2010 Events Jan-Apr

Translation:
Deutsche Version

Archives of Selected Past Events Jan-Apr 2010

Ambassador Murphy on Financial Reform at the Hertie School of Governance

April 28, 2010. Ambassador Murphy gave the keynote address at a Hertie School program on financial reform. The podium discussion, moderated by Professor Henrik Enderlein and featuring Professor Hans-Helmut Kotz, Rainer Rauleder and Frank Mattern, focused primarily on banking issues in the context of the financial crisis and the situation in Greece. Full Story »
Rereading Mark Twain: Traveler - Writer - Social Critic

April 23, 2010. The year 2010 marks the 175th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth and the 100th anniversary of his death – a reason to take a closer look at a writer who is still widely read and quoted daily around the world. Full Story »
Ambassador Murphy and MdB Wellmann visit the Herrmann-Ehlers-Gymnasium in Berlin-Steglitz

April 20, 2010. Ambassador Murphy and Karl-Georg Wellmann, Member of the German Parliament, visited the Herrmann-Ehlers-Gymnasium in Berlin-Steglitz and met with a group of 40 students. Full Story »
Ambassador Murphy Outlines U.S. Roadmap to Recovery at Hannover Fair

April 19, 2010. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy opened the American Business Center (ABC) at Germany’s largest industrial fair and delivered the keynote address at the Global Business and Markets Opening Ceremony at a panel with Dr. Werner Schnappauf, Managing Director of the Federation of the German Industry (BDI) as well as Fred Irwin, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany. The American Business Center is an innovative pilot project of the U.S. Commercial Service to help U.S. small businesses explore the export market in Germany and beyond. In his speech, Ambassador Murphy highlighted the importance of energy and environment in President Obama’s economic strategy as well as the President’s National Export Initiative. He also singled out Mission Germany’s efforts to enter into a dialog with German government and industry, identifying areas for cooperation and possible synergies that benefit both American and German companies. More on Trade & Commerce »
Exhibit opening and performance by American artist Mira O’Brien

at Vierter Stock Projektraum (Schererstr. 10) on Saturday, April 17 at 7 p.m. Exhibition: April 18th - May 6th 2010 Vierter Stock Projektraum »
Theater: BURIED CHILD by SAM SHEPARD

BURIED CHILD (Pulitzer prize for best drama) is a macabre look at an American Midwestern family with a dark, terrible secret. The father stopped planting crops in his fields and took to smoking, drinking and watching TV. His wife, apparently seeking salvation, turned to religion. Her son went insane with guilt and grief, spent time in jail and only recently returned to the farm, perhaps to set everything right. With the arrival of the estranged grandson and his girlfriend, Shelly, the secret is drawn out into the light of day, and the family curse apparently lifted. A co-production of ENGLISH THEATRE BERLIN and 7 STAGES THEATER, Atlanta (GA) 15 - 18 April / 20 - 24 April / 27 - 30 April / 1 + 2 May For times and tickets »
Federation of German-American Clubs Award Federal Chancellor Merkel the General Lucius D. Clay Medal

March 24, 2010. Chancellor Angela Merkel invited Federation of German-American Clubs (FGAC) President, Annette Thor, a delegation of FGAC chairpersons and Ambassador Murphy to the Chancellery, where she was officially presented with the 2009 Lucius D. Clay Medal. Chancellor Merkel thanked the FGAC and commended the clubs' sixty-year commitment to building and maintaining the German-American partnership. Ambassador Murphy congratulated the Chancellor and described her a "rock in the transatlantic relationship." Chancellor Merkel received the award for her commitment to promoting freedom and democracy. As the first Chancellor from the former GDR, there could not have been a worthier recipient for the Lucius D. Clay Medal in the year of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. Federation of German-American Clubs (FGAC) »
Teacher training seminar: Mark Twain

The Embassy of the United States of America in cooperation with LISUM cordially invites you to participate in a teacher training seminar on Mark Twain. Full Event Listing »
Ambassador Hosts Passover Seder

March 23, 2010. Ambassador Murphy had the privilege of hosting a Seder dinner at his home, in advance of the Jewish feast of Passover, which celebrates spring and the journey from slavery to freedom. The guests included prominent individuals of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths who welcomed the opportunity to share in this beautiful tradition together. Rabbi Andrew Baker of the American Jewish Committee led the Seder and explained the meaning behind the foods traditionally served at a Seder - such as bitter herbs, shank-bone and eggs. Wonderful musical accompaniment and explanations of the music were provided by Cantor Jerome Barry, a classically trained singer who also founded the Embassy Series concerts in Washington, DC. Guests and Ambassador Murphy's children asked many questions about the traditions and read aloud parts of the Haggadah, or religious text that sets out the order of the Passover Seder. The diverse guests appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the commonalities between their faiths and to welcome spring together.
Energy Security: Press Roundtable with Special Envoy Morningstar

March 23, 2010. Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy Ambassador Richard Morningstar met with journalists to discuss the current state of energy security in Europe and Central Asia. In Berlin to address the 2nd annual German American Energy Conference, Ambassador Morningstar reported that the U.S. is eager to increase cooperation with Europe on energy issues. Morningstar called on Germany and its European partners to continue their support for new pipelines and diversification efforts across the continent, and stressed that a variety of tools—pipelines, interconnectors, new technologies, and more efficient use of energy—will be required to provide energy security for Eurasia in the future. Though he conceded the path towards energy security will be a long one, Ambassador Morningstar expressed confidence that success would not only benefit Europe, but would also positively impact countries around the world, including the United States.
Ambassador and Mrs. Murphy Honor Embassy’s First Green Ambassadors

March 19, 2010. Ambassador and Mrs. Murphy presented certificates to 32 dynamic young German exchange program alumni who have agreed to serve as Green Ambassadors, and thanked them for their deep commitment to the environment. Full Story »
Mark Twain Lecture Series

These two events are part of the Mark Twain Lecture Series – Celebrating the 175th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth and the 100th anniversary of his death. Full Story »
Author Kati Marton on book tour in Germany

March 24, 2010. Ambassador Philip Murphy hosted an event in honor of Kati Marton. Kati Marton, author of seven highly acclaimed books and an award-winning journalist, is visiting Germany to present two of her recently published books: the German translation of The Great Escape, translated as Die Flucht der Genies, which was released this month by Eichborn Verlag, and Enemies of the People, recently published in the U.S. by Simon & Schuster. Full Story »
Ambassador Davies delivered opening remarks at the Berliner Colloquium 2010

March 17, 2010. U.S. Permanent Representative to the IAEA Ambassador Glyn Davies delivered the opening remarks at the annual Berliner Colloquium 2010 hosted by the German Federal College for Security Studies (Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik) and the Clausewitz society. Full Story »
U.S. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy Meets with CSU Bundestag Caucus

March 17, 2010. In a meeting with CSU Caucus Chair Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrichs and CSU members of parliament, U.S. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy thanked the CSU for its excellent cooperation with the U.S. Consulate General in Munich and reinforced Bavaria’s political and economic importance for the U.S. Ambassador Murphy and the CSU Caucus exchanged views on Afghanistan, data privacy, health care and the economic crisis. The CSU Caucus and the U.S. Embassy in Berlin promised to intensify their ties and pursue an ongoing dialogue on matters of mutual interest. CSU press release »
Martin Cruz Smith reads from his Arkady Renko Novel "Three Stations"

March 15, 2010. On the occasion of the Leipzig Book Fair 2010, Ambassador Murphy and Dr. Johannes Beermann, Chief of the State Chancellery and State Minister of Saxony, opened a reading by best-selling author Martin Cruz Smith at the Representation of the Free State of Saxony in Berlin. Full Story »
Ambassador Murphy Visits BWK BildungsWerk in Kreuzberg

March 12, 2010. Ambassador and Mrs. Murphy, together with Turkish Ambassador Ali Ahmet Acet and Turkish Consul General Mustafa Pulat, visited the BildungsWerk Kreuzberg vocational training center in Berlin. BildungsWerk Founder and director, Mr. Nihat Sorgeç led the group on an extensive tour of the center's training and educational facilities. Guests observed trainees in the metalworking, floral, tailoring and hairdressing departments, and Ambassador Murphy and Ambassador Acet answered a number of questions asked by the students participating in a media training program for immigrants. More »
Connectivity – Creativity – Collaboration – Curiosity – Community

March 11, 2010. Michael Stephens spoke at the US Embassy in Berlin about new social networking tools. As in his Tametheweb blog, Stephens' main message was that by extending connectivity, encouraging creativity, supporting collaboration, and stimulating curiosity, libraries and other institutions can build new communities. The challenging part is adopting tools that meet the same standards of transparency and trust as more traditional methods of communication. Tametheweb »
United States Serious about Data Privacy, DHS Privacy Officer Assures

March 11, 2010. Mary Ellen Callahan, the Chief Privacy Officer at the Department of Homeland Security, visited Berlin as part of a tour of European capitals to meet with counterparts to discuss transatlantic law enforcement data sharing and privacy protections. Full Story »
Native Americans to visit Paul-Natorp-Gymnasium in Berlin-Friedenau

March 11, 2010. Representatives from the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Eastern band of Cherokee Indians visited the Paul-Natorp Gymnasium in Berlin-Friedenau to present Native American culture and talk to eighty 12th grade students of the school. Full Story »
Ambassador Murphy Honors Arthur F. Burns Fellowship Candidates and Alumni

March 6, 2010. Ambassador Murphy hosted a reception in honor of current Arthur F. Burns Fellowship program candidates and alumni who have participated in this prestigious program over the past 22 years. Full Story »
Health Care Reform in the United States: Challenges and Opportunities

March 5, 2010. On Friday, the second Edward Kennedy Memorial Lecture took place at the Museum THE KENNEDYS. Full Story »
Mrs. Murphy Visits High School in Berlin-Neukoelln

March 1, 2010. Tammy Murphy, wife of U.S. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy, visited the Ernst-Abbe-Gymnasium in Berlin-Neukoelln for a discussion with a 13th grade English class about the United States. Full Story »