Consul General Speeches

We do this in a very specific way, every single day.  Our primary function is to provide consular services to the Americans who reside and visit the Netherlands, and to the people here who wish to visit the United States.  Our colleagues from the Commercial Service and the Department of Homeland Security also help tend the relationship by facilitating business and travel between the U.S. and The Netherlands.  We take these responsibilities very seriously, knowing from our own personal experience the importance of exposure to foreign nations and cultures in fostering understanding.

Being here in Amsterdam also gives us the opportunity to contribute in other ways:

• by speaking to student groups about the educational opportunities available in the U.S.
• by seizing other speaking opportunities to explain something about the United States, whether it’s a talk on the immigration history of the U.S., or our electoral political system, or current policy issues.

And as importantly, by seizing opportunities to listen.

• by modeling diversity as well as speaking about it.  When you visit the Consulate, for example, you will encounter employees of at least 9 different national origins.  And the number of men and women in management positions at the Consulate General is roughly equal.
• and by being involved in our community.  That means participating in cultural events and community organizations and having the intellectual curiosity to find out as much about The Netherlands as we can during our time here.

With that in mind, I took a look at your program over the next several weeks and I must say I envy you.  You have a terrific opportunity to discuss some of the most compelling issues of our day with an impressive array of experts, from discussions on remembering the Holocaust, to Ian Buruma’s Murder in Amsterdam, to integration and women’s issues.

I congratulate you for making a commitment to Humanity in Action and wish you well as you explore your individual projects.  I would like to extend a special welcome today to the Humanity in Action leadership, board members and host families that continue to give so generously of their time and effort to ensure that you, the participants, get every ounce of value you can out of this tremendous program.

And now, before we enjoy the rest of the evening in a more informal manner, one of the things we thought we might like to integrate into this event was substantive briefings from different members of the U.S. Mission to the Netherlands.  And then I thought better of making 65 hungry and thirsty travelers stand around for forty-five minutes listening to presentations.  So as an alternative, we have asked colleagues from the Consulate General and the Embassy in The Hague to join us today.  I’d like to invite them to introduce themselves and give you the opportunity to speak to them during the reception if there is something about their experience or previous assignments abroad that sparks your interest.