Blog Feed: David Huebner - US Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa

One of the challenges I face as Ambassador is representing to Kiwis who have not yet been there the vast size of the United States and the great diversity of our people, landscape, culture, and politics. I am often surprised when I hear folks discuss

EMBASSY WELLINGTON OPENS DIGITAL STUDIO

Published on 2013-03-09 17:00:59

One of the highlights of last week was the opening of our new Digital Studio, located in what was the Embassy’s library for the past 40 years. Fully outfitted with alternate sets, full-wall green screen, and high-grade digital equipment, the s

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL OHIO

Published on 2013-03-07 04:00:54

In this installment of my travel series we highlight the great State of Ohio, which I have visited and enjoyed many times. I remember with particular fondness a family roadtrip across the State when I was eight years old, en route to see an Army b

SECRETARY KERRY TO PRESENT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE AWARDS

Published on 2013-03-04 19:18:40

On Friday, March 8th, to commemorate International Women’s Day, Secretary John Kerry will honor 10 extraordinary women with the Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award. First Lady Michelle Obama will join the Secretary and

WELCOME TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Published on 2013-03-01 23:32:27

This 12th installment in my series of articles about great American colleges and universities returns to my home State to highlight one of the most esteemed educational institutions in the United States and indeed the world, Leland Stanford Junior U

2010 TOP TEN

Published on 2013-02-27 07:23:12

Thank you to readers who sent messages about the 2012 Top Ten list that I posted a couple months ago. I always welcome comments and other feedback, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading your impressions of the year gone by. I was also pleasantly surpri

THE AMBASSADOR’S FUND FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION AWARDS GRANT IN SAMOA

Published on 2013-02-25 20:53:00

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Samoa was presenting an Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) grant to Galumalemana Steve Percival, Director of the Tiapapata Art Center. A charitable trust promoting traditional and contempor

LE SO’OFAU O LE POTO MA LE FAAUTAUTA … TRANSFORMING INTELLIGENCE INTO GOOD JUDGMENT

Published on 2013-02-22 15:00:31

One of the absolute highlights of our recent Future Leaders of the Pacific Conference was the presence of His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi, the Head of State of Samoa. Accompanied by his charming wife, Her Highness Masiofo Fili

FUTURE LEADERS OF THE PACIFIC CONVENE IN PAGO PAGO

Published on 2013-02-20 00:33:22

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting our inaugural Future Leaders of the Pacific Conference (#FPL13) in Pago Pago, American Samoa. Conceived here at the Embassy as a youth version of the annual Pacific Islands Forum of heads of government, the

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL COLORADO

Published on 2013-02-15 22:41:30

In this installment of my series of insider guides to great locations to visit in the United States we visit the glorious State of Colorado. Our tour guide is my Embassy colleague Libbie Wride, who will highlight great things to see and do in ou

CORNWALL PARK MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF U.S. HOSPITAL

Published on 2013-02-12 22:57:56

Last year was the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the US Marines and Army to New Zealand during WWII. Scattered around the North Island are reminders of the positive effect their presence had on both the people and the country. Our Consul General

THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE: IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH INNOVATIVE DIPLOMACY

Published on 2013-02-09 19:09:40

One of the most interesting efforts I’ve encountered as Ambassador is the Global Partnership Initiative, launched by former Secretary Clinton in 2009 as part of the Department’s commitment to deploying new tools and approaches of 21st Cen

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Published on 2013-02-04 19:00:51

This 11th installment in my series of articles about great American universities brings us to a place I haven’t discussed previously, the “Show Me State” of Missouri, near the geographic center of the continental U.S. The Universi

JOHN KERRY SWORN IN AS 68th SECRETARY OF STATE

Published on 2013-01-31 15:54:04

Just before 4:00 p.m. today, Friday, February 1st, Senator John Kerry was sworn in as America’s 68th Secretary of State. The oath was administered by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan in the hearing room of the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela

SECRETARY CLINTON DELIVERS POWERFUL VALEDICTORY

Published on 2013-01-30 21:30:23

A special highlight of my time as Ambassador has been getting to know and working with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. A tenacious advocate of innovation and inclusion, she has remolded the Department and refocused American policy in power

DOING ONE’S PART TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Published on 2013-01-27 11:46:52

Among many highlights, perhaps the most moving and meaningful element of last week’s Inauguration for me was watching President Obama swear the oath of office on the personal Bibles of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. as we beg

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL VIRGINIA

Published on 2013-01-25 17:07:55

This installment in my series of insider guides to great locations to visit in the United States brings us to one of the original 13 American Colonies, the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our tour guide today is my Embassy colleague Corey Crane. His artic

AT THE 57th INAUGURATION DAY, PART 2

Published on 2013-01-22 17:45:50

Just as it was four years ago, Inauguration Day was exhilarating, uplifting, and moving in ways difficult to describe. I haven’t yet found adjectives to capture what it’s like to stand amidst a crowd of a million cheering people, or to se

AT THE 57th INAUGURATION DAY

Published on 2013-01-20 14:50:38

Dr. McWaine and I are in Washington today to join hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens and visitors from around the world to witness on the National Mall the grand transfer (or confirmation) of executive power that occurs when an American Pre

TERISA TINEI SIAGATONU, WHITE HOUSE CHAMPION OF CHANGE

Published on 2013-01-17 14:35:47

A few months ago the White House named Terisa Tinei Siagatonu a “Champion of Change” along with eight other Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders and organizations. Created as part of President Obama’s “Winning the F

COMMEMORATING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY

Published on 2013-01-14 20:22:56

As I’ve written previously, freedom of religion is enshrined at the core of America’s civic consensus along with freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. Promoting and protecting religious freedom is one of our foreign policy objectives.

WELCOME TO COOPER UNION

Published on 2013-01-10 20:41:51

The subject of this 10th installment of my series of articles about great universities in the United States is Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Located in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, Cooper Union is unique in pa

THANK YOU, WAYNE FRAMPTON

Published on 2013-01-07 20:57:47

One of the pleasures of my job as Ambassador is regularly encountering interesting people doing interesting and often uplifting things. While rifling files this week during my usual January spring-cleaning, I rediscovered a letter that I received

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL IOWA

Published on 2013-01-04 17:25:28

This installment in my series of insider guides to great places to visit in the United States focuses on the great State of Iowa, in the American heartland. Our tour guide today, for a second time, is my Embassy colleague David Edginton. Do you recog

2012 TOP TEN, CONTINUED

Published on 2012-12-31 03:51:35

I always wait until the last moment to complete my year-end lists because in this job the unexpected is to be expected. Who knows what the final days of a year will bring? As it’s now almost 11:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, though, I thi

2012 TOP TEN

Published on 2012-12-30 00:56:04

It’s hard to believe, but yet another year is drawing rapidly to a close. As we look ahead to the New Year, it makes sense to reflect on the twelve months gone by, so I thought I’d assemble a list of the efforts in which the American

SELECTING THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY FOR YOU

Published on 2012-12-26 22:34:26

My series of articles about great American universities and colleges has stimulated a dynamic exchange with interested readers. I’ve particularly enjoyed responding to comments and queries inspired by the posts. Perhaps the question I’m a

SHARING BLESSINGS

Published on 2012-12-24 18:06:04

If you’re linked with me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter, you know that our Embassy Marines and I visited Children’s Hospital in Wellington yesterday to distribute a large pile of toys to kids who unfortunately will be spending their C

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM WELLINGTON

Published on 2012-12-23 17:00:02

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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM APIA

Published on 2012-12-23 04:59:15

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NEW PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE FOR SAMOA

Published on 2012-12-21 18:03:48

Thirteen new United States Peace Corps Volunteers were sworn in last week and have taken up residence in various villages across Upolu and Savaii where they will live and work for the next two years. I could not fly up to greet them because of Cyclo

JOINT CALL FOR RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR AT SEA DURING SOUTHERN OCEAN WHALING SEASON

Published on 2012-12-20 19:43:45

Today the Department of State issued the following statement in conjunction with certain of our partners: “The Governments of Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United States jointly condemn any actions that imperil human life at

WELCOME TO HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA

Published on 2012-12-18 22:43:33

This installment in my series of insider guides to wonderful places to visit in the United States focuses on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Authored by our Vice Consul Joseph Bergen, the article relates fond memories of the island he visited as

AND THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR OUTSTANDING AWARD GOES TO … SOHAIL ABDULLA

Published on 2012-12-15 20:38:25

One of my absolute favorite annual events is the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Realise the Dream Awards, which acknowledge and celebrate scientific research and development work undertaken by secondary school students. The students are always

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL UTAH

Published on 2012-12-09 22:37:46

This installment in my series of insider guides to great places to visit in the United States focuses on the great State of Utah, a land of extraordinary beauty. Our tour guide today is a proud Utahan (a.k.a. Utahn), my colleague Chad Berbert, Charg

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR

Published on 2012-12-06 21:53:18

The flags at the Embassy and at other American facilities around the world will fly at half mast today in commemoration of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Since I’m in transit today, what follows is a revised version of my post from Dece

CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF GLIFAA

Published on 2012-12-02 16:13:13

While in Washington on business last week I had the great pleasure of attending a reception in honor of the 20th anniversary of the founding of GLIFAA, which stands for Gays & Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies. Secretary Clinton hosted the event

GLOWing IN SAMOA

Published on 2012-11-29 11:00:33

I’m a big fan of the Peace Corps, and I enjoy hearing about the great work that volunteers are doing around the world. In chatting with a Peace Corps friend recently, I learned that Camp GLOW has reached Samoa’s shores. GLOW stands for &#

HAPPY 237th BIRTHDAY, USMC

Published on 2012-11-25 20:38:55

Each November the U.S. Marine Corps marks the anniversary of its founding with birthday celebrations wherever Marines are stationed around the world. Earlier this month I had the great honor of attending my third Marine Ball as Ambassador. Here in

KIWI FEATHERS

Published on 2012-11-22 13:00:34

I was working my way through a stack of files this morning and was reminded of a recent visit of my distant colleague Dennis Kelly about which I meant to write last month. Unfortunately, the account is second-hand because I was out of town on bus

THE CLINTONS SHOWCASE SAMOA IN NEW YORK

Published on 2012-11-20 19:11:05

Our friends at Women in Business (WIBDI) continue to work hard, achieve great things, and draw much needed attention to economic development and gender equity issues in the Pacific. In the driver’s seat is executive director Adi Tafuna’i, who

WELCOME TO ROLLINS COLLEGE

Published on 2012-11-17 17:14:28

In this 9th installment of my series of articles about great American universities I’ll be highlighting Rollins College, a premier liberal arts school in Winter Park, Florida in the Orlando metro area. Rollins is a gem well worth considering.

USAID PACIFIC ISLANDS DIRECTOR VISITS SAMOA

Published on 2012-11-15 18:00:02

Last month was a busy one for my colleagues in Apia. Among other important activities, they hosted a visit by my friend Dennis Wendel, USAID Pacific Islands Office Director, who traveled to Upolu to investigate ways to strengthen U.S. development e

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL ALASKA

Published on 2012-11-13 19:20:47

This installment in my series of insider guides to extraordinary places to visit in the United States focuses on the great State of Alaska. Written by Foreign Service Officer Erin Robertson (who is currently posted at the American Embassy in Cairo

CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK BY EXPLORING STUDY AND EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE U.S.

Published on 2012-11-12 17:45:47

This week is International Education Week. A joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education, the five-day series of events is held each November to promote the benefits of international study and exchange activities. As usual, Educa

A FEW MORE MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF VOTING IN AMERICA

Published on 2012-11-06 22:54:38

At the close of my blog post yesterday I noted that American democracy is by design a living, breathing work-in-progress, and that there were likely to be more electoral milestones ahead. Yesterday’s elections certainly didn’t disappoin

MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF VOTING IN AMERICA

Published on 2012-11-05 23:46:03

As an estimated 130 million Americans proceed in an orderly fashion to the polls today, we follow in the footsteps of more than four centuries of forebears who struggled to establish, extend, and defend our right to vote. As we perform our civic d

MUCH TO DECIDE IN TOMORROW’S GRAND EXERCISE OF DEMOCRACY

Published on 2012-11-04 15:05:49

When Americans cast their votes tomorrow, the marquee decision will be who serves as the American President for the next four years. The choices, though, will go far beyond President Obama vs. Governor Romney. On this important day on the democrati

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Published on 2012-11-02 11:00:03

While I was in Los Angeles on business a couple weeks ago, I bumped into an enthusiastic lawyer named Christian Keeney who interrogated me about when his alma mater would be featured on my blog. I advised the young Wildcat that his school would be ne

YOUR FIVE STEPS TO STUDYING IN THE UNITED STATES

Published on 2012-10-31 21:41:37

While I was in Washington last week I had a very productive meeting with my friends at the EducationUSA operation at the State Department. I discussed the Embassy’s educational programs and efforts, and my DC colleagues filled me in on a variet

VOTE

Published on 2012-10-30 22:16:45

If you are an American citizen living overseas and have not yet voted, you are almost out of time to cast your ballot. If you don’t want to miss your chance to help select our country’s leaders, you should go to www.FVAP.gov, print your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, and make your selections today. You can determine at [...]

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL ARKANSAS

Published on 2012-10-27 20:29:57

This installment in my series of insider guides to great places to visit in the United States focuses on the great State of Arkansas, which sits along the mighty Mississippi River just north of Louisiana. Our tour guide today is my colleague Dana Deree, a proud Arkansawyer and head of consular operations at our Consulate [...]

IF YOU ARE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, EXERCISE YOUR FRANCHISE

Published on 2012-10-25 15:52:18

Among my core beliefs is that with rights come responsibilities. With the freedom to choose comes the obligation to choose rather than sit back and rely on other folks to do your choosing for you. So, apropos of the season, I suggest the following: If you are an American citizen living abroad and haven’t yet [...]

OPENING ANOTHER ANTARCTIC SEASON

Published on 2012-10-24 09:27:44

A couple weeks ago Dr. McWaine and I participated in one of my favorite annual events, the opening of the new Antarctic season. As usual, I spoke at the evening reception hosted by Antarctica NZ, sat with the Mayor and Mayoress at a diplomatic corps luncheon hosted by the Christchurch City Council, attended a wreath-laying [...]

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

Published on 2012-10-20 17:30:49

In this 7th installment of my series of articles about great American universities, I’d like to talk about the University of Texas at Austin, the public institution previewed briefly in my colleague Jessica’s recent guest post about her hometown of Austin. Like the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, the University of Texas at Austin is the [...]

CREW OF THE COAST GUARD CUTTER WALNUT VISITS SAMATAU PRIMARY SCHOOL

Published on 2012-10-18 17:51:52

Our friends from the U.S. Coast Guard visit Samoa regularly as part of their navigation infrastructure, fisheries, search-and-rescue, and security work. Earlier this month my colleague Chad sent me a few photos taken during the most recent visit by the U.S Coast Guard Cutter Walnut. You might remember the Walnut from prior posts because that [...]

OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IN APIA WINS 2012 INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE AWARD

Published on 2012-10-15 10:22:59

As my Samoan friends know, a couple years ago we had to rebuild our official Residence in Apia because the old wooden structure had been irremediably damaged over many years by rot and insects. A decision was made to use concrete and steel so that the new structure would be durable, environmentally sensible, easier and cheaper [...]

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL NEW MEXICO

Published on 2012-10-11 21:34:13

This installment in my series of insider guides to wonderful places to visit in the United States focuses on the great State of New Mexico. Written by our New Zealand & Samoa Desk Officer at State Department headquarters, the article below provides personal insights and travel tips about our vibrant, diverse, and stunningly beautiful 47th State. [...]

2012 CONNECTING YOUNG LEADERS CONFERENCE CONVENES IN AUCKLAND

Published on 2012-10-09 23:55:30

Last weekend I participated in one of those events that keeps me jumping out of bed in the morning to go to work. I was in Auckland with 50 of my university student advisers from around New Zealand for our 2nd biennial Connecting Young Leaders Conference, at which we spent a couple of days discussing policy, [...]

UNDER-SECRETARY TARA SONENSHINE PROVIDES UPDATE ON 21st CENTURY STATECRAFT

Published on 2012-10-08 22:12:02

A few months ago while in Washington, D.C. for consultations with colleagues at the State Department and other agencies, I met with our new Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Tara Sonenshine. Having held senior positions in both communications and government, the Under Secretary is well-suited to her current role. Among other [...]

#300, OR WHY “TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG” IS NO LONGER THE QUESTION

Published on 2012-10-06 20:39:00

I’m sitting on an airplane on my way back from Auckland after a great weekend at our biennial Connecting Young Leaders conference which brings together my student advisers from around the country for a couple days of networking, leadership training, and policy discussions. As the plane heads southward, I’m staring at a blank screen and [...]

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA

Published on 2012-10-02 17:00:44

Welcome to the 6th installment of my series on great American universities and how to navigate our extensive, highly diverse system of higher education. Today I’ll be highlighting the University of Hawaii campus at Mānoa. The University of Hawai’i (“UH”) is an excellent example of the American phenomenon known as a “university system,” which is an [...]

THE EMBASSY ESTABLISHES NEW “REALISE THE DREAM” SCIENCE AWARD FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Published on 2012-09-27 07:14:12

I am delighted to announce that the Embassy will begin participating in the annual Realise the Dream science competition by establishing the American Ambassador Outstanding Award. Realise the Dream is a national event sponsored by Genesis Energy and the Royal Society of New Zealand which acknowledges and celebrates the finest scientific research and technology development undertaken [...]

AMERICAN CITIZENS: BE SURE TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT (THERE’S A REQUEST DEADLINE APPROACHING)

Published on 2012-09-26 21:38:26

With the election season upon us, I want to encourage my fellow Americans in New Zealand and Samoa to vote. Though you may not live in the United States, you have the right to make your voice heard by submitting an absentee ballot. Even if you have never lived in the United States, you may [...]

PRESIDENT OBAMA ADDRESSES THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Published on 2012-09-25 01:32:32

Culminating a process initiated and driven by American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II, the United Nations came into being at the end of 1945. Comprising all 193 member States, the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) is the U.N.’s main deliberative and policy-making body. It meets each year in regular session from September through December, and [...]

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL MAINE

Published on 2012-09-22 01:53:40

This installment in my series of insider guides to great places to visit in the United States focuses on the State of Maine, a stunningly beautiful, diverse outdoor vacation land at the top of New England. The author is one of the Embassy’s summer interns this year, Sarah Flewelling, who hails from the center of our great [...]

WELCOME TO SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

Published on 2012-09-17 07:34:38

Welcome to the 5th installment in my series on American educational institutions. Thus far I’ve talked mostly about large universities, but the United States also contains hundreds of superb liberal arts colleges which can be excellent choices for international students. We call those tertiary schools “colleges” because they primarily offer undergraduate degrees in arts and sciences and don’t [...]

FALLEN COLLEAGUES RETURN HOME

Published on 2012-09-13 07:26:54

Earlier today at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, other senior officials, and the families of the fallen met the airplane bearing home the remains of our four colleagues — Ambassador [...]

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND SECRETARY CLINTON SPEAK ABOUT THE ATTACK ON THE BENGHAZI CONSULATE

Published on 2012-09-13 00:18:12

It has been a busy, very difficult day across the State Department, our diplomatic Missions abroad, and other U.S. Government facilities and agencies. We have grieved for our four murdered colleagues while moving to respond in various ways to the outrageous, cowardly attack on our Benghazi Consulate that claimed their lives. As Secretary Clinton said [...]

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION BACKGROUND BRIEFING TO UPDATE RECENT EVENTS IN LIBYA

Published on 2012-09-12 20:07:17

Below is a transcript of a teleconference to update journalists on events of the past 36 hours in Benghazi. * * * BACKGROUND BRIEFING Senior Administration Officials To Update Recent Events in Libya September 12, 2012 Via Teleconference SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ONE: Thank you, Operator, and thanks to all of our journalists for joining us [...]

STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF AMERICAN PERSONNEL IN BENGHAZI, LIBYA

Published on 2012-09-12 07:24:21

Early this morning Secretary Clinton released the following statement regarding the tragic events of yesterday in Benghazi, Libya. * * * Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Washington, DC September 12, 2012 It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the death of four American personnel in Benghazi, Libya yesterday. Among them [...]

REMEMBERING 9/11

Published on 2012-09-10 07:03:40

Like other Americans and our friends around the world, today the Embassy paused in silence to mourn the loss of the thousands of people murdered in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania eleven years ago today, and to commemorate the courage and selflessness of those who rushed to respond to the attacks, in many cases at [...]

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL OREGON

Published on 2012-09-09 01:19:42

This installment in my series of insider guides to great places to visit in the United States focuses on the State of Oregon, a natural wonderland just north of California in America’s Pacific Northwest. The author is my public affairs officer David Edginton, who himself hails from the Beaver State (a nickname adopted by Oregonians [...]

AT THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM WITH SECRETARY CLINTON

Published on 2012-09-03 09:02:33

As you know from my tweets and instagrams, I had the great pleasure of spending last week on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands for the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). For me, the highlight of the trip came Thursday evening when Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna, his Cabinet, dozens of performers, Dr. McWaine, and [...]

GODSPEED, NEIL ARMSTRONG

Published on 2012-08-30 17:06:28

Today one of the most iconic explorers in human history was laid to rest during a private ceremony in his home state of Ohio. In attendance to bid Neil Armstrong farewell was a small group of family and friends including his Apollo 11 crewmates Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins as well as John Glenn, the [...]

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Published on 2012-08-28 06:34:28

Welcome to this 4th installment in my series of articles about American universities. I have already talked about an elite Ivy League university in the northeast (Harvard), a flagship public university in the midwest heartland (Iowa), and a highly internationalized private university in the southwest (Southern California). Today I thought I’d travel up the Pacific [...]

WELCOME TO AUSTIN, Y’ALL

Published on 2012-08-24 07:40:18

This installment in my series of insider guides to wonderful places to visit in the United States focuses on Austin, capital of the great State of Texas. The author is my new public diplomacy officer Jessica Rowland, who just arrived in New Zealand last week from Hermosillo, Mexico. (Jessica is relatively new to the State [...]

SECRETARY CLINTON RELEASES INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT FOR 2011

Published on 2012-08-21 22:34:23

Many of the earliest European settlers to reach the eastern seaboard of North America were religious refugees, some of whom created religious restrictions in the colonies that they founded. To guarantee religious freedom in the new nation formed after the Revolutionary War, our founders drafted the U.S. Constitution to prohibit religious tests for holding public office, [...]

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Published on 2012-08-17 17:24:25

This week’s installment in my series of articles about leading American universities focuses on the University of Southern California (a.k.a. USC or Southern Cal), located in my hometown of Los Angeles. Although I did not attend USC as a student myself, I have a bit of an insider’s perspective on this great institution. I taught [...]

INTRODUCING JIM DONEGAN

Published on 2012-08-15 21:18:34

It’s rotation season at the Mission as we welcome a new crop of incoming officers. The process started almost a year ago when my new Deputy Chiefs of Mission for Wellington and Apia arrived. More recently I introduced you to our new Political and Economic Counselor, Colin Crosby. The final piece of the reorganization fell [...]

HANGING OUT FOR INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

Published on 2012-08-13 00:25:51

Yesterday was International Youth Day. Established by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1999, International Youth Day is intended to focus attention on improving the status of young folk, including with respect to health, education, substance abuse, conflict resolution, and employment. This year’s theme was Building a Better World: Partnering with Youth, framed as a [...]

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL NEW HAMPSHIRE

Published on 2012-08-09 14:30:04

This installment in my series of insider guides to wonderful places to visit in the United States focuses on our great State of New Hampshire. If you enjoyed Adrian Pratt’s personal musings about South Dakota a couple weeks ago, I think you’ll also enjoy my Deputy Chief of Mission’s insights into her very different home [...]

HAWAII-SAMOA PARTNERSHIP TAKES SHAPE

Published on 2012-08-08 14:18:32

Although I was unable to attend myself because of business commitments here in Wellington, I’ve been following developments at the Micronesian Regional Women’s Summit being hosting in Palau this week by my colleagues Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta and Ambassador Helen Reed-Rowe. The Assistant Secretary heads our Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs, and I [...]

MORE CURIOSITY

Published on 2012-08-07 04:02:49

As noted in yesterday’s post, Curiosity, piloted by NASA engineers, has successfully landed on the surface of Mars. The rover’s two-year mission is to investigate whether conditions on Mars are favorable for microbial life and to seek clues in Martian rocks about possible past life on and beneath the surface of the planet. Launched from Earth [...]

CURIOSITY– A MOMENT IN HISTORY

Published on 2012-08-05 22:54:07

Along with millions of other people around the world, earlier today I followed with excitement a great event on the surface of Mars. I toggled among CNN, Twitter, and a NASA feed, but my good friend Jeff Bleich, the American Ambassador in Canberra, had a more up-close vantage point. Below is his Facebook note about what [...]

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

Published on 2012-07-31 21:22:57

Two weeks ago I talked about the oldest tertiary education institution in the United States, private Ivy League titan Harvard University. This week I thought I’d turn my gaze westward, to a highly regarded public university in our great heartland State of Iowa. The University of Iowa was established in 1847 in Iowa City, located in the southeast region of [...]

THE WAVE CHASERS + TWO FRIENDS FROM APIA EXPLORE THE SAMOAN PASSAGE ON THE GOOD SHIP ROGER REVELLE

Published on 2012-07-28 14:00:59

I doubt that many of my readers have heard about the Samoan Passage. I certainly hadn’t until several weeks ago when I saw the video below. You already know that I’m a science geek, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I was drawn to a story about groundbreaking oceanographic and climate research funded by the [...]

WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL SOUTH DAKOTA

Published on 2012-07-26 00:17:12

Each week I receive several inquiries about places to see and things to do in the United States. With a country so huge and diverse, there is never an easy answer. Plus, although I have lived in several different locations and traveled widely for business and pleasure, I’ve really only seen a small part of [...]

THE EMBASSY WELCOMES COLIN CROSBY

Published on 2012-07-21 17:53:08

I am delighted to welcome Colin Crosby to Embassy Wellington as our new Political/Economic Counselor and head of our Pol-Econ department. Colin is joined by his wife Vivian and their two boys, who tell me that they are looking forward to their new school and making lots of friends in New Zealand. A seasoned veteran [...]

SECRETARY HILLARY CLINTON LAUNCHES WALK-A-MILE OLYMPIC PROGRAM

Published on 2012-07-17 15:57:25

This week Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the launch of Walk A Mile, a global, online ACTIVation platform to promote fitness and tolerance. Inspired by the 2012 Hours Against Hate campaign and the 2012 London Olympic Games, the program uses technology to bring to life the old saying “Don’t judge someone until you’ve [...]

WELCOME TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Published on 2012-07-14 17:30:38

When I speak to students and teachers in New Zealand or Samoa, I almost always get questions about American colleges and universities. The topic is near and dear to my heart, but talking in abstract or general terms can be quite difficult because of the vast number and diversity of choices inherent in the American [...]

TALKING WITH ASTRONAUT STEPHANIE WILSON

Published on 2012-07-11 03:39:51

We were fortunate recently to host our second visit from NASA in little more than a year. In June 2011 we facilitated a speaking tour of schools in Christchurch, Hamilton, and Auckland by the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery. This year we had a dynamic young astronaut – Stephanie Wilson — at the New Zealand International Science Festival and [...]

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT IN THE PACIFIC

Published on 2012-07-07 20:02:58

While digging through archives to prepare for this year’s 70th anniversary commemorations we uncovered a treasure trove of photos, letters, and other historical material from the 1940’s. I thought I’d share today a couple of photos related to a 70th anniversary that we will be commemorating next year. As a back-and-forth battle with the invaders continued in the [...]

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Published on 2012-07-03 17:08:56

Today marks the 236th anniversary of the signing in Philadelphia of the Declaration of Independence by leaders of the American Colonies. More than five years of war ensued as Americans battled attempts by the Crown to reassert its primacy over the will of the people. The date marks an extraordinary exercise of self-determination and the birth [...]

SAMOA’S ADIMAIMALAGA TAFUNA’I RECEIVES VITAL VOICE’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AWARD IN WASHINGTON, DC

Published on 2012-06-30 00:49:01

This past June 6th was a special day for my good friend Adimaimalaga (Adi) Tafuna’i. She was in Washington with seven other extraordinary women from around the world to be honored at this year’s Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards. With a strategic focus, wide array of programs, and deep support from many of the most prominent women in [...]

THE RHYMEBOSOME CEREBROCATALYZES IUVENES

Published on 2012-06-26 22:55:21

Last month I wrote about my friend Tom McFadden … Stanford University brainiac, Fulbright Fellow, biology teacher, and itinerant rapper. AKA The Rhymebosome, Tom has been touring New Zealand, spreading his infectious enthusiasm for science to intermediate and secondary students through raps and rhymes. You may have seen him in the media recently as he hip-hopped [...]

INDEPENDENCE DAY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Published on 2012-06-22 01:29:09

As I previewed at the end of my previous post, we had another wonderful Independence Day reception yesterday evening to commemorate both the 236th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence and the 70th anniversary of the arrival of U.S. servicemen and women in New Zealand after the outbreak of World War II in the [...]

EVEN MORE INDEPENDENCE, SERVICE, AND FRIENDSHIP

Published on 2012-06-20 23:52:46

Mondays are turning into very festive days for us at the Embassy and Consulate General. This past Monday we again threw a party, welcoming more than 400 guests to the stunning Events Centre on the top floor of Auckland War Memorial Museum. Once again we were celebrating the 236th Independence Day of the United States [...]

CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE, SERVICE, AND FRIENDSHIP

Published on 2012-06-17 23:59:08

Last Monday night we welcomed more than 500 guests to Wellington’s historic Town Hall to celebrate both the 236th Independence Day of the United States of America and the 70th anniversary of the arrival of American armed forces to help defend New Zealand and repel the invaders after the outbreak of World War II in the [...]

NEW ZEALAND POST ISSUES STAMPS COMMEMORATING 70th ANNIVERSARY OF U.S. FORCES IN NEW ZEALAND

Published on 2012-06-15 18:27:12

This week New Zealand Post issued a set of stamps commemorating the 70th anniversary of the arrival of American servicemen and women to defend Aotearoa and the South Pacific during World War II. What was known locally as the “friendly invasion” had a significant and very positive impact on life in New Zealand, not only [...]

FROM THE ORAL HISTORY DIARY OF PRIVATE BOB HATCH, US MARINE CORPS, 14 JUNE 1942

Published on 2012-06-14 00:13:42

“Most of us had and had a fair idea where we were going – New Zealand. Of course we weren’t sure until we actually tied up to the wharf. Tying up didn’t take long but there was no liberty. In fact, we could not even get off the ship. So there we were as usual, [...]

70th ANNIVERSARY STAMPS

Published on 2012-06-12 07:10:10

In addition to the coins I mentioned yesterday, we also designed two commemorative stamps as part of our celebration of this year’s significant United States/New Zealand 70th anniversaries. We’ve been using the stamps on our outgoing mail at the Embassy and Consulate General for the past couple of weeks, but I thought I’d share them [...]

70th ANNIVERSARY COINS

Published on 2012-06-11 17:38:59

As part of celebrating the significant United States/New Zealand 70th anniversaries this year we designed and minted a commemorative coin to be gifted to guests at our Independence Day celebrations in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch. The coins debuted yesterday evening at our first such reception, in Wellington’s historic old Town Hall. Of course, the coins [...]

OUTSTANDING WEEK IN SAMOA

Published on 2012-06-08 19:28:05

If you have read my last few blog posts or followed my recent activity on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, you know that I’ve spent the past week in Apia leading the U.S. delegation to Samoa’s 50th Independence Day celebrations. It was a great several days with a wide array of festivities, sports events, concerts, and even [...]

ANCHORS AWEIGH FOR SAMOA’s 50th BIRTHDAY

Published on 2012-06-08 00:31:12

As you know from my prior posts, the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Band came to Samoa all the way from their base in Yokosuka, Japan to help us celebrate Samoa’s 50thIndependence Day. Among the Navy’s finest, the twenty visiting musicians played in numerous concerts, parades, parties, and other events on both Upolu and Savaii islands, [...]

MORE STEP AFRIKA! IN SAMOA

Published on 2012-06-07 05:53:10

I just landed back in Wellington after a hectic week of ceremonies, official functions, speeches, and meetings in Apia in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Western Samoa, now known as the Independent State of Samoa. Before I turn my attention to the mountain of correspondence, memos, and other work that piled [...]

MESSAGE ON THE TWENTY-THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF TIANANMEN SQUARE

Published on 2012-06-03 19:40:12

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence and liberty in Samoa, we should not avert our eyes from the inconvenient truth of other anniversaries. Beginning in April twenty-three years ago, university students organized demonstrations in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to call for political liberalization, freedom of the press, anti-corruption measures, and public accountability of government officials. [...]

MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY CLINTON TO THE PEOPLE OF SAMOA ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

Published on 2012-06-01 13:34:22

I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Samoa as you celebrate a half century of independence this June 1. This is an opportunity to reflect on your decades of progress and the challenges you have overcome as you continue to build a brighter future. For fifty years, the United States and [...]

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA TO THE PEOPLE OF SAMOA ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

Published on 2012-05-31 18:52:34

On behalf of the people of the United States, and as a fellow leader of a Pacific nation, I send my deepest congratulations on the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Samoa. From our cooperation during World War II to our 45 years of Peace Corps interaction, the United States has been pleased to call [...]

STEP AFRIKA IN SAMOA

Published on 2012-05-30 17:51:42

I am delighted with the robust participation of American entertainers at this year’s 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations in Samoa. I am particularly happy that we were able to arrange for Step Afrika, a critically acclaimed group of dancers dedicated to the tradition of stepping, to perform at a number of venues over the week. [...]

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE IN SAMOA

Published on 2012-05-30 15:45:18

Tomorrow will be a great day. I am in Apia, and will be participating in celebrations of the 50thanniversary of the former Western Samoa’s independence from foreign rule. I feel a particular connection to the event because New Zealand was Samoa’s former administrator, and I am officially accredited to both nations. Also, as an American, [...]

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN ON MEMORIAL DAY

Published on 2012-05-27 21:44:20

I very much regret not being able to get back to Wellington from my Washington meetings in time for Memorial Day this year. I had been looking forward to the annual memorial service at Old St Paul’s and the special events in Paekakariki, but flight schedules did not align favorably. Several of my colleagues, including [...]

THE RHYMEBOSOME RAPS SCIENCE

Published on 2012-05-23 22:34:54

One of the many pleasures of my job is bumping into other Americans doing interesting things here in New Zealand. Perhaps my most unique new American acquaintance is Tom McFadden, whom I met last year when he came to Otago University as a Fulbright scholar to pursue a Master’s degree in science communication. Known around [...]

FALCON 9 SUCCESSFULLY LIFTS OFF FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

Published on 2012-05-22 12:08:23

Early this morning I followed with great interest Elon Musk’s tweets re the countdown, launch, and trajectory of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 has successfully carried the Dragon capsule into orbit, and Dragon will dock with the International Space Station on Friday. This is the first private sector mission to the Station, and one [...]

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA

Published on 2012-05-16 22:01:57

The International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is celebrated every May 17th because on that day in 1990 the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of “diseases.” Of course it seems odd that such a step took so long, and in and of itself the delisting has done little or nothing to improve [...]

ner.SECRETARY CLINTON HOSTS STRATEGIC DIALOGUE WITH GLOBAL CIVIL SOCIETY

Published on 2012-05-16 01:10:08

Today Secretary Clinton today hosted a global town hall in Washington to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by non-governmental organizations around the world. The gathering was part of the State Department’s Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society 2012 Summit, which drew civil society representatives from more than 40 countries, joined online by a large number of [...]

REMEMBERING 1942

Published on 2012-05-10 22:11:14

The establishment of formal N.Z.-U.S. diplomatic relations and the arrival of American military forces in Aotearoa in 1942 were events of great historical significance that helped transform the region, but they were also very personal events that directly touched the lives of millions of people. My colleague Laura is a research whiz who has devoted [...]

KIWIS ON MARS

Published on 2012-05-08 23:51:32

If you follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, you probably know that I have a passion for astronomy, science fiction, and science fact, among other interests. In particular, I like things Martian. War of the Worlds, Invaders from Mars, Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, Robinson Crusoe on Mars, and It! The Terror From Beyond [...]

CELEBRATING HULA IN AOTEAROA

Published on 2012-05-06 01:19:20

As you know from a few of my prior posts, Hawai’i is one of my favorite places in the United States. In addition to the natural glories of a tropical paradise, Hawai’i has a rich history as well as vibrant indigenous cultural traditions. In my travels, I have noticed great similarities between Hawaiian and Maori customs and [...]

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2012

Published on 2012-05-03 00:43:55

Last year at this time, I wrote about both the promise of and the peril to a free press. Throughout the Middle East and North Africa journalists, bloggers, filmmakers, and pundits were chronicling the protests sweeping across the region, while citizens armed with nothing but cell phones risked their lives to upload the truth by text, tweet, [...]

ANZAC DAY MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY CLINTON

Published on 2012-04-24 16:11:43

Secretary Clinton today issued the following statement on the occasion of ANZAC Day, as Americans in New Zealand, Australia, Washington, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and elsewhere join with our Kiwi and Aussie friends to commemorate their long history of service and sacrifice. I will march and speak in Carterton, and my Embassy colleagues will participate in events [...]

PRESIDENT APPOINTS GENERAL PATRICK JAY HURLEY AS AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO NEW ZEALAND

Published on 2012-04-24 00:30:08

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as the 21st American Ambassador to New Zealand. It’s been a great honor to serve the American People and President Obama in beautiful Aotearoa, and I’ve been constantly reminded of the importance of the work that diplomats do and have done. Each day on my way from the front door [...]

SECONDARY SCHOOL VIDEO COMPETITION: BRINGING NZ-US HISTORICAL LINKS TO LIFE

Published on 2012-04-23 01:16:48

In collaboration with the New Zealand Defence Force, Archives New Zealand, Auckland War Memorial Museum, and educational resource platform eTV, the Embassy is launching a video history competition for secondary school students to commemorate events in 1942 that changed the world. U.S. Army troop ships began arriving in Auckland on June 12th, 1942, and the Marines [...]

HAPPY EARTH DAY, OR HOW CITIZEN SCIENTISTS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY

Published on 2012-04-21 23:25:12

Today is Earth Day. While researching a couple of ideas for a suitable blog post, I came across an interesting article by Lily Whiteman on the National Science Foundation website about how everyday folks can function as citizen scientists in ways that significantly advance the cause of environmental protection. Lily provides a smart, creative, and eminently [...]

RISING RUGBY STARS FROM LOS ANGELES TOUR NEW ZEALAND

Published on 2012-04-18 15:48:55

We welcomed a very special group of visitors to town last month. Forty students from Los Angeles toured New Zealand for three weeks as part of an American rugby exchange program sponsored by the Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF), on an itinerary that included stops in Auckland, Raglan, Rotorua, Turangi, Wellington, Kaikoura, and Christchurch. ICEF operates [...]

SHRINERS PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO CHILDREN IN SAMOA

Published on 2012-04-15 21:07:07

If you read my blog regularly or have heard me speak in public, you know that I am a partisan of vibrant civil society and people-to-people engagement. Governments like to talk about what they do for each other, in part because those chits are easy to tally, but there is often a more vibrant, extensive, and [...]

NICOLA TOKI STUDIES NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION IN THE U.S.

Published on 2012-04-12 00:35:23

As I wrote back in 2010, one of my favorite State Department programs is the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The IVLP seeks to build mutual understanding between Americans and people from other nations through carefully designed short-term visits to the U.S. for current and potential foreign leaders in a variety of fields including education, the arts, government, [...]

MRS NASH IN WASHINGTON

Published on 2012-04-09 00:05:56

I found a treasure trove of historical data, fascinating anecdotes, and interesting personalities while digging through various archives to prepare for our two big anniversaries this year — the 70th anniversary of the establishment of formal bilateral diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the United States, and the 70th anniversary of the arrival of American military forces to help defend Aotearoa and the South Pacific [...]

MEETING ACTION WITH ACTION IN BURMA

Published on 2012-04-03 19:15:58

It has been an exciting and important week for the Burmese people. After decades of authoritarian rule, there are promising signs that the Myanmar regime is prepared to embrace democratic reform in a meaningful, sincere, and sustainable way. In Sunday’s by-elections, opposition candidates won virtually all of the contested seats, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu [...]

FLYING HIGH OVER OHAKEA

Published on 2012-04-01 22:09:23

On Saturday Dr McWaine and I had the great pleasure of flying up to Base Ohakea with the Governor General, Lady Mateparae, Secretary of Defence and Mrs McKinnon, and others to attend the annual Ohakea Air Show. I’ve always been curious about air shows but never before had the opportunity to see one. Based on [...]

O LE ASIASIGA I MANONO (EXPLORING MANONO ISLAND)

Published on 2012-03-30 15:22:27

Another of the highlights of my trip to Samoa earlier this month was my first visit to Manono. Situated between Upolu and Savaii, Manono has a population of approximately 1,000, making it the 3rd most populous of the islands that compose the country. The people of Manono were considered to be among the greatest sailors and fiercest [...]

DR JIM YONG KIM DISCUSSES A MORE RESPONSIVE, MORE OPEN, MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD BANK

Published on 2012-03-29 21:05:28

President Obama recently nominated Dr Jim Yong Kim for the presidency of the World Bank. A noted physician, development expert, and educator, Dr Kim currently serves as president of Darmouth University. He was raised in Iowa and educated at the University of Iowa, Brown University, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard University. In an opinion piece published [...]

PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS AT HANKUK UNIVERSITY

Published on 2012-03-26 00:04:53

Earlier today President Obama spoke to students, faculty, and staff at Hankuk University in Seoul about nuclear non-proliferation, recent events on the Korean Peninsula, social media, America’s close alliance with South Korea, and other issues. You can read the President’s remarks here or view them below. www.youtube.com/watch?v=78JPYA7fqzQ The President, Prime Minister John Key, and dozens of other [...]

TIME-LAPSE LOOK AT McMURDO RESUPPLY OPERATION

Published on 2012-03-25 21:50:02

Every January or February a large ship arrives at McMurdo Station carrying equipment and supplies for the research operations on Ross Island and at the South Pole. The ship brings what we need to get through the long Antarctic winter that cuts the stations off from the rest of the world, and to launch the [...]

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAMOA VICTIMS SUPPORT GROUP

Published on 2012-03-23 18:24:03

One of the highlights of my trip to Samoa earlier this month was spending a morning with the committed, courageous folks at the Samoa Victims Support Group (SVSG). Founded in 2005, SVSG provides care and support to victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The group’s work is critical, and certainly not easy. It has struggled to educate families, law enforcement authorities, and [...]

CELEBRATING AMELIA EARHART

Published on 2012-03-19 22:56:03

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s legendary attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the Earth by air. As part of our celebration of Women’s History Month, Secretary Clinton spoke earlier today in the Benjamin Franklin Room about Earhart’s legacy as an aviator and an advocate for equal opportunity for women. Born [...]

MIKE FINDS SIGNS OF HUMOR ON THE ICE

Published on 2012-03-15 19:38:51

After a meeting with my colleague Mike recently, he mentioned that he still finds himself thinking about the week he and I spent in Antarctica last month. In addition to the raw beauty of the pristine continent, he was very impressed with the camaraderie and good humor of the folks who live and work in [...]

AMERICAN AMBASSADORS CONVENE IN WASHINGTON

Published on 2012-03-12 18:27:36

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I’m back in Washington this week to attend a global Chiefs of Mission conference called by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The key agenda items are advancing our comprehensive economic statecraft initiatives, expanding the scope and pace of diplomatic innovation under our 21st Century Statecraft program, and [...]

SECRETARY CLINTON SPEAKS AT CHINA CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE

Published on 2012-03-10 00:33:58

Earlier this week Secretary Clinton delivered an important address at the US Institute of Peace on the expansive, nuanced, and special relationship between the US and China. The Secretary spoke as part of an all-day conference marking the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to Beijing in 1972. President Nixon often referred to [...]

TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Published on 2012-03-07 18:43:53

March is Women’s History Month in the United States, and today is International Women’s Day around the world. Most of our Embassies will be holding events to commemorate the day and month. In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony, with special guest First Lady [...]

MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA WORK AT EMBASSY WELLINGTON

Published on 2012-03-06 21:13:40

As you know if you follow me on Twitter, I’m in Samoa this week working with my new Deputy Chief of Mission Chad Berbert and the rest of the Embassy Apia team to advance our robust 2012 program. So far this morning I’ve inspected the site near Faleolo Airport where we’ll be building a new district hospital, visited Vaovai/Matautu Primary [...]

ETHAN STIEFEL AND NYC IN NZ

Published on 2012-03-01 21:29:43

This week marks the New Zealand debut of one of America’s finest artists. Ethan Stiefel is a superstar of ballet with stellar career credits including at the American Ballet Theater, the New York City Ballet, and principal ballet companies in Zurich, London, Kirov, Australia, Munich, Hamburg, and Canada. He has toured the world, starred in two [...]

SECRETARY CLINTON ARTICULATES GLOBAL YOUTH POLICY

Published on 2012-02-26 05:20:05

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m a strong advocate of engaging directly and sincerely with young people, and encouraging future leaders to voice their opinions and get involved in societal discourse early. So I listened with great interest to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks about the State Department’s youth engagement [...]

GETTING A VISITOR VISA IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK

Published on 2012-02-23 15:41:24

One of the things that continues to surprise me is the persistent urban legend that traveling to the United States is difficult. It’s a bit like the rumor about giant alligators roaming the sewers of New York City eating homeless people and lost tourists. Titillating. Hard to disprove from a distance. Reinforces preconceptions. But patently [...]

SECRETARY CLINTON REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd

Published on 2012-02-21 18:08:42

I am in Christchurch participating in services marking the one-year anniversary of the tragic February 22, 2011 earthquake. I have been joined by several of my American colleagues including Al Dwyer from USAID, who headed the large US disaster response team that quickly airlifted into Christchurch to assist with search and rescue operations. I asked Al to return to New [...]

CRAIG WEAVER REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd

Published on 2012-02-20 18:07:36

Craig Weaver was not in Christchurch when the quake hit, but his focus was riveted on Canterbury nonetheless. Craig is the Pacific Northwest Coordinator for the US Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program, and studying and learning from earthquakes is his profession. He has spent the last few weeks in New Zealand, including what he describes [...]

TIM MANNING REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd

Published on 2012-02-19 17:01:32

Tim Manning was not supposed to be in Christchurch that day. He was a last-minute addition to the delegation that flew from Washington for the US-NZ Partnership Forum. My Embassy colleagues and I, as well as many others, benefited greatly from the twist of fate that brought him to us precisely when we needed someone [...]

JIM KOLBE REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd

Published on 2012-02-18 17:00:54

Former Congressman Jim Kolbe represented the Tucson, Arizona area in the US House of Representatives for 22 years, from 1985-2007. Along with Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher of California, he was a founding co-chair of the Friends of New Zealand Congressional Caucus. He is currently a fellow at the German Marshall Fund and serves on the US Trade Representative’s Advisory Committee [...]

MICHELE PETERSEN REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd

Published on 2012-02-17 17:01:38

For us at the Embassy and Consulate General, February 22, 2011 was not remote, vicarious, or clinical. It was personal. As you know from prior posts, the US-NZ Partnership Forum was in full swing at AMI Stadium that day. Our US Antarctic Program has extensive facilities in (and has staged for decades from) Christchurch. There is [...]

CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Published on 2012-02-15 19:36:42

Seventy years ago today, on February 16, 1942, Walter Nash entered the Oval Office and presented to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of New Zealand. Mr Nash, then the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, thus became his country’s first Ambassador to the United States. Mr Nash’s arrival in [...]

LEAVING ANTARCTICA, RELUCTANTLY

Published on 2012-02-14 20:35:57

Today is my last day in Antarctica, and I am not at all happy about leaving. It has been an exhilarating week of exploration and adventure, and I really don’t want it to end. Not that the stacks of paper and the scrums of insistent people awaiting my return aren’t eerily analogous to towering walls [...]

McMURDO SOUND FROM THE AIR

Published on 2012-02-13 12:02:24

My visits to the explorers’ huts, the Adélie penguin rookery, and certain other wildlife sites were part of an exhilarating day of barnstorming the shores and ice of McMurdo Sound by helicopter. I have already written about the various stops. Missing from my prior narratives, though, is a sense of the terrain we traversed between [...]

AN ABUNDANCE OF ANTARCTIC ANIMAL LIFE

Published on 2012-02-12 14:27:43

Among the differences that I’ve noticed during my second trip to Antarctica is the abundance of animal life in and around McMurdo Sound this late in the austral summer. Over the course of the week I’ve seen many hundreds of Adélie and emperor penguins, dozens of Weddell and leopard seals, Antarctic skuas, and a surprisingly [...]

EXPLORING THE EXPLORERS’ HUTS

Published on 2012-02-11 15:07:45

At the turn of the 20th Century, waves of explorers from around the world launched expeditions to Antarctica. A few of the expeditions were derring-do races to be “first” to this or that place. Others mapped the continent, and yet others collected data and artifacts and conducted scientific experiments. Some were a mix of all [...]

MORE PENGUINS

Published on 2012-02-09 15:27:19

I received a large volume of feedback from my readers about my series of Antarctica posts in 2010. A majority of the comments boiled down to the simple suggestion, “more penguins please.” Since I’m a responsive sort, here goes: Adélies feed mainly on krill, small fish, and squid, which involves entering the sea. One of the [...]

WITH THE PENGUINS OF CAPE ROYDS

Published on 2012-02-08 15:23:54

OK, here’s what you’ve been waiting for … PENGUINS. One of the absolute highlights of my prior trip to Antarctica was the day we spent in a helicopter flying along the edge of the ice and making occasional stops to see places and things of interest. The highlight of that highlight was a magical visit to a [...]

MIKE BLOGS FROM ANTARCTICA

Published on 2012-02-08 01:46:47

My Embassy colleague Mike accompanied me to Antarctica this time. Mike is an economics officer, and he also handles the Embassy’s science, technology, and environment portfolios. US interests in Antarctica are based on promoting three core objectives: scientific advancement, environmental protection, and peace and stability, and our permanent stations are research facilities. Thus, what occurs on the Ice [...]

TO THE SOUTH POLE AND BACK

Published on 2012-02-06 06:10:59

As I wrote in a previous post, my first trip to the South Pole 14 months ago was an extraordinary adventure. I have been eagerly looking forward to returning, and I wasn’t disappointed. Although conditions were quite different, the second trip was just as awe-inspiring as the first. And, just like last time, I am struggling [...]

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Blog Feed: David Huebner - US Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa

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