U.S. Embassy to Bucharest, Romania | Newsletter (January 2008)

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U.S. Embassy Newsletter

Activities and events from across the US Mission in Bucharest

Volume 1, Issue 1, 2008

Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman

Dear Friends,

January was a busy month for the U.S. Mission as we geared up again after the end of year holidays. In this edition of our monthly newsletter, we again highlight activities and events from across the U.S. Mission. We look forward to your feedback. Please send any comments to InfoBuch@state.gov.

I have just returned from the “Ambassadorial Road Show” to the United States where Ambassador Adrian Vierita and I traveled to New York, Washington and Atlanta. Ambassador Vierita and I met with business groups and journalists to promote trade ties and investment between Romania and the United States. We also had a chance to speak with Romanian students in the New York and encourage them to bring their enthusiasm and talents back to Romania.

As I am sure you have noticed, the race for the U.S. presidency has started in earnest. State primary elections and caucuses have begun. U.S. election programs sponsored by the Embassy are aimed at helping Romanians examine the process, learn about the candidates, and understand the issues. Our first two programs linked to Super Tuesday are outlined below. As the news media often say, “our coverage of the race will continue.”

Looking forward, in February, we will celebrate Black History Month with several Digital Video Conferences with American experts to discuss literature, business, and sports. I hope you can join us for these and other of our activities.

Ambassador
Nicholas F. Taubman

Ambassador Taubman displays
one of the Ambassadorial Road
Show T-shirts at the Jan. 31
press conference. Bucharest,
January 31, 2008.

U.S. - Romanian Ambassadorial Road Show
U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Taubman joined forces with Romanian Ambassador to the U.S. Adrian Vierita to promote trade ties and investment between Romania and the United States during the Ambassadorial Road Show February 4 – 8. The two ambassadors met with business groups and journalists in New York, Washington, and Atlanta to discuss commercial opportunities in Romania. Ambassador Taubman is optimistic about business in Romania and wants to see the American business community better informed about prospects in Romania.

A screenshot of Radio Lynx
webpage shows Economic Officer
Robert Tate answering questions
on Super Tuesday by online
listeners. February 4, 2008

Super Tuesday debated in New Media
Online radio station Radio Lynx broadcast on the evening of Super Tuesday a live interview with Embassy economic officer Robert Tate, explaining why the current elections are gathering the attention of the entire world and highlighting the importance of Super Tuesday in the US elections. Quoting the candidates’ official websites, the Embassy representative offered the views of the candidates on economic issues. During the program, the American officer shared views on the primary elections with a Romanian student at the University of Chicago.

Speaker Ann Stone addressing
the audience at the Digital Video
Conference held at the Public
Diplomacy Office. Bucharest,
February 4, 2008.

Digital Dialogue on US Elections
On the eve of Super Tuesday, former White House speech writer Kenneth Baer and entrepreneur and activist Ann Stone addressed Romanian audiences via a Digital Video Conference at the Office of Public Diplomacy’s American Cultural Center. Baer and Stone answered questions on the US election system and the relevance of primaries and caucuses, focusing on the significance of Super Tuesday. Journalists, academics, students and think tank representatives were updated and entertained with first-hand information on the campaigns of each candidate and their strategies.

Richard Pimentel (Left) talks to
reporters. January 21, 2008.

Disabled Rights Activists Inspired by "Music Within"
U.S. activist Richard Pimentel, whose lifetime of experience working for integration of the disabled has become the basis for a new Hollywood movie, inspired and encouraged counterparts in three Romanian countries with a series of well-attended talks in Sibiu, Oradea and Cluj-Napoca January 21-25. Drawing on his own challenges as a disabled Vietnam veteran who fought for passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Pimentel stressed the need to help the disabled express the "music within" themselves through access to meaningful employment and social integration.

Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman (Left) answering to Producer Radu Soviani (Right), from The Money Channel TV Station. Bucharest, January 28, 2008.

Ambassador Nicholas Taubman
(Left) answering to Producer
RaduSoviani (Right), from The Money Channel TV Station.
Bucharest, January 28, 2008.

Ambassador's Interview on Business Channel Discusses Hot Economic Topics
Ambassador Nicholas Taubman was interviewed by Romania's private business channel, The Money Channel. He discussed the US and Romanian economy, the world economy, US investments in Romania like Ford, the Transylvania Highway being built by US Company Bechtel, energy security, and the Nabucco pipeline. Regarding the organization of the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania, Taubman called it "a magnificent opportunity for Romania [….] to showcase the progress that Romania has made and to showcase the promise that this country holds."

Mediation Trainer Bogdan
Matei lectures in Bucharest.
Photo: Stelian Manolescu/
Craiova Mediation Center

Mediation cooperation a success
Thanks to a cooperative project between the Craiova Mediation Center (CMC) and US Embassy in Romania, more Romanians are being trained in mediation while the justice system now places a greater emphasis on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to settle disputes. This reduces unnecessary use of the court to resolve disputes giving judges and prosecutors more time to focus on cases which cannot be resolved through ADR means. Begun in 2004 with twenty volunteers and a full time staff, Craiova Mediation Center opened as a pilot center by Ministry of Justice and financed with SEED funds by the US Embassy in Romania.

Democracy Commission Small Grants Program (DSG).

Democracy Commission Small Grants Program
The American Cultural Center of the US Embassy is now accepting applications for funding small democracy-related projects through its Democracy Small Grants program. Applications which address the following areas are especially encouraged: youth leadership, civic participation, journalism training, protection of minorities, and development of civil society using English Teaching. The deadline for applications is March 3, 2008. Forms and guidelines are available on the Embassy’s Web Site (use this shortcut for direct link to the DSG Program).

Ambassador
Press Releases
Joint Task Force – East
U.S. Forces in Romania

Visas to the U.S.
Visa Application Forms
Visa F.A.Q.

Fulbright Commission
Information Resource Center
Teachers Resource Center
Meet the USA

This Newsletter is produced by the Public Diplomacy Office of the United States Embassy in Romania. Links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein. To unsubscribe, send a message to infobuch@state.gov with “UNSUSCRIBE” in the Subject line.


U.S. Embassy Newsletter Activities and events from across the US Mission in Bucharest Volume 1, Issue 1, 2008

Dear Friends, January was a busy month for the U.S. Mission as we geared up again after the end of year holidays. In this edition of our monthly newsletter, we again highlight activities and events from across the U.S. Mission. We look forward to your feedback. Please send any comments to InfoBuch@state.gov. I have just returned from the “Ambassadorial Road Show” to the United States where Ambassador Adrian Vierita and I traveled to New York, Washington and Atlanta. Ambassador Vierita and I met with business groups and journalists to promote trade ties and investment between Romania and the United States. We also had a chance to speak with Romanian students in the New York and encourage them to bring their enthusiasm and talents back to Romania. As I am sure you have noticed, the race for the U.S. presidency has started in earnest. State primary elections and caucuses have begun. U.S. election programs sponsored by the Embassy are aimed at helping Romanians examine the process, learn about the candidates, and understand the issues. Our first two programs linked to Super Tuesday are outlined below. As the news media often say, “our coverage of the race will continue.” Looking forward, in February, we will celebrate Black History Month with several Digital Video Conferences with American experts to discuss literature, business, and sports. I hope you can join us for these and other of our activities. Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman

Ambassador Taubman displays one of the Ambassadorial Road Show T-shirts at the Jan. 31 press conference. Bucharest, January 31, 2008.	U.S. - Romanian Ambassadorial Road Show U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Taubman joined forces with Romanian Ambassador to the U.S. Adrian Vierita to promote trade ties and investment between Romania and the United States during the Ambassadorial Road Show February 4 – 8. The two ambassadors met with business groups and journalists in New York, Washington, and Atlanta to discuss commercial opportunities in Romania. Ambassador Taubman is optimistic about business in Romania and wants to see the American business community better informed about prospects in Romania. READ MORE
A screenshot of Radio Lynx webpage shows Economic Officer Robert Tate answering questions on Super Tuesday by online listeners. February 4, 2008	Super Tuesday debated in New Media Online radio station Radio Lynx broadcast on the evening of Super Tuesday a live interview with Embassy economic officer Robert Tate, explaining why the current elections are gathering the attention of the entire world and highlighting the importance of Super Tuesday in the US elections. Quoting the candidates’ official websites, the Embassy representative offered the views of the candidates on economic issues. During the program, the American officer shared views on the primary elections with a Romanian student at the University of Chicago. READ MORE
Speaker Ann Stone addressing the audience at the Digital Video Conference held at the Public Diplomacy Office. Bucharest, February 4, 2008.	Digital Dialogue on US Elections On the eve of Super Tuesday, former White House speech writer Kenneth Baer and entrepreneur and activist Ann Stone addressed Romanian audiences via a Digital Video Conference at the Office of Public Diplomacy’s American Cultural Center. Baer and Stone answered questions on the US election system and the relevance of primaries and caucuses, focusing on the significance of Super Tuesday. Journalists, academics, students and think tank representatives were updated and entertained with first-hand information on the campaigns of each candidate and their strategies. READ MORE
Richard Pimentel (Left) talks to reporters. January 21, 2008.	Disabled Rights Activists Inspired by "Music Within" U.S. activist Richard Pimentel, whose lifetime of experience working for integration of the disabled has become the basis for a new Hollywood movie, inspired and encouraged counterparts in three Romanian countries with a series of well-attended talks in Sibiu, Oradea and Cluj-Napoca January 21-25. Drawing on his own challenges as a disabled Vietnam veteran who fought for passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Pimentel stressed the need to help the disabled express the "music within" themselves through access to meaningful employment and social integration. READ MORE
Ambassador Nicholas Taubman (Left) answering to Producer RaduSoviani (Right), from The Money Channel TV Station. Bucharest, January 28, 2008.	Ambassador's Interview on Business Channel Discusses Hot Economic Topics Ambassador Nicholas Taubman was interviewed by Romania's private business channel, The Money Channel. He discussed the US and Romanian economy, the world economy, US investments in Romania like Ford, the Transylvania Highway being built by US Company Bechtel, energy security, and the Nabucco pipeline. Regarding the organization of the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania, Taubman called it "a magnificent opportunity for Romania [….] to showcase the progress that Romania has made and to showcase the promise that this country holds." READ MORE
Mediation Trainer Bogdan Matei lectures in Bucharest. Photo: Stelian Manolescu/ Craiova Mediation Center	Mediation cooperation a success Thanks to a cooperative project between the Craiova Mediation Center (CMC) and US Embassy in Romania, more Romanians are being trained in mediation while the justice system now places a greater emphasis on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to settle disputes. This reduces unnecessary use of the court to resolve disputes giving judges and prosecutors more time to focus on cases which cannot be resolved through ADR means. Begun in 2004 with twenty volunteers and a full time staff, Craiova Mediation Center opened as a pilot center by Ministry of Justice and financed with SEED funds by the US Embassy in Romania. READ MORE

Democracy Commission Small Grants Program (DSG).	Democracy Commission Small Grants Program The American Cultural Center of the US Embassy is now accepting applications for funding small democracy-related projects through its Democracy Small Grants program. Applications which address the following areas are especially encouraged: youth leadership, civic participation, journalism training, protection of minorities, and development of civil society using English Teaching. The deadline for applications is March 3, 2008. Forms and guidelines are available on the Embassy’s Web Site (use this shortcut for direct link to the DSG Program). READ MORE

Ambassador Press Releases Joint Task Force – East U.S. Forces in Romania	Visas to the U.S. Visa Application Forms Visa F.A.Q.	Fulbright Commission Information Resource Center Teachers Resource Center Meet the USA
This Newsletter is produced by the Public Diplomacy Office of the United States Embassy in Romania. Links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein. To unsubscribe, send a message to infobuch@state.gov with “UNSUSCRIBE” in the Subject line.