Consular Corps of Miami recognized at Green School lunch

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To recognize the critical role the Consular Corps of Miami plays in advancing global dialogue throughout South Florida and beyond, the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs recently hosted a lunch in honor of the corps at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum.

“In a globalized and globalizing metropolis, our consuls general, consuls, vice consuls, and honorary consuls play an important role — advancing networks of interdependence, transcending state to state relations and spilling over to person to person diplomacy,'' said John F. Stack, Jr., founding dean of the Green School.

Dean Stack said Ambassador Steven J. Green specifically requested that the Green School host the lunch in honor of the consular corps.

“The ambassador understands the important role the consular corps plays in advancing country to country diplomacy, assisting citizens, promoting trade and economic engagement, among many other vital functions in South Florida,'' Dean Stack said.

“This is all the more important in a town where the arts and culture engage so many of our residents and visitors, enhancing the vital role of public diplomacy in South Florida - now more important than ever in a time of uncertainty and turbulence in the inter-state relations,” he added.

Nearly 60 members of the corps, along with others from FIU and the community, attended the event, including Secretary Nabil J. Achkar, Acting Dean Marsha Renfurm, pictured below, and Ambassador Volker Anding.

Renfurm presented Dean Stack with a book of Colombian art. She also presented one to Green School Senior Fellow David J. Kramer and a plaque of appreciation to Pedro Botta, senior director of strategic initiatives at the Green School.

"We are very grateful for this invitation of FIU to this lunch in honor of the Consular Corps,'' Renfurm said.

FIU Vice Provost Meredith Newman reiterated the importance of the university maintaining strong ties to the international community and emphasized the importance of the Green School to this university-wide effort.

"The Green School is at the heart of our collaborative global efforts," said Newman, who heads the Office of Faculty and Global Affairs.

“As President Rosenberg says, 'Our geography is our destiny.'"

After lunch, Kramer, a former assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights, presented a compelling talk on “America's Role in a Turbulent World.”

[caption id="attachment_152" align="alignnone" width="1000"] David J. Kramer, Green School Senior Fellow and former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_153" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Dean Stack and David Kramer with members of FIU's award-winning Model UN team[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_154" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Members of the Consular Corps of Miami with Dean Stack, David Kramer and other FIU faculty and staff[/caption]