10 minute read
DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT
German Ambassador Emily Haber and her husband Hansjörg Haber served as the honor ary patrons of the Choral Arts Society’s 39th Annual Holiday Concert and Gala held at the Kennedy Center, where internationally ac claimed mezzo-soprano Kristina Nicole Lewis joined the choir for a rousing concert, followed by silent auction, dinner and dancing on the roof terrace. Founded in 1965, the Choral Arts Society of Washington is a Grammy-winning leader in the choral field and an icon on the D.C. cultural scene. Choral Arts Society 39th Annual Holiday Concert and Gala
PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY
Gala chairs Marty and Sue Goodhart; German Ambassador Emily Haber and her husband Hansjörg Haber; and gala chairs Allison and Doug DuShuttle.
March 2020
Cristiana Anderson, Mark Anderson, Andrew Stifel of Leidos and Amanda Stifel of Polished Corners LLC.
PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY Mezzo-soprano Kristina Nicole Lewis performs on stage with the Choral Arts Society of Washington.
PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY
Leo Ericsson, Choral Arts Society conductor Scott Tucker, Karen Schuiling and William Schuiling, owner of Brown Automotive Group. Julie Meyer, photographer Tony Powell, Catherine Trifiletti of Washington Life, Christina McDowell and Choral Arts Society Executive Director Tad Czyzewski.
PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY Kevin Fearnow of CIBC Private Wealth Management and Nazgol Fearnow.
PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY Choral Arts Society Executive Director Tad Czyzewski, Jenny Bilfield of Washington Performing Arts and Chase Rynd, executive director of the National Building Museum.
Ambassador of Oman Hunaina Sultan Al Mughairy and Ambassador of Germany Emily Haber.
PHOTO: SHANNON FINNEY
William Vogelpohl of Cigna Healthcare, Mary Vogelpohl and Ken Woodcock.
Ambassador of Kosovo Vlora Çitaku and guest. Mari Louise Avery, John Collins and Tammie Collins.
Jutta Lewis, Julie Tucker and Margaret Stromecki of MITRE.
Sasha Toperich, senior executive vice president of the Transatlantic Leadership Network; Lena Argiri, D.C. correspondent for the Greece Broadcasting Network; Ambassador of the European Union Stravos Lambrinidis; and Michael Haltzel, chairman of the board of the Transatlantic Leadership Network, at tend a dinner at the Army Navy Club to celebrate the newly established think tank, which will focus on issues affecting the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. Transatlantic Leadership Network Dinner
Qatar Sports Day
On Feb. 7, D.C. athletes and dignitaries teamed up to encourage kids to make healthier lifestyle choices during Qatar Sports Day at the Ronald Reagan Building and Inter national Trade Center. Qatari Ambassador Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani welcomed more than 350 Washington-area students for the event, dubbed “Futbol Meets Football.”
The Washington Redskins, D.C. United, Washington Spirit and the National Children’s Museum joined forces with the embassy for the second annual Qatari celebra tion. Students also learned about Qatari culture through a special exhibit with virtual reality headsets simulat ing the inside of Lusail Stadium, one of the venues being built to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Washington Spirits players attend the Qatar Sports Day celebration. Washington Redskins kicker Dustin Hopkins and alum Kedric Golston. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ambassador of Qatar Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani. DC Public School students visit the Qatari cultural exhibit. Students participate in soccer and football workshops, including obstacle courses, a quarterback toss workshop and field goal-kicking lessons. Ambassador of Qatar Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani and Mohammed Saadon Al Kuwari, the FIFA World Cup 2022 representative, high-five during a game of pickup soccer at the Qatar Sports Day celebration. Brian Mitchell, Ibtihaj Muhammed, Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Doug Williams. PHOTOS: NICK KLEIN
Esther Coopersmith’s 90th Birthday Party
Members of Congress, ambassadors, Supreme Court justices, friends and family gathered recently to celebrate the 90th birthday of Esther Coopersmith, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, UNESCO goodwill ambassador and one of Washington’s most well-known hostesses, who has been bringing politicians and presidents of all stripes together for decades.
“Welcome to Esther Coopersmith’s rst annual 90th birthday,” joked her son Je ery, who was joined by Coopersmith’s two other children, Jonathan and Connie, along with her grandchil dren at her Kalorama residence for the event.
Je ery said that his mother discovered that “the key to a long and happy life is to connect with people around the world.”
As a testament to her many connections, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made a surprise visit to the dinner, where she praised Coopersmith’s “encyclope dic knowledge of leaders of the world” and her ability to bring people together, noting that she hosted the entire House freshman class once under President Obama. “We all feel part of your family,” Pelosi said.
“For Esther Coopersmith, bipartisanship is not an aberration, but a brand,” her son Je ery said.
On that note, Pelosi was joined at the head table by Pat Roberts, the longtime Republican senator from Kan sas, who quipped that he’s been waiting for someone like Coopersmith who could put him next to the Democratic speaker of the House for his next Christmas card. “I’ve been here for some years…. I came in with President Coolidge,” Roberts said, eliciting more laughter from the audience. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who has been able to bring together more people,” he concluded, calling Coopersmith the “most gracious person, the nicest person, most wonderful person — she’s just an absolute joy.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) makes a surprise visit.
At left, Diana Villiers Negroponte and Ambassador of Jordan Dina Kawar.
Janet Pitt, left, and friends and family join Esther Coopersmith as she blows out the candles on her 90th birthday cake.
Former U.S. Protocol Chief Capricia Marshall and Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce and recently appointed Ambassador of Austria Martin Weiss.
Joanna Hare and her husband Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Esther Coopersmith is joined by her grandchildren.
Diplomatic Spotlight
New Ambassadors at Meridian
On Jan. 15, the Meridian International Center hosted 12 recently credentialed ambassa dors from Angola, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union, Honduras, Iceland, Latvia, Panama, Somalia, Switzerland, Timor-Leste and Ukraine.
PHOTOS: JESSICA LATOS
At left, a group of recently credentialed ambassadors pose with Meridian International Center President and CEO Stuart Holliday, center.
Ambassador of Panama Juan Ricardo De Dianous greets Ambassador of Timor-Leste Isilio Coelho, Ambassador of Somalia Ali Sharif Ahmed and Ambassador of Honduras Maria Dolores Agüero Lara.
Ambassador of Ukraine Volodymyr Yelchenko shakes hands with Austrian Ambassador Martin Weiss.
Politico CEO Patrick Steel, his wife Lee Satterfield of the Meridian International Center, Debbie Meadows and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.).
U.S. Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper and Ambassador of Somalia Ali Sharif Ahmed.
Bunmi Fajusigbe of Chevron and Michael Serwadda of 3M.
March 2020
Ray Mahmood, Shaista Mahmood, Janet Blanchard and Jim Blanchard of DLA Piper.
Former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce (R-Calif.) greets Ambassador of Somalia Ali Sharif Ahmed.
Ambassador of European Union Stavros Lambrinidis, U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, Adrienne Arsht, Meridian CEO and President Stuart Holliday and former Rep. Bart Gordon (R-Tenn.).
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Marie Kasperek of the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown, Ambassador of Switzerland Jacques Pitteloud and NBC News’s Abigail Williams.
Ambassador of Ukraine Volodymyr Yelchenko and Daman Irby, director of operations at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. Silbi Stainton, Holidae Hayes and Loran Aiken.
Future of Work 2.0
The Institute of Education (IFE) hosted an evening salon on the “Future of Work 2.0” at the Embassy of Singapore, where Singaporean Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri was joined by Estonian Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov and OMB Deputy Director Margaret Weichert to discuss the promise and perils of 21st-century work and learning.
Weichert said that “workforce transformation is the societal transformation of our time,” pointing out that as the largest employer in North America, the federal government should build a climate that puts “people in the middle of everything we do.”
The ambassadors of Singapore and Estonia talked about how their countries use technology to bene t their citizens, who receive a digital identi cation at birth that allows them to digitally engage in education, elections, e-commerce and banking.
Both envoys also stressed the importance of digital literacy to help people succeed in a 21st-century workforce. Mirpuri noted that “when you graduate with a technology de gree, it’s already out of date. People need to embrace a lifelong learning culture.”
“The trick,” Vseviov said, “is to create a more egalitarian education system so that no one is disadvantaged and left behind.” R. David Edelman, director of the Project on Technology, the Economy, & National Security at MIT, gives remarks. Cyrus Sethna of the United State Digital Service at the White House; Kristen Honey, innovator in residence at the Department of Health and Human Services; White House Presidential Innovation Fellow Rana Saad; and Maria Dayton, impact fellow with Singularity University.
Coach Kathy Kemper, founder and CEO of the Institute for Education; Ambassador of Singapore Ashok Mirpuri; moderator Nina Bianchi of the White House IT Modernization Centers of Excellence; Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Margaret Weichert; and Ambassador of Estonia Jonatan Vseviov.
Anil Cheriyan, director and deputy commissioner of technology transformation services for the U.S. government, and coach Kathy Kemper.
Jared Koch and Fatima Al-Dosari of the Qatar American Institute.
Frank Reyes of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
