JG - Much conviviality on EU Day

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

Much conviviality on EU Day

published: Sunday May 18, 2008

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Head of the EU delegation, Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni (left), laughs with President of the Senate, Dr Oswald Harding, and Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall at the European Day reception on Hyperion Avenue, St Andrew, on Friday, May 9. - Photos by Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

There are heads of missions and there are heads of missions.

Here in Kingston, where the diplomatic scene is an integral part, heads of missions help in setting the tone of the social scene.

In their official capacities, they are required from time to time to play the role of hosts extraordinaire in celebrating national days, holidays, royal birthdays and decrees (where applicable) or in hosting visiting delegations.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"In this respect, the history, personality and prominence of the mission, geopolitical considerations and social skills of the individual all go into the mix when it comes to the success of any reception/party being hosted.

In this vein, the European Union (EU) delegation here in Kingston has had the benefit of being led by very adept diplomats over the many years since the establishing of diplomatic relations with Jamaica.

Successive heads of mission have demonstrated a willingness to understand the peculiarities of a developing state like ours, and sought to have that come into play when implementing policy.

On the social note, succeeding EU heads have demonstrated that theirs is not the desire to serve from up on high, opting instead for meaningful interaction with the population at large."

"May 9 is perhaps the EU's single most important calendar date, as it is celebrated worldwide as Europe Day.

It marks the May 9, 1950 declaration by then French foreign minister Robert Schumann, which became the foundation on which today's united and expanding EU is founded."

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"Notables in attendance Among the notables were Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Hall; Prime Minister Bruce Golding; president of the Senate, Dr Ossie Harding and wife Marigold; Finance Minister Audley Shaw; (then acting) Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne; Minister of Information Culture and Sports Olivia 'Babsy' Grange; Mayor of Kingston, Senator Desmond McKenzie; Senator Tom Tavares-Finson and wife, Rose; Opposition MPs Dr Omar Davies and Anthony Hylton; Chief Justice Zaila McCalla; Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn; Director of Protocol Sandra Grant-Griffiths; John Issa and his daughter, the lovely Muna Issa; Dennis Lalor; Ambassador Richard and Margaret Bernal; Ambassador Madge Barrett and husband Tunty; Ambassador Maxine Roberts; Desmond and Peggy Blades; Chris and Michelle Bovell; Charles Hanna; Earl and Beverly Junor-Levy.

Also out were British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell and his companion Dr Barbara Munske; Spanish Ambassador Jesús Silva and wife Sara; German Ambassador Jurgen Engel; Belgian Ambassador Herman Portacarero and wife Myriam; Chinese Ambassador Chen Jinghua and wife Xiao Linhua; Russian Ambassador Viktor Zotin and his wife Olga Zotin; Canadian High Commissioner Denis Kingsley and Jo Ann Kingsley; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; Argentine Ambassador Mario Pino and wife Fanny; head of the International Seabed Authority, Ambassador Satya Nandan; Deputy Chief of Mission in the German Embassy Maria Friedrich Boerger, and husband Anton, and UNICEF's representative Bertrand Bainvel.

Also spotted were Dean of the Consular Corps and Honorary Consul of Slovakia, Christopher Issa; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of the Royal Thai kingdom Thalia Lyn and hubby Capt Michael Lyn; Honorary Consul of Lithuania Lois Lake-Sherwood; Honorary Consul of Botswana Geoff Brown and wife Janet; Honorary Consul of Ecuador Clelia Barreto de Hunter; Honorary Consul of Poland Irena Cousins and Honorary Consul of the Philippines Everoy Chin."