In Focus
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Addressing the Nuclear Threat: Fulfilling the Promise of Prague at the L’Aquila Summit
President Barack Obama at the G8 summit in Italy
July 8, 2009. Today, the G8 leaders endorsed the strategy that President Obama had presented in Prague and released a statement that is moving toward a world without nuclear weapons and strengthening the non-proliferation treaty. press release
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News from the Embassy |
United States Celebrates Its 233rd Birthday July 4
On July 3, the U.S. Embassy held its traditional Independence Day reception at the American Academy. More than 1,000 guests enjoyed live music, American food, and the fireworks over the Wannsee (video).
July 4th has been recognized as Independence Day in the United States ever since the country’s Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Americans celebrate with parades, fireworks, concerts and other festive activities.
More background information at america.gov | About the USA | Message from President Obama
Berlin Poetry Festival Focuses on American Writers
 June 27-July 5. Poets and poetry from the United States were featured at the 10th Poetry Festival Berlin organized by the Literaturwerkstatt Berlin and hosted by the Berlin Academy of the Arts. Cultural Attaché Peter R. Claussen joined the organizers and Pulitzer Prize winner Rita Dove in presenting welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony. The Friday evening audience of 200-300 poetry fans seemed surprised to learn that President Obama had hosted a Poetry Jam at the White House. U.S. participants, including former American poet laureate Rita Dove, participated in various workshops and panel discussions throughout the weeklong event with poets from around the world. The U.S. Independence Day, July 4th, became “America Poetry Day,” featuring Dove and other American writers like Christian Hawkey, Claudia Keelan, Sherwin Bitsui in readings and workshops, culminating in a late night concert with Saul Williams and Ed Torres. The Poetry Festival drew well over 10,000 visitors, making it Europe’s largest event celebrating the poetic arts. In its tenth anniversary year it has become a landmark in Berlin’s cultural scene. www.literaturwerkstatt.org
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder speaks at Transatlantic Forum
July 1, 2009. In his keynote speech at the Transatlantic Forum conference in Berlin, Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder, the United States Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels, underlined the importance of the transatlantic partnership in confronting global challenges. The Maleki Group and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) hosted this year’s Transatlantic Forum in close cooperation with the U.S. Embassy, the American Academy in Berlin, the Robert Bosch Foundation and the International Bankers Forum. Chargé d’Affaires John M. Koenig welcomed the more than 200 German and American leaders from government, business and academia who convened in Berlin to discuss key foreign, security and economic issues. Other U.S. speakers included Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter, the Director of Policy Planning, United States Department of State, Gary Smith, the Director of the American Academy Berlin, William Drozdiak, the President of the American Council on Germany, and Ambassador John C. Kornblum, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the conference, the Chargé hosted a reception at the Embassy. Transatlantic Forum Program
Videos: Daalder Press Conference | tagesschau, 17:00 Uhr | tagesschau, 02:10 Uhr
June 30: Anne-Marie Slaughter on Foreign Policy Priorities of the Obama Administration
Chargé d’Affaires Koenig praises German-American relations
 Juni 25, 2009. In the wake of Chancellor Merkel’s departure for Washington, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. John Koenig rejected in a live interview with Deutschlandfunk media reports which claim that President Obama’s relationship with Chancellor Merkel was tense. Koenig described such reports as “inventions of the media” and pointed out how both the President and the Chancellor had clearly stated that relations are good. Referring to the financial crisis, Koenig said the common interest and goals are more important than the differences. “The good relationship with Germany is a good condition for discussions,” he said. Koenig expressed optimism that a post-Kyoto agreement can be reached, emphasizing that it is important to be realistic and to include threshold countries. “There will be no solution without emerging countries,” he said. On Afghanistan, he expressed his condolences to the families of the three German soldiers killed near Kunduz and emphasized that “we must act together and do what the situation requires” to protect our countries against terrorist threats. Interview: Text | Audio
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