Indian Deputy Consul General Khobragade and the ensuing media discussion have had a ripple effect with some readers of my book, who’re now curious about consular immunity and astutely note that a discussion of this is not a part of the Foreign Consuls Among Us. You may recall the facts having to do with charges of…
Read MoreWhen Emilio Estefan, husband of super-star Gloria, was appointed Special Ambassador for Miami, someone asked me if cities also have consuls. The short answer is that this would make no sense. The honorary, unpaid position of “ambassador” in the context of culture, fine arts and trade has an inherent meaning of goodwill. We should all be…
Read MoreGeneral Vice Consul to the Consulate of (named country) is a self-designated title I recently ran across although this could be one of the many in usage by some foreign countries posting or appointing consuls somewhere in the United States. It may be confusing to some, but as long as the U.S. State Department in…
Read MoreCultural faux pas (social blunders involving people of different cultural backgrounds) happen with consuls and diplomats, just like in any cross-cultural situations. Most of the time they are inadvertent, such as when we don’t know that a particular form of address or gesture is offensive to the foreign consuls among us. This then raises the…
Read MoreThere are honorary consuls and honorary consuls general, and the former Vice President served as honorary consul general of Norway in Minnesota from 2008-2010. Since I’ve long argued that correct terminology is the basis for any dialogue, I was quite gratified when the Star Tribune (of the Twin Cities) properly identified Mr. Mondale in a story where the…
Read MoreUsually when a consular official retires, his past position might not be interesting to the community where he served but in the case of Walter Mondale it is, and here is why: This former U.S. presidential candidate, commonly known as an advocate for gender equality, was Norway’s honorary consul general (one rank above an honorary consul) in Minnesota…
Read MoreConsuls are often overlooked as natural allies with the economic and cultural communities in which they function. They are the natural bridges between the countries they represent and the states and cities that seek to expand globally. Even when a consulate has specially designated trade officials, it’s expected that corporate representatives seeking business contacts abroad…
Read MoreConsuls and universities are natural partners in the search for global success for everyone involved. Long-established study-abroad programs have already made local consuls a natural resource for these purposes but expanded collaboration with the foreign consuls among us can reach well beyond student mobility alone. Among these benefits: – faculty exchanges; – faculty and students…
Read MoreI have heard of “mobile consulates” before but I think one on wings portrays really well how some countries handle the problem with servicing their citizens. A “consulate on wings” is a wonderfully descriptive term for when a consulate takes it services to desolate or otherwise hard-to-get-to areas! But what does it really mean? The most…
Read MoreThe Consular Corps of Miami has a much longer history than most people believed. Long-time members of the corps used to say it dated “back to the 60s” but my research quickly took me back to the 50s. A little more digging and I was uncovering roots as far back as the 30s. At the end…
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