Winter 2015 - Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC
Transcription
Winter 2015 - Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC
Embassy of the Republic of Poland Newsletter, Winter Edition, 2015 From the Ambassador Dear Readers, On January 27th the world commemorated the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau Nazi German Concentration and Death camp. This solemn date should remind us of Europe’s dark history and motive us to work even harder for greater cooperation and coexistence. You can read more about the commemorations from this day on page 3. 2015 began with a flurry of activity at our Embassy as we hosted a high level delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna, who paid his first visit to Washington, D.C. since assuming responsibilities as Foreign Minister back in October. The Minister’s visit coincided with the inauguration of the new Congress which meant that Minister Schetyna was the first foreign dignitary to meet with the new Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Senator Corker. More on the Minister’s visit on pages 2 and 8. Pictured Above: On November 25, Ambassador Schnepf had the opportunity to meet with President Barack Obama who assured him that Poland remains at the center of his thoughts, which explains exactly why the President selected the Copernicus Center as the venue for his remarks in Chicago. December already seems so long ago when in fact it is quite recent. During the Holiday months our Embassy was beautifully decorated and hosted a multitude of events, an overview of which you can enjoy on page 6. I’m excited to once again serve as honorary patron of the Polish Heritage Night with the Washington Wizards! We hope to see you at the Verizon Stadium as we cheer on Marcin Gortat! Ticket information on page 11. And lastly I wish to take a moment to pay my respects to a few notable individuals whom we have lost over the past few weeks. Professors Stanisław Baranczak and Anna Cienciała were renowned in their fields and will be dearly missed. Follow Us! Kind regards, Ryszard Schnepf Foreign Minister Schetyna Visits Washington, D.C. On Janurary 7-9 Minister Schetyna paid a visit to Washington, DC at the invitation of Secretary of State John Kerry. The Minister met with Secretary Kerry at the State Department where the top diplomats of Poland and the United States began their meeting by expressing their condolences following the terrorist attack against the offices of the French weekly Charlie Hebdo. “We are delighted to have our [Polish friends’] support and to work with them in their commitment to Ukraine, to the freedom and sovereignty of that nation,” Secretary John Kerry said while welcoming Minister Schetyna. “Washington can count on Warsaw, and I’m confident that Warsaw can count on Washington also,” replied the chief of Polish diplomacy. The talks focused on the security situation in Europe and around the world, including the Ukraine crisis and bilateral relations between Poland and the US. As Minister Schetyna stressed, last year was a time of intensive and fruitful cooperation between Poland and the US. “We especially value US commitment to European security, including in Central and Eastern Europe,” remarked the chief of Polish diplomacy. He said he was hopeful that American security proposals will contribute to expanding US military presence in our part of Europe, including in Poland. “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine reaffirms the need to continuously foster transatlantic security, and highlights the importance of American involvement in Europe,” said the minister. He pointed out that the dialogue with Washington takes on special significance in the context of preparations for the NATO summit in Warsaw in 2016. High on the meeting’s agenda was the situation in Ukraine. “We are aware that scenarios in the East are very difficult to predict. Along with our American partners and based on the existing international fora, we will continue to engage in looking for a political solution to the crisis,” added the Polish foreign minister. During the course of his visit to Washington, D.C. Minister Schetyna also spent time on Capitol Hill where he met with key legislators from the new 114th Congress. The Minister discussed the Visa Waiver Program and other Poland related legislation with Senate Poland Caucus co-chairs Senator’s Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) Patrick Murphy (DCT) and James Risch (R-ID) (Pictured above). Additionally he held meetings with Senator Corker (R-TN) Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as well as with Senator McCain (R-AZ) Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Minister Schetyna was the first foreign dignitary to meet with newly appointed Chairman Corker. While in the US capital, Minister Schetyna met with Susan Rice, the US President’s National Security Advisor, and Zbigniew Brzezinśki, who filled this position during Jimmy Carter’s term of office. These meetings were dedicated to discussing Ukraine and security related issues. During the course of the visit, Minister Schetyna presented Professor Timothy Snyder with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. The distinction was awarded by President Bronisław Komorowski in recognition of the historian’s outstanding scientific achievements and merits to the promotion of Poland’s history. Timothy Snyder is a Professor at Yale University, and an eminent expert in the history of Central Europe and modern nationalism. Pictured: Professor Timothy Snyder offering remarks after being presented with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland by Minister Schetyna 2 70th Anniversary of thesLiberation of Auschwitz “We are in a place where our civilization collapsed, in a place where the plan to take away man’s dignity was systematically put into practice. Where the German Nazis rolled out a genuine ‘death industry’ and man was reduced to merely a tattooed camp number,” Poland’s President Bronisław Komorowski emphasized in his address during the commemorations of the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. He went on to say that the memory of Auschwitz implies remembering about the obligation to stand up for our values – freedom, justice, and respect for human rights. “From this very place we denounce all manifestations of hatred, anti-Semitism and xenophobia,” said President Komorowski. Earlier that day, some one hundred former prisoners of German camps and President Bronisław Komorowski laid a wreath of white and red carnations at the Execution Wall in the former Auschwitz I complex. The central commemorative event took place at the main gate of the former Auschwitz II Birkenau camp, in whose gas chambers the Germans had conducted mass extermination of Jews. The commemorations were attended by 300 former camp prisoners and officials from 49 countries. Apart from the Polish president, addresses were delivered only by former Auschwitz inmates. “We survivors share a common goal with the current generation. And hopefully with all future generations. We do not want our past to be our children’s future,” underscored Holocaust survivor Roman Kent. The ceremony concluded with a premiere screening of Auschwitz, a documentary of USC Shoah Foundation produced by the internationally acclaimed film director Steven Spielberg, who was also present at the ceremony. The Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was liberated on 27 January 1945 by Red Army units of the 1st Ukrainian Front. It was the largest Nazi death camp in German-occupied Europe. In Washington, D.C. our embassy was represented by Deputy Chief of Mission Maciej Pisarski at the International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemorations organized by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The program included remarks by Holocaust survivor Steven Fenves, recitation of the Holocaust Kaddish and Victims’ Names Reading. A musical interlude which included the Hymn of the Partisans was performed. The ceremony closed with the lighting of memorial candles. Preceding the official program, Minister Pisarski laid a bouquet of white flowers before the eternal flame in the Hall of Remembrance in memory of all the victims of the Holocaust and Nazi oppression. 3 Delegations: A Photo Essay Washington, D.C., the capital of the Free World, is a place often visited by statesman and government officials from around the world, seeking to meet with US counterparts and leading thinkers and policy experts. Here is a brief overview of some recent Polish delegations and visitors as captured through the camera lens Former Prime Minister Jan Krzysztof Bielecki delivered the 2014 Bronislaw Geremek Lecture. Initiated in 2009, the Geremek Lecture is today one of the Atlantic Council’s flagship events, the lecture series serves to remind us that much of Europe would not be democratic today without the courageous individuals who rose up in the Gdansk shipyard, beginning a continent-wide movement toward freedom. Deputy Minister Leszek Soczewica, Undersecretary of State for Security and the Americas pictured here with Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf before a meeting at our Embassy during Minister Soczewica’s visit to the United States. Marshal Radoslaw Sikorski, Speaker of the Sejm (Lower House of Parliament) participates in a panel at the Atlantic Council “Toward a Transatlantic Strategy for Europe's East” where he discussed with Stephen Hadley, former National Security Advisor the mapping of Europe's strategic landscape. Deputy Minister Konrad Pawlik (third from left), Undersecretary of State for Development Cooperation, Polish Diaspora and Eastern Policy discussed the Eastern Partnership in a panel entitled "Toward a Europe Whole and Free" moderated by Ambassador Dobriansky. Deputy Minister Konrad Pawlik, Undersecretary of State for Development Cooperation, Polish Diaspora and Eastern Policy met with Polish-American students and young professionals working in both the private and public sector to discuss issues affecting Polish diaspora youth. Speaker Sikorski met with Vice President Joe Biden at the White House during his visit to Washington, D.C 4 In 2014 we celebrated the centennial of Jan NowakJeziorański's birth. The legendary courier from Warsaw, Jan Nowak was active in the Polish underground during WWII and in the postwar years became director of the Polish section of Radio Free Europe. To commemorate the life and achievements of Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, our embassy organized a conference together with the National Endowment for Democracy. Attendees had a chance to watch archival footage of Jan Nowak-Jeziorański describing his wartime meetings with Western leaders when he served as a courier of the Polish underground state. The keynote speaker was Professor Zbigniew Brzezinski, who worked closely with Jan NowakJeziorański and described him as “the authentic voice of freedom." A panel entitled "New Threats to Security and Democracy in Europe" featured Daniel Fried, former US Ambassador to Poland; Andrew Nagorski, Author and Chair of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation; Paula Dobriansky, former Undersecretary of State; and Peter Pomersantsev, Author and TV Producer. The panelists addressed the current challenges Europe faces. Closing remarks were presented by Andrzej Siezieniewski, President of Polish Radio, who asserted that Jan NowakJeziorański's legacy was being continued by the Polish Radio. Almost a thousand participants, dozens of panel discussions and presentations of Polish companies, ideas and technologies, countless meetings and relations established opening new development opportunities – this is only a brief summary of Polish-American Innovation Week. The event took place from 17th to 21st November 2014 on the West Coast of the United States. This was the biggest economic mission in Polish economic diplomacy’s history and the biggest event of its kind as PolishAmerican relations are concerned. The Polish delegation was led by Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During PAIW the Poland-US Innovation Council came together for the first time. This body was set up during President Barack Obama’s visit to Poland in June 2014. The Council is responsible for deepening bilateral innovation cooperation and supporting the entities which are investing in R&D. During the first meeting of PolandUS Innovation Council a ‘Statement of Intent’ which defines the rules of Polish-American cooperation was signed (pictured below). PAIW was devoted mainly to business and to strengthening the cooperation between Polish and American partners. As Deputy Minister Katarzyna Kacperczyk stated, “The West Coast of the United States is a very unique place – one of the most innovative in the world. We wanted Polish companies and R&D units or centers to meet their business partners, potential investors. We also wanted them to learn and see how innovations are developed and implemented in Silicon Valley. One of public administration tasks is to encourage Polish entrepreneurs to cooperate with foreign partners and to support projects in which we can be helpful. I hope that know-how, experience and contacts gained during PolishAmerican Innovation Week will bring benefits to both Polish and American companies and institutions.” 5 Holidays: So Beautiful Above: A volunteer from the Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care poses with gifts collected by our Embassy during our Mikolajki Party organized with the Meridian International Center Rising Leader’s Council and the American Polish Forum. All the gifts went to children in need during the holiday season. Thank you to all who donated! Below: Ambassador Schnepf welcoming guests to the Mikolajki Party The Holidays are always a festive time, and it was no different at our Embassy, where in addition to organizing and hosting numerous holiday events, our embassy staff got in the holiday spirit by making a video which we hope you had a chance to enjoy. (click on image above to view) Above: A caroler beautiful sings a Polish Christmas carol during this year’s Koledy organized by the Polish Library and our Embassy. Below: Polish schoolchildren enjoy a St. Nicholas Day performance at the Ambassador’s residence Above: Rabbi White lights the chanukiah on the third day of Hanukkah celebrated at our Embassy during an evening organized together with the Anti-Defamation League marking the end of the Year of Jan Karski. May the Spirit of giving last throughout the year… 6 Lights…Cameras…. AFI! The 2014 AFI European Union Film Showcase was inaugurated with the screening of "Warsaw Uprising," the world's first feature film composed entirely of documentary footage. Re-mastered to add color and sound to the original footage, the Warsaw Uprising depicts the events from 70 years ago as captured by video chroniclers during the 63 day Uprising in the Polish capital. This is the second year in a row that a film from Poland has been selected for the opening night of the European Union Film Showcase. The screening was followed by a Q&A with film producer and director of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, Dr. Jan Oldakowski, who stated in his remarks, "We made this film to keep history alive. Warsaw was the site of two uprisings, both of which must be remembered." The 2014 AFI EU Film Showcase also screened the Polish blockbuster City 44, directed by Jan Komasa, which also portrays the Warsaw Uprising using incredible special effects to convey the emotions of the time. The City 44 screenings were attended by the lead actor Józef Pawlowski and supporting actress Anna Prochnia who spoke about the film and fielded questions from the audience. The remaining Polish film to be screened was Papusza, a moving black and white production portraying the true story of Papusza - the first Roma woman who put her poems into writing and published them, and therefore confronted the traditional female image in the gypsy community. Pictured above: Jan Oldakowski, director of the Warsaw Uprising Museum and Producer of the “Warsaw Uprising” film offering opening remarks at the Premier of the AFI EU Film Showcase which featured a screening of “Warsaw Uprising” Below: Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf with Józef Pawlowski and Anna Prochnia who starred in “City 44.” 7 And the goes too… Polish Filmmakers Rack Up Four Oscar Nominations for Our Curse , Joanna and Ida. As critics and movie goers can agree, it has been a great year for Polish cinema. In a historic accomplishment, Polish filmmakers have been recognized with five nominations for 2015 Oscar Awards. Two Polish films, Our Curse, directed by Tomasz Śliwińsk, and Joanna, directed by Aneta Kopacz, are in contention for the Best Documentary Short Subject award. Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is nominated for both the Foreign Language Film and Cinematography awards. Cinematographer Lukasz Zal served as the cinematographer on both Ida and Joanna. Our Curse and Joanna are both currently playing in theaters across the country as part of Shorts HD’s Oscar Nominated Short Films 2015 theatrical release. Here in Washington, DC, you can catch both films at the West End Cinema at 2301 M Street NW. Our Curse follows a mother and father facing the difficulties of caring for a baby who has been born with a life-threatening congenital breathing disorder. Joanna follows a mother diagnosed with a terminal illness as she writes a blog for her young son in which she tries to leave a record of what she hopes to teach him. Trailers and additional information are available here. Our Curse, directed by Tomasz Sliwinski is also available to watch on the New York Times website. This Oscar Poster (Below) released by the Academy, “is inspired by the quote ‘Imagine What’s Possible’ and the Polish School of Posters, which is characterized by simple metaphors; with the camera pointed at him, the Oscar statuette imagines what’s possible and leaps into the air, dancing.” Ida tells the story of Anna, a young Polish woman about to take vows as a nun when she learns from her only relative that she is Jewish. Both women embark on a journey to discover their family story and where they belong. “Ida” is currently screening in select theaters and available on iTunes, Netflix, Amazon and Video on Demand. Additional information is available here. Anna Biedrzycka-Sheppard was nominated for Best Costume Design for her work on Maleficent. Make sure your fingers are crossed when you tune in to the Oscar Award ceremony on February 22. 8 In the Arts Drawings by Zbigniew Brzezinski During a special program at the Library of Congress, representatives of the Book Art Museum in Łodz, Poland presented “Bibliography and Drawings by Zbigniew Brzezinski,” a unique work containing drawings and doodles by the former National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter. The event, whose guests of honor included Professor Zbigniew Brzezinski and his wife Emilie Benes-Brzezinski, was co-organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, D.C. The original concept for a book containing doodles drawn by Zbigniew Brzezinski during meetings at the White House and at international conferences together with selections of his speeches and articles was conceived by his wife and artist, Emilie Benes-Bezezinski, who over the years collected his drawings and doodles. “Drawing the doodles at numerous summits and meetings in the 1960s and 1970s, I never intended for them to be published” noted Professor Brzezinski, adding that in some of the drawings you can see indications as to what the conference was about and how the meetings were progressing. Congratulating Professor Brzezinski, his wife for the project’s concept, and the publishers of the book, Jadwiga and Paweł Tryzno; Ambassador Schnepf explained the unique character of the Book Art Museum. Pictured Above: Zbigniew Brzezinski discussing his doodles. Left and below: Mrs. Jadwiga Tryzno of the Book Art Museum in Łodz, Poland displaying their latest publication During the course of the event, which was attended by the Librarian of Congress Dr. Billington, members of the press, academia and the Polish-American Community, attendees watched a special presentation on the Book Art Museum in Łodz, which was just recently awarded the 2015 American Printing History Association Award for extraordinary accomplishments in the field of printing. Historic Tapestries donated to Poland Flora and Leda, two priceless tapestries dating from the 18th century, will return to Poland. Minister Grzegorz Schetyna took part in a ceremony at the Polish Embassy during which the exhibits were handed over to the management of the Royal Castle at Wawel. Pictured Right: Dr. Jan Ostrowski, Director of the Wawel Royal Castle Museum, presents the silk tapestry “Leda” to Minister Grzegorz Schetyna. The silk tapestries have been donated by Xavier Pusłowski. They will become part of a tapestry collection from Slonim housed by the Royal Castle at Wawel. Slonim tapestries were made at a workshop set up by Grand Hetman of Lithuania Michał Kazimierz Ogiński around 1782, and run by a Saxon-born weaver Johan Karl Kletsch. The workshop’s greatest achievement was a series of 12 tapestries which depicted statues of ancient gods, and were supposed to decorate a garden pavilion of the Slonim palace complex. The tapestries were part of Prince Ogiński’s grand project of establishing an aristocratic residence in Slonim – a miniature Versailles. 9 History Corner A Boy At War Love Eternal A soldier of the Gray Ranks, participant in the Warsaw Uprising and known Washingtonian architect, Julian Kulski was a special guest at a literary evening organized to mark the launch of his newest book, “The Color of Courage - A Boy at War: The World War II Diary of Julian Kulski.” The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland hosted the event, which was co-organized with Aquila Polonica Publishing. I am convinced, that reading the memoirs of Julian Kulski will be a moving and inspiring experience for all of you” asserted Ambassador Schnepf speaking of the well prepared publication which features countless images, map and digital extras. The Ambassador also indicated, that as someone born and raised in Warsaw, it brings him great delight to “find on the pages of the book not only the story of an extraordinary person, but also of an extraordinary place, which is the Polish capital of Warsaw.” A wedding captured on film amidst the fighting and carnage of wartime Warsaw. Bill, a soldier in the Polish Home Army and Lili a field nurse, were married on August 13, 1944 during the Warsaw Uprising, and it was all caught on film. The footage from their iconic wedding was included in the movie "Warsaw Uprising" which was screened in Washington, DC at the opening night of AFI EU Film Showcase. As we commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, we were also happy to wish the Biega's all the best on their 70th wedding anniversary. The couple resides in a quiet town outside of Trenton, New Jersey. The director of the Warsaw Uprising Museum Jan Oldakowski met with the couple during his recent visit to the United States, and he presented them with a bouquet of roses from Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf. We wish Lili and Bill Biega many more years of happiness together! Written immediately after the conclusion of World War II, the diary of Julian Kulski is a colorful account of the wartime fate of a boy, who in Nazi-occupied Warsaw at the mere age of 12 begins his fight with the enemy. The book tells of, among others, the author’s involvement in small sabotage, incursions into the Warsaw ghetto, as well as his arrest and torture which he experienced in the gestapo headquarters at Szucha Avenue as well as at Pawiak Prison. The memoir also covers the Warsaw Uprising, in which 15 year old Julian fought with great courage and his subsequent imprisonment in a prisoner of war camp. During the course of the discussion with Julian Kulski, led by Polish Defense Attache Brigadier General Jaroslaw Strozyk and President of Aquila Polonica Terry Tegnezian, the author reveled the course of events that led to him documenting his wartime experiences and the feelings that accompanied him during key moment of his life in occupied Warsaw. Asked by a member of the audience about his feelings regarding the Warsaw Uprising, Kulski replied, “After experiencing five long years of occupation and Nazi bestiality perpetrated every day, there was no stronger feeling than the desire to undertake direct armed struggle with the enemy and reclaim freedom at all cost." A heart that is in love remains forever young… 10 In Memorium Stanisław Baranczak Anna Cienciała Professor Anna Cienciała passed away on December 24, 2014. An American of Polish descent, Professor Cienciała was one of the most renowned specialists on Poland’s foreign policy during the interwar period. Professor Cienciała was the author of numerous books and scholarly articles, including her monumental work dedicated to Poland’s foreign policy from 1926-1939. In her publications she framed Polish diplomatic undertakings within the greater perspective of international affairs. Professor Cienciała participated in scientific studies of such important events in Poland’s history as the Katyn Massacre and the Warsaw Uprising. Professor Cienciała was associated with Canadian and American universities, which allowed her to popularize Poland’s history among foreign historians. Furthermore, by undertaking research relating to Poland, she contributed to the popularization of Poland’s history and the history of Polish diplomacy outside Poland’s borders. Although she spent most of her years abroad, Professor Cienciała participated in many scholarly initiatives undertaken in Poland as well, and unrelentingly sought to familiarize American researchers with Polish sources. Professor Cienciała was born on November 8, 1929 in the Free City of Gdansk. She earned her doctorate in 1962 at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. She lectured at universities in Ottawa, Toronto, and at the University of Kansas. She was a member of numerous academic organizations in Poland, the United States, and Great Britain. On May 16, 2014 by the decision of the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, Professor Anna Cienciała was awarded the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. Family and friends, among them many eminent professors from Harvard University, as well as representatives of the Polish government, including the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the US and the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York gathered to pay their respects for renowned poet, translator and literary critic Stanisław Barańczak. Some traveled all the way from Poland, including one of the co-founders of the Worker’s Defense Committee Barbara Torunczyk. Attendees paid tribute to Professor Barańczak's tireless work of promoting and popularizing Polish literature around the world. Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf presented the family with the Grand Cross of the Order of Rebirth of the Republic of Poland, awarded posthumously to Stanisław Barańczak by the President of the Republic of Poland in recognition for his outstanding contribution to Polish culture, achievements in literary work and translations, and contributions to Poland’s democratic transformation. During the course of the service, Ambassador Schnepf read a letter from the President of the Republic of Poland Bronislaw Komorowski, “It is near impossible to find appropriate words with which to bid a poet farewell. The death of a poet is a time when the language grieves. A language which the poet wrote in, created in, and enriched it with his imagination. Our language and culture is deeply indebted to Stanislaw Baranczak” wrote the President, adding, “His passing is a dramatic capstone to a quartercentury of Poland’s freedom. A freedom which he pursued not only as an author, but also an a citizen engaged in the democratic opposition.” The professor’s memorial service on January 22 at the University of Kansas was attended by Deputy Chief of Mission Maciej Pisarski. “The Renaissance poet Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński once wrote, ‘To struggle. Is our earthly obligation.’ As an author and as a person, Stanislaw Baranczak emerged from this struggle as a victor. May his memory be eternal.” – President Bronisław Komorowski 11 Get your tickets now! 12 Did You Know American Ride #DiscoverPolska We’re excited to introduce our latest social media campaign: #DiscoverPolska where each month throughout 2015 we will present a different region of Poland. We started with Lower Silesia and the Lublin region. Stay tuned to see what we explore this month and let us know what you think using the hashtag #DiscoverPolska It's not every day that visitors to our Embassy arrive riding a Harley-Davison. But that is exactly what happened when Stan Ellsworth from the TV show American Ride pulled up a few months ago. The episode from his visit has now aired and you can watch it by clicking on the image below - Starts at 14:30. Click the image below to see our buzzfeed. Viral Sensation Perhaps you may have seen one of our latest buzzfeeds describing “11 Awesome Polish Things That Happened In 2014” which went viral, appearing in numerous newspapers, television segments and magazines. We hope you enjoyed it and we are already excited thinking about the incredible Polish things that will happen in 2015! Please Subscribe! If you haven’t already – be sure to subscribe to our Embassy newsletter. Simply send an email to our press office: [email protected] 13