the history and significance of the “American Dream.” When asked later what their dreams were, the eighth graders chose similar dreams of a house, family, or money. Together, they discovered that the “American Dream” is a universal dream.

Post-Inauguration Discussion

in Frankfurt

February 4, 2009. The U.S. Consulate joined forces with Frankurt’s Haus am Dom and the

Hesse Center for Political Education in another public post-inauguration discussion at the Haus am Dom. Dr. Florentine Fritzen, political editor with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, involved Dr. Christoph von Marschall, U.S. correspondent of the Berlin-based daily Der Tagesspiegel, in a long and intensive discussion of path to, and impact of, the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th president. Von Marschall impressed his large audience with new insights into a wide spectrum of thematic aspects ranging from foreign policy implications to the role of Michelle Obama during the campaign and as the new First Lady.

Discussions of Obama

Presidency at Landau and

Karlsruhe

February 3, 2009. On the invitation of the U.S. Consulate General, Dr. Christoph von Marschall, the U.S. correspondent of the Berlin-based daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, gave two lectures on the topic “After the Inauguration of Barack Obama – Thoughts on the Future

of U.S. Policy” at the University of Koblenz-Landau/Landau Campus, Rhineland-Palatinate, and at the Chamber of Commerce in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, the latter event being co-sponsored by the American-German Business Club (AGBC). Over 80 university students, faculty and general public at Landau and 50 representatives of the business community in Karlsruhe involved von Marschall in intensive and extended discussions. They gave him long rounds of applause for his extremely insightful and knowledgeable analysis of Obama’s election victory and for his conclusions from Obama’s management of the campaign, the transition period, cabinet appointments and first executive decisions.

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Yes We Can: The Visions of

Barack Obama

February 2, 2009. Public Affairs Frankfurt and the Frankfurt Press Club jointly organized a panel discussion with Tagesspiegel

Washington correspondent Dr. Christoph von Marschall and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung foreign editor Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger on February 2, 2009. Over 50 members and guests of the Frankfurt Press Club (journalists and public affairs representatives) listened to a lively discussion between both journalists, moderated by honorary Press Club President Werner Holzer, a former editor-in-chief of daily Frankfurter Rundschau and Washington correspondent of Vox TV. The debate focused on President Obama’s staffing decisions and strategies in resolving the economic crisis, dealing with Middle East issue, and potential areas of transatlantic cooperation. Both panelists agreed that President Obama assembled a team of tough and highly capable individuals to tackle the challenges ahead. Much of the audience stayed for an additional hour after the discussion to chat further about the new U.S. administration.

U.S. Consul General Jo Ellen Powell opens Hunt Slonem

Exhibit January 29, 2009. In the presence of U.S. artist Hunt Slonem, Frankfurt Consul General Jo Ellen

Powell opened an exhibit with his works at the renowned Frankfurt Gallery Barbara von Stechow. In her introductory remarks, Ms. Powell pointed out that art helps understand other cultures and societies. Without using a word, art can convey a complex message. Hunt Slonem’s work is exhibited globally, including places like Madras, Venice, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Over fifty museums include his work in their collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art . The Department of State has long discovered Hunt Slonem for its „Art in Embassies“ program. His paintings are featured in several U.S. Embassies.

Yes We Can - Go the USA

January 27, 2009. On the first day of the three-day career fair HOBIT, more than 500 high school students from the Darmstadt region received information on exchange

opportunities with the United States. The university and career information fair for 11th and 12th graders is organized by Darmstadt

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Selected Events January - June 2009 - Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany

universities and the Labor Exchange. Throughout the day, EducationUSA Frankfurt talked to students about studying in the U.S., working as an Au Pair or a volunteer. They picked up information material on EducationUSA and the services of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt An afternoon presentation on studying and working in the United State drew 300 students and parents.

Full House for Malcolm

Gladwell Lecture

January 26, 2009. Malcolm Gladwell, a famous science journalist with The New Yorker, filled the German National Library to capacity talking about his newest book Outliers, no. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Presented jointly by the U.S. Consulate General, Campus

Verlag, German National Library, Hessische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung and Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft, Gladwell captivated a huge audience with his analysis of why individuals with comparable talents and intelligence differ so much in their professional achievements. Using illustrations from a wide range of human activities, from sports to mathematics, he made the point that societies, in many different ways, fail to capitalize on their citizens’ potential abilities and instead allow only a fraction to succeed depending on lucky chance and circumstance.

Seminar on political speeches and rhetoric January 23-24, 2009. The U.S. Consulate General, the Atlantic Academy Rheinland-Pfalz and the IFB/Haus Boppard jointly organized a seminar on “Political Speeches and Rhetoric in the United States and Germany” at the Pfalzakademie in Lambrecht. With the help of German and American experts, over 40

representatives from government, industry, academia and education discussed the role and effect of rhetoric and speeches and the way these need to be understood in a general cultural and specific political context. The analysis of President Obama’s inauguration speech by Olaf Kramer from Tübingen University and of the meaning of his election for American politics and society by American journalist Stephanie Siek triggered a particularly intense exchange of

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views and interpretations.

Herborn goes America: EducationUSA and Network of

Media Centers at Johanneum

Gymnasium

January 23, 2009. On January 23rd, an EducationUSA

evening information session organized by the Network of Media Centers (IMeNS) at Johanneum Gymnasium Herborn drew 60 students and parents. Following an overview of exchange opportunities, the audience asked numerous questions ranging from organizing a high school year abroad, to stays as an Au Pair or volunteer and studying in the United States. They picked up information materials on the United States, including the CD ROM “About the USA”. Especially popular was the German-language print publication “Barack Obama: 44. Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten". IMeNS become part of the America[at]yourLibrary network in 2008.

Expectations of the Obama

Presidency: Discussion at

Forum for Intercultural

Dialogue January 22, 2009. On January 22, Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins spoke on

“America after the Elections” to some forty attendees of the Forum for Intercultural Dialogue. Ms. Collins emphasized that President Obama and America will not be able to solve the problems facing the world alone and that it will need partners and allies in dealing with issues like the financial crisis, security threats, climate change, and poverty. She closed by saying: “The expectations on President Obama and his administration are enormous – and perhaps impossible for any set of human beings to meet. Many choices will be difficult and sometimes disappointing. But we will try to live up to our ideals and those of our founding fathers – the right to liberty, equality and the pursuit of happiness.“ More | Photo Gallery

Consul General Jo Ellen Powell

Greets Steuben-Schurz-Society

January 21, 2009.

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Consul General Jo Ellen Powell welcomed approximately 150 guests to the New Year’s reception of the Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft on January 21, stressing both the continuity of the close German-American relationship and the opportunities and challenges of 2009.

General Carter Ham, Commanding General United States Army Europe and 7th Army, delivered the keynote address. The guests received copies of the White Paper on the German-American Partnership, information about the new ESTA regulations and the biography of President Obama.

LET THE SUNSHINE IN : The English Theatre Frankfurt Hosted Inauguration Party

On Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the English Theatre Frankfurt and the U.S. Consulate joined forces to host a fun-filled, multimedia party celebrating the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th President of the United States. Four hundred enthusiastic attendees from the Rhine-Main area's international community joined Consul

General Jo Ellen Powell at the English Theatre, where the inauguration ceremony was broadcast live from Washington. Afterward, the cast of HAIR, the English Theatre’s current production, took to the stage to present an entertaining revue of musical and pop tunes. All proceeds from the event will be used to support Windows On America, an exchange program that sends students from under-privileged backgrounds to experience life in the United States. More | Photo Gallery | Video Coverage Inauguration | Video Coverage Frankfurt Inauguration Party | Inauguration Address | Read this Blog by a Participant in a State Department Exchange Program covering the Inauguration Ceremony in

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