HDI Brings Delegation of U.N. Ambassadors to Environmentally Themed Program in Miami, Florida
March 2007Executive Summary
The Humpty Dumpty Institute, in partnership with the United States Mission to the United Nations, took six senior U.N. diplomats (including four Permanent Representatives) to Miami March 4-6 under our "U.N Across America Program" (participant list attached). In addition to allowing the ambassadors to see an area of the country that most had not visited the focus of the trip was environmental issues. The program began on Sunday afternoon with a VIP briefing and tour of the Florida Everglades National Park. The Director of the Park personally accompanied the group. The Australian ambassador was extremely impressed as he is the former Minister of the Environment of Australia. Monday morning continued the environmental theme with a visit to NOAA's Hurricane Detection Center. The delegation was able to closely view the high-tech detection capabilities of the world's leading hurricane center. The afternoon of Monday, March 5 found the ambassadors at an academic event hosted by the President of Florida International University. Over 150 students attended. The Iraqi ambassador, who attended a similar event, in Detroit, remarked that the caliber of the questions of the student body was extremely high.
The evening of Monday, March 5 was the cultural highlight of the trip. The NBA hosted the group at a Miami Heat/Atlanta Hawks basketball game. The evening began with the ambassadors having their photos taken on the floor of the arena with the Miami heat cheerleaders. The NBA then provided a superb dinner in a locker room, and ensured prime seats for the actual game; the ambassadors loved it.
On Tuesday, March 6, the day started with briefings by the County Miami/Dade on the municipal structure, trade, development, and civic institutions. The Kenyan ambassador decided to pursue the possibility of a trade office in Miami after these meetings. The trip ended with a lunch hosted by the American Jewish Committee. The audience of fifty was extremely informed and respectful. They gave a special welcome to the ambassador of Iraq who said he was pleased to try to improve Arab/Jewish relations.
In addition to the U.N. and US-U.N. participants, the delegation included a member of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy who acted as an HDI spokesman and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations of the U.S. Department of State, Gerald Anderson.
