Reverend Jesse Jackson Kicks off Black History Month in Frankfurt
February 2, 2010. Reverend Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader and founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, opened the annual Black History Month at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt addressing the Consulate Community to a standing ovation. Later in the afternoon, Reverend Jackson spoke at the Union International Club to an enthused crowd of 200 people, members of the Union International Club, representatives of the universities, the media, government, the business community as well as Alumna of the Windows on America program about current developments in U.S. politics and society, and the economic crisis. In the evening, Consul General Edward Alford hosted a dinner at his residence for Reverend Jackson with leaders from the business community, foundations, and cultural organizations. On February 3, Reverend Jackson will deliver a keynote speech to U.S. troops in Wiesbaden before departing Germany for Holland, the next stop on his European tour. | Photogallery

US Diplomat discusses Life as a Diplomat at Bad Homburg School
January 28, 2010. Bruce Berton, a high-ranking representative of the U.S. Consulate General  talked about his profession as a diplomat in the Foreign Service of the United States to 35 12th graders at the Kaiserin-Friedrich-Schule in Bad Homburg. As part of the school's week-long job information fair, Mr. Berton offered the students an insider's view sharing his 20 years of experience in countries like Mexico, the Soviet Union, Venezuela, and Italy.  The students showed great interest in the practical nature of the profession as well as in its impact on his private life with a wife and two children.

American PhD student discusses immigration at Frankfurt school
January 27, 2010. Recruited by the U.S. Consulate General, Andrew Isaak, a Ph.D. student at Heidelberg University, visited the Ziehenschule in Frankfurt. With a group of 11th graders, he discussed the topic of “The United States – A Country of Immigrants.”  Based on a power point presentation and his own experience as an American with a strong German background, Andrew Isaak explained the different phases of immigration as well as their causes and cultural, economic, social and political implications.   After the presentation, Mr. Isaak also answered personal questions and handed over a collection of topic-related materials provided by the consulate's Information Resource Center.

HOBIT Darmstadt International – Exchange Opportunities with the United States
January 26& 27, 2010. During the first two days of the three-day career fair HOBIT, more than 600 high school students from the Rhein-Main region received information on exchange opportunities with the United States. Even more picked up information materials. The university and career information fair for 11th and 12th graders is organized by Darmstadt universities and the Labor Exchange. Throughout the day, EducationUSA Frankfurt talked to students about studying in the U.S., working as an Au Pair or a volunteer. They picked up information material on EducationUSA and the services of the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt. A two-hour information session on studying and working in the United State drew 300 students. About 12000 students visit the three day fair each year.

Political Scientist and Eyewitness Discusses U.S. Foreign Policy with Students
January 26, 2010. Recruited by the U.S. Consulate General, Dr. Kurt Shell, Professor Emeritus at Frankfurt University, visited the Theodor-Heuss-Schule, a vocational school in Offenbach. As part of a week-long project, Professor Shell discussed with a group of students the topic of “U.S. Foreign Policy After 1945”. The discussion focused on the various phases of U.S. foreign policy and on Shell's personal experience as an émigré from Austria, GI during World War II in Italy, student and professor of political science in New York and as co-founder and professor of the Center for North American Studies at the Goethe-University Frankfurt. The students showed great interest in the topic and not only asked questions about foreign policy, but also about President Obama's first year in office.

Consul General Alford opens Mel Ramos exhibition at Kunsthalle Tübingen
January 22, 2010. On his first official visit to the city of Tübingen, Consul General Edward Alford was welcomed by Mayor Michael Lucke at the picturesque Tübingen town hall. Consul General Alford then met with the rector of Eberhard-Karls University, Prof. Dr. Bernd Engler, and had lunch with the new Board President of the German-American Institute (DAI), Hermann Strampfer, as well as DAI director Ute Bechdolf. Following these official meetings, Consul General Alford used his time at the DAI to meet with a group of German and American students to discuss current issues in German-American relations. He continued his city tour with a walk through the ‘Französisches Viertel’ and visited the local company Schmidt Maschinenbau (SON), which produces innovative hub dynamos. Consul General Alford concluded his visit to Tübingen by opening the exhibition “Mel Ramos: 50 Years of Pop Art” at Kunsthalle Tübingen, where he addressed over 300 guests as patron of the exhibition.