Consulate Suports “America Day” at Essen High School
February 3, 2010.
Consul Chris Grossman and interns Paula Armstrong and Matthew Porter participated in a special “America Day” at the Maria Waechtler Gymnasium in Essen on February 03. Grossman engaged more than 100 12thgraders in a discussion on Globalization, U.S. foreign policy and domestic issues such as health care reform and gun control. Consulate interns Paula Armstrong and Matthew Porter visited five different classes of 9th graders on “America Day” discussing and answering questions about America’s image in the media, American high schools and lifestyle. | more photos on our facebook page | "Meet US" School Outreach Program

Ambassador Murphy Meets New York Philharmonic at Cologne Concert
January 28, 2010.
Ambassador Philip Murphy and his wife Tammy attended the January 28 concert of the New York Philharmonic at the Philharmonie in Cologne and then co-hosted a reception/dinner for the artists and specially invited guests. The audience celebrated the performance of the orchestra under the new music director Alan Gilbert, which also featured baritone Thomas Hampson intoning a poem by Walt Whitman to the music of American composer John Adams. In his remarks at the reception/dinner, which was a “joint production” of the Cologne Philharmonic, the Ambassador and NY Philharmonic board member Peter Jungen, Ambassador Murphy expressed his appreciation for the close and varied German-American cultural relations and artistic exchange and was impressed that the New York Philharmonic considered Cologne “their home away from home” with the most performances of the orchestra outside New York. | More photos on our facebook page

U.S. Scholar Assesses Results Of The Copenhagen Climate Summit
January 22, 2010.
At a lecture at Deutsche Welle in Bonn co-organized by the Amerika Haus NRW e.V. on January 22, Adil Najam, Professor of Global Public Policy at Boston University, offered a sophisticated Power Point presentation on the results of the Copenhagen Climate summit which he had attended. A leading member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the organization was awarded the Peace Nobel Prize together with Al Gore in 2007 - Najam presented a long-term perspective arguing that climate policies are essentially also development policies. In his view Copenhagen was an important step in the difficult process to develop a truly global understanding of the implications of global warming which mostly harms the poorest countries. | America.gov > Global Challenges: Energy & Environment

Consul General on German-American Relations at NRW.TV
January 21, 2010.
In an interview broadcast by NRW.TV Consul General Janice Weiner assessed the first year of the Obama-Administration and the state of the close bilateral relationship. As the only guest of the 25-minute talk show “Horne Live” Consul General Weiner responded to questions from Roger Horne, the former Washington correspondent for n.tv, on the U.S. commitment and international cooperation to help Haiti and welcomed German efforts in Afghanistan. She also gave examples of the close cultural and economic ties between the U.S. and North Rhine-Westphalia and talked about the role and activities of the Consulate General Duesseldorf. | Watch the interview at NRW.TV's Videoarchive

Mid-Year Seminar for American CBYX Participants In Bonn
January 21, 2010.
The 75 U.S. participants in the CBYX conducted their mid-year seminar at the headquarters of InWent, the German “Capacity Building International Organization” in charge of the bilateral exchange program. As part of the seminar, a group of exchangees related experiences they had gained at a week-long International Model United Nations Conference on climate change in Bonn. As a result, they said, they understood much better the challenge of integrating different views and interests at international conferences. The young Americans noted that they considered their time in Germany rewarding and that they tried to get actively involved in their host communities.

Consul General Guest Of Honor At Fulbright Alumni Winter Ball
January 16, 2010.
250 alumni from all over Germany travelled to Bad Godesberg near Bonn to attend the German Fulbright Alumni organization’s annual meeting, culminating with their Winter Ball at the historic Godesburg. The event was an occasion where German and American participants in past and current programs reminisced about their experiences and caught up with old friends and acquaintances. They also used the get-together to plan new regional and national events for 2010. Consul General Janice Weiner was guest of honor at the ball and was pleased to learn that the alumni considered their exchange year(s) in the United States a positive, life-changing experience. | Fulbright Exchange Programs | Education USA

AmCham’s New Year’s Reception Underscores Importance of Bilateral Business Relations
January 15, 2010.
Consul General Janice Weiner and Commercial Consul Richard Kanter were among the approx. 400 representatives of the business and government community who attended the January 15 New Year’s reception of the American Chamber of Commerce in Duesseldorf.  In their welcome remarks, Lord Mayor Dirk Elbers and AmCham President Alexander Schroeder-Frerkes noted the excellent relations between U.S. business and NRW companies. They spoke as well to the urgent need for help in Haiti, and used the occasion to raise money for relief efforts. | U.S. Relief Efforts | Find out how you can help | Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

High School Students Discuss President Obama’s First Year In Office 
January 13, 2010.
On January 13, students from the Kopernikus Gymnasium in Ratingen visited the Consulate where Consul Christopher Grossman explained to the group the operations of the Consulate and discussed major initiatives during the first year of the Obama administration.  The students had a variety of questions ranging from inquiries about the state of the U.S. economy to health insurance reform. They also wanted to talk about the worldwide financial crisis and the relationship between the U.S. and China.

Resuming Consulate’s Series of Study USA Workshops 
January 12, 2010.
Education USA specialist Petra Spitz was one of three experts at a public exchanges event hosted by Duesseldorf University’s International Office on January 12.  Ms. Spitz gave a presentation on how to apply at American colleges, visa regulations and procedures and financial support by American universities. Other speakers at the event offered complementary information about financial support available through German sources and test requirements.  In addition, Duesseldorf psychology professor Ute Bayen, who lived and taught at the University of North Carolina for over a decade, gave pertinent examples of how studying in the U.S. benefits the students’ professional careers in Europe. | Education USA > Information on Studying in the U.S.

Discussing The Media And Popular Opinion In the U.S. At Duesseldorf University
January 11, 2010.
On January 11, Consul Christopher Grossman discussed the role that the media plays in shaping public opinion in U.S. political campaigns at a lecture event hosted by political scientist Thomas Unterberg at Duesseldorf University. Grossman presented several clips of political ads and television news shows to the students and led the class in discussing how political actors use the media to influence the opinion of the voters.  The debate with the students focused in large part on the health insurance reform in the U.S., especially on poll numbers for the proposed reform legislation. | White House > Issues > Health Care | Health Care Reform

Engaging Students On The Bilateral Economic Partnership
January  8, 2010.
At a program at the consulate on January 8, program specialist Bernd Herbert discussed the economic, trade and investment relations between the United States and Germany with students and faculty from Hamline University, currently studying at the Cologne Business School. Using data from the Mission’s “Benchmarking Success” he explained that despite difficulties posed by the global economic and financial crisis, the deep integration between both countries continues to generate significant prosperity and forms a stable platform for recovery.