December 2015

A World of News and Perspective

■ WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM

■ VOLUME 22, NUMBER 12

■ INSIDE: LUXURY LIVING SPECIAL SECTION

■ DECEMBER 2015

EUROPE

PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE

In Wake of Crises, Populist Parties Find Foothold in Europe

Scholarly Life Leads To Solitary In Iran

TUNISIA

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris, along with the wave of migrants flooding into Europe, have bolstered the anti-immigration appeal of right-wing politicians. Yet the surge in populist sentiment across the continent is not a new phenomenon, but rather a wellestablished one. PAGE 6

Haleh Esfandiari is perhaps best known for spending 105 days in solitary confinement in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison in 2007, but it was her highly respected work as director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center in D.C. that put her behind bars. PAGE 4

UNITED STATES

Despite Opposition, Obama Vows to Take In Syrian Refugees As the war in Syria grinds into its fifth year, President Obama’s pledge to welcome more of the conflict’s refugees to the U.S. was welcomed by aid groups but panned by a vocal chorus of lawmakers who’ve raised security concerns over the planned increase. PAGE 8

culture

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES

THE TUNISIAN EXPERIMENT Five years ago, a humiliated street vendor set himself on fire and sparked a chain reaction that upended an entire region.

Kodak Moments At National Gallery “Celebrating Photography” is a remarkable survey not only of the National Gallery of Art’s expanding collection, but also of the medium itself. PAGE 36

Tunisia’s new ambassador looks back on that landmark event and how his country became a catalyst for change — and one of the Arab Spring’s most closely watched experiments. PAGE 11

Danish Wife Helps to Open Cultural Doors “Cultural doors open political doors,” says Ulla Rønberg, wife of recently appointed Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose. From forming museum partnerships in Copenhagen to bringing Danish art to China, Rønberg has spent a career promoting cultural diplomacy long before the term came into vogue. PAGE 37

Networking Event

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The Westin Georgetown 2350 M Street NW Washington D.C. 20037

Dec. 3rd

TICKETS: $45

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The Washington Diplomat

December 2015

CONTENTS tHE WasHINgtON DIPLOmat

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

[ news ] 4

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SYRIAN REFUGEES IN U.S. the White House’s announcement that it would welcome an additional 10,000 syrian refugees next year was met with applause by aid groups but criticism in Congress that the plan could open the doors to radicalism.

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TURKI’S TOUGH TALK Prince Turki al-Faisal, one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential and outspoken diplomats, says humanity is “criminally negligent” for not doing more to forcefully end the civil war in syria.

[ culture ] 36

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in what could herald a breakthrough in infertility treatment and organ transplantation, doctors hope to transplant a uterus from a deceased donor into a woman without one.

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2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

ARCTIC WARMTH “Under the same stars” depicts an austere, frigid arctic landscape that is also teeming with richness and warmth.

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NOT-SO-SWEET APPLE Complex family dynamics play out against the backdrop of significant political events in richard nelson’s “apple family Cycle.”

[ luxury living ] 27

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES Ulla rønberg, wife of recently appointed danish ambassador lars Gert lose, has spent a career promoting danish arts and culture, from Copenhagen to China.

DIGITAL DIPLOMACY FORUM

MEDICAL

PHOTOGRAPHIC MILESTONES “Celebrating Photography” captures key moments in the national Gallery of art’s expanding photography collection, as well as the evolution of the medium itself.

two new apps are trying to keep journalists in conflict zones safe.

COVER PROFILE: TUNISIA tunisia’s new ambassador looks back on the forces of change that his country unleashed five years ago this month — changes that have reverberated from damascus to Cairo to Paris.

DIPLOMACY VERBATIM the Principality of liechtenstein may be difficult to spell and pronounce, but at just 61 square miles, it’s an intriguing microstate in the heart of the alps that is well worth getting to know.

DISASTER IN DOMINICA dominica was devastated by a tropical storm earlier this year, but now the hard part begins for the island’s ambassador: convincing distracted U.s. policymakers to care about the long-term rebuilding effort.

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Canada’s “Under the Same Stars”

NEW FRONTIER: CYBERSPACE a cybersecurity agreement between China and the U.s. marks a rare inroad in the untamed and unregulated frontier of cyberspace.

RISE OF THE RIGHT long before the recent migrant crisis and terrorist attacks in Paris, Europe’s populist parties were riding a wave of electoral successes.

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PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE years of scholarly research and 105 days in solitary confinement in iran’s notorious Evin Prison have informed Haleh Esfandiari’s insights into her native country.

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Disaster in Dominica

december 2015

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DINING the holiday season has us thinking about leisurely lunches that allow us to unwind with friends and colleagues in cozy settings with delicious food and ambience to spare.

it’s the most wonderful time of the year to be in d.C. — and not just because the presidential election season is in full swing. it’s because a string of new stores is helping Washingtonians usher in the holiday season.

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CINEMA LISTING

REAL ESTATE RESILIENCE

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EVENTS LISTING

new figures on property sales reinforce the notion that while progress hasn’t been perfect, the local real estate market remains one of the most resilient in the country.

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DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT

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WORLD HOLIDAYS

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CLASSIFIEDS

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REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS

COVER: Cover photo taken at the Tunisian Residence by Lawrence Ruggeri of ruggeriphoto.com.

P.o. Box 1345 • Silver Spring, mD 20915-1345 • phone: (301) 933-3552 • fax: (301) 949-0065 • e-mail: news@washdiplomat.com • Web: www.washdiplomat.com Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Victor shiblie Director of Operations fuad shiblie Managing Editor anna Gawel News Editor larry luxner Contributing Writers Michael Coleman, stephanie kanowitz, sean lyngaas, Molly McCluskey, ky n. nguyen, Justin salhani, Gail scott, dave seminara, karin sun, Gary tischler, lisa troshinsky, karin Zeitvogel Photographer lawrence ruggeri Account Manager rod Carrasco Graphic Designer Cari Henderson The Washington Diplomat is published monthly by the Washington diplomat, inc. the newspaper is distributed free of charge at several locations throughout the Washington, d.C. area. We do offer subscriptions for home delivery. subscription rates are $29 for 12 issues and $49 for 24 issues. Call Fuad Shiblie for past issues. if your organization employs many people from the international community you may qualify for free bulk delivery. To see if you qualify you must contact Fuad Shiblie. The Washington Diplomat assumes no responsibility for the safe keeping or return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material. the information contained in this publication is in no way to be construed as a recommendation by the Publisher of any kind or nature whatsoever, nor as a recommendation of any industry standard, nor as an endorsement of any product or service, nor as an opinion or certification regarding the accuracy of any such information.

December 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 3

PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE

Haleh Esfandiari

Scholar’s Inside View of Iran Informed by Time Behind Bars by Michael Coleman

H

aleh Esfandiari is perhaps best known for spending 105 days in solitary confinement in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison in 2007, but it was her highly respected work as director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center in D.C. that put her behind bars.

Not that the Iran-born professor, author and think tank scholar did anything wrong. Quite the contrary, she had simply spent a lifetime studying, dissecting and challenging Middle Eastern politics, culture and policy. The Iranian government, however, saw her as part of a subversive U.S. plot to overthrow the clerical regime. On the night of Dec.30,2006,Esfandiari, who had been visiting her elderly mother in Iran, was on her way to the Tehran airport for a flight back to the U.S. when she was confronted by three men who robbed her at knifepoint and stole her passport and belongings. Unable to leave the country, Esfandiari was forced to visit the Iranian police, who refused to allow her to board an airplane. She ended up incarcerated at Evin Prison under charges of espionage and endangering national security. Iranian intelligence spent months interrogating Esfandiari on the inner workings of the Wilson Center and her connections to opposition activists inside Iran. Back home, the scholar’s friends and family mobilized a high-profile campaign to get her released. Esfandiari, a former journalist in Iran who founded the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program in 1997, was eventually

1970s but increasingly chafed under the repressive rule of the Western-backed Shah. She then worked as deputy secretary-general of the Women’s Organization of Iran and deputy director of a cultural foundation until the start of the Iranian Revolution. With a young daughter in tow, she and her husband fled the upheaval and settled in the United States, where Esfandiari taught Persian language and literature at Princeton until 1994. A year later, she joined the Wilson Center. She has since stepped down as director of its Middle East Program but remains on staff there and frequently pens op-eds on subjects ranging from the Islamic State to the Iran nuclear deal. The Washington Diplomat recently sat down with Esfandiari in her tidy Wilson Center office for a wide-ranging interview about her life, the state of the Middle East, imprisoned American journalist Jason Rezaian and more. The Washington Diplomat: Why did the Iranian government incarcerate you? What did they want to know? Haleh Esfandiari: I paid very dearly for running the Middle East Program and being at the Wilson Center because I was

“

The Intelligence Ministry was obsessed with proving that the U.S. government was plotting regime change in Iran and was attempting to do so through the influence of intellectuals, academics, foundations and think tanks. They pretended to believe that I was part of this conspiracy as director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center in Washington. — Haleh Esfandiari public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

released and wrote a book about her experience titled “My Prison, My Home: One Woman’s Story of Captivity in Iran.” The book was published in 2009 and Esfandiari went back to the Wilson Center to resume her leadership of the Middle East Program. The daughter of an Iranian botanist and Austrian mother, Esfandiari wrote for Iran’s largest daily newspaper in the

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put in jail because of my activities here…. The Intelligence Ministry was obsessed with proving that the U.S. government was plotting regime change in Iran and was attempting to do so through the influence of intellectuals, academics, foundations and think tanks. They pretended to believe that I was part of this conspiracy as director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center in

The Washington Diplomat

Photo: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Washington.They hoped by incarcerating and interrogating me they would obtain the ‘proof’ for their theory. For several months they questioned me intensely about my activities at the Wilson Center. TWD: Why were you in Iran? Esfandiari:I started going back to Iran in 1994 for personal reasons. My parents were aging and they could no longer travel so I decided to go back and it was under President [Akbar Hashemi] Rafsanjani and things were opening up. I used to go two to three times a year. I never thought this would happen to me. TWD: How, exactly, did this happen to you? Esfandiari: It was just amazing. They [masked assailants] stopped the car and they took everything and I became a paperless person. I had to go the next day to the police and it took literally 48 hours for me to find out this was not your regular robbery; it was something pre-planned by the intelligence minister to stop me from leaving the country. Within three days, the interrogation started. I was eight months under country arrest and I spent 105 days in solitary confinement at the

infamous Evin Prison. TWD: Does it deserve its infamy? Esfandiari: Oh yes. I’m a student of Iran so when they told me they are taking me to Evin it was as if the whole sky collapsed because I knew that once I’m in there nobody can do anything for me. I had heard and read stories about torture, mental and physical harassment — all these things. At least I was spared torture and physical harassment. They thought if they took me to prison I would confess to anything they wanted me to. But I was 67 years old and I had had a good life. If they kidnapped or killed me, so what? I said, ‘Look, whatever I told you outside the prison I’m going to repeat inside the prison, in public, on TV, whatever.’ I didn’t hide anything because I didn’t have anything to hide. TWD: What were the conditions like inside the prison? Esfandiari: Sleeping on the floor, no pillow, just a blanket — blindfolded when I was taken for interrogation eight or nine hours a day.The same questions over and over again to make sure that at some stage they can catch me in a discrepancy December 2015

if you don’t repeat the same thing. When I would come back to my cell I would pace and repeat the whole interrogation to myself. I decided I wasn’t going to show any weakness or sadness in front of them. I tried to be very strong. If I wanted to cry I would cry under the shower or when I was lying on the floor. They had their own ways of constantly repeating that no one is thinking of you outside and if you cooperate we will let you go, and so on. Eventually, they let me go.

John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, whenever they meet, I’m sure they talk about this issue and the implementation of the plan of action that is discussed between the representatives of the United States and the P5+1. TWD: You have been outspoken in recent months about the sexual abuse and enslavement of young girls by members of the Islamic State.What do you think is their motivation for committing such heinous acts?

TWD: What advice do you have for the family of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who was arrested by Iranian authorities in July 2014 on espionage charges and convicted this year? Esfandiari: Just go public. I don’t know him at all and he doesn’t know me, but I would say just go public and put pressure on the government. These days the situation is very bad in Iran. If he is lucky, I think you can say he will get time served. If the Iranians decide to do some face saving, if he’s been there for 18 months, they’ll give him a sentence of 20 months with all but two of it time served. But if he is unlucky, he might get five to 10 years. They are going after dual citizens. They are going after journalists, women activists, reformists — and this has become worse since the [Iranian nuclear] deal. TWD: Why is that? Esfandiari:The Revolutionary Guards and the more conservative elements within the regime are not happy with the deal. They worry that the consequence of the deal will be relations with the United States.The Supreme Leader has said categorically ‘no relations with the U.S., no cultural or economic exchange with the U.S.’ Nevertheless, they think it’s going to happen so they are trying to prevent that. But it is going to happen. TWD: Do you think relations between Iran and the U.S. can actually normalize? Esfandiari: In the long term maybe, but in the short term no. TWD: And what is your assessment of the deal that China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus Germany (P5+1), made with Iran to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to ensure that Iran is not pursuing or building a nuclear weapon? Esfandiari: I think it is a good deal. Iran has made a lot of concessions. The Iranians know they have made a lot of concessions and that is why there is that [conservative] opposition in the country to the deal. Given the current situation, it was the best deal the P5+1 could get. TWD: As you know, most Republicans on Capitol Hill were opposed to the deal. A common refrain was that Iran couldn’t be trusted under any circumstances. What is your reaction to the notion that the world simply can’t trust Iran not to secretly pursue nuclear weapons? Esfandiari: I can agree with them but — and there is a big but — there is the fact that the IAEA is there to verify every article of that deal. That is very important because the IAEA is on the ground. They have found that the Iranians have started to dismantle the centrifuges. The IAEA is going to report in December. I think for the next 15 years you definitely can trust Iran because the economic situation in the country is so bad. Iran is in need of the $150 billion [that has been frozen under international sanctions].That is its own money — you just have to release it. Iran is in need to improve its economy by tradDecember 2015

Photo: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

ing with the outside world, especially Western countries, and the West is very eager to sell stuff to Iran and trade with Iran. When it comes to respecting the deal, I think Iran is going to behave. Look, the reason why [Iranian President Hassan] Rouhani was able to convince the Supreme Leader [to accept this deal] was that the economic situation was so bad. That was the only reason why the Supreme Leader went along; otherwise he doesn’t want to have anything to do with the United States because he believes this will lead to an infiltration of American culture — of American art and an American presence — and he doesn’t want it. He talks about it openly and says it. TWD: National Public Radio recently did a segment after the nuclear deal was finalized in which it asked five experts on Iran to provide their forecast for the isolated but critically important country’s future. Yours was among the most optimistic? Why?

Esfandiari: It’s a combination of three things. It’s a strategy to frighten people.That’s number one. Number two is religious belief very much so, and number three I think is a belief in a pure Islamic state. It’s their own version of Islam, in which either you convert to their version of Islam or you end up like the Yazidi women. There is no respect whatsoever for women. What is astonishing to me are the foreign fighters. What kind of upbringing have these European fighters had in the West to go along with this and enter a village, separate women from men, then separate young girls from older women, set up makeshift slave markets and take the younger women and sell them and start raping young girls as young as 9? It’s more than horrendous. It’s a crime against humanity. They believe in a version of Islam that truly does not exist. TWD: You recently took the world’s Islamic leadership to task in a Wall Street Journal article about Islamic State sexual slavery. What is your problem here? Esfandiari: My problem was when they [the Islamic State] started, the center of religious learning waited too long to speak out. But now you see a lot of condemnation coming from

high-level clerics.This is a good thing because if you really believe [in Islam], you will think twice having heard what these people in the center of Islamic learning are saying. But this [condemnation] has to come on a daily basis. The condemnation has to come from the Islamic world from Indonesia to Malaysia to Nigeria, which has Boko Haram. It has to come on a daily basis and they have to excommunicate them. No one has said yet,‘We are going to excommunicate every single ISIS member.’They have to do that. TWD:What is your assessment of the Obama’s administration’s response to the Islamic State? Esfandiari: At first I think they probably didn’t take it seriously. I, myself, thought at first these are a bunch of ragtag people — why can’t you get rid of them? But by the time the U.S. got involved, ISIS had established itself in Iraq. It is not the job of the U.S. to get rid of ISIS. It is the responsibility of the Islamic world and especially the Middle Eastern countries.They should have gotten together immediately and started fighting them and bombing them because it is in their backyard. TWD: And they haven’t done that because they want the U.S. to do the heavy lifting here? Esfandiari: Of course, the answer is yes. You always expect that the West would step in and help you with these things. But then there are those who argue it was the U.S. who went into Iraq and destabilized Iraq and Libya and the whole region. It is not the job of the U.S. to get rid of ISIS.

Michael Coleman (@michaelcoleman) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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Esfandiari: Iran has the potential to join the family of nations but Iran has to decide what kind of foreign policy it wants.You can’t on the one hand flex your muscle in the region and on the other hand try and have good relations with your neighbors and with the rest of the world. You have to decide; either you have good relations with your neighbors and this will include Saudi Arabia, too, and you go along with whatever they agree on Syria ‌ or it will continue the same way it is now. Iran has reached the stage where you can no longer separate the economy from its foreign policy in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza. It will reach a point where Iran has to do some soul searching when it comes to its role in the region but it cannot give up Iraq. Iraq is its neighbor and given the presence of ISIS [the Islamic State] there, it has an important role in trying to get rid of them. So far ISIS has not penetrated into Iran but what is to stop them? TWD: Many foreign policy analysts, looking for a glimmer of hope in the U.S.-Iran relationship, have suggested that eradicating the Islamic State — or at least defeating it — could be a point of cooperation between the two countries. Esfandiari:Anything that is as public as cooperation with the U.S. will have a backlash with the conservatives and the Supreme Leader. Rouhani would have cooperated with the U.S. I would say in Syria, Iraq and even in Yemen. But foreign policy is decided by the Supreme Leader. He is the ultimate decision maker when it comes to foreign policy, so when he says ‘no cooperation,’ it means no cooperation. And if you want to have cooperation, you don’t go around and talk about it. U.S. Secretary of State

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International Affairs

Europe

Immigration, Insecurity Fuels Rise of the Right in Europe by Karin Zeitvogel and Anna Gawel

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t’s not generally thought of as a bastion of the far right, but in October, Switzerland became the latest European country to see a surge in popularity of right-wing parties. The anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party (SVP) won Switzerland’s parliamentary election, gaining 11 more seats in the National Council, to give it 65 out of the 200 slots available. Switzerland-watchers say the victory of the SVP, which won nearly 30 percent of the vote, said to be a record in the confederation, has been fueled by the massive influx of migrants to Europe. The rise of populism across the continent is not a new phenomenon. Populist parties from France and Britain to Denmark and Greece have been gaining ground for years, as frustration mounted over anemic economic growth and diktats from what many perceive to be an unaccountable European Union machinery in Brussels. But the trend has accelerated this year with the unprecedented wave of migrants escaping war-torn nations such as Syria and Afghanistan.The fact that the bulk of these migrants hail from Muslim countries, coupled with the recent coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people and injured over 350, have also heightened fears of Islamic fundamentalism creeping into the continent. As countries grapple with how to handle the massive influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers — even going so far as to suggest closing Europe’s famously open borders — right-wing parties have increasingly found resonance in the political mainstream, sidelining their centrist rivals. France has already vowed to severely tighten border controls in the wake of the Nov. 13 commando-style assault on several popular sites in Paris attributed to the Islamic State, including one who allegedly traveled to Europe on a falsified Syrian passport via Greece.The possible links between the terrorist attack — the worst in Europe since the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people — and the broader migrant crisis threaten to harden countries’ resolve to turn away refugees and asylum seekers. After the carnage, the leader of France’s right-wing Front National (FN) party, Marine Le Pen held a press conference in which she proclaimed that “France and the French are no longer safe.” She called for an immediate halt to the acceptance of any migrants and stripping French citizenship from those with dual citizenship — declaring that “our fears and warnings about the possible presence of jihadists among migrants” had been validated. Even before the bloodbath in Paris marked a sharp escalation in the fight against the Islamic State and illegal migration, populists had become a potent political force. France’s FN won 22 percent of the vote in local elections earlier in the year, establishing the party as the third-biggest player on the French political stage.

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The Washington Diplomat

Photo: © UNICEF / Ashley Gilbertson VII

On Sept. 30, cold and traumatized, Abdul Rahman, a refugee from Damascus, sits wrapped in a thermal blanket on the island of Lesbos. As of Sept. 28, Greece had welcomed nearly 400,000 refugees and migrants arriving by sea since the start of the year, the bulk of them from Syria. The fact that one of the bombers in the recent Paris terrorist attacks reportedly entered Europe via Greece, however, does not bode well for the waves of migrants pouring into the continent.

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The right wing was there already and had significant support in many countries in Europe. [The migrant crisis] has given them an added opportunity [to build on that support]. — Michael Haltzel

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visiting senior fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Those kind of populist electoral successes have been repeated throughout Europe in recent months. In Hungary, where a wall has gone up to keep out migrants from the Middle East and Africa, the far-right Jobbik party holds the third-most seats in parliament. In Poland, the conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) swept to victory in parliamentary elections at the end of October. PiS won 37.6 percent of the vote, taking enough seats in the lower house of parliament to become the first party since the fall of communism in 1989 to win a majority and not need to forge an alliance with another party to be able to legislate. The party has pledged a return to conservative Catholic values and more state intervention to prop up the economy and bolster social programs. In addition, after the Paris attacks, the PiS said it would reverse a pledge made under the previous liberal government to take in 7,000 migrants. Meanwhile, in the global diplomacy hub of Vienna,

Austria, the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) garnered just over 30 percent of the local vote in October — not enough to prevent the Social Democrats from winning but a result that showed considerable support for the FPÖ plan to build a fence on the border to keep migrants out and preserve Austrian culture and religion. Months earlier, in June, as the migrant crisis in Europe was reaching a crescendo, France’s Front National (FN) and the Dutch anti-immigrant Party for Freedom (PVV) announced they were forming a new far-right political bloc in the European Parliament. EU blocs enjoy more speaking time during plenary sessions, more staff and more funding. The newly formed Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) consists of 36 members (out of a total of 751 in the EU), mostly from FN, the PVV, as well as representatives from Austria, Belgium, Italy, Britain, Poland and Romania. According to the independent online EUobserver, the ENF will receive €1.09 million a year in EU funds. Its leaders, FN’s Marine Le Pen and PVV’s Marcel de Graaff, will be able to attend the European Parliament’s conference of presidents, which decides the agenda for the parliament. The ENF will also be able to name MEPs to monitor the legislative process and to participate in negotiations, called trilogues, between parliament, the European Commission and member states to finalize new laws. The enhanced standing will also give Le Pen a platform on which to denounce what she calls the “unbridled globalization” that has chipped away at Europe’s sovereignty. While the agendas of Europe’s myriad populist parties vary, and their influence is still dwarfed by mainstream center-left and center-right parties, the antiBrussels backlash may be a permanent fixture on the December 2015

Photo: © UNICEF / Shubuckl

On Sept. 25, a large crowd of children and adults wait to board a bus outside a reception center for refugees and migrants in the town of Šid, to get to the Croatian border. A growing number of refugees and migrants seeking safety in Europe continue to enter or pass through Serbia, with over 140,000 of them expressing their intent to seek asylum in the country as of September.

continent. “Fractious, amateurish and often over-reliant on a charismatic leader, some populist parties may melt away once they try their hand at governance,” the Economist opined in May. “But others have shown staying power. Geert Wilders’s Party for Freedom is now part of the political furniture in the Netherlands, after a spell propping up a minority cabinet between 2010 and 2012.” In addition to their inherent anti-establishment, Euroskeptic appeal, the magazine notes that these parties represent a malleable, reflexive response to grievances that range from bailouts to immigration.“Indeed, Europe’s populist successes often function as a kind of Rorschach test for observers. For anti-austerians they are what you get when you squeeze economies beyond the breaking point. For social conservatives they are the fruit of untrammelled immigration. For liberal reformers they are the inevitable result of sclerotic economies that fail to grow or create jobs. And so on.” Justin Vaïsse, director of policy planning at the French Foreign Ministry, speaking at the Brookings Institution earlier this year, said populist parties capitalize on the alienation that many citizens feel toward the ruling elite, as well as globalization in general. They attract “people who feel they have been robbed or displaced by immigrants” and “want to recover the national sovereignty of their country against the encroachments of Europe.” Fears that globalization is eroding traditional social safety nets, and the accompanying rise of the right in Europe, have been exacerbated by the recent migrant crisis. The fact that the arrival of large numbers of migrants from the Middle East and Africa coincided with the financial crisis that hit Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, and the lingering after-effects of the 2008 global economic crisis, didn’t help the migrants’ case. Many people in Europe complain that their country is being asked to absorb migrants while born-and-bred citizens are making do with less in the face of rising unemployment and budget cuts. The insecurities have exposed a darker underbelly of the populist tsunami: the resurgence of neo-Nazi factions in countries such as Greece and even Germany, where the country’s generous embrace of refugees may be wearing thin. Berlin has been a humanitarian leader in the crisis, pledging to take in 800,000 asylum applicants by year’s end (though it could possibly receive far more than that). But as a flood of as many as 10,000 migrants a day pour into overwhelmed German cities, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s popularity has taken a hit while rightwing movements such as Pegida and the Alternative for Germany party enjoy newfound relevance. While some German officials have urged her to scale back the country’s liberal immigration policy, Merkel has pointed out that many of the refugees are fleeing the same Islamic fanatics who launched the Paris attacks. December 2015

The anti-immigrant backlash, in fact, has sparked its own backlash. Germany was shocked when a pro-refugee candidate in Cologne’s mayoral race was stabbed in the neck by an apparently xenophobic radical (the candidate recovered from her injuries and later won the race). Tens of thousands of Germans have turned out to offer blankets and other aid to refugees and participate in counter protests at anti-immigration rallies. Yet while the country’s Nazi past has suppressed many fringe groups, a growing number of Germans have expressed concern that they’re not able to accommodate the recent swell of migrants. “Germans have been very welcoming to the migrants, but there is another side, unfortunately, with people rallying against having more refugees, and Nazis rallying in the streets to prevent Germany from accepting asylum seekers,” said Sezen Coşkun, the Berlin-born-andraised daughter of Turkish-Syrian immigrants and co-founder of the group Typisch Deutsch (Typical German), which seeks to change the way Germans and others perceive the typical German citizen. Anti-immigrant groups are playing on the fears of ordinary Germans — and Poles and Swiss and any other nationalities threatened by the influx — when they stage these rallies and meetings, Coşkun said. “In Turkish, you would say, ‘We’re giving them bubblegum to chew,’” she said, meaning that the tide of migrants is adding fuel to the far right’s fire. As in Germany, this tide is also testing the open-door policy of Sweden, which took in 85,000 mainly Muslim migrants from the Middle East and the Horn of Africa in 2014. That same year, the neo-Nazi Swedish Democrats won 13 percent of the vote and became the third-largest party in parliament. While the liberal Scandinavian bastion has taken in the largest number of asylum seekers per-capita of any European nation, many Swedes complain that Muslim immigrants have failed to assimilate to their new country’s values and traditions. Neighboring Denmark and Norway have taken the opposite approach to asylum seekers as Sweden has, openly discouraging them from applying.The anti-immigrant, Euroskeptic Danish People’s Party leapt from just over 12 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections in 2011 to 21 percent in June of this year. Just four months earlier, a Danish-born man of Muslim immigrant descent went on a rampage in Copenhagen, killing a 55-year-old film director at a debate on Islam and freedom of expression in a café and, later, a guard outside a synagogue. While the migrant crisis has sparked fears of Islamic radicalization and recruitment, Europe has not been immune to homegrown terrorist attacks. In Norway in 2011, a lone wolf gunman — an outspoken opponent of Islam and immi-

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See Europe, page 26

The Washington Diplomat Page 7

International Affairs

United States

Obama’s Syria Refugee Plan: Too Little or Too Much? by Sean Lyngaas

A

s the war in Syria grinds into its fifth year, the Obama administration’s push to admit more of the conflict’s refugees to the United States has come under fire from a vocal chorus of lawmakers concerned about the security implications of the refugee program, while aid groups say much more needs to be done. The war involving Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military and a plethora of other groups, including various Islamist actors and more secular forces, has created what has been described as the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. The carnage has made nearly 4.3 million Syrians refugees and displaced another 7.6 million within the country, meaning about half of Syria’s population has been uprooted. The White House’s announcement in September that the United States would admit 10,000 additional Syrian refugees in fiscal 2016 — compared to the approximately 2,131 admitted since the conflict began — was initially met with a range of reactions. The International Rescue Committee said it was “dismayed” by what it viewed as an insufficient increase. Human rights activists point out that other countries have been far more generous taking in Syrian refugees,including Germany,Sweden,Brazil and Venezuela. Syria’s neighbors have shouldered the largest burden, with Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan absorbing the bulk of Syrians fleeing the war-torn country. But following the Islamic State-backed rampage through Paris on Nov. 13 that left at least 129 people dead, the pendulum swung in the opposition direction — with critics calling for an immediate halt to the Syria refugee program. The fact that one of the suicide bombers may have reportedly migrated from Syria to Europe via Greece using a falsified passport has hardened resistance in both the U.S. and Europe to admitting more Syrian refugees. “How’s that Syrian refugee resettlement look now? How about that mass migration into Europe? Terrorism is alive & well in the world. #No,” Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) tweeted just a few hours after the attacks. Days after the massacre, about two dozen governors also announced that they would block Syrian refugees from being resettled in their states, a move of questionable legality. And on Nov. 19, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would block funding for the program that allows Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the U.S. pending certification from key U.S. agencies that the applicants don’t pose a security risk. Despite the growing furor over his plan, Obama has vowed to accept the refugees after they undergo a rigorous screening process. He warned against politically opportunistic rhetoric that conflates the issue of terrorism with the refugee crisis.“The people who are fleeing Syria are the most harmed by terrorism,” he pointed out, saying that “slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values.” Nearly 50 House Democrats, however, joined 242 Republicans in voting for the measure, creating a

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The Washington Diplomat

Credit: UN Photo / Mark Garten

A woman holds a child at Jordan’s Zaatri refugee camp, which hosts tens of thousands of Syrians displaced by conflict. President Obama’s pledge to accept an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year has run into stiff opposition at home following the terrorist attacks in Paris.

The war involving Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military and a plethora of other groups, including various Islamist actors and more secular forces, has created what has been described as the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. majority that could override Obama’s threatened veto. The bill still faces an uncertain future in the Senate. A leading proponent of the bill is Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who has described the State Department’s U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for Syrians as a potential “federally funded jihadi pipeline” to the United States. After the Paris terrorist attacks, McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, sent a letter to Obama urging him to suspend the program “pending a full review of the Syrian refugee resettlement program, including of the aforementioned security risks.” Even before the attacks, McCaul repeatedly said he was concerned by potential blind spots in the vetting process of Syrian refugees.

At a Nov. 4 public appearance in Washington, McCaul told The Diplomat he was still unsatisfied with the thoroughness of the vetting process for Syrian refugees. “We’re compassionate … [but] when I have the FBI telling me and then [DHS] back-channeling that they think this presents a security risk to the American people, I have to take that seriously — in addition to ISIS’s own words where they say, ‘We want to infiltrate the West by exploiting this program,’” he said. ISIS, i.e. the Islamic State, has conquered large swathes of Iraq and Syria, exacerbating an already dire refugee crisis. An Islamic State operative in January told BuzzFeed News he was using the refugee calamity to get militants smuggled into Europe. There is no public evidence to date of that happening with refugees coming to the United States. However, the broader resettlement process has not been entirely immune to gaps. The Justice Department in 2011 charged two Iraqis who had resettled in the United States as refugees with a plot to send explosives to Iraq for use against Americans. The incident occurred before a search of a Pentagon database was part of the application process, according to a Los Angeles Times report. The two men are but a tiny fraction of the more than 100,000 Iraqi refugees who have been resettled in the United States.

Security and Stigma No traveler to the United States faces more scrutiny than a refugee, according to administration officials. Under USRAP, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees refers applicants to the State Department December 2015

for consideration.The applicants are interviewed by officials from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services division, and their biometrics are run against databases at the Pentagon, FBI and national counterterrorism center for security threats.The entire process from referral to resettlement typically takes 18 to 24 months. In contrast, refugees migrating to Europe can pay smugglers to make the dangerous but short trek to Greece or Italy, where they are processed and can continue their journey throughout the continent. In Oct. 27 testimony before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee, USCIS Director León Rodríguez said that USCIS officials “are trained and briefed at a great level of depth in country conditions within Syria.” Despite not being on the ground in Syria, USCIS officials have accumulated a large body of knowledge on the conflict by interviewing people applying for refugee status, he said. Hundreds of Syrian applications have either been placed on hold or denied because of red flags raised in the vetting process, Rodríguez added. Larry Yungk, a senior resettlement officer at UNHCR’s Washington office, has lamented what he sees as a stigma against Syrian refugees. Stakeholders in the refugee crisis are working to “get past this narrative that there’s something fundamentally worse about the Syrian refugees than everybody else,”Yungk said Oct. 19 at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. While the Obama administration has taken flak from aid groups for not admitting more Syrian refugees, as a whole, the U.S. is a world leader in resettling refugees and has provided sanctuary to 3 million refugees since 1975. Many have come from unlikely places.A minority group from Bhutan, for example, makes up a disproportionate share relative to the tiny Himalayan nation’s population. Large numbers have also come from the former Soviet Union, Vietnam, the Balkans and Cuba. America’s refugee policy has shifted over the years and is sometimes dictated by politics as much as it is by need. The political clout of exile communities or religious groups can influence whom the U.S. takes in, for example, as can high-profile media or human rights campaigns. A public outcry over the paltry number of Iraqi refugees being resettled in the U.S. after the 2003 invasion led Washington to significantly bump up the quota for Iraqis in 2008. In the 2015 fiscal year, Iraq was among the top three countries

of origins for refugees, alongside Myanmar and Somalia.After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the number of refugee admissions dipped dramatically but has been steadily rebounding. For fiscal 2016, the U.S. has agreed to accept a total of 85,000 refugees from around the world. The cap would then climb to 100,000 the following year.

100,000 vs. 10,000 Humanitarian groups and some lawmakers have long pressured the Obama administration to greatly increase the number of admitted Syrian refugees to a level the groups deem commensurate with U.S. global responsibility, although their pleas will face stiff resistance in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks. As of early October, Brazil had issued 7,380 humanitarian visas to Syrians, while Switzerland had issued about 4,700 visas to Syrians under a family reunification program, according to U.N. data. Germany had agreed to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees under a humanitarian admission program and 18,500 under an individual sponsorship program, according to the data. The United States has contributed $4.5 billion in humanitarian aid to victims of the conflict, the most of any country. As of September, the United States had admitted about 2,131 Syrian refugees since the war began. A week after the White House announced its quota of admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees in fiscal 2016, a coalition of nongovernment organizations sent a letter to President Obama urging him to increase that number 10-fold, to 100,000. Around the same time came a letter from more than 20 former U.S. officials from Republican and Democratic administrations calling on the White House to support admitting 100,000 Syrian refugees. In a separate letter, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), along with over 70 House colleagues, urged the administration to admit at least 100,000 Syrian refugees, calling it a “moral duty” that would show the world that the U.S. leads by example. But the tide has turned dramatically since the coordinated assault on Paris and what little bipartisan unity there was on the Hill over the issue of Syrian refugees seems to have evaporated. House Democrats who voted in favor of the bill to impose tougher screening requirements on Syrian refugees told Politico that the White House hadn’t convinced them that requiring the Department of Homeland Security to certify each applicant would be too cumbersome.

Even though Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has pledged to block the House bill, the administration is still scrambling to keep Democratic defections in the Senate to a minimum. That means Republicans could try to tack on the refugee bill as a rider to the omnibus government spending bill that Congress takes up in December. Before the Paris attacks, it looked like the State Department program would get a much-needed funding boost. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Oct. 6 introduced legislation that would supply an extra $1 billion in emergency funding for the Syrian refugee crisis.The bill did not stipulate the number of refugees to be resettled in the U.S. but could offer enough funding to resettle 100,00 refugees over two years, according to Leahy’s office. Graham, a security hawk running for the Republican presidential nomination, has deplored what he says is the low number of Syrian refugees admitted to the U.S.With such an admission rate, “we should take the Statue of Liberty and tear it down,” Graham said in September. Since then, however, Graham has changed his tune, calling for a “timeout” in accepting new Syrian refugees in light of the Paris bloodbath. Other Republicans vying for their party’s presidential nomination have seized on the Paris attacks to slam Obama’s foreign policy record as weak and to vilify Syrian refugees. GOP candidate Ben Carson likened the refugees to rabid dogs, while frontrunner Donald Trump warned that they could infiltrate the country akin to a Trojan horse. Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush, meanwhile, have suggested that the U.S. prioritize admitting Christian refugees over Muslim ones. Yet human rights advocates point out that many Muslim refugees are fleeing exactly the type of Islamic extremist violence that sparked the assault on Paris. “Sowing fear of refugees is exactly the kind of response groups like Isis are seeking,” Iain Levine, deputy executive director for program at Human Rights Watch, told the Guardian newspaper.“Yes, governments need to bring order to refugee processing and weed out militant extremists, but now more than ever they also need to stand with people uprooted from their homes by ideologies of hatred and help them find real protection.”

Sean Lyngaas (@snlyngaas) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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December 2015

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Diplomacy

Caribbean

Tiny Dominica Seeks U.S. Help To Rebuild After Erika’s Devastation by Larry Luxner Dominican Ambassador Hubert John Charles has been tasked with drumming up U.S. support to help his tiny Caribbean island rebuild after Tropical Storm Erika caused an estimated $444 million worth of damages.

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ith only 73,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean island of Dominica lacks beaches but is blessed with pristine waterfalls, virgin rainforests and an unusual boiling lake situated in Morne Trois Pitons National Park, only six miles due east of the capital, Roseau. Yet nature has not always been kind to Dominica. On Sept. 20, 1834, a powerful hurricane slammed into the island, causing a 12-foot storm surge that devastated Roseau and left 230 people dead. On Aug. 29, 1979, Hurricane David — a Category 5 storm with 150 mph winds — destroyed or damaged 80 percent of Dominica’s homes, obliterated the banana crop and killed 56 people. This year, disaster struck again in the form of Tropical Storm Erika, which arrived Aug. 28, dumping 10 inches of rain on the island, causing catastrophic mudslides and flattening entire villages before moving on to Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. In all, 31 people died, with damage to Dominica alone estimated by the World Bank at $444 million — an astronomical figure for a country with a GDP of just over $525 million last year. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said Erika has set the country back by 20 years in terms of development — a sentiment shared by Dominica’s longtime ambassador to the United States, Hubert John Charles. “The point is, we need to reconstruct,” he told The Washington Diplomat. “Two villages, Petite Savanne and Dubique, have been declared uninhabitable. Vulnerability has increased and the ground is now unstable. We’re practically starting over.” Charles, 67, has represented Dominica in the nation’s capital for more than five years — the last two from his temporary mission in suburban Arlington,Va., as the actual embassy on New Mexico Avenue undergoes long-overdue repairs. But repairing the damage to his homeland is now his top priority. Charles has been tasked with drumming up support in the United States to help in the rebuilding effort — an uphill climb for any ambassador, but particularly for one that represents such a tiny nation. Charles’s plight is one many envoys, from countries both large and small, can relate to: how to capture Washington’s attention when that attention is being constantly diverted by a litany of crises. While Erika was devastating to Dominica, it had little global resonance outside the island. And unfortunately, disasters are a dime a dozen — whether it’s the rise of the Islamic State in the Middle East, the migrant crisis shaking Europe or hurricanes elsewhere in the Caribbean. Not only does Charles have to compete in a crowded foreign policy landscape, he has to contend with tightened U.S. budgets and a Congress preoccupied with campaigning in an election year. He faces the added challenge of raising funds for long-term reconstruction, an urgent issue but one that tends to get sidelined once donations for the immediate emergen-

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The Washington Diplomat

Photo: Larry Luxner

“

A lot of the progress we make socially, economically and environmentally is undone by these disasters, which set back countries like Dominica on an almost annual basis…. This is a legitimate area for U.S. engagement and investment, so to that extent, we need to work with Congress. — Hubert John Charles

”

ambassador of Dominica to the United States

cy relief dry up. So the ambassador has been forced to roll up his sleeves and get creative, tapping friends in Washington and trying to place his country’s disaster in a broader regional context. Charles happened to be attending a conference in Ecuador when Erika hit his beloved island. One mountaintop weather station located at Gleau Gommier, in the center of the island, recorded 17 inches of rain within an 18-hour period. Charles said most of the deaths occurred in Petite Savanne, home of Dominica’s bay oil industry. In addition, Douglas-Charles Airport, on the island’s northeast coast, suffered $15 million in damages and had to be closed for two weeks. Since its reopening, the airport can only accommodate daytime landings because all night-landing equipment on the tarmac was destroyed. Meanwhile, the entire population of Dubique will be resettled elsewhere, in 50 houses donated by the Venezuelan government. Likewise, St. Kitts pledged

Photo: Embassy of Dominica

$370,000, while Cuba sent doctors to deal with Erikarelated medical emergencies. And even though Dominica broke relations with Taiwan upon granting diplomatic recognition to mainland China 10 years ago, both rivals gave the island cash in its time of need (Beijing sent $300,000 and Taipei $100,000). “We are happy with the response we got from the international community. Several prime ministers came down and offered assistance,” Charles said. “Japan offered generators and water tanks, Chile provided resources, and so did Colombia, Mexico and even the British Virgin Islands. The generosity of the Caribbean governments is something we will never forget.” Yet the United States “could do a little bit more,” Charles said diplomatically. On Capitol Hill, the loudest proponents of help for Dominica are Rep. Stacey Plaskett, the nonvoting delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and two New York Democrats — Rep. Yvette Clarke and Rep. Eliot Engel — both of whom have large numbers of Englishspeaking Caribbean immigrants in their respective districts. Plaskett visited Dominica after the storm, and on Sept. 30 she sponsored a House resolution “expressing the sense … that the U.S. government should provide additional relief and assistance to the island of

See dominica, page 18 December 2015

COVER PROFILE

Ambassador Fayçal Gouia

Tunisia’s New Envoy Reflects On Arab Spring, Five Years Later by Larry Luxner

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n Dec. 17, 2010, after police in the town of Sidi Bouzid confiscated his fruit cart and humiliated him for not having a permit, 26-year-old street vendor Moha­med Bouazizi poured a can of gasoline over his head and publicly set himself on fire.

Anti-government protests began within hours. A month later, Bouazizi was dead, longtime Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali had fled after 23 years in power — and the Arab Spring was in full bloom, from Morocco in the west to Bahrain in the east. Before long, Hosni Mubarak — who had ruled Egypt since 1981 — was overthrown, Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi (in power since 1969) was hunted down and killed, Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced into exile after 33 years as head of state, and a popular uprising against Bashar alAssad plunged Syria into full-fledged civil war. Lesser revolts erupted inAlgeria,Iraq,Jordan,Kuwait,Mauritania and Sudan. Turmoil continues to wrack the region — and the reverberations have been felt around the world.As civil war consumes Syria, the Islamic State has seized on the vacuum to capture parts of Syria and Iraq, extending its tentacles all the way to Paris, where last month’s horrific terrorist attacks killed 129 people. That assault came after a twin suicide attack in Lebanon that killed over 40 people and the downing of a Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that killed 224 passengers and crew. The Islamic State has claimed credit for all three attacks. This month, as the fifth anniversary of Bouazizi’s selfimmolation approaches, Tunisia has endured its own share of terrorist bloodshed, though it remains the only relative Arab Spring success story — an achievement reflected in the selection of its National Dialogue Quartet as winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. The quartet’s representatives will receive the prize at a Dec. 10 ceremony in Oslo, and Fayçal Gouia has every reason to be proud. “We never intended to influence any other country, or to be a model for other societies. Each country has its own realities,” said Gouia, Tunisia’s new ambassador to the United States. “But I think the Tunisian example is now very much appreciated. We enjoy freedom of expression and free speech, and we have recovered our dignity.” The eloquent, soft-spoken Gouia is Tunisia’s fifth ambassador here in as many years — perhaps a reflection of the chaotic times in which his nation of 11 million finds itself. Ten days before Bouazizi lit a match to himself, sparking the so-called Jasmine Revolution, Mohamed Salah Tekaya took over the job from his transitory predecessor, Habib Mansour. At first, Tekaya defended the dictator who had sent him to Washington. Later on, following Ben Ali’s ouster, the diplomat skillfully changed his tune and began supporting the uprising. But in June 2013, shortly after the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) named him its Ambassador of the Year, Tekaya resigned his post and was replaced by Mokhtar Chaouachi. Six months later, Chaouachi himself left, and Tunisia sent a new envoy to December 2015

Photo: Lawrence Ruggeri of Ruggeriphoto.com

“

We never intended to influence any other country, or to be a model for other societies. Each country has its own realities…. But I think the Tunisian example is now very much appreciated. We enjoy freedom of expression and free speech, and we have recovered our dignity. — Fayçal Gouia

”

ambassador of Tunisia to the United States

Washington: Mohamed Ezzine Chelaifa. Like the men who came before him, however, Chelaifa didn’t last long; he was promoted to vice minister for foreign affairs. Gouia, 56, arrived to fill the vacancy, presenting his credentials on May 18. Three days later, Gouia received Tunisia’s newly elected president, Beji Caid Essebsi, on an official visit to the White House. “The country’s been going through a lot of transitions in recent years, so it’s not a great surprise that we’ve seen a lot of ambassadors representing Tunisia’s different phases in its march to democracy,” said NUSACC’s president and CEO, David Hamod. “Very few people in Tunisia understand the U.S. as well as Fayçal Gouia does,” Hamod told The Diplomat. “He spent time here in the embassy years ago and started building lifelong relationships. He was head of the Americas desk back home, and in terms of getting to know Congress, he’s done an extraordinarily good job.”

Gouia grew up in Kairouan — one of Islam’s holiest cities — studied in Tunis and Paris, and has degrees in finance and management. For the last 26 years, he’s been a diplomat,having previously served in Washington from 1995 to 2001, first as cultural and press counselor, then becoming economic and commercial counselor in 1997, and finally as deputy chief of mission starting in 1999. He was later sent to Jakarta as Tunisia’s ambassador to Indonesia (also covering Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines). Before his latest stint, Gouia was director-general for the Americas and Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then secretary of state for foreign affairs. “My mission is relatively easy now because back then, I served at a time when Tunisia was criticized by U.S. decision-makers, either on the Hill or the administration, for its human rights abuses and lack of liberties,” Gouia said of his previous U.S. posting.“Now Americans consider Tunisia a success story. We succeeded in overcoming political difficulties by adopting a progressive constitution, by organizing free and fair elections and by going through a smooth transition. There’s a lot of appreciation for Tunisia in the United States.” Even when Tunisia was a dictatorship, it was a fairly moderate, progressive one. Europeans flocked to Tunisian beaches, the economy grew and women enjoyed a level of rights often unheard of in the Arab world. But beneath the surface, dissatisfaction with corruption, inequality and stubborn unemployment under Ben Ali’s regime festered until finally exploding five years ago. Since then, Tunisia has made tremendous strides on the political front, although it has faltered in delivering the economic and security stability that Tunisians have been clamoring for. On Jan. 26, 2014, the country adopted a new constitution guaranteeing key civil and political, as well as social, economic and cultural rights. These include the

Continued on next page The Washington Diplomat Page 11

Continued from previous page rights to citizenship; freedom of expression and association; the right to form political parties; and freedom from arbitrary detention and torture. In addition, Tunisia’s first national parliamentary elections since the 2011 uprising took place in October 2014. That resulted in victory for the moderate, secular Nidaa Tounes party, which usurped Ennahda, the first Islamist party to govern since the start of the Arab Spring. While Ennahda was also a moderate party that emphasized political compromise, it failed to turn the country’s battered economy around or address concerns over radicalization.The peaceful transfer of power from Ennahda to Nidaa Tounes paved the way for many established elites and technocratic officers to return to office, along with a smattering of leftists and reformers. Tunisia’s democratic achievements were recognized with this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to a coalition of labor union, business, human rights and lawyer groups that helped to mediate a political crisis in 2013 after protests broke out against the Ennahda-led government. Ultimately, fearing a reprisal of the Muslim Brotherhood’s ouster in Egypt, Ennahda agreed to cede power and form a technocratic caretaker administration until elections could be held. “It is for good reason that the Tunisians won the Nobel Prize over other favorites” such as German ChancellorAngela Merkel,U.S.Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif or Pope Francis, the Economist opined Oct. 9.“The country offers a rare example of progress in an otherwise wretched region. It deserves encouragement.And the rest of the Arab world deserves a little cause for hope amid all the anger and bloodshed.”

PHotos: larry lUxnEr

above, water gushes out of a fountain in front of souvenir shops in the medina of tunis, while at right, a man bicycles along a shop-filled street in the city of Tozeur. recent terrorist attacks have sought to hurt tunisia’s vital tourism sector, which represents 7 percent of the country’s $42 billion GdP and employs 400,000 people.

Yet in the wake of two horrific terrorist attacks earlier this year and widespread frustrations with the pace of economic reforms, Gouia is taking nothing for granted. On March 18, gunmen attacked the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, killing 22 people — mostly European tourists. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, though the Tunisian government blamed a local splinter group of al-Qaeda. Then on June 26, an armed gunman opened fire on a beach resort north of Sousse, killing 38 people. Again, most of them were European tourists, mainly from Britain.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that assault as well. Essebsi, Tunisia’s president, immediately deployed 1,300 armed guards to protect hotels and tourist sites and declared a state of emergency that lasted until October. The attacks followed a string of extremist-inspired political assassinations that took the lives of two prominent political leaders in 2013. Street protests erupted after the assassinations, which were also followed by the deaths of eight Tunisian soldiers near the border with Algeria. The soldiers’ bodies were then mutilat-

ed and their throats slit. Blame for the killings focused on Ansar al-Sharia, a hard-line Salafist movement seeking to implement Sharia law across Tunisia. “These terrorists intend to destroy what Tunisians have built since the revolution. They don’t want Tunisia to be democratic or free, but to impose their own ideology: bloodshed and killing,” Gouia told us during a recent interview at his Washington residence. “They have no relationship with humanity or religion or common sense. All they want is anarchy, violence and terror.” It is ironic that Tunisia — perhaps the most advanced and secular of the Arab League’s 22 member states — has also contributed more foreign jihadists to the Islamic State bloodbath in Syria and Iraq than any other country. Tunisia’s own interior minister, Lotfi Ben Jeddou, told reporters in June 2015 that at least 2,400 Tunisian citizens have become combatants in Syria since 2011, mostly as fighters for the alNusra Front and Islamic State. Some 400 of them have returned, while thousands more have been prevented from traveling. “They are targeting Tunisia because it’s a suc-

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cess — the only candle in the wind — and they don’t want this candle to shine anymore,” said Gouia. “Unfortunately, many of these Tunisians were trained in Libya, Syria and Iraq.” To keep the extremists out, Tunisia recently announced its intention to build a 100-milelong berm along its 300-mile desert frontier with Libya — where all three gunmen involved in this year’s two attacks received training — and will reinforce existing border crossings. While the ambassador isn’t ready to declare victory over the terrorists, he did say another Bardo-style attack is unlikely, noting that, “Tunisia is now under control of our military and security forces. They are doing a tremendous job, and most of the terrorists [who went to train in Libya] cannot return because Tunisia is very well controlled.” Yet Tunisia remains a tempting target — and driving tourists away is one obvious way of destroying the economy, given that tourism represents 7 percent of Tunisia’s GDP and employs 400,000 people. In 2010, the year before the revolution, more than 7 million foreigners visited the country’s Mediterranean beaches, ancient Roman ruins and desert landscapes so otherworldly that “Star Wars” director George Lucas used Tunisia as a backdrop for the mythical planet Tatooine. But after the June slaughter of unsuspecting tourists sunning themselves on the white-sand beach at Sousse, arrivals tumbled by 35 percent. “Our outlook for the summer season was very positive,” Gouia said.“But with the second attack, tourism was very badly hurt, and the impact was huge.” In that regard, Tunisia resembles another North African country — Egypt — that is also highly dependent on tourism. On Oct. 31, a Russian jetliner crashed over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula shortly after takeoff from Sharm el-

Tunisia at a Glance national Day: march 20, 1956 (from France) Capital: tunis location: northern africa, bordering the Mediterranean sea, between algeria and libya population: 11 million (July 2015 estimate) life expectancy: 75.8 years ethnic groups: Arab 98 percent, european 1 percent, Jewish and other 1 percent religions: muslim (official; Sunni) 99.1 percent, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shiite Muslim and baha’i) 1 percent GDp (purchasing power parity): $124.3 billion (2014 estimate) GDp per-capita: $11,300 (2014 estimate) GDp growth: 2.3 percent (2014 estimate) unemployment: 15.3 percent (2014 estimate) population below poverty line: 3.8 percent (2005 estimate) exports: Clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment imports: Textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs Source: CIA World Factbook

Sheikh, killing all 224 people aboard. Evidence suggests that a bomb destroyed the Airbus A321, and a local Islamic State affiliate has already claimed responsibility for the attack. Yet one thing has nothing to do with the other, said Gouia. “Both operations that took place in Tunisia were done by individuals. In Sousse, it was one person, and at the Bardo Museum, it was two — not groups using heavy equipment,” he said. “There is no link at all between what’s going

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on in other countries and what’s going on in Tunisia.” Why then are so many of his countrymen joining violent extremist organizations such as the Islamic State? Gouia says he’s not sure, but offers some possible explanations. “Tunisians are moderate people, but for many reasons, they are easily indoctrinated,” he speculated.“Maybe it’s marginalization, though I don’t think poverty is behind it. After many years of dictatorship, people are looking for

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any kind of freedom. They want to express themselves, to convince themselves they exist.” But economic stagnation is, in fact, a very serious problem — and with the loss of tourism and foreign investment following the recent attacks, Tunisia’s economy has taken a beating, endangering all of the painstaking political progress made thus far. “Unless the Tunisian government moves rapidly to turn the economy around, Tunisia could well turn out to be the country where the Arab Spring both was born and died,” warned Karim Mezran and Mohsin Khan, senior fellows at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. In a policy brief issued Oct. 9, the authors wrote that Tunisia has barely made progress on economic reforms that could achieve the 6 to 7 percent annual growth necessary to create desperately needed jobs and make a significant dent in unemployment, which currently stands at 15.2 percent (with youth joblessness much higher). In fact, as recently as this spring, the IMF and World Bank had been projecting Tunisia’s real GDP to rise by 3 percent in 2015, but that was before this summer’s carnage in Tunis and Sousse. The government now projects real GDP to rise by only 0.5 percent in 2015, with some indications that the year could end with GDP shrinking, as was the case in 2011. “The biggest single issue Tunisia faces is the creation of productive jobs as part of a growing economy,” noted NUSACC’s Hamod. “Tunisia lives in a tough neighborhood, and they have suffered the effects of regional challenges. Having said that, I’m optimistic that the people of Tunisia will pull through.” So is Hussein Abassi, head of the Tunisian

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advertorial supplement

Angola Celebrates 40 Years Of Independence, Resilience

O

nce adversaries, the United States and Angola today enjoy a warm friendship and strong bilateral ties — both of which were on display last month as the Portuguesespeaking country celebrated its 40th anniversary of independence.

And despite current economic difficulties sparked by falling world oil prices, petroleum-rich Angola — home to about 23 million people — still hopes to one day become the Saudi Arabia of Africa. At a colorful Nov. 12 reception at the Willard InterContinental Washington hotel, Angola’s top diplomat to the United States praised “the brave Angolan fighters who sacrificed their lives for independence and freedom” four decades earlier. “Angola went through a long period of civil war. The route was difficult, with many ups and downs, but we have never forgotten the tremendous help of our brothers from Africa,” said Ambassador Agostinho Tavares da Silva Neto, singling out Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia for special recognition. “These countries all got independence before Angola, and they helped us in our struggle, as well as Cuba, which in the most difficult moments fought side by side with the Angolan people.” Some 250 people crowded the Willard banquet hall as dancers and musicians in traditional costume marked 40 years since Angola declared its independence from Portugal on Nov. 11, 1975, following the overthrow of Portugal’s military dictatorship. The country then underwent a brutal 27-year civil war that lasted until 2002. Since then, it has adopted a new Constitution and enjoyed steady economic growth in recent years as it works to rebuild the infrastructure and social institutions that were ravaged by years of fighting. “Today, we can joyfully say our efforts were not in vain, and the persistence of our people for the cause of independence and the defense of national sovereignty dignifies the entire nation,” said the ambassador, paying homage to President José Eduardo dos Santos, who has ruled Angola since 1979. “Of course we have many challenges, but we are on track, and we have a great story to tell the world.” Tavares, 61, has represented Angola in Washington for just over a year. The career diplomat was previous­ ly ambassador to Canada and has also served his country in various positions in Brazil, India and Spain. He said that for the past 13 years, Angola has been at peace — an achievement he calls “one of the most important events of our recent history.” “We have had 22 years of official relations with the United States, and recently we have seen the emergence of a promising economic and security partnership,” he said. “The U.S. and Angola have entered into a formal Strategic Partnership Dialogue, which actively works to implement our Trade and Investment Framework Agreement [TIFA], broaden bilateral trade and investment cooperation, pursue technology transfer and healthcare initiatives, and

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The Washington Diplomat

Photo: Larry Luxner

Agostinho Tavares da Silva Neto, Angola’s ambassador to the United States, left, and Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Angola’s minister of external affairs, meet with top U.S. officials Nov. 16, 2015, at the Atlantic Council in Washington.

“

Today, we can joyfully say our efforts were not in vain, and the persistence of our people for the cause of independence and the defense of national sovereignty dignifies the entire nation. Of course we have many challenges, but we are on track, and we have a great story to tell the world.

”

— Agostinho Tavares da Silva Neto ambassador of Angola to the United States

address global and regional issues. Today, we can absolutely say that Angola is a success story.” With proven oil reserves of 8.4 billion barrels, Texas-size Angola — a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) — is now one of this country’s top trading partners in Africa. Yet its decision to adopt a socialist path scared away investors as far back as the early 1980s. So did then-President Ronald Reagan’s support of Jonas Savimbi and his National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) rebel group, which sought to overthrow the Marxist government along with help from South Africa’s apartheid regime. All told, at least 1 million people died in Angola’s civil war, though estimates vary. At one point in the early 1990s, the war was killing more than 1,000 Angolans every day. After Savimbi’s death, the Luena Memorandum of April 2002 brought a formal end to

the fighting, and UNITA became an opposition political party within the government headed by dos Santos and his ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). Between 2003 and 2011, Angola attracted more than $58 billion in foreign direct investment, according to Rosa Pacavira, the country’s minister of trade. Besides oil and gas, the country is rich in other natural resources including diamonds, iron, phosphate, copper, gold, bauxite, uranium and manganese. In 2013, the most recent year for which complete figures are available, total U.S.-Angola trade came to $10.2 billion. The United States imported $8.7 billion from Angola, nearly all of it in the form of crude oil (with minuscule imports of diamonds, rubber and wood products), while U.S. exports to Angola reached $1.5 billion, led by machinery, poultry, iron and steel products, electrical machinery and medical instruments. Last year, the U.S. Agriculture Department opened an office in Luanda; so did the Commerce Department, which has assigned a senior commercial service office there to help U.S. companies find partners within the Angolan private sector. And in November 2015, the two countries signed an agreement under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act to combat tax evasion, joining 100 other nations in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing. The Angolan government concedes that the country must reduce its dependence on oil, which accounts for half the country’s GDP of $125 billion, about 80 percent of tax revenues and more than 90 percent of export earnings. Dos Santos warned his fellow Angolans last December that 2015 would be “difficult economically” and that public spending would have to be slashed. Angola’s budget had been predicated on world petroleum prices at $81 a barrel, as opposed to current

December 2015

advertorial supplement prices of around $40 to $45 per barrel. Efforts to diversify away from oil focus on promoting a strong small- and medium-enterprise sector that generates wealth and employment for Angolans; stimulating investment in infrastructure; and improving Angola’s economic competitiveness. The country’s 2013-17 National Development Plan commits to the rehabilitation and modernization of Angola’s transport, energy, water and information and communications technology infrastructure, while its National Logistics Platform Network prioritizes commercial zones near Angola’s borders to reinforce its position as a key logistics hub for central and southern Africa. “We invite foreign partners to participate in Angola’s many public and private investment opportunities with an aim toward increasing local production, reducing imports, growing non-oil exports and creating jobs” in such sectors as cement, textiles, beverages, sugar, grains, poultry, eggs, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture, the ambassador said. Even so, Angola remains a leading beneficiary of preferential access to the U.S. market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has been extended until 2025. Within the last decade, Angolan exports to the U.S. through AGOA have exceeded $115 billion. “The United States has become a major investor in Angola, but has also helped to build various government institutions,” said Dr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Angola’s minister of external relations, speaking Nov. 16 at Washington’s Atlantic Council. “Over the last 40 years, we’ve gone through many difficulties as Angolans: a war from 1975 to 1992, then a civil war from 1992 to 2002,” said Chikoti, who’s been Angola’s foreign minister for the past five years and is one of the country’s longest-serving senior officials. Chikoti said his visit to Washington reflects vastly improved bilateral ties, as well as the urgency of tackling a variety of economic and political crises plaguing the region. “Africa is still a very unstable continent. We have major issues that affect regional stability,” he said, naming the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and the Central African Republic as major flashpoints. “Recently we had a national conference on security and energy in a global context, which has produced very important results. We believe this kind of relationship is helpful to build peace around the world.” Florizelle Liser, assistant U.S. trade representative for Africa, named Angola as one of this country’s key targets for future trade and investment. “U.S. exports to Angola are a strong example of how the Obama administration is emphasizing trade as a key way to unlock economic opportunity, strengthen the middle class and benefit our partners abroad,” she said. Todd Haskell, deputy assistant secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, echoed those sentiments during Angola’s 40th birthday bash at the U.s. seCretArY of stAte John kerrY Addresses workers And loCAl mediA After toUring A generAl eleCtriC fACilitY in the sonil oil serviCes ComPoUnd in AngolA’s Port of lUAndA in 2014. the PrevioUs YeAr, totAl U.s.-AngolA trAde CAme to $10.2 billion. Photo: U.s. state department

December 2015

U.s. seCretArY of stAte John kerrY, left, And AngolAn President JosÉ edUArdo dos sAntos ChAt before their bilAterAl meeting At the PresidentiAl PAlACe in lUAndA on mAY 5, 2014. Photo: U.s. state department

Willard, noting that more than 6,000 Angolan product categories enjoy REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA tariff-free access to the United States thanks to AGOA. The country now National Day: nov. 11, 1975 (from Portugal) ranks as Washington’s third-largest Capital: luanda trading partner in sub-Sahara Africa, after South Africa and Nigeria. Location: southern Africa, bordering the south Atlantic ocean, “Forty years of independence is between namibia and democratic republic of the Congo worth celebrating,” Haskell told his Population: 23 million guests. “The road to independence Life expectancy: 55.6 years has not been easy, but the people of Angola have persevered. After two Ethnic groups: ovimbundu 37 percent, kimbundu decades of civil war, Angola has now 25 percent, bakongo 13 percent, mestico (mixed developed an economy that ranks european and native African) 2 percent, european among the largest in Africa. It is one 1 percent, other 22 percent of only three partners on the contiReligions: indigenous beliefs 47 percent, nent with which the United States has roman Catholic 38 percent, Protestant developed a framework agreement, 15 percent (1998 estimate) initiated by [then-Secretary of State] GDP (purchasing power parity): $175.6 billion Hillary Clinton in 2010 and reinforced (2014 estimate) by John Kerry in 2014.” Since establishing ties in 1993, the GDP per-capita (purchasing power parity): relationship “has been forged through $7,200 (2014 estimate) strong trade, regional peace and GDP growth: 4.2 percent (2014 estimate) security. Angola has taken a strong Unemployment: nA leadership position as chair of the International Conference on the Great Exports: Crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum Lakes Region and as chair of the products, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton Kimberley Process [which seeks to Imports: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare stop the trade in so-called blood parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods diamonds],” he said. source: CiA world factbook Haskell added that Angola’s selection to the United Nations Security Council for 2015 and to ever maritime and security conference held in Luanda, SADC — the 15-member Southern which brought together 30 countries,” Haskell said. African Development Community, based in Botswana “Angola took the lead in seeking a comprehensive — has been critical. approach to Gulf of Guinea concerns.” “And most recently, Angola collaborated with In his speech, Haskell stressed that as strategic Africom [the Pentagon’s Africa Command] in the firstpartners, Washington and Luanda are not limited just to commercial opportunities. “We’ve tackled important social and economic challenges with projects in infrastructure, education and health — and we stood together when the HIV scourge shocked the world,” he said, noting that the U.S. government has also supported efforts to clear unexploded and potentially lethal land mines left over from Angola’s civil war. “We’re inviting teachers and scientists to participate in exchange programs, and we’re working with Angolan NGOs to expand the use of the English language in Angola,” said Haskell. He added that hundreds of young Angolans also participate in the Young African Leaders Initiative Network and the Mandela Washington Fellowship. “Angola has made tremendous progress over the last 40 years,” Haskell said, “but it must continue to pursue economic equality, human rights and democratic principles. As you celebrate this special day, we stand with you and look forward to the next 40.”

The Washington Diplomat Page 15

International Affairs

Middle East

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki Delivers Stinging Rebuke to Inaction on Syria by Larry Luxner

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EW YORK — Prince Turki al-Faisal, one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential and outspoken diplomats, says humanity is “criminally negligent” for not acting more forcefully to end the civil war in Syria, a conflict that since 2011 has claimed at least 250,000 lives and displaced half the country’s population. Turki, a 70-year-old grandfather and son of the late King Faisal, headed Saudi Arabia’s intelligence agency for 24 years and served as Riyadh’s ambassador to the United States from 2005 until his retirement in early 2007. On Nov. 3,Turki was the guest of honor at New York’s Yale Club, where he accepted the George H.W. Bush Global Leadership Award at a $500-a-plate cocktail reception and Q&A organized by Washington-based Layalina Productions, which seeks to bridge the divide between the Arab world and the United States. “Some folks are saying unkind things about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” lamented Leon Shahabian, Layalina’s president and executive producer, “but those of us in this room know the history of this incredibly important relationship. News cycles come and go, but this partnership is decades old, so we’re here to honor everything this bilateral relationship has done to benefit our respective nations and build for the future.” In a videotaped welcome, the elder Bush said he’s proud to serve as honorary chairman of Layalina — an Arab film and TV production company — “because of my belief in the need to reach out” to the peoples of the Middle East. “Today we stand at a crossroads: whether we will have a world of peace or a world of conflict,” the 41st president said. “The voices of reason and moderation need to be heard more clearly, and we all look forward to a time of decreased tensions.” Yet today’s Middle East is anything but tranquil, as Turki sadly noted. “If humanity looks at itself and considers what’s happening in Syria, we are all criminally negligent. Everybody is to blame,” he said bluntly. “It’s not just Russians or Iranians, but the Saudis and Americans too. Nobody is doing what is necessary to put a stop to the pain and sorrow the Syrian people have been going through these last four years.” Turki spoke before a select group of 100 guests, answering questions posed by retired diplomat Walter Cutler, a former two-time U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia who spent 17 years as president of Washington’s Meridian International Center. Also in the audience: Abdallah Y. Al-Mouallimi, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the United Nations; Khalid Bin Mohammed Al-Sharif, the country’s consulgeneral in New York; Majdi Ramadan, Lebanon’s consulgeneral in New York; and John Duke Anthony, founding president and chief executive of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. Turki, considered one of the most educated royals in the House of Saud, was born in Mecca, attended high

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The Washington Diplomat

Photo: Larry Luxner

Former Saudi Ambassador Prince Turki al-Faisal speaks as the guest of honor at New York’s Yale Club, where he received the George H.W. Bush Global Leadership Award at an event organized by D.C.-based Layalina Productions.

“

If humanity looks at itself and considers what’s happening in Syria, we are all criminally negligent. Everybody is to blame…. It’s not just Russians or Iranians, but the Saudis and Americans too. Nobody is doing what is necessary to put a stop to the pain and sorrow the Syrian people have been going through these last four years.

”

— Prince Turki al-Faisal

former ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States

school in Princeton, N.J., and graduated in the class of 1968 from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (he’s also done post-graduate work at Princeton, Cambridge and the University of London). After Faisal’s death in 1975, Turki and his siblings established the King Faisal Foundation to invest in education throughout Saudi Arabia. Since retiring from public office, the prince has headed the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies. Cutler asked Turki if he had any glimmer of hope that peace would come to Syria.

“I am not optimistic at all,” the Saudi prince replied, shaking his head ruefully.“It’s been four and a half years, and as the carnage gets worse, everybody is just sitting back. All I see is political posturing — not any genuine and sincere dedication to ending the fighting. They talk about the Syrian people without consulting the Syrian people. We need someone in the world community to stand up and say,‘Enough is enough.’” He noted wryly that at the recent Vienna peace conference — which included 17 countries and marked the broadest effort yet aimed at ending the war — delegates issued passionate declarations of support for the Syrian people, but nobody offered solutions. “The means are there, whether they’re military, economic or political. If the Russians, the Saudis, the Americans and the Europeans really wanted to put a stop to the carnage taking place in Syria, they can do that,” said Turki, whose government, considered the custodian of Sunni Islam, is deeply opposed to the presence of Shiite arch-rival Iran at those talks. A big part of the problem, he suggested, is Iran’s continued support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “Nobody is willing to do what is needed to get over this crisis,” Turki said. “We cannot change geography by breaking the Arabian Peninsula off from the continent of Asia and heading for more peaceful waters. Iran will always be next to us. We have to deal with them whatever way we can.” The other thing that can’t be changed, he said, is the simple fact that both predominantly Shiite Iran and staunchly Sunni Saudi Arabia are Muslim countries.

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December 2015

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from page 10

Dominica Dominica” — in addition to the $150,000 the Obama administration has already provided. “The risk is, people will forget there was a tragedy in Dominica,” Charles lamented. “Right after that, Hurricane Joaquin hit the Bahamas, and of course people can say to us, ‘You don’t have the problems that Syria has. Look at those refugees.’ But those arguments don’t help us.” Charles declined to specify how much aid he wants from Washington. “I would be hesitant to give a figure,” said the ambassador, who’s spent most of his career with the United Nations, serving in countries as diverse as Barbados, Nigeria, Mozambique and South Africa. “But given the frequency of these natural disasters in the Caribbean, and given our proximity and the long-term engagement of the U.S. in our development, I think it is appropriate for the United States to consider the idea of establishing a disaster relief fund for the Caribbean.” He added: “I’m no longer focusing just on Dominica. I’m suggesting that in light of the regularity of these disasters, we hardly ever have the capacity to do the type of reconstruction we need to do.” That’s why Charles is pushing to broaden the reach of USAID, whose assistance skews toward more immediate disaster relief. “In the longer term, therefore, we would like to see the State Department’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and USAID empowered with the budgetary means to support not only emergency response initiatives, but also the critical recovery and reconstruction activities that the vulnerable, small states on the Caribbean have to contend with virtually on an annual basis.”

Photo: Embassy of Dominica

Dominica, below, lacks beaches but is blessed with pristine waterfalls and virgin rainforests. A recent tropical storm, however, has set the Caribbean island’s development back by 20 years, according to its prime minister.

Photo: Embassy of Dominica

Tropical Storm Erika dumped 10 inches of rain on the island of Dominica, killing 31 people and causing catastrophic mudslides that flattened entire villages.

In Dominica’s case, the challenge is especially great because, for one thing, its debt-to-GDP ratio stands at a staggering 81.1 percent, meaning it can’t afford to keep rebuilding every time a hurricane hits the island. In addition, Dominica has no beaches, so it can’t count on the income from mass tourism as other Caribbean destinations do. Furthermore, people often confuse Dominica with the similar-sounding but more familiar Dominican Republic — and finally, the United States has no embassy there. Engel hopes to change that, however. In March, the congressman introduced his U.S.Caribbean Partnership Act, which seeks to establish new embassies in Dominica and four other English-speaking island nations: Antigua

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and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “Just as you can’t conduct diplomacy from a bunker, you can’t conduct diplomacy from hundreds of miles away,” said Engel. “My bill would strengthen diplomatic ties with our Caribbean neighbors so that we can work even more closely on a range of issues, from promoting economic development and combating drug trafficking to our shared work through the Organization of American States.” Engel, who originally submitted the bill in the 113th Congress, is the leading Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and a former chairman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee. At present, the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, handles all diplomatic and consular affairs with the five countries. But Erika may have inadvertently given Engel’s bill a boost, said Charles. “All five of us ambassadors have met and agreed we would together show our solidarity and support for the initiative,” he said, adding that “the presence of a U.S. Embassy in Dominica would give the United States a better understanding of the development challenges we face.” John Maisto, who was U.S. ambassador to Venezuela from 1997 to 2000 and is well versed in Caribbean affairs, said Engel’s proposal makes perfect sense. “Eliot Engel is one of the smartest men in Congress when it comes to foreign policy. The fact that the United States lacks full-blown embassies in the Caribbean sends the wrong message,”he told us.“When China and Venezuela can have more embassies in our immediate neighborhood than we do, that says something

Photo: ‘Dominica Panorama 5’ by Dirk.heldmaier / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons

about the ability of the United States to focus. Both political parties are responsible for this.” At only 290 square miles, Dominica is just over half the size of Maryland’s Montgomery County, and its population is less than that of Germantown, Md. Even so, Charles predicted Congress would ultimately pass Engel’s bill — despite cost considerations and the fact that not a single Republican has signed onto it. “You can always argue that given our size and population, the establishment of an embassy is not valid. But at the same time, why is Cuba there? Why is Brazil there?” he pointed out.“It’s not in U.S. interests to be seen or perceived as distant and removed from the development dynamics of small Caribbean states. We will never be that important if you look at us in terms of size, but it’s in the interests of the United States to go beyond that.” He added that with global warming, future storms and hurricanes might make Erika look tame by comparison. “A lot of the progress we make socially, economically and environmentally is undone by these disasters, which set back countries like Dominica on an almost annual basis,” said Charles.“This is a legitimate area for U.S. engagement and investment, so to that extent, we need to work with Congress.”

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

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Defense

Cybersecurity

U.S., China Wade Into Unchartered Territory of Defining Cyberspace by Justin Salhani and Anna Gawel

A

cybersecurity agreement signed by President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping this past September began the long road to prevent future cyber-related espionage for economic gain. The deal, assuming it is upheld, was a major development in a budding sector that has very few international regulations. Washington and Beijing also agreed to negotiate an arms control accord — the first of its kind — to ban peacetime attacks on critical infrastructure such as power grids and seaports. The discussions mark the first attempts by both governments to seek “international rules of the road for appropriate conduct in cyberspace,” as Obama put it during a Rose Garden press conference. Cybersecurity is a relatively new policy phenomenon.There are no international or American doctrines pertaining to the subject. That’s why defining where cyberspying for national security purposes ends and economic espionage begins isn’t always clear. During Xi’s state visit, Obama announced that both China and the U.S. “agree that neither country’s government will conduct or knowingly support cyberenabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors.” The pact removed a major irritant in the bilateral relationship that threatened to overshadow Xi’s visit, with the administration hinting it might slap sanctions on Chinese hackers involved in stealing secrets from American businesses. Tensions also grew in the wake of the massive cybertheft of personal data belonging to 22 million Americans from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, an attack widely blamed on hackers in China. Despite the agreement, Obama has reserved the right to respond to suspected cyberattacks emanating from China with sanctions or other retaliatory measures. Indeed, the president himself admitted that, “The question now is, ‘Are words followed by actions?’” While the leaders agreed to investigate respective cases of nefarious online activity against the other country, the details of the agreement — and its enforcement mechanisms — remain murky. Critics in Congress say they are skeptical the deal will curb what many experts see as rampant Chinese hacking of U.S. commercial interests. Moreover, the distinction between economic and traditional spying in the cyber realm is a difficult one to make. “The idea the U.S. government has basically been [pushing] is that governments have and always will spy on each other to sort of gain military secrets or national security information to better protect the country and that that is distinct from a government stealing intellectual property from a company in order to give companies in their country a competiDecember 2015

Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama shares a toast with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state banquet at the Great Hall of People in Beijing in 2014. During Xi’s visit to the U.S. this past September, the two presidents pledged to refrain from cyberattacks for economic or commercial gain.

“

The U.S. is fairly adamant everybody does military espionage, but what we don’t do is spy on foreign companies to give ourselves a competitive edge…. Not all countries agree that there is a meaningful distinction and it is not always clear where the lines are drawn.

”

— Josephine Wolff

assistant professor of public policy and computing security at the Rochester Institute of Technology

tive edge,” Josephine Wolff, an assistant professor of public policy and computing security at the Rochester Institute of Technology, told The Washington Diplomat. “The U.S. is fairly adamant everybody does military espionage, but what we don’t do is spy on foreign companies to give ourselves a competitive edge.” The fine line between one type of spying versus another, however, is one that not every country recognizes.The United States, for instance, has been accused of spying on its own allies during talks for major trade agreements with Europe and the Asia-Pacific Rim, presumably to get a leg up on the competition. Like­ wise, nations such as China see propping up their state-owned enterprises and developing their economy as a national priority. Beijing and Washington seem to have papered over

their differences of opinion on economic espionage versus old-fashioned reconnaissance, but as Wolff notes,“It’s a somewhat murky distinction.” “Even surveillance directed toward companies is considered national security as long as the purpose is to give companies a competitive edge,” Wolff said. “Not all countries agree that there is a meaningful distinction and it is not always clear where the lines are drawn. It’s not about spying on another government versus a company; there’s more nuance and subtly to it than that.” A larger dilemma is the lack of consensus worldwide over how to regulate the burgeoning field of cybersecurity — and punish transgressors. The international community has yet to lay out a comprehensive plan to deal with issues relating to cybersecurity policies. For many analysts, this glaring gap needs to be addressed quickly as the industry’s importance continues to grow — as does the potential for largescale attacks. In fact, cybertheft and cybercrime have prompted many governments to take the issue more seriously, although collective action remains elusive. Diego Molano Vega, former minister of information technologies and communications for Colombia, said his government didn’t have a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy until the emails of President Juan Manuel Santos got hacked, along with emails containing details about the FARC peace process negotiations. “The main issue we have is awareness,” Molano told a panel called “Global Approaches to Cybersecurity” at the Council on Foreign Relations on Nov. 4. “Awareness is basically the source of the solution, because if you see — out of 34 countries in Latin America, just half of them have a clear e-government policy.And just four or five of them have a clear cyber-

Continued on next page The Washington Diplomat Page 19

Continued from previous page security policy. Why is that? Because people and leaders are not aware of the risks.” Likewise, Makita Shimokawa, ambassador in charge of cyber policy at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that his government formulated its cybersecurity strategy after an attack on the Japanese pension fund scheme stole the personal information of 1.2 million people. Speaking on the same panel, Shimokawa said that securing critical infrastructure from cyberattacks is a priority in the government’s overall strategy. But Shimokawa lamented that in general, the focus on cybertheft and hacking obscures the importance of preventing an attack on infrastructure such as power grids.“So maybe the sense of urgency in terms of cybersecurity, national security issue or attack on critical infrastructure may not be as heightened as it should be. So I think the question of raising the literacy and the awareness of cybersecurity vulnerability is also an important area.” But the question is where to start? There is currently little to go on besides poorly defined existing norms and behaviors. China, on the other hand, sees it differently. “Today, no such official doctrine guides international, or for that matter, U.S. cybersecurity policy,” Daniel M. Gerstein, former deputy undersecretary in the Science & Technology Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, wrote in U.S. News & World Report. “No comprehensive framework exists for think-

ing about cyberspace issues, managing concerns or even responding to crises.There are no set limitations on potentially destabilizing behavior. There’s not even an internationally accepted glossary of terminology to guide creation of cyber norms.” Such a doctrine would require defining limits and boundaries as to what is and what is not acceptable activity in cyberspace. Obama described the consensus as a work in progress, while Xi said China would follow existing cyberspace norms, a complex issue considering that these are based on self-regulation. Nonetheless, some analysts believe the agreement is a crucial increment in broader, sectorwide progress. “Evidence that it’s been successful is that China publicizes its companies or individuals who are perpetrating [cybercrimes] and successfully prosecutes them. Once we start to see that, then that would show that China is putting its money where its mouth is,” Alexander Neill, a Shangri-La Dialogue senior fellow for Asia Pacific security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Voice of America. Jason Healey of the Atlantic Council told the Politico’s Joseph Marks that the bargain is a winwin for the administration.“If China lives up to the deal, then we win…. If they [comply] halfway, then we still have less cyber operations than we had before,” Healey said. And if the Chinese government fails to live up to its word, the U.S. can publicly embarrass Xi. Other experts also point out that as head of a repressive, one-party state, Xi has the power

to minimize attacks, or at least state-directed ones. But inducing an authoritarian regime to respect international rules of the road can be a double-edge sword. “The bedrock of a state-based strategy to address cyber challenges would be sound national policies, codified in domestic law and fully enforced. The key to this is to ensure that states rein in non-state actors, whether individuals or groups,” wrote Robert S. Litwak and Meg King in the article “Cybersecurity treaties may be nice, but it’s really every country for itself,” as part of the Wilson Center’s Digital Futures Project. “The problem, however, is that authoritarian states, such as Russia and China, have an interest in preserving ‘patriotic hackers’ as a policy instrument while maintaining plausible deniability.” Indeed, Obama has admitted that a major flaw of any cyber agreement will be addressing the threat posed by non-state actors. Litwak and King argue that deterrence is key to preventing future attacks. That includes strengthening computer networks and holding states accountable through sanctions, with the goal of making the internet “Wild West” a bit less wild. The analogy of the Wild West was also raised at the Council on Foreign Relations discussion on cybersecurity, where experts said that establishing international norms and rules of conduct was instrumental in taming this new frontier. But Scott Charney, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing, argues

from page 13

Tunisia General Labor Union, which is part of the National Dialogue Quartet that also includes the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts; the Tunisian Human Rights League; and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers.The quartet — formed in response to the 2013 political crisis — won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to keep Tunisia on the path to democracy. But Abassi beseeched the World Bank and other financial institutions not to put unrealistic pressure on Tunis to overhaul its economy at the expense of social justice. “I told them to be patient. Don’t treat Tunisia as a stable country, because they are asking us to embark immediately on major reforms,” said Abassi, speaking Nov. 4 at the Rafik Hariri Center.“Please talk to us as a country in transition that is still looking to revive its economy. Please be patient.” Abassi suggested that while Tunisia must restructure its labor and investment laws, fiscal reform can take place in 2016 — and that reforms not achieved by the end of 2015 can be tackled in 2016 or even 2017. “We don’t want to be claiming heroism here,” said Abassi, noting that it was only because civil society groups and politicians put national interests above partisanship that the country had not slipped into anarchy. “If they were not responsive to us, the dialogue would have never succeeded, and we would have never been able to talk about this exceptional success of Tunisia.” While the West has touted Tunisia as the rare Arab Spring bright spot, political rifts remain — both between leftist and former regime elements within the ruling party itself and between Nidaa Tounes and Ennahda. Despite the ongoing turbulence, Gouia says talk of Tunisia descending into chaos or a Libyan-style civil war is nonsense — and he outlined five reasons why. “First, we have an educated population; literacy in Tunisia is very high. Secondly, our poli-

20

Photo: Larry Luxner

This panoramic view shows the presidential palace in the Tunisian capital of Tunis, as well as Carthage, a seaside suburb known for its archaeological ruins. Five years ago, Tunisia gave birth to the uprisings that have redefined the Arab world.

ticians are aware of the challenges that threaten the country and have a strong sense of patriotism and responsibility. Third, we have a strong and dynamic civil society, so even if sometimes we cannot agree, civil society puts strong pressure on politicians to form a consensus,” he explained. “Fourth, women’s participation in civil and political society is very important. Tunisian women played an important role before the revolution, during the revolution and after the revolution.And fifth, unlike other countries, we have strong institutions and a civilization more than 3,000 years old. So we have learned how to live together.” It may seem like a paradox, said Gouia, but unlike the case in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq or Gaddafi’s Libya, civil society associations existed even in the time of Ben Ali. “They were not illegal. The regime was not the stereotype of dictatorship that exists in other countries,” he said. “Tunisia is a unique

The Washington Diplomat

case in the Arab world. Tunisians are well-educated and open-minded.That’s why it’s a tourist destination. Our first president, Habib Bourguiba, also had a very big influence on Tunisians. He emancipated women in 1956; he was more occidental than oriental.” But Tunisia still has plenty of unfinished business to attend to, both at home and abroad. As ambassador, Gouia said he’s meeting on a daily basis with lawmakers, business leaders and think tank experts trying to encourage U.S. investment in Tunisia. In 1995, he said, Tunisia signed a free trade accord with the European Union — becoming the first country in the world to do so — and today, more than 3,000 European companies are doing business there. By comparison, only 66 U.S. firms have operations in Tunisia,“which don’t reflect the strong relations that exist between our two countries.” In November 2014, USAID opened a new office in Tunis, an event attended by Gouia.

that while many governments agree in principle that more cyber safeguards are needed, the devil is in the details. “So one of the big challenges in all of this, including the new Chinese-U.S. agreement, is how do you determine whether or not people are actually following the norms? And people have gotten into the space on the internet where they go, because it’s hard to do authentication, because it’s hard to do traceability; there’s always plausible deniability.” Iddo Moed, cybersecurity coordinator with the Israeli Foreign Ministry, also pointed out that individual countries have their own unique set of cyber challenges and therefore should be allowed to tailor their own plans to meet those challenges. “[T]his is a new kind of a discussion, and everybody has to be involved. And from our perspective … we feel that norms should be, at this stage at least, voluntary or non-binding so everybody can join in; everybody can understand and learn what it means; work a lot on confidence-building measures, which are very focused actions that countries can take; and also work hard on capacity-building,” he said.“I think the point is that every country has a very different set of circumstances. So there is no good and bad. Every country is trying to mitigate the threats from its own circumstances, its own environment.”

Justin Salhani (@JustinSalhani) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat. Anna Gawel is the managing editor of The Washington Diplomat.

Since 2011, the aid agency has given Tunisia $288 million to support the country’s economic growth and democratic transition. But what Gouia would really like to see is a free trade agreement between Tunis and Washington that would give his country greater access to the lucrative U.S. market. “In the Middle East, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Oman all have FTAs with the United States,” he said. “I think Tunisia will be the next.” “Tunisia and the U.S. could certainly benefit from an FTA.We’ve seen the positive effects on the U.S.-Morocco relationship, and this would be comparable,” said NUSACC’s Hamod. “As to whether the politics is right at this time, I defer to the two governments to answer that question.” Indeed, angry opposition by both Democrats and Republicans to President Obama’s push to join the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership — not to mention the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union — make any further trade deals unlikely, especially in an election year. Another sticking point for Tunisia is what to do about the ex-dictator whose suppression of human rights and basic freedoms sparked the Arab Spring in the first place. Ben Ali, now 79, remains in exile at an undisclosed location in Saudi Arabia. On April 12, 2014, Tunisia’s military court of appeals confirmed the former president’s life imprisonment sentence in absentia, but significantly reduced the sentences of all other former senior officials. Meanwhile, the government is working to get back the assets Ben Ali and his family stole; estimates of the loot range up to $45 billion, though Gouia says that’s probably an exaggeration. “We would like to see the former president brought to justice in a fair trial,” he told The Diplomat.“We have no intention of abusing his rights. If he’s returned, he will be given every right to defend himself and will be treated according to international law.”

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat. December 2015

Diplomacy Verbatim

Beyond Diplospeak

In Principality of Liechtenstein, It’s the Little Things That Count by Dave Seminara Editor’s Note: Diplomacy Verbatim is a new column that features inti­mate conversations with top experts and envoys for their firsthand insights into the world of diplomacy and foreign affairs.

T

he Principality of Liechten­ stein may be difficult to spell and pronounce, but at just 61 square miles, it’s an intriguing microstate in the heart of the Alps that is well worth getting to know. Once an impoverished Habsburg backwater that Hitler chose not to invade, it is now, by some accounts, the world’s richest country on a per-capita basis. Known for its postage stamps and banks, Liechtenstein also attracts hikers, cyclists and skiers, not to mention travelers in search of an exotic passport stamp (which costs €2 at the Liechten­ stein Center). It’s a country with no airport, no cities and no Starbucks. There are 11 municipalities, two medieval castles, more than 100 kilometers of breathtaking bike paths and just over 37,000 inhabitants. Sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland, Liechtenstein became a sovereign state in 1806. The army was abolished in 1868, the Swiss Franc was adopted as the national currency in 1924 and the country joined the United Nations in 1990. Crown Prince Alois, 47, has been the de facto head of state since his father, Prince Hans-Adam II, handed power to him in 2004. Ambassador Claudia Fritsche (pronounced FREE-chay) assumed her duties as the first resident ambassador of Liechtenstein in Washington in 2002, making her the second-longest-serving ambassador in D.C. She’s a career public servant who was the personal assistant to Liech­ tenstein’s prime minister in the early 1970s before joining the country’s Office for Foreign Affairs in 1978. Prior to taking up her duties in Washington, she was Liechtenstein’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York from 1990 until 2002. For the inaugural installment of “Diplomacy Verbatim,” a new series that offers firsthand insights into diplomacy and world affairs, we caught up with Ambassador Fritsche to find out more about her country’s fascinating history, its rags-to-riches economic miracle, the challenge posed by the immigration crisis in Europe and a host of other issues. The Washington Diplomat: Is it a miracle that your country exists, that it was never invaded and conquered

December 2015

by Hitler or anyone else? Ambassador Fritsche: It is and it isn’t.We have been surrounded throughout our history by peace-loving, neutral neighbors — I’m talking about Switzerland and Austria. Furthermore, I think we were very wisely guided by our political leaders, by our monarchs. Also … for the longest time Liech­ tenstein was a very poor country that had farming and some textile industry. We only turned into an industrial and financial services center after World War II. For most of our history, we were, quite honestly, of no particular political or strategic or economic interest to any of our neighbors. TWD: Your country’s transformation from a poor agricultural nation to a rich banking and financial services powerhouse has been quite a success story. These days, you have some 20,000 people a day from Switzerland and Austria coming into Liechtenstein to work each day, is that right? Fritsche: I would make a slight correction to that. Our most important ecoPhoto: Embassy of Liechtenstein

“

If you don’t know the person, you probably know their brother or cousin or friend. It is a small place. Everyone is familiar with each other’s life circumstances. — Claudia Fritsche ambassador of Liechtenstein to the United States

nomic pillar is manufacturing and that is not widely known. Manufacturing accounts for close to 40 percent of our GDP; financial services is presently about 25 percent. Seven of our companies also have a presence in the U.S. — they employ close to 4,000 people. Ivoclar Vivadent is a leading producer of dental products.The Hilti Corporation is a global manufacturer of sophisticated fastening systems for the construction industry and employs 22,000 people worldwide. Our total population is a bit less than 38,000.The Hilcona Group is in the nutrition business and Ospelt is a producer of processed meats and pet foods. TWD: Has this transformation of the

”

economy been very gradual? When did it take off? Fritsche: The industrialization started in the 1950s. Very soon afterward, the financial services industry began to take on a more important role. TWD: Did the government put in place business-friendly policies or how did it attract so much investment? Fritsche: The legal basis to facilitate economic development was already there before World War II. But after the war, it was partly through the initiatives of the monarch at the time, Prince Franz Joseph II. He attracted a couple of companies to come to Liechtenstein and

that’s how it all started. The financial services industry emerged from within Liechtenstein. We had three banks then; today we have 15. TWD: In 2008, Switzerland, Liechten­ stein and a few other countries had to change their banking privacy laws, so the secrecy that once existed is no longer there. Did this have a detrimental impact on the economy there? Fritsche: You can imagine if you change the legal framework in a country, it can temporarily become less attractive as a financial center to some people. So there was a time when assets were leaving the country and not as many new assets were coming into the country. But this phase is now over and we again enjoy the trust and confidence of clients who are interested in Liechtenstein predominantly as a place where we have people with good skills in wealth management. TWD: Much like the Swiss, you have a kind of direct democracy, where voters

See Liechtenstein, page 52 The Washington Diplomat Page 21

Digital Diplomacy Forum

21st-Century Statecraft

Two New Apps Offer Tools For Journalists in Conflict Areas by Molly McCluskey

S

everal years ago, on a month-long journey through Indonesia, I got into what I thought was a taxi. After three hours driving in the wrong direction, with a driver who answered my questions simply with a yes or a no, I had the very real, very frightening thought: No one knows where I am. I ultimately arrived safely at my destination, but that experience stayed with me as my field reporting increasingly took me to unstable regions of the world. Since then, wherever I go and whatever I’m covering, I make sure that someone knows where I am and what to do if I don’t return. This lesson was brought home last year when I was a fellow with the International Women’s Media Foundation’s (IWMF) reporting program in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All of their fellows receive four days’ worth of “hostile environments” training with Global Journalist Security — in my case, in Uganda — as part of the IWMF’s commitment to training journalists in security practices. But the organization has gone a step further, and in late September released Reporta, a free app designed to help journalists check in and send alerts on their iPhone and Android devices when in dangerous situations or hotspots. The app allows journalists to provide information on their location and status; alert contacts about their safety; and send an emergency message via an SOS feature. While Reporta was welcomed by many in the journalism community, the digital security community immediately raised concerns about whether the app designed to keep journalists from harm might paradoxically endanger them. Because IWMF hadn’t immediately released the app’s code — meaning it was closed source, rather than open source, and therefore not open to outside review — and because the app used Google Analytics to report on where journalists were triggering it, Reporta’s technical integrity was repeatedly questioned. Critics pointed out that the app was insecure and could be vulnerable to hackers, and that Reporta’s own privacy policy allowed it to collect a large amount of information that in theory could be handed over to corrupt governments. Despite the red flags, there have been no reports of journalists being harmed or at risk in the field as a result of the app malfunctioning. “The criticism came as a result of an abundance of caution, which we appreciate,” Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director of the Washington-based IWMF told us.“When we built the app, we thought it would be useful to the journalism community to collect as much information as possible as to the incidents that were taking place in the field. We built the database so we could collect the information scrubbed of personal information and to report on incidents around the world. “Some people in the digital privacy community had concerns about the retention of that information. We agreed that the value of the research was out-

22

The Washington Diplomat

The International Women’s Media Foundation recently released Reporta, a free app designed to help journalists check in and send alerts from dangerous hotspots around the world.

Photos: International Women’s Media Foundation

Photo: credit

“

We wanted to build a simple, easily accessible tool that brought together digital and physical security…. We’re basically building the tool we wish we had ourselves. — Rory Byrne co-founder and CEO of Security First

”

weighed by the need for privacy.” As a result, Muñoz said her group has stripped Google Analytics from the app and changed the database to ensure that only information needed for the app to function is collected, and that nothing is stored on IWMF servers.They’ve also revised the user services agreement, which initially mimicked a standard, albeit corporate, template. And they’ve released the code publicly for review and feedback. Muñoz expects the changes to be implemented by

Photo: Molly McCluskey

The author Molly McCluskey tours the Democratic Republic of Congo during a reporting fellowship.

the time this article goes to press and said the organization will continually enhance the app. “It’s a digital product that’s going to have its evolution and it’s one we want to work on and improve with the help of the security community, the journalism community and anyone who wants to work with us in an inclusive manner,” she said. Reporta is one of two mobile-phone apps that seek to bolster journalists’ security. Whereas Reporta December 2015

acts like a portable SOS, with automatic alerts and check-in reminders, Umbrella, from London-based Security First, attempts to offer a more comprehensive field guide to digital security. The free new app, which is also intended for human rights activists, offers practical advice on issues such as how to make a secure phone call or protect files, how to spot surveillance and what to do if you’re arrested. “When we built Umbrella, we had in mind the example of Glenn Greenwald meeting Edward Snowden,” Rory Byrne, co-founder and CEO of Security First, said, referring to the journalist who helped publish Snowden’s leaks about NSA surveillance. “Initially Snowden tried to make contact but Greenwald found the process of digital security too cumbersome and awkward.Also, when Greenwald went to Hong Kong, he knew little or nothing about physical security. We wanted to change that. We wanted to make it easy to have everything a journalist like Glenn Greenwald would need to do to meet a source in their pocket — everything from sending a secure email to meeting a source in a high-risk location where they may be under physical surveillance from a regime that may threaten their vital work.” Umbrella offers customized lessons and tools on issues like sending secure data to responding to threats. It also provides a dashboard with feeds from NGOs and government agencies to keep correspondents in the field updated on various security risks. “We wanted to build a simple, easily accessible tool that brought together digital and physical security, and helped human rights activists implement it in a really user-friendly way,” said Byrne.“We’re basically building the tool we wish we had ourselves.” While both apps may be useful on the ground, they should be used in conjunction

T h e Di st r ic t ’ s Up s cale Ur ban R e t r e at i n t h e h e art of t h e cit y Photo: googleplay.com

Umbrella, from London-based Security First, is an app that offers journalists and human rights activists a comprehensive field guide to digital security.

Walking distance to the Dupont Circle metro station, over 2,500 square feet of recently redesigned meeting space and brand new restaurant, The Riggsby by Chef Michael Schlow.

with, not instead of, a comprehensive security plan that includes risk assessment and emergency preparedness.

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Molly McCluskey (@MollyEMcCluskey) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat and a former IWMF Fellow.

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Visit Jordan & The Holy Land Call us at: 011 962 6 566 8970 011 962 79 552 6206 Visit us at: www.azure-tours.com Email us at: munther.twal@azure-tours.com

December 2015

www.rma.edu

540-636-5484 The Washington Diplomat Page 23

mEDICaL

infertility

First Uterus Transplant Planned in United States by Margaret farley steele HealthDay News

Innovative procedure would potentially allow infertile recipients to become pregnant

C

rossing new frontiers in infertility treatment and organ transplantation, Cleveland Clinic doctors hope to transplant a uterus from a deceased donor into a woman without one. The innovative procedure — tentatively scheduled for the next few months — would enable a woman with ovaries but no uterus to become pregnant and deliver a child. Eight women have reportedly started the screening process. These women were either born without a uterus — a condition that affects 1 of every 4,500 newborn girls — or have had their uterus removed or it is damaged, according to the New York Times. The clinical trial, a first in the United States, was announced Nov. 12, a year after the first live birth from a uterine transplant occurred in Sweden. In Sweden, however, live donors are used.The Cleveland Clinic doctors decided on deceased donors to avoid putting healthy women at risk, the newspaper said. A donor and recipient would have to have matching blood and tissue type. The hospital plans to attempt the procedure 10 times before deciding whether to continue with it, according to the Times. “There are women who won’t adopt or have surrogates, for reasons that are personal, cultural or religious,” said Dr. Andreas Tzakis, director of solid organ transplant surgery at a Cleveland Clinic hospital in Weston, Fla., who is spearheading the project. “These women know exactly what this is about. They’re informed of the risks and benefits.They have a lot of time to think about it, and think about it again. Our job is to make it as safe and successful as possible,” he told the Times. It’s thought that as many as 50,000 U.S. women might be potential candidates for the procedure. The transplantation process is not without risks. The women must take powerful transplant anti-rejection drugs, undergo surgery to implant the uterus and likely face a subsequent surgery to remove the organ after one or two babies are born, the newspaper said. Removing the donor uterus would limit the time spent taking the powerful anti-rejection drugs, the doctors explained. The process is complicated and time-consuming. Using in vitro fertilization, the woman’s own eggs would be fertilized with her partner’s sperm and frozen. When she has 10 frozen embryos, she would be put on a waiting list for a transplant, the Times said. Beginning one year after transplant, the embryos would be implanted one at a time until a pregnancy is achieved. The baby would be born via cesarean section to

24

The Washington Diplomat

PHoto: Eraxion / istoCk

“

this is really pushing the envelope. but this is the way human progress occurs. — Dr. alan liCHtin

”

chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Ethics board

reduce strain on the transplanted organ. The mother could then decide to have her donor uterus removed or stop taking the anti-rejection drugs, at which point the organ would begin to wither away. Or she could try for a second pregnancy. Because of safety concerns, two is the current limit under consideration, the Times reported. Dr. Alan Lichtin, chairman of the Cleveland Clinic’s ethics board, told the paper that the committee’s initial impression was, “This is really pushing the envelope. But this is the way human progress occurs.” Dr. Tomer Singer is a reproductive endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He said this new procedure would allow “women to carry their

own genetic child without the use of a gestational carrier [surrogate], which can be financially and emotionally taxing.” Undergoing a uterus transplant “opens the door to an innovative and promising advancement within reproductive medicine. We believe that tens of thousands of women will benefit from this advancement in the future, while realizing that there are still challenges to overcome before we offer this procedure routinely,” he added. Singer said the most significant hurdles include “side effects to both the mom and the fetus from required anti-rejection medication, as well as maintaining a normal blood supply during the procedure and for nine months after to allow for healthy growth of the fetus.”

Copyright © 2015 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

to learn

more

For more on infertility, see the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

December 2015

Together, the U.S. and China made bold commitments to act on climate. ġſƪŚܺ৚मķৗƺˆŢǯȊ߭Ư뼶

Together, we must leave dirty coal behind and turn commitments into action. դǜ‫ר‬ƺ뼷āĶκ݉ӕٜůᄺ뼷˄Ȝܺ৚‫ޚ‬ณDŽƚ뼶

#ActOnClimate

China has joined the U.S. in committing to tackle the climate crisis by making historic commitments to limit carbon pollution while launching massive investments in clean,

ġŚǢȉſŚĂŐܺ৚ˆŢǯȊ߭Ư뼷ǟś֒‫܈‬ȡĀ

renewable energy. Now, the world’s two leading polluters are becoming two of the world’s clean energy leaders, creating major momentum for a global climate agreement as the world gathers this December. No country is immune from climate change and no country can meet the challenge alone. Together, we must leave dirty coal behind, turn our commitments into action, and #ActOnClimate.

ŀĀĨ۷뼶ȘʆĘƪċ෿ઍęŚŪħąƼЍʓ।Ĩ۷

ܺ৚ĎՃ̑஄́ǽ뼷ǜĴę‫ܪ‬٣ĀΫѺǘʓ।뼵ĻǞ Āʠ֢͠뼷ħƎŭʈȕʃćֹแТŪƼЍǯȊৗ‫ڱ‬Շ Ҝƚƺ뼶ŊĈĂċŚŝĻŗыǘǯȊȻ͓Ā̊‫ژ‬뼷਩ ŊĈĂċŚŝĨѿћĢǚŢˤ‫Ϳס‬뼶դǜ‫ר‬ƺ뼷āĶ κ݉ӕٜůᄺ뼷˄ćֹแȜāĶĀܺ৚‫ޚ‬ณDŽƚ뼶

E X P L O R E , E N J OY, A N D P R OT E C T T H E P L A N E T. ੥ऄ뼷ǃɩӍı֕ŞЍ뼶 S C . O R G / U S C H I N A

December 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 25

from page 7

On Oct. 2 in Macedonia, two boys look out the window as refugees, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, prepare to board the train at a reception center in Gevgelija.

Europe gration — killed over 75 people. While the attack stunned the world, it did little to dampen long-term support for populist parties in Norway. Meanwhile, in Finland, the nationalist Finns Party won the second-largest number of seats in parliament earlier this year. Michael Haltzel, a visiting senior fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki, told The Washington Diplomat that it’s not so much anti-immigrant sentiment that is spurring the rise of the far right in Europe, but the “dramatic acceleration” in the influx of migrants. “The right wing was there already and had significant support in many countries in Europe. This has given them an added opportunity” to build on that support, Haltzel said. Many Europeans have steadily been losing faith in the project of European unity, particularly in the face of stagnating economic growth, mass youth unemployment and widening inequality. The migrant crisis and Islamicinspired terrorist attacks have only compounded these fears. Jonathan Laurence, a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings, pointed out the rise of populist parties in countries such as Italy, Spain and Greece, which are bearing the brunt of the migrant inflows. They are “manning the moat of fortress Europe,” he said, but feel abandoned by the ineffectual and disjointed response of the bureaucracy in Brussels. Conversely, some experts such as France’s Dominique Moisi argue that EU unity is the solution and “the problem is that what the EU needs — more integration — is precisely what Europeans have become unwilling to support.” Indeed, even Greeks, who have railed against EU-led austerity measures, overwhelmingly favor remaining in the bloc rather than exiting the eurozone. Far-right parties have marginal relevance in southern Europe and elsewhere, and most have not gained actual governing power. David O’Sullivan, the EU’s ambassador to the U.S., speaking to Foreign Policy last month, said the sharp rise in populist rhetoric following the Paris massacre needs to be balanced with European values of openness. “We must push back on those in our societies who are tempted to exploit

from page 16

Turki “We believe in the same God, the same Prophet and the same holy book, even though we have our differences on the lesser issues. But since the Iranian Revolution, [Ayatollah] Khomeini introduced a new heresy: the supremacy of the clerics to rule in Iran,” Turki said. “These historic links between Iran and the rest of us have been in trouble because of Khomeini’s belief in exporting the revolution. Iran’s continued interference in the affairs of Arab countries is the stumbling block for developing equitable and friendly relations.” John Loeb, a retired U.S. diplomat and philanthropist, asked Turki why Saudi Arabia — arguably the richest, most powerful country in the

26

Photo: © UNICEF / Tomislav Georgiev

Above, on Oct. 27 in Macedonia, an Afghan father carries his sleeping son in his arms. In 2015, refugee and migrants fled to Europe at levels not seen since World War II, with children comprising a quarter of all asylum seekers so far this year.

Photos: © UNICEF / Ashley Gilbertson VII

At right, on Sept. 30, a newly arrived refugee lies face down on the stony ground on the Greek island of Lesbos, in the North Aegean Sea, which is now becoming especially rough as the first winter storms begin. As a result of dehydration and the cold, many refugees were seasick, with some conditions life-threatening.

these situations to take us back to those dark days of extreme nationalism and hatred.” Voters have not only rebuffed rightwing sentiment in some countries, but lawmakers from more established center-right and leftist parties have also vowed to make the ride for the far right a rough one. A day after the Europe of Nations and Freedom bloc was set up in the European Parliament, the head of the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/ NGL), Gabriele Zimmer, called for “resolute actions against the backward-looking, nationalist and anti-social policies of the extreme right.” Zimmer added a Bernie Sanderslike tone to her message, saying part of what is fueling the rise of the right is the EU’s focus on the interests of banks and corporations, not the people. “Only a democratic EU dedicated to growth, employment and fair living standards can counter the appeal of these racist parties masquerading as defenders of the rights of ordinary citizens,” Zimmer said. Sanders, the Vermont senator who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, backs compre-

hensive immigration reform in the United States that he says would help 11 million undocumented immigrants emerge from the shadows and contribute to the economy. “We are a nation of immigrants. I am the son of an immigrant myself. Their story, my story, our story is a story of America,” he has said. America may be a melting pot of immigrants, but their presence has stoked controversy. Indeed, the jump in migrants and concomitant rise in right-wing policies is not unique to Europe. Across the pond, illegal immigration from Mexico and Latin America has long propelled populist sentiment in the U.S. When tens of thousands of children, mainly from Central American nations plagued by gang violence, crossed the southern U.S. border between October 2013 and August 2014, U.S. author and political com-

mentator Jerome Corsi wrote on the teaparty.org website that President Barack Obama had invited the “flood of unaccompanied minors from Central America to cross the border to manufacture a crisis.” Such sharp, and opportunistic, rhetoric obscures the nuances of a complex issue. Obama, for instance, has beefed up border security and deported a record number of immigrants in 2013, drawing the ire of his own party. Illegal immigration also naturally dipped following the economic recession in 2008. But the issue continues to appeal to a large base of conservative voters worried that illegal immigrants are straining social services, stealing jobs and driving up crime. Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has pushed a plan that would build a wall around the southern border (and make Mexico

22-member Arab League and the one that has played a leading role in supporting Sunni rebels fighting Assad’s regime — doesn’t take the initiative in solving the Syria conundrum, suggesting that “if you took the lead, the United States would follow.” But that’s exactly what Riyadh did, the prince countered — to no avail. “From the beginning, the late King Abdullah tried to convince Bashar alAssad personally — through emissaries and diplomatic meetings of the Arab League — to relent on his oppressive policy toward his own people, without success. So the kingdom and its partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council came to the U.N. Security Council with specific proposals for ending the fighting,” he explained. “Unfortunately, the Russian and Chinese delegation vetoed those pro-

posals, but the kingdom’s leadership was quite well known to the participants,” Turki said, adding that “the coalition now fighting ISIS [the Islamic State] in Syria was Saudi Arabia’s idea, and it came from a meeting in Jeddah attended by Secretary of State [John] Kerry.” In fact, the United States has traditionally played the role of peacemaker, Turki pointed out, but under the Obama administration, Washington’s influence has waned. “During the 1973 Ramadan War, which here they call the Yom Kippur War, Henry Kissinger took it upon himself — after some persuasion from the late King Faisal — to start a process of ending the fighting [between Israel and a coalition of Arab states]. And he did that, not simply because he was clever or more educated, but because he set his mind

to it. And he galvanized support within the Arab world, and even in Israel, to put a stop to the fighting,” Turki recalled. “When [Israeli Prime Minister] Golda Meir became obstinate and kept saying ‘no, no, no,’ Henry pushed and eventually we saw a change of government in Israel, and Mrs. Meir was replaced by a very personable, young politician named Yitzhak Rabin.” Pausing for a moment to mark the 20th anniversary of Rabin’s 1995 assassination by a fellow Jew opposed to the Oslo peace process leading to a two-state solution, the Saudi prince said the forces of extremism are growing throughout the Middle East. Yet the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, bad as it is, pales in comparison to the blood being spilled in Iraq and Syria

The Washington Diplomat

pay for it), dramatically strengthen en­forcement, scale up deportations, end birthright citizenship and tighten visa programs, among other measures. Fox News political commentator Juan Williams said in an opinion piece on the Hill website that Trump’s plan won praise from several congressional members of the tea party, considered the extreme right of America’s conservative party. But, Williams noted, the tea party’s stance on immigration runs contrary to feelings held by the average American on the matter. “Roughly three-quarters of all Americans — both Republicans and Democrats — favor allowing illegal immigrants to earn citizenship. Gallup polling in July had only 19 percent of Americans calling for mass deportation,”Williams wrote. The disconnect between popular opinion and appeasing a narrower political base reflects a larger problem that Republicans face: Trump has struck a chord among conservatives, but his mainstream appeal remains questionable. “Trump is pulling the GOP to the right on immigration by galvanizing support among tea party voters.At the moment, that is good news for the tea party caucus in Congress. But once this moment fades, it will be good news for all in favor of having more Democrats in the Senate and a Democrat winning the White House in 2016,”Williams concluded.

Karin Zeitvogel (@Zeitvogel) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat. Anna Gawel is the managing editor of The Washington Diplomat.

at the hands of terrorists bent on establishing an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East. “Let’s start by changing the name,” Turki suggested. “You call them ISIS or ISIL, giving it the semblance of being a state and being Islamic. It is neither; it’s more the symptom than the disease.” The eloquent prince, who prefers to use the derogatory Arabic term Daesh to label the terrorist group, noted that “if there were healthy, functioning governments in Syria and Iraq, Daesh would not exist. It is the failed governments in both countries that allow Daesh to take advantage of the situation. So cure the disease in Damascus and Baghdad — and Daesh will disappear.”

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat. December 2015

LIVING L U X U R Y

■ A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat

■ December 2015

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Photo: GtRanQUIllIty / FotolIa

Retail Therapy Mix of New and Old Stores Usher in Holiday Season

I

t’s the most wonderful time of the year to be in D.C. — and not just because the presidential election season is in full swing. sprinkled among the capital’s famed monuments and eateries is an impressive lineup of new stores that promise to raise Washington’s status as a destination for more than politics. CityCenterDC alone, for instance, continues to expand and is

December 2015

now home to 33 high-end retail locations, including salvatore Ferragamo, Caudalie, Dior and David yurman. For this year’s gift guide, we scoured this new shopping landscape for some of the best it has to offer, mixing newcomers with old standbys to create a gift list that speaks to D.C.’s style but caters to every price range. happy holidays — and happy hunting. Continued on next page

LUXURY LIVING

The Washington Diplomat Page 27

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Technology  rEASoNABLE: Jackery mobile battery chargers jackery.com

Apple Watches feature fitnesstracking apps, music and all the functions of an iPhone.

Cell phones are a critical lifeline nowadays, so don’t let them die on you. this California-based portable mobile battery charger company has released a new line of products for the holiday season. Choose from the Crew: 5-Port high-speed Usb Charging hub ($19.99 on Jackery.com), which lets you charge five devices at once; the titan ($36.99 on amazon. com), which can charge an apple iPhone at least 10 times before needing to be recharged itself; and the Giant+ ($29.99 on Jackery), which provides eight hours of phone usage from 15 minutes of charging. SPLUrGE: Apple watch Edition  $10,000 to $17,000 apple.com oK, so this is pushing it for the splurge category, but compared with the price tag for the next item, it’s all relative. this version of apple’s popular smartwatch comes in eight models. the cheapest has the smallest face and is wrapped in an 18-carat rose gold case with a white sport band. one of the pricier options comes with an 18-carat yellow gold case and bright red band. available in small, medium and large, the watches let you receive and respond to notifications, control your playlist and monitor physical activity levels for anyone making new year’s resolutions to get fit. It comes with a leather charging box. oh, and it also tells time.  EXTrAVAGANT: Tesla Model X Contact for pricing, $5,000 deposit required 8500 tyco Road, Vienna, Va. teslamotors.com Make a reservation to get the tesla Model X delivered in the latter half of 2016. billed as “the safest, fastest and most capable sport utility vehicle in history,” it has all-wheel drive, a battery that provides 250 miles of driving and capacity for seven adults. It goes from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds — not too shabby for an electric vehicle.

Men

rEASoNABLE: Drybar’s the Four Pack  $39 1825 Wisconsin ave., nW thedrybar.com Get — and keep — that holiday hairstyle with the help of products from Drybar, a nationwide salon brand (with three area locations) that exclusively offers blowouts. this package includes Detox Dry shampoo, Money Maker hairspray, sparkling soda shine Mist and triple sec 3-in-1. Purchase these items separately and they cost $52. SPLUrGE: Lou & Grey’s Cashmere rib hoodie $198 louandgrey.com



rEASoNABLE: Vans Slip-on  at Federal $45 2216 14th st., nW federalstore.com

Women

It’s tough to go wrong with an open cardigan. this 100 percent cashmere sweater from lou & Grey, which opened a freestanding store at tysons Corner, Va., in november, hits below the hips and has ribbing detail, big pockets and a hood. Get it in pale gray or caramel.

Get a head start on spring and add some color to the gray months ahead with a pair of navy Vans. the classic canvas shoe has white stitching and elastic side accents in addition to the telltale waffle outsole.  SPLUrGE: Kit and Ace ridge Long Sleeve Shirt $118 1921 8th st., nW, #115 kitandace.com

Photo: FeDeRalstoRe.CoM

this sweater, made of cashmere, rayon and spandex, is both sporty and work-appropriate. It almost looks like a two-in-one, with charcoal heather peeking out at the neckline and on the sides of the navy shirt. Kit and ace, founded by the former lead designer for lululemon athletica, opened its first D.C. location in october. EXTrAVAGANT: Canali Custom Suits Visit store for pricing 978 I st., nW canali.com the Italian designer opened its ninth boutique in the United states at CityCenterDC. Find looks ranging from casual wear to “made to measure” suits. these custom designs begin with a consultation with a Canali master tailor — available only during “master tailor” events. Wallets, travel bags, ties, cuff links and gloves are also available.

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The Washington Diplomat

LUXURY LIVING

EXTrAVAGANT: Louis Vuitton Pochette Mask PM $3,400 943 Palmer alley, nW, suite 307 us.louisvuitton.com/eng-us/products/pochette-mask-pm-monogram-011319 the totem collection is new to the louis Vuitton luxury brand, famous for its monogram designs. With bright pink coral, berry and blue accents, this bag, made of coated canvas and calf leather, will fight off the winter doldrums with a splash of color. Wear it looped on your wrist, over your shoulder or as a cross-body purse. Find it at louis Vuitton’s first free-standing store in Washington. located in CityCenterDC, it opened in august.

December 2015

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Travelers Extravagant: Lyon Festival of Lights  Pricing varies onlylyon.com/en/visit-lyon.html

 reasonable: Shearling Eye Mask at Shinola $85 1631 14th st., nW shinola.com

While Paris often gets top billing as a prime tourist destination, lyon, France’s secondlargest city by population, is a mecca of art, culture, gastronomy and urban sophistication. It may be the famed City of lights, but it’s home to the Festival of lights (Fête des lumières), one of the oldest and largest light festivals in the world. now in its 17th year, this popular tradition features an array of lighting designers, filmmakers, architects, graphic designers, visual artists Photo: ‘lyon Fete Des lUMIeRes 2013’ by MyRabella / WIKIMeDIa CoMMons and street artists. the 2015 edition will Above, Lyon, France’s secondfocus on the themes of nature and the environment with creations largest city, is illuminated during NOTE: every is made assuregiant yourpeonies ad is free of mistakes in spelling and that willAlthough transform the city effort into a green haven,toincluding the annual Festival of Lights. content it is island ultimately updetolathe customer on the peninsula, a green on Place Comedie and an to make the final proof. imaginary voyage at Place des terreaux. Below, a train cuts through

Made with leather cords and sheepskin from Imperial stock Ranch in oregon, this luxurious eye mask will soften the experience of a long flight or a delay and turn heads — in a good way. shinola, a Detroit-based company specializing in american-made goods from watches to bicycles, recently opened its first D.C. location. Splurge: Delsey STArCKTrIP Jakartack International Carry-on Duffle Bag  $410 shop.delsey.us/collections/starcktrip the luggage maker teamed with French designer Philippe starck to create a sleek new line of bags and suitcases. this carry-on is made from an antibacterial material that is also stain- and water-resistant. the bag can hold four shirts, a toiletry bag, three pairs of pants, a coat and two pairs of shoes. For something a bit more chic, the iconic French luggage brand also has the Parisian vintageinspired Chatelet model, which has a nifty stop-and-go brake system to prevent your bag from rolling away, as well as the boldly colored belfort Plus collection, which combines shock-resistant polypropylene material with silent spinner wheels.

the Swiss Alps. The first two faxed changes will be made at no cost to the advertiser, subsequent changes by rail  willExtravagant: be billed atAlpenwild a rate ofScenic $75 Alps per faxed alteration. Signed ads are considered approved.

$4,595 alpenwild.com/trip/details/scenic-alps-by-rail

Please check this ad carefully. Mark any changes to your ad.

offered year-round, this 10-day all-inclusive trip includes stays in lucerne, lugano, st. If the ad is correct and and fax Interlaken, to: (301)plus 949-0065 needs changes Moritz, Zermatt,sign Gruyères first-class train travel on renowned lines such as Glacier express, which is said to be the933-3552 The Washington Diplomat (301) most famous ride in the world; the GoldenPass line, which has rotating seats and panoramic Approved __________________________________________________________ windows; and Jungfrau Railway, which ends at a___________________________________________________________ station that overlooks the longest glacier Changes in the alps. ___________________________________________________________________

Photo: ‘laUteRbRUnnental tRaIn’ by ZaCht / WIKIMeDIa CoMMons

Children

JUST NEW

rEASoNABLE: “Goodnight iPad”  at Chocolate Moose $14.95 1743 l st., nW chocolatemoosedc.com a modern twist on the classic “Goodnight Photo: aMaZon.CoM Moon” book, first published in 1947, the “Goodnight iPad” parody aims to teach children and adults alike to power down their electronic devices and get some rest. When the author’s name is ann Droyd, you know you’re in for some high-tech wit.  SPLUrGE: Lego white house from the white house historical Association $59.95 shop.whitehousehistory.org

Fine European Jewelry, Sterling Silver, Fine Crystal, China and Gifts with Designer Clothing for the Discerning Lady. Jewelry Repair and Customization

Got budding architects on your hands? or perhaps a Photo: the WhIte hoUse hIstoRICal assoCIatIon presidential hopeful? let them recreate history by constructing a 3-D model of the White house. the finished product stands at about four inches tall and nine inches wide. EXTrAVAGANT: Snowland  at Great wolf Lodge Family suites start at $199 a night 549 e. Rochambeau Drive, Williamsburg, Va. greatwolf.com/Williamsburg home to an 84-degree indoor water park divided into areas for toddlers, tweens and adults, Great Wolf lodge will transform from nov. 28 to Jan. 3 into a winter wonderland. the annual snowland celebration includes indoor snow showers, visits from santa and other wintry activities. also check out a life-size, dine-in gingerbread house featuring 5,000-plus candies, 600 pounds of dough and 1,320 pounds of sugar. Proceeds from meals in the house go to Ronald McDonald house Charities. new this year are snowland suites, which include a decorated tree and two souvenirs: a throw blanket and a book. add $40 to your booking for a snowland suite. December 2015

145 Church St NW #200, Vienna, VA 22180

LUXURY LIVING

(703) 938-8800 The Washington Diplomat Page 29

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Host & Home  reasonable: DC Neighborhoods Glass Coasters from iconsDC  $29.95 iconsdc.com this set of four coasters pays homage to lesser-celebrated areas of Washington — adams Morgan, Dupont Circle and logan Circle — plus one rather famous one: Capitol hill. Made of silk screens under glass, the coasters measure four-by-four inches. to complete the authentic hometown look, buy matching glasses elegantly decorated with a map of the city, including pint glasses and mason jars.  Splurge: Courier Magazine Sling at room & Board $149 1840 14th st., nW roomandboard.com yes, some people still read things on paper, not on little handheld screens. and those people might like something besides a bookshelf or tabletop to store these elusive paper-based goods. the Courier Magazine sling features a powder-coated steel base and a waxed cotton canvas and leather sling. the result is rugged yet classy. Extravagant: Thos. Moser Stacks  $400 1028 33rd st., nW thosmoser.com/dc Famous for american handcrafted wood furniture, this store, which reopened in Georgetown this past spring, is offering a new line of simple, sensible and stunning pieces. these small boxes are made of walnut and cherry and can stack in threes. treated with a food-safe finish, the undersides of their lids may be used as a cheeseboard while the bowls double as storage or serving pieces for snacks.

Pampering reasonable: Marine Therapy Pedi Scrub  at Aura Spa $70 auraspa.net Winter’s dry air can take a toll on feet, even when they’re bundled in boots. Dream of the warm sea air and give those piggies some tlC with this 30-minute treatment, a blend of Dead sea salts and sea extracts, at aura spa, which has four D.C. locations.  Splurge: Cinnamon Apple Facial at the Lorien hotel and Spa $115 1600 King st., alexandria, Va. lorienhotelandspa.com

Photo: FReD lICht

this 50-minute treatment is available through Jan. 31. besides the usual facial goodness, the Cinnamon apple Facial adds antioxidants, fruit acids and peptides to tighten, tone and brighten the skin while cinnamon warms and eliminates fatigue. throw in a hand-and-foot treatment for another $25 for extra-stressed recipients.

Extravagant: Pinnacle Facial at the Greenbrief  $275 300 W. Main st., White sulphur springs, W.Va. thegreenbrier.com this 80-minute facial, offered at the Greenbrier’s Mineral spa — ranked one of the world’s best by Condé nast traveler — is an enzymatic treatment that deep cleanses and revitalizes with a collagen mask, firming mask and hydrating serum. the experience includes special treatment for eyes and lips. beyond the spa, the historic hotel itself has quite the reputation, having hosted 26 presidents and more than its share of diplomats. Blancpain_WashingtonDiplomat_Villeret_DDF.indd 1

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The Washington Diplomat

12/8/14 10:49 AM

LUXURY LIVING

December 2015

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Jewelry reasonable: Ann Taylor’s Limited Edition Elephant Jewelry Collection  $39.50-$59.50 anntaylor.com Inspired by the elephant, which represents strength and family, this collection is available though Jan. 30 at area ann taylor locations. Choose from a white or gold pendant, a ring or a bangle. the animal’s ears and eyes are accented with clear rhinestones. bonus: ann taylor will donate half the purchase price to st. Jude Children’s Research hospital.  Splurge: Club Monaco radà Noel ribbon Earrings $169 3295 M st., nW clubmonaco.com the trendy fashion store is returning to Georgetown this month (another location in tysons also recently opened), just in time for the holiday season. Club Monaco’s striking blue, crystal-and-fringe tassel earrings are made from glass, brass, silk and polyester. 

Extravagant: Platinum Vintage Bracelet at Tiny Jewel Box $85,000 1147 Connecticut ave., nW tinyjewelbox.com Put a lot of sparkle in someone’s holiday with this stunning bracelet made of platinum, a 55.60-carat aquamarine center stone and about 7.3 carats of diamonds. the iconic, family-owned jewelry story, which opened in 1930, boasts the area’s largest collection of vintage and antique jewelry and recently underwent a major expansion, taking over the space of the former burberry shop next door.

RENT QUALITY, STYLISH FURNITURE, NO MATTER WHERE YOUR APPOINTMENT TAKES YOU.

December 2015

LUXURY LIVING

The Washington Diplomat Page 31

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Foodies

Pet Lovers

reasonable: Caravan of Spices ď ľ $25 available at bazaar spices at Union Market 1309 5th st., ne bazaarspices.com these five ancient spice blends — berbere, baharat, Chermoula, Ras el hanout and Zaatar — come from north africa and the Middle east. but you don’t need a plane ride to hook up your favorite food or cooking enthusiasts. ď ´

Splurge: MoÍt & Chandon Golden Diamond Suit $59.99 available at 1 West Dupont Circle Wines & liquors 2012 P st., nW moet.com this 750-millileter bottle of bubbly comes wrapped in gold, but if more bling is your thing, personalize the bottle’s brass plaque. Perfect for popping the cork at midnight on new year’s eve.

reasonable: Crumbs & whiskers Cat CafĂŠ $15 per hour ($20/hour on weekdays for parents and children, $10/hour for students on weekdays) 3211 o st., nW crumbsandwhiskers.com Want to pet a cat without making a commitment? Want to drink coffee and eat baked goods while you do it? this is the place for that. opened this summer, this novel cafĂŠ concept fosters cats from local shelters until they can be adopted out. Until then, about 20 cats are available at any given time for a purr-fect feline fix. Splurge: Shinola Contrast Dog Collar and Leash ď ľ $75 for collar, $125 for leash available at Filson 1534 14th st., nW filson.com Made with brass hardware and Wickett and Craig vegetable-tanned bridle leather on the inside and vegetable-tanned horween leather on the outside, these items will make man’s best friend not just safe, but stylish. ď ´ Extravagant: Tradition De France Pet Bed $750 available at olde town Pet Resort in Virginia oldetownepetresort.com

Extravagant: Plume DC Prix fixe menu is $98 per person 1200 16th st., nW plumedc.com situated inside the Jefferson, a boutique hotel that pays homage to the third U.s. president, this posh restaurant offers appetizers such as cocoa-marbled foie gras terrine; entrĂŠes like bison strip loin and lobster gratin; and desserts including a masala chai panna cotta and speculoos and salted caramel stone, which is made with salted caramel custard, speculoos froth and green apple marshmallow.

In case Fido or Fifi need to sleep in real comfort, consider this four-poster pet bed, made by French woodworkers as part of the team of cabinetmakers and carpenters from tradition De France.

Stephanie Kanowitz is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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LUXURY LIVING

December 2015

[ real estate ]

Indomitable Market Local Real Estate Sales Moving at Brisk Pace by Stephanie Kanowitz

T

he Washington metropolitan area is a hopping real estate market. Even when the nation’s economy tanked in recent years, along with home prices, analysts say the region emerged relatively unscathed, compared to other big-city markets, thanks in part to the fact that the U.S. government, the biggest employer in these parts, never goes out of business. New statistics from real estate giant TTR Sotheby’s International Realty show that the D.C. residential market continues to chug along at an impressive clip. The total sold dollar volume here increased 7.3 percent and the median sold price increased 4.6 percent during the third quarter of 2015. Fairfax County, Va., leads the region in overall sales, which rose by 12.5 percent to $6.4 billion through September. Even in this relatively durable market, however, there were some fluctuations. The historic D.C. neighborhood of Georgetown saw a dip in sales of 4.3 percent, with homes sitting on the market longer. But other places saw big movement, including upand-coming Logan Circle, with the average number of days that properties sat on the market decreasing steadily. The picture was more mixed for places like Maryland’s affluent Montgomery County and Alexandria,Va., where sales increased but, conversely, homes were slower to offload. We talked with Mark Lowham, managing partner at Sotheby’s, about how real estate in this area compares to other metropolises, how it’s evolved and where it’s going.

The Washington Diplomat: How has the real estate market in this area changed in the past five to 10 years? Mark Lowham: In general, we’re experiencing a continued renaissance and new energy in the Washington, D.C., proper market. There were portions of Washington which have always been vibrant — Northwest D.C., places like Georgetown and Kalorama, American University Park. TWD: What are some of the hottest spots to live in the D.C. metro area? Lowham: Logan Circle is a great example I think of how the D.C. market is changing.That submarket has taken off and now today has probably the lowest days on the market for new listings … than any other submarket in the region. Things sell usually in days and usually with multiple offers. Certainly 10 years ago that wasn’t a submarket that was on anyone’s radar. Five years ago it was starting, but today it’s one of the most vibrant submarkets in the region. And then you can just track that to the east to Shaw, as an example, which is quickly catching up to Logan Circle — very vibrant, lots of energy and lots of excitement about people moving into that submarket — and then it goes beyond that into Petworth, into Bloomingdale.

December 2015

Photos: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

TWD: D.C. seems like a pretty transient area. Is that a misconception?

Among the properties for sale by local real estate giant TTR Sotheby’s International Realty are 2121 Flagler Place, NW, above, and 1837 6th St., NW, below.

Lowham: I don’t think Washington is any more transient than other major American cities. I think the misconception is people move here and then move out. People tend to move here and then just stay. They may move because of lifestyle choices, so someone may get married and need more space or have a family and decide they’re going to take a look at schools, but they’re staying within the region, regardless of the ebb and flow of the administrations or the political landscape. TWD: What’s the average cost of a single-family home and of an apartment here? Lowham: We really need to be more specific when we talk about an average because the Washington metropolitan area has a huge range of submarkets for both single-family homes and multifamily homes.The average sold price for a single-family home in Georgetown is $1.9 million, so that’s one very specific submarket. But then you can go into what I think are still incredibly vibrant and emerging neighborhoods like Logan Circle and the average is closer to $1.1 million. [In] Arlington, for example — again, really vibrant market — the average is about $850,000. One thing that’s emerging, which is not a surprise, is people are increasingly interested in being located in close proximity to good transportation infrastructure and to amenity bases that allow them to be less

LUXURY LIVING

dependent on their cars…. Markets like Arlington, OldTown Alexandria,Vienna,Va.,in terms of Northern Virginia are doing very, very well, because they have access to good transportation infrastructure and those are communities where you can be clearly independent of a car. Submarkets on the other end like Potomac, Md., for example, which is a beautiful community — large homes on large parcels — but very dependent on access by car, those markets right now are not performing as well as some of the others. TWD: How do prices here compare to other parts of the country?

Continued on next page

The Washington Diplomat Page 33

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FIT FOR AN Ambassador

“Logan Circle is a great example I think of how the D.C. market is changing. That submarket has taken off and now today has probably the lowest days on the market for new listings.” — Mark Lowham, managing partner at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Continued from previous page Lowham: We want to look at New York, San Francisco, Dallas, Los Angeles,Atlanta and in particular we want to look at Los Angeles, New York and Boston as our most comparable submarkets. The Washington metropolitan area in general remains a really tremendous value compared to those other metropolitan areas. Prices for single-family homes and multifamily homes in those other markets … on average are significantly higher than they are in the Washington metropolitan area. So Washington is, compared to those markets, a tremendous value, and it becomes even more profound when you look at Washington compared to other global capitals — places like London, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo. TWD: What about in terms of real estate growth? Lowham: I think that there is some pentup demand for the condominium product for the multifamily sector, so we’re going to see some more for-sale product entering into the market over the next several years. The other reason for that is increasingly as Washington continues to show up on the radar screens of the global investor, a great product for a global investor is a condominium because they can buy it, they don’t have to worry about the maintenance, it’s easy to rent. That I think goes back to my point about how Washington is a good value. Per square foot here compared to London is about 40 percent of the cost of comparable product in London. If you’re a global citizen who moves freely among countries and markets, Washington is increasingly showing up as a great opportunity. TWD: Anything surprising in 2015?

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LUXURY LIVING

Lowham: It’s notable to us in 2015 the energy and the activity [of downtown D.C. markets] like Logan Circle, Shaw. I think that we have been surprised at the other end at the lack of energy in the upper brackets, particularly in Montgomery

Photos: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

The property for sale at 3245 N St., NW, sits in the heart of Georgetown, which overall in 2015 didn’t fare as well as up-and-coming D.C. neighborhoods like Logan Circle did.

County and Northern Virginia, where there are magnificent homes that are available at well below their replacement costs. In places like Great Falls, Va., and Potomac, Md., where you can buy a house for much less than it would cost to duplicate, the days on the market continue to increase. In both of those cases, I think transportation plays a role. But also … I think the government contracting sector is being very cautious in 2015, particularly on the heels of sequestration and budget cuts that happened at the end of 2013.The people who own and operate those companies are being cautious, so I think that put a little downward pressure on the market. TWD: What is the market outlook for 2016? Lowham: Where the upper brackets were quiet in 2015, I think we’re starting to sense that some of the people standing on the sidelines are going to step forward and we will see more sales, much more activity in the upper brackets than we saw in 2015. I think we’ll see continued strength and momentum in the downtown Washington market that will continue to push further east. Markets like Old Town Alexandria will continue to be strong because that’s a walkable community with reasonable access to Metro and Washington Reagan National Airport. Stephanie Kanowitz is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

The residence at 626 Philip Digges in McLean, Va., is under the Sotheby’s portfolio.

December 2015

culture & arts

■ WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM

entertainment

■ DECEMBER 2015

PICTURE OF EVOLUTION

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES

Danish Doors “Cultural doors open political doors,” says Ulla Rønberg, wife of the recently appointed Danish ambassador, who has spent her career promoting cultural diplomacy long before the term came into vogue. PAGE 37

PHOTOGRAPHY

Universal ‘Stars’ Visitors entering “Under the Same Stars” at the Canadian Embassy are transported to a frozen Arctic landscape that feels both otherworldly yet strangely familiar. PAGE 38

THEATER

Sour Apples Edward Weston’s 1927 “Nautilus Shell (Cross-Section)”

In Richard Nelson’s “Apple Family Cycle,” the life struggles of the fictitious, liberalleaning Apple family unfold around a meal in the same room, but the familial drama is a lot to digest. PAGE 40

PHOtO: PROmISED GIft Of StEPHEn G. StEIn EmPLOyEE BEnEfIt tRUSt

the national Gallery of art is marking several major milestones in one fell swoop: “Celebrating Photography at the national Gallery of art: Recent Gifts” caps a yearlong showcase with 200 works acquired in honor of the 25th anniversary of the gallery’s photography program — some dating to the 1840s. But the impressive numbers belie the even more striking imagery and history on display. PAGE 36

DINING The arrival of the holiday season has us thinking about leisurely lunches that allow us to unwind with friends and colleagues in cozy settings with delicious food and ambience to spare. PAGE 42

[ photography ]

Picture -Perfect Milestones National Gallery of Art Toasts Its Photographic Legacy by Gary Tischler

T

he National Gallery of Art is marking several major milestones in one huge exhibit. “Celebrating Photography at the National PHOtO: © DEBORaH LUStER Gallery of Art: Recent Gifts” Deborah Luster’s “Eddie m. pays tribute to the culmi‘fat’ CoCo, transylvania, nation of a yearlong celebration as Louisiana” is part of a series of well as a three-year initiative showimages depicting people who casing photographing at the museat one time or another were in um. It features 200 works acquired the Louisiana prison system. in honor of the 25th anniversary of the gallery’s photography proverse form of Americana — gram — some of the photos dating all of them at one time or to the 1840s. another prisoners in the But the impressive numbers Louisiana prison system. belie the even more striking imagArbus, the queen of American ery and history on display. strange, is also represented The exhibition itself — culled here with her iconic boy from actual or promised gifts that holding a toy grenade, his total over 1,300 works since a face twisted into a maniacal massive undertaking to expand expression. the photography collection was Things get bigger as you launched three years ago — is a PHOtOS: natIOnaL GaLLERy Of aRt near the exhibition’s end, remarkable survey of not just the gallery’s where ambitions take center holdings, but how the contemporary world From top, Robert frank’s stage and art, per se, seems to views photography, how it has changed in “mabou mines,” Henry take a backseat. This is the focus and approach, what it means in terms Wessel’s “Real Estate, no. photography of contempoof art and what it means in terms of docu902719” and Dorothea rary multitasking, trying to mentation. Lange’s “General Strike, San find meaning in the munIn the end, the exhibit is more of an exerfrancisco” are among 200 dane ordinariness of modern cise in immersion and time machine of sorts, works acquired in honor of life. Filling up the fourth spanning Henry Fox Talbot’s pioneering 1843 the 25th anniversary of the room of the exhibition is a photographic study of architecture to examnational Gallery of art’s phoseries by Lewis Baltz, who ine the medium’s flexibility and functionality; tography program. captures a topographical to post-war landscapes; to today’s contempoarea along the San Andreas rary focus on time. fault line in California.There’s Like so many artistic milieus, the nothing much in the way of reception of this vast array of works natural beauty here, but the depends on the viewer’s perception. sheer ordinariness of the Many household names are here, along photos — grass and dirt, road and with lesser-known photographers.There Celebrating Photography at the National field, litter and ominous cracks — is a generous amount of works by make you pay attention, like looking Robert Frank, Diane Arbus and Richard Gallery of Art: Recent Gifts at the debris in the wake of a roadAvedon, for instance, all of whom turned march 13 side accident. their lens on the human form in porNational Gallery of Art Henry Wessel gives us “Real Estate,” traits that by extension reflected on a series of brightly smart and eyesociety at large. Less recognizable but between 3rd and 9th Streets killing shots of California homes, no less haunting is a series of stark, surat Constitution avenue, nW which, despite being lathered in prising portraits by Deborah Luster. For more information, please call (202) 737-4215 color, speak to the cookie-cutter anoThese works are placed thickly in the nymity of life in suburbia, even if it’s middle of the exhibition, which conor visit www.nga.gov. in the desert. nects different aspects of human porParticularly moving is Paul Graham’s “Pittsburgh” from his 2004 publication “A traiture, from people with famous names to individuals in all their idiosyncrasies and Shimmer of Possibility.” Shots of an African American man mowing grass at different obscurity. Avedon’s pictures are part of the seminal 1976 portfolio “The Family” (commissioned locations are mixed in with photos of store shelves that could be from any chain groby Rolling Stone magazine), which comprises nearly 100 portraits of the political, mili- cery store or gas station, stocked with dwindling goods from tools to bread. The sum tary, social and cultural power structure of the day. How you approach this is probably effect suggests the routine predictability of change — the landscape gets tweaked, the a matter of who and what you are: If you can name everyone on the wall and remember task never ends and consumption is constant. Perhaps the only constant in this exhibition is photography’s permanence and evoluthem with some vividness, then you probably live here; are of a certain age; and will feel as if you’re watching your life pass by. If you are, say, a millennial, these portraits might tion, both as an art form and integral part of the National Gallery.This exhibition is more be curiosities from ancient history; impressive in focus but not in context; or just plain than a celebration of the size and scope of the museum’s photography collection; it’s indicative of the strength of that collection and of the medium itself. puzzling. Luster’s sepia-like portraits in “One Big Self: Prisoners of Louisiana” are an oddly lyrical but also shocking ode to those on the margins of society whose names read like a per- Gary Tischler is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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[ diplomatic spouses ]

Cultural Maven Ulla Rønberg Specializes in Promoting Danish Culture Around World by Gail Scott

U

lla Rønberg, wife of recently appointed Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose, has spent her career promoting cultural diplomacy long before the term came into vogue. Although she’s on a leave of absence from the Danish Agency for Culture while in D.C., Rønberg is finding ways to incorporate her love of culture with her new role as an ambassador’s spouse. “[Cultural diplomacy] is an area where arts and culture can both pave the way for development in the arts and point at new solutions in societal issues,” she told us.“Cultural doors open political doors.” For the past three years, Rønberg was the project leader of international cultural exchange projects at the Danish Agency for Culture, which employs roughly 300 people and aims to promote Danish arts both at home and abroad. Her portfolio included Asian countries such as South Korea and Vietnam, and her most ambitious undertaking was a yearlong showcase in China that featured more than 60 individual projects covering the arts, music, film, literature, theater, design, architecture, learning programs and even a Viking exhibit. She made six trips to China to coordinate the 12-month calendar. In addition, she oversaw the approval and funding of cultural exchange programs between Denmark and the United States.“In the States, we work to establish partnerships and new opportunities for Danish artists and cultural institutions. Often, the connections already exist, as there is a well-established dialogue between the American and Danish artist milieus. We work to make these connections stronger and broader,” she explained. Today, from her perch in Washington, Rønberg is always on the lookout to expand these connections. “In Washington, there is great potential for collaboration between museums. Danish museums are well aware of this and are looking closely at possibilities for new American partnerships.” Rønberg has extensive experience working with museums. She was curator and head of audiences and development for the Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen, as well as curator and head of education for the KØS Museum of Art in Public Spaces. Prior to that, she was an editor with the Université Paris-Sorbonne. Rønberg studied art history at the University of Warwick in Britain and journalism at the Danish School of Media and Journalism before earning her master’s degree in art history and Scandinavian literature at Aarhus PHOtO: GaIL SCOtt University. Rønberg said her interest in art was piqued by her mother.“My mother was Danish fiber artist Grethe Wittrock, who recycles weather-beaten boat sails, an art teacher and specialized in clay.We were three kids so she practiced on is creating a two-floor art installation that will hang in the entrance from the us.” reception rooms upstairs down to the lower level where the ebony baby Rønberg takes after her mother in another respect: She too has three chil- grand piano used to be. dren. Björn, 15, and Ellen, 12, both attend the Field School in D.C., while Siw, “We moved the piano so that we could have concerts here in the library 4, is in pre-school at the British — and Ellen and I could play it more often,” Rønberg School of Washington. explained, pointing to a nearby guitar.“As you can see, “We walk through the woods to [Cultural diplomacy] is an area my husband plays the electric guitar. He used to be in the British School; it’s only 10 mina heavy rock band and have long hair. where arts and culture can both pave utes away,” Rønberg said of the resi“We’ve known each other since high school,” she dence, a modern complex that added, “but I didn’t pay attention until he cut his the way for development in the arts and hair.” abuts Rock Creek Park and doubles as the country’s embassy. The ambassador has come a long way since his The Danish Chancellery is, in point at new solutions in societal issues. days of wild hair and heavy metal. Prior to coming to fact, the first modern embassy built Washington earlier this year, Lars Gert Lose was Cultural doors open political doors. in the United States — constructed Denmark’s permanent undersecretary of state, servin 1960 to pay homage to Denmark’s ing as chief foreign affairs advisor to the prime minis— ULLA RØNBERG spirit of innovation and transparter. He began his diplomatic career in 1997 as head of wife of Danish ambassador Lars Gert Lose ency. The entrance hall of the resisection in the European Union Coordination Office dence portion emphasizes the and has since held high-level positions such as head country’s openness with white marble shipped in from Greenland, expansive of the Foreign Minister’s Office. windows that flood the space with natural light, clean lines and a stately but Rønberg also began her career in 1997, writing articles in magazines, newsunderstated aesthetic. papers and web sites. She became head of education at the ARKEN Museum Like her predecessors, Rønberg has added her own personal touches to of Modern Art in Copenhagen, designing exhibits and educational strategies the residence, including contemporary canvases and examples of award- for children and young people. During Lose’s posting in Paris, she helped winning Danish furnishings. “We would like to have modern, more contem- develop digital educational material for students studying Danish at the porary art that reflects the architecture of this beautiful building and Sorbonne. Denmark,” she said.“This setting is the perfect showroom for Danish art and design.” See DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES, page 39

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December 2015

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[ photography ]

Cool Connections Harsh Austerity, Universal Warmth of Arctic Shine in ‘Under the Same Stars’ by Karin Sun

V

isitors entering “Under the Same Stars,” a photo exhibit at the Embassy of Canada, will be struck by a gradient of colors that transports them to an austere yet entrancing world. The photos on the left wall of the gallery are somber, dark and muted. As one moves to the right, however, the colors become brighter and more intense — a blood-red dump fire here, a glowing igloo there — culminating in a final splash of neon pink in the heart-shaped glasses worn by two young girls. Acacia Johnson, the photographer behind the exhibit, explained that the arrangement was intentional. “I structured the exhibit in a conceptual way that reflects the natural elements of the Arctic landscape where the photos were taken,” Johnson told The Washington Diplomat. “The photos on one wall are all about the sun and fire, and the ones on the other focus on the moon, ice and darkness.” The focus on natural elements speaks to the underlying theme of the exhibit: the connection between the Canadian Arctic people and the wintery landscapes that surround them. Johnson, who received her bachelor’s degree in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2014, shot the exhibit over four PHOtOS: © aCaCIa JOHnSOn months while living on Baffin Island in northern Canada. She completed the project with the help of “Full Moon, a Fulbright Canada grant. February,” above, The Anchorage, Alaska, native said she developed a fascination with and “Out there (the cold northern landscapes as a high school exchange student in Last time We Saw Norway. the Sun),” by acacia “I remember I spent that winter above the Arctic Circle,” Johnson said Johnson depict the fondly of her experience. “The combination of learning passionately harsh vastness yet about photography while spending a winter in the dark laid the foundasense of community tion for my later work.” that resides in the She added: “I don’t know why I feel so connected to these harsh Canadian arctic. northern climates, but that’s just where I feel the most alive and where I feel I belong.” “Under the Same Stars” consists of 12 photographs that Johnson took during her Fulbright-funded stay in the Canadian Arctic. The images were shot in color with a large-format view camera and depict scenes of daily life in the Arctic as well as the various ways in which the indigenous Inuit people interact with their environment. Many of the photos examine the ‘Dreaming’ expresses the idea of dreaming of the sun, longimportance of the sun and the moon in Under the Same Stars ing for it, in the time before it reappears,” said Johnson. the Inuit people’s lives. One, titled “Out (Ulluriat ataanittuinnait) Conversely, during the sun’s absence, the moon becomes There (The Last Time We Saw the Sun),” a critical alternative source of light. “Full Moon, February,” depicts a man driving a snowmobile through Jan. 29 which portrays a group of children in hooded parkas standacross a vast stretch of ice toward a Embassy of Canada Art Gallery ing in the snow and gazing up at the moon, illustrates the speck of sun on the horizon. Another, 501 Pennsylvania ave., nW importance of this cosmic body as a kind of surrogate sun “Dreaming (In Which the Sun Appears),” For more information, please call (202) 682-1740 during the dark Arctic winter. shows a man gazing at the camera, seem“This is a portrait of a family I’m very close to, out in the ingly lost in stunned bewilderment as or visit www.can-am.gc.ca/washington. mountains at night to enjoy the light of the full moon,” said the sun rises behind him for the first Johnson, adding that the parkas worn by the children were time in three months. The symmetry of the two photos, one in which the sun is viewed for the last all hand-sewn by the women in the family. Other photos depict the surreal, almost otherworldly, landscape of the frotime before it disappears and the other in which the sun resurfaces, has deeper parallels. “The photo ‘Out There’ speaks to me about moving forward — into zen Arctic tundra.“Found Objects,” for example, shows an eerie disk-like object light, through inevitable darkness, and into light again on the other side,” that is in fact a discarded piece of bloodied sealskin. “It reminded me of something celestial, something out of this world,” Johnson explained.“It’s all a cycle.This photo, along with ‘Dreaming,’ illustrates the beginning and ending of these light cycles, suggesting the cycles of time Johnson said. The reverential treatment Johnson gives the sealskin mirrors its value to itself.” The images also capture an inherent yearning for the sun. “The photo Inuit society. “Seals have an immeasurable importance to the Inuit peoples

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December 2015

across the entire circumpolar North,” she said, noting the dependence of the region’s hunters on warm sealskin clothing.“The seal becomes almost celestial to these people, in the way I look at it.” Still other images explore contrasting ideas of shelter, which range from a traditional igloo to a row of modern cabin-like houses.What Johnson really wants to accomplish with the exhibit, however, is to show that life in the Arctic overflows with incredible warmth. “I wanted to give people a glimpse into the richness and vibrancy of life in the Arctic, even in the winter,” said Johnson, adding that contrary to popular opinion, the Arctic is not a “barren wasteland” but a “celebration” of life and community. “I wanted to show that life in the northern wilderness could be a really rich and peaceful way to live, and not necessarily one that’s imbued with struggle.” The normality of daily life in the Arctic is conveyed in images such as “Friday Night Dance,” which features two girls wearing neon pink glasses at a community hall dance. “I feel this image says a lot about the lives of young people in the Arctic these days — very in tune with the interests and lifestyles

of big cities to the ‘south,’ modern in many ways, but amidst … traditional ways of life,” Johnson said.“It’s an interesting and complex world these young people live in — connected to the rest of the world, but nevertheless separated from it.” Johnson pointed out that while some people might view Arctic communities as primitive and isolated, the local people are technologically connected and savvy, communicating through popular social media sites like Facebook. In fact, Johnson became acquainted with the family whose children posed for “Full Moon” through a Facebook advertisement she posted. The photographer noted that “Full Moon” is the photo that best captures the exhibit’s central theme of community and togetherness through a shared interaction with nature. “To me, this image illustrates the title of the show, the idea of ‘Under the Same Stars,’” Johnson said.“Across the circumpolar North, we may come from different cultural backgrounds and different life experiences, but the way we engage with the landscape overlaps in many ways. It ties us together.” Karin Sun is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

from page 37

Diplomatic Spouses

December 2015

Photo: Embassy of Denmark

Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose, his wife Ulla Rønberg and their three children, Björn, Ellen and Siw, walk the White House to present Lose’s credentials to President Obama earlier this year.

tional, representative symbol of her homeland, but also a comfortable haven for her family. “We live diplomatic life very intensely as the residence is our home and at the same time the official building for dinners and receptions. It can be a challenge with three kids and a dog in the house. So we have an ‘open house policy’ where the kids are welcome to come down and have a soda and some hors d’oeuvres at all times.We can’t live here with the doors shut because this residence is also our home.We live here 24 hours a day.” And while Rønberg is excited to imbue the residence with the cultural flourishes she has spent her career honing and developing, she is also enjoying the cozier side of life in D.C. “We have the most wonderful view of the park — silence at night except for the sound of the animals.”

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In addition to her educational and cultural work, Rønberg has often been responsible for fundraising and budgets during her museum stints. While with the Danish Agency for Culture, her job included tailoring programs to fit the cultural scenes of different partner countries and adhering to a bottom-up approach that set the stage for a cross-cultural dialogue and long-term exposure for Denmark. The “Danish Cultural Season in China,” for example, “In Denmark, women work and have careers,” Rønberg said. “We want to achieve ‘work-life’ balance — and husbands are a great part of this deal. We take this for granted. In our family, the children’s grandparents have played a big role in helping out. They have made all the difference. Plus, parents are entitled to one-year maternity leave.” In addition to gender equality and generous child-care benefits, Denmark consistently ranks at the top of many happiness and wellbeing surveys and is a pioneer in achieving a “work-life” balance in other areas such as commuting. “We are a biking culture. Early morning in Copenhagen, you see people riding their bikes to work — often dressed in colorful Spandex. An hour later, they are all in suits,” Rønberg said. “In every modern workplace, they have showers but it isn’t just about having showers. It is a way of thinking that includes room for bikes on the road, safe bike storage and an understanding that you have to sacrifice something to achieve a goal like more bikes in the city. “Denmark is innovative, green and all about sustainability.That includes all layers in society: how we eat, what we wear, in the arts and crafts. We have solar panels even in our houses,” she added. “We are a smaller country so we need to be stronger. Nordic countries are a brand in and of themselves. Each Nordic country has individual traits but they are Nordic countries too.” Now, Rønberg is adjusting to the American way of life and Washington diplomacy specifically. Her philosophy on running an official residence is to create not only a func-

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Gail Scott is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

The Washington Diplomat Page 39

[ theater ]

‘Sorry’ Family Apple Cycle’s Familial Drama Is Laden With Heavy Realism by Lisa Troshinsky

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he entire action of Richard Nelson’s “Apple Family Cycle” plays, currently at the Studio Theatre, unfolds around a meal in the same room. However, it is often hard to digest. The four plays are meant to tie the intricacies of one family’s life into political topics of the day. While Nelson intended the series to be a “naturalistic dialogue” that gives “individuals’ voice to our political forum,” wrote Studio dramaturg Adrien-Alice Hansel, the plots often get caught in the cobwebs of depressing familial drama without much relief. The circuitous story lines focus on the life struggles of the fictitious, liberal-leaning Apple family — baby-boomer siblings and their uncle in Rhinebeck, N.Y. — and each of the plays takes place during a significant political event. Currently in repertoire at the Studio Theatre are the last two plays of the series: “Sorry,” which takes place at 5 a.m. on Election Day in 2012 during President Obama’s bruising re-election campaign, and “Regular Singing,” which takes place PHOtO: aLLIE DEaRIE on the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The Apple Family Cycle: In 2013, Studio mounted the first two installments of the Sorry and Regular Singing four-play series: “That Hopey Changey Thing,” set on Election Day 2010, and “Sweet and Sad,” set on Sept. 11, 2011, a decade through Dec. 13 after the 9/11 attacks. First commissioned by the Public Theater, Studio Theatre each play premiered on the night on which it was set. Studio cast all four plays with the same actors, which lends a 1501 14th St., nW sense of consistency to the series, and the cast is made up of tickets are $49 to $96. D.C. thespian favorites. For more information, “Sorry” chronicles the sad day the family is scheduled to take please call (202) 332-3300 their aging uncle to an assisted living facility, due to his increasor visit www.studiotheatre.org. ing dementia. The uncle, Benjamin, is played by Ted van Griethuysen, perhaps the most skilled actor in the cast, and it’s PHOtO: IGOR DmItRy unfortunate his character has so few lines. One of the most shining and uplift- of sending Benjamin away. ing moments comes at the end when Benjamin, a former actor, reads from a While their act of solidarity is a Richard Nelson’s “Sorry,” part of his “apple family script that one of his nieces wants him to perform at the home’s talent show. clear indication of their under- Cycle,” portrays the family drama that ensues when His moving delivery reminds us that even those who are losing their senses lying devotion to each other, baby-boomer siblings are forced to send their senile their intermittent bickering and uncle to an assisted living facility. remember at precious times who they really are and rise to the occasion. In “Regular Singing,” the family is also in a state of crises, as Marian’s ex- ribbing reveal typical family tensions like sibling rivalry, jealousy and just plain getting on each other’s husband is upstairs dying of cancer. One of the harder parts to embody in “Sorry” is the character of Barbara, the nerves during a tough time. One thing Nelson does well in these plays is making his audience relive oldest sister, portrayed by Sarah Marshall. Barbara is an unmarried schoolteacher who has carried the brunt of the burden caring for Benjamin.Although political memories we might have well forgotten. In between the siblings’ she is clearly bitter from being the target of Benjamin’s dementia and accom- personal revelations and trivial talk, they discuss politics, for it is Election Day, panying bursts of anger (he flinches when she tries to help him), she also feels after all. During one poignant bit, they all fantasize about what they’d say to guilty about putting him in a home. Marshall must walk the thin and realistic Obama, if given a moment of his attention. Marian graciously says (to Obama): line of being strong yet vulnerable, and of loving someone but resenting them “You’ve done your best.” Throughout this discourse — as they skeptically question the significance at the same time. The other siblings round out a realistic aging family struggling to find hap- of voting — the Apples remind us how Obama supporters were disappointed piness amongst their litany of heartbreaks. Elizabeth Pierotti plays Marian, the with his track record at the time. Jane weakly offers that voting is like recynext oldest sister, who is also a schoolteacher. Divorced and the mother of a cling: You know at the time it might not make much of a difference, but you daughter who committed suicide, Marian is now enjoying the company of a feel good when you drop a plastic bottle into the recycling bin, just like when new (albeit) Republican boyfriend. Kimberly Schraf plays Jane, the youngest you pull that lever at the ballot box. For better or worse, for Democrat or Republican, the Apple family sticks sister, who is a writer and has come from Chicago to lend moral support. Lastly, Rick Foucheux portrays Richard, the only brother, who has just returned to the together. And through their doubting optimism, it gives us, the audience, guarded hope in this current era of political unknowns. U.S. from a long overseas business trip. All of the siblings have gathered at the upstate New York family home to lend Barbara and Marian moral support during the difficult task they must face Lisa Troshinsky is the theater reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.

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[ dining ]

Festive Lunches Delectable Midday Breaks Also Offer Holiday Respite by Michael Coleman

T

he arrival of the December holiday season has us thinking about leisurely lunches that allow us to unwind with friends and colleagues in cozy settings with delicious food and ambience to spare. There are plenty of these types of restaurants scattered across Washington, from Georgetown to Dupont Circle to Penn Quarter and beyond.As the chill of autumn set in, we visited three such establishments to see how they measured up at lunchtime. Two of our choices are relatively new or have recently been reborn on the D.C. dining scene, while the third is a well-established eatery that we hadn’t visited in several years.

FIOLA For our first mid-day meal we visited Fiola, chef Fabio Trabocchi’s exquisite trattoria in Penn Quarter. Fiola has earned a slew of accolades since opening in 2011, including a coveted “best restaurant” in D.C. honor from Zagat this year. During our lunch in Fiola’s sleek but warm and inviting dining room, the hosannas seemed entirely deserved. Fiola’s lunch menu allows its diners to be as decadent or restrained as the mood fits. The Maria Menu, featuring two courses and a light dessert for $28, is a particularly nice touch for those who might be calorie conscious or reluctant to break the bank for a midweek lunch. As we perused Fiola’s traditional lunch listings, an amusebouche of smoked salmon and grapefruit arrived at the table. The delectable bite — a mouth-watering combination of salty and tangy-sweet — proved the perfect palate opener. The lobster bisque cappuccino, known as “soup” to the American layman diner, was densely packed with Nova Scotia lobster chunks, mussels, oysters, smoked salmon and salsify, a root vegetable similar to a long, thin parsnip. This starter was a hearty and delicious autumn comfort food, beautifully presented with an intensely fresh, flavorful and warm golden broth. Next, we had several slices of the sashimi of hamachi. The delicate yellowtail fish was accompanied with baby artichokes, pickled ginger, delicately shaved daikon radishes and yuzu vinaigrette. Incredibly tender and almost buttery in texture with an interesting citrusy kick from the yuzu, the sashimi was another flawless appetizer. Moving on to the main courses, we decided on a pasta dish; this is an Italian eatery that makes its own versions daily, after all. We also chose the classic veal Milanese, which is difficult to find in American restaurants. In fact, our amiable server said Fiola is the only restaurant in the city that prepares it. The hand-cut pappardelle pasta with ham hock ragu, forest mushrooms, Merlino cheese and prosciutto de parma was tender with a robust, earthy flavor.The warm pasta boasted a fresh-as-advertised flavor and, again, seemed a solid choice for warming the bones on a chilly day. The veal Milanese with parmesan and an assortment of fall greens, pickled red onion and citrus vinaigrette was yet another superlative experience. Bountiful and beautiful on the plate with the bone-in and a light, golden-fried texture, the pounded veal was crispy, tender and mouth-waterFiola ingly delicious. Small, lightly fried sage beignets 601 Pennsylvania ave., nW added an amusing and surprisingly flavorful punc(202) 628-2888 tuation mark, while the side salad helped to lightwww.fioladc.com en the overall dish. After the robust meal and with a few hours of work still waiting back at the office, we were grateIron Gate ful for Fiola’s extensive coffee menu. The restau1734 n St., nW rant prepares and pours many of the hot, caffein(202) 524-5202 ated beverages tableside in silver urns, making for an impressively elegant finish to a leisurely lunch. irongaterestaurantdc.com We had a stout and flavorful cup of cappuccino, as well as an affogato, hot espresso poured over Tabard Inn vanilla gelato. 1739 n St., nW Fiola was outstanding from start to finish — from the sexy, understated ambience; to the atten(202) 785-1277 tive yet never obtrusive service; to the supremely www.tabardinn.com flavorful food and rich, warm and delicious coffee finish. Bravo.

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42

The Washington Diplomat

The veal Milanese at fiola, a rare treat in american restaurants, features parmesan and an assortment of fall greens, pickled red onion and citrus vinaigrette. PHOtOS: mICHaEL COLEman

At Iron Gate, imported burrata, a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream, is served in a pool of gleaming green salsa verde.

IRON GATE The first thing you’ll probably notice upon entering the dining room at Iron Gate — a beautifully understated Mediterranean restaurant in a converted residential property on a tree-lined street near Dupont Circle — is the woody aroma of a burning fireplace. There are two fires in the low-lit, romantic dining room: a wood-fire stove in the kitchen and the actual fireplace in the center of the room. The ambience of Iron Gate’s exposed wood beams and rust-colored leather banquettes, coupled with an expertly curated menu of small plates, makes a satisfying setting for a relaxing, extended holiday season lunch. Like many Mediterranean restaurants these days, Iron Gate serves up mostly small plates with a few entrée-size selections. We stuck with the smaller plates to allow us to sample more of the flavors emanating from chef Tony Chittum’s kitchen, recently renovated and reopened after a period of three years in which it was closed. We’re glad we did. The curried cauliflower soup with grapes, almond slices and caper was nothing short of gorgeous to behold. Pale yellow with green grape halves glistening like jewels in the savory broth, the soup’s flavor was outstanding. The combination of grapes and nuts made the dish simultaneously sweet and earthy, while the caper added a dash of salty flavor. We were off to a very good start. Egg and dill gemelli pasta served with delicately braised rabbit was a bit overly salty, most likely because of the two varieties of olives served as part of the dish. But the feta and roasted pepper dip with scallions served with house-made fennel seed crackers could be added to the federal government’s list of addictive controlled substances. Tart and creamy with an appealing pinkish hue, we couldn’t get enough of this dish but resisted a second order. Imported burrata, a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream, served in a pool of gleaming green salsa verde with anchovy and garlic ciabatta bread was another stunner. The freshness of the dish practically popped off the plate and had us struggling with restraint once again. Not to be redundant, but the maple-roasted squash with pomegranate, house-made yogurt and spiced seeds was also marvelous. Chittum’s decision to combine the sweetness of maple with the tart punch of pomegranate dropped into a cool, tangy bed of yogurt is nothing short of culinary genius.At this point, it won’t surprise you to learn that the chicken kalamaki wrapped in Virginia ham and charred onions was similarly deli-

December 2015

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December 2015

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cious. Roasted grapes inject a sweet offset to the hearty flavor of the chicken and ham in this dish.Yet another winner. Iron Gate is now officially one of our very favorite D.C. restaurants and a primo spot for lunch.

TABARD INN The final stop on The Washington Diplomat’s tour of upscale, relaxing lunch spots in the District of Columbia took us to the Tabard Inn, one of the city’s old standbys for brunch and leisurely lunches. While we’ve enjoyed evening cocktails in the old hotel’s Victorian sitting room, we found the Tabard Inn’s dining room neither relaxing nor particularly enjoyable.Although the food was better than decent, the dining room was dim and cramped with inattentive service, tired décor and noise levels that approached a dull roar. As we waited for our table, we gave the forgetful bartender our order three different times before he actually delivered the drinks. Not a good start. More unfortunately, I couldn’t shake the image of a mousetrap — thankfully empty — stashed clumsily underneath the banquette where we were seated. Restaurants, especially those in old buildings in D.C., commonly contend with mice, but patrons certainly don’t want to be reminded of it. Yuck. Despite this inauspicious start we soldiered on, skimming the Tabard Inn’s eclectic-to-the-point-of-confounding brunch menu. Huevos rancheros or seafood gumbo? Pumpkin French toast or a chicken Caesar salad? I went with a regular Caesar salad with anchovies to start and a burger made with a half pound of Angus beef, applewood smoked bacon, crispy onion straws and aged cheddar cheese.The salad was ho-hum and a bit overdressed with creamy dressing, but

December 2015

PHOtO: mICHaEL COLEman

The Tabard Inn’s savory tart is a generously proportioned pie full of mushrooms, leeks, asparagus, goat cheese and mixed greens.

fresh. The anchovies saved the day. The burger, however, was very good. Perfectly cooked and juicy with an appealing combination of flavors, I was impressed — and barely able to finish it. My dining companion ordered the “savory tart,” a generously proportioned pie full of mushrooms, leeks, asparagus, goat cheese and mixed greens. Cheesy and rich, the flavorful tart made a good choice for fall/winter dining because of its stick-to-your-ribs denseness. We’ll give the Tabard Inn points for offering affordable, mostly well-prepared food. But unfortunately, the cramped quarters and yawning service had us yearning to leave, which we did as soon as we were able. On a slower day, one may well find the Tabard Inn’s ambience more appealing. But if you’re looking to impress a friend, family member or colleague over a long holiday lunch this month, we’d recommend Fiola or Iron Gate without hesitation. Michael Coleman (@michaelcoleman) is a con-

tributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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[ film ]

CINEMA LISTING *Unless specific times are listed, please check the theater for times. Theater locations are subject to change.

Arabic

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 19, 11 a.m.

years 
before. Hector 
has his demons but he still has his dignity.

English

AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 18, 5:05 p.m., Sun., Dec. 20, 5:15 p.m.

The 33

Theeb Directed by Naji Abu Nowar (UAE/Qatar/Jordan/U.K., 2015, 100 min.)

While war rages in the Ottoman Empire, Hussein raises his younger brother Theeb (“Wolf”) in a traditional Bedouin community that is isolated by the vast, unforgiving desert. The brothers’ quiet existence is suddenly interrupted when a British Army officer and his guide ask Hussein to escort them to a water well located along the old pilgrimage route to Mecca. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Directed by Patricia Riggen (U.S./Chile, 2015, 127 min.)

In 2010, the eyes of the world turned to Chile, where 33 miners had been buried alive by the catastrophic collapse of a 100-year-old mine. Over the next 69 days, an international team worked night and day in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped men as their families and friends, as well as millions of people globally, watched anxiously for any sign of hope (English and Spanish).

Kill Your Friends

Documentarian Jeppe Rønde’s narrative debut is a haunting meditation on the real-life plague of teen suicides in a South Wales town.

The Reaper Directed by Zvonimir Jurić (Croatia/Slovenia, 2014, 98 min.)

Aging farmhand Ivo gives stranded motorist Mirjana a lift to the gas station one night. But his apparent altruism is immediately greeted with suspicion by the local villagers, who recall that Ivo once served time for rape and have never forgiven him.

In 1962, Alfred Hitchcock and a 30-yearold François Truffaut sequestered themselves in a windowless Hollywood office for a weeklong conversation. The result: the seminal book “Hitchcock/Truffaut,” published a half century ago, dissecting every film Hitchcock had made until then (English, French and Japanese).

Bridgend

The High Sun

AFI Silver Theatre Wed., Dec. 9, 7:10 p.m.

Directed by Kent Jones (France/U.S., 2015, 82 min.)

Area theaters

Croatian

Set during the years of 1991, 2001 and 2011, the action takes place between two neighboring Balkan villages — one Serbian, one Croatian — with two lovers’ lives unavoidably being affected by the war.

Hitchcock/Truffaut

Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., Dec. 11

Directed by Jeppe Rønde (Denmark, 015, 95 min.)

Directed by Dalibor Matanić (Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia, 2015, 123 min.)

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

AFI Silver Theatre Wed., Dec. 2, 9:25 p.m., Wed., Dec. 9, 9:40 p.m.

Directed by Owen Harris (U.K., 2015, 100 min.)

Former A&R exec John Niven’s cult novel, about music biz excess and Machiavellian maneuvering during Britain’s late-’90s Britpop craze, is translated to the screen by first-time feature director Owen Harris.

Brooklyn

AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 11, 9:40 p.m., Sat., Dec. 12, 9:20 p.m.

Directed by John Crowley (Ireland/U.K./Canada, 2015, 111 min.)

The Lady in the Van

An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. The Avalon Theatre

Carol

Directed by Nicholas Hytner (U.K., 2015, 104 min.)

In 1973, the residents of the leafy London enclave of Camden Town found their liberal pieties tested by the arrival of an eccentric, elderly vagrant who lived out of her van and upset the neighborhood’s prevailing pretensions of charity and inclusiveness.

Directed by Todd Haynes (U.K./U.S./France, 2015, 118 min.)

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 6, 1 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 11, 5:05 p.m., Sat., Dec. 12, 1 p.m.

Set in 1950s New York, a departmentstore clerk who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman.

Legend

Czech

Angelika Mosaic Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., Dec. 25

The Snake Brothers Directed by Jan Prusinovský (Czech Republic, 2015, 111 min.)

Real-life brothers Krystof and Matej Hádek play ne’er-do-
well brothers in this gritty melodrama, shot through with moments of anarchic comedy. AFI Silver Theatre Tue., Dec. 15, 7 p.m., Wed., Dec. 16, 9:15 p.m.

Danish A War Directed by Tobias Lindholm (Denmark, 2015, 115 min.)

Danish commander Claus Pedersen does his best to keep his troops safe and morale high on their deployment to Afghanistan, but is forced to make a fateful judgment call under enemy fire. AFI Silver Theatre Mon., Dec. 14, 7 p.m.

Dutch Nena

Directed by Tom Hooper (U.K./Germany/U.S., 2015, 120 min.)

In early 1920s Copenhagen, Danish artist, Gerda Wegener painted her own husband, Einar Wegener, as a lady in her painting. When the painting gained popularity, Einar started to adopt a female persona and named himself Lili Elbe. With his feminism passion and Gerda’s support, Elbe attempted first-ever male to female sex reassignment surgery. Angelika Mosaic Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., Dec. 11

Growing up on the Dutch-German border, teenager Nena enjoys Goethe’s poetry and Goth style, but really goes wild for her blue-haired, baseball-playing new boyfriend (Dutch and German).

Identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious criminals in British history, run an organized crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s. Area theaters

Macbeth Directed by Justin Kurzel (U.K./France/U.S., 110 min.)

Macbeth, a Thane of Scotland, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself.

grooving to American soul. AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 4, 9:45 p.m.

A Perfect Day Directed by Fernando León de Aranoa (Spain, 2015, 106 min.)

The Balkans, 1995: Fighting has wound down and peace talks have begun, but problems still confront Mambrú (Benicio Del Toro) and his colleagues at NGO Aid Across Borders. AFI Silver Theatre Tue., Dec. 1, 7:15 p.m.

A Royal Night Out Directed by Julian Jarrold (U.K., 2015, 97 min.)

After nearly six years of World War II, peace is
 won and London erupts into a spontaneous celebration. Accompanied by two military officers, teenaged princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are allowed by the King and Queen to slip out of Buckingham Palace incognito and join in the historic revelry. AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m., Sun., Dec. 6, 7:15 p.m.

Second Coming Directed by Debbie Tucker Green (U.K., 2014, 104 min.)

Playwright Debbie Tucker Green’s provocative feature film debut focuses on a modern-day miraculous conception incurred by a married, middle-class mother in Britain. AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 19, 5:05 p.m.

Tale of Tales Directed by Matteo Garrone (Italy/France/U.K., 2015, 125 min.)

Even bawdier and bloodier than tales by the Brothers Grimm, Matteo Garrone’s film will fascinate fans of folklore and fantastic cinema.

A retired orchestra conductor is on holiday with his daughter and his film director best friend in the Alps when he receives an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to perform for Prince Philip’s birthday (English, Spanish and Swiss German). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., Dec. 25

Memento

1944

Directed by Christopher Nolan (U.S., 2001, 113 min.)

Directed by Elmo Nüganen (Estonia/Finland, 2015, 100 min.)

Centering on Laurie Anderson’s beloved piano-playing and finger-painting rat terrier, who died in 2011, “Heart of a Dog” is a wry, wondrous and unforgettable cinematic journey through love, death and language.

A man creates a strange system to help him remember things; so he can hunt for the murderer of his wife without his shortterm memory loss being an obstacle.

“1944” is a dramatic account of the bloody World War II Battle of Tannenberg Line on the Eastern Front, where Estonian civilians were caught between the German and Soviet armies, with native sons fighting on both sides.

Directed by Jake Gavin (U.K., 2015, 87 min.)

Sixtysomething Hector McAdam has been living rough in
 Scotland since
 an unspeakable
 family tragedy
 some 15

Directed by Elaine Constantine (U.K., 2014, 102 min.)

Things are grim up north, in the economically depressed Manchester and its surroundings of 1974. But on the
 dance floor of the local youth center, kids are

Directed by Klaus Härö (Finland/Estonia/Germany, 2015, 93 min.)

The Soviet Union, 1953: Fearing he may be caught up in a widening Stalinist crackdown on his fellow Baltic dissidents, Endel flees Leningrad for a small town in his native Estonia. Taking a job as a gym teacher, Endel, a skilled and dedicated fencer, begins teaching his pupils the ways of this most elegant of sports. AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Dec. 10, 7:15 p.m., Sat., Dec. 12, 12:45 p.m.

Finnish The Grump Directed by Dome Karukoski (Finland, 2014, 104 min.)

After an ankle injury sidelines the titular 80-year-old misanthrope, he’s forced to move in with his son and daughter-in-law, where a clash of generations ensues. AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 18, 9:25 p.m.

Flemish Violet Directed by Bas Devos (Belgium/Netherlands, 2014, 85 min.)

Fifteen-year-old Jesse witnesses the stabbing death of his best friend at a shopping mall, as friends and family struggle to understand the seemingly unmotivated, random murder (Flemish and Dutch).

French

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino (Italy/France/Switzerland/U.K., 2015, 118 min.)

Directed by Laurie Anderson (France/U.S., 2015, 75 min.)

Northern Soul

The Fencer

Youth

Heart of a Dog

Hector

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 12, 5:05 p.m., Sun., Dec. 13, 3:15 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Dec. 3, 9:40 p.m., Mon., Dec. 7, 9:25 p.m.

Estonian

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema Wed., Dec. 2, 7 and 9 p.m.

account of the Soviets’ 1940s deportation of thousands of Estonians to Siberia mixes live action with tableaux vivant: painstaking, painterly compositions of actors frozen in place.

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 12, 7 p.m., Thu., Dec. 17, 7:15 p.m.

Area theaters Opens Fri., Dec. 11

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Directed by Saskia Diesing (Netherlands/Germany, 2014, 94 min.)

44

The Danish Girl

Directed by Brian Helgeland (U.K./France, 2015, 131 min.)

December 2015

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 5, 1 p.m., Mon., Dec. 7, 5:05 p.m.

In the Crosswind Directed by Martti Helde (Estonia, 2014, 90 min.)

Martti Helde’s visionary and moving

Disorder Directed by Alice Winocour (France/Belgium, 2015, 101 min.)

Afghanistan war vet Vincent suffers from PTSD. He’s hired as a temp security guard at Maryland, the estate of Lebanese businessman Whalid, where he overhears a conversation that seems to indicate Whalid is involved in illegal arms dealing. AFI Silver Theatre Wed., Dec. 2, 7:15 p.m., Tue., Dec. 8, 7:15 p.m.

Fatima Directed by Philippe Faucon (France, 2015, 79 min.)

A Moroccan immigrant now living in Lyon, France, Fatima works long hours as a cleaning lady to support her two daughters, one a promising pre-med student and the other a rebellious teen. AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 13, 1 p.m., Tue., Dec. 15, 7:15 p.m.

Fidelio, Alice’s Odyssey Directed by Lucie Borleteau (France, 2014, 97 min.)

After a passionate farewell to her boyfriend, ship’s engineer Alice joins up with

The Washington Diplomat

December 2015

the in-transit cargo ship Fidélio, where the captain is a former lover. AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 13, 7:20 p.m., Wed., Dec. 16, 7:15 p.m.

My Golden Days Directed by Arnaud Desplechin (France, 2015, 123 min.)

Arnaud Desplechin revisits his hapless romantic character Paul Dedalus, this time exploring the character’s wild younger years in the 1980s, from the pangs of first love to amateur international espionage. AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 4, 7:15 p.m., Wed., Dec. 9, 7:15 p.m.

The Magic Mountain Directed by Anca Damian (Romania/France/Poland, 2015, 89 min.)

This wildly creative animated docudrama is
 a chronicle of the life story of Polish expat Adam Jacek Winkler, who settled in France after a lifetime of struggle, from fighting against Poland’s Communist rule to a stint fighting for the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet army (French, English and Polish). AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 12, 3:05 p.m., Mon., Dec. 14, 5:05 p.m.

Mediterranea Directed by Jonas Carpignano (Italy/France/U.S./Germany/Qatar, 2015, 107 min.)

Ayiva and his friend make the dangerous journey from Burkina Faso to Italy, surviving the Sahara desert, murderous bandits and a stormy Mediterranean crossing. But in the land of their dreams, good work proves hard to find, and temptations for easier money abound (French, Italian, English and Arabic). AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 11, 9:20 p.m., Wed., Dec. 16, 7 p.m.

In the Shadow of Women Directed by Philippe Garrel (France/Switzerland, 2015, 73 min.)

Philippe Garrel returns with this exquisite romantic drama, an examination of marital infidelity and a freewheeling riff on life, art and the never-ending battle of the sexes. AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Dec. 3, 5 p.m., Tue., Dec. 8, 9:40 p.m., Thu., Dec. 10, 5:10 p.m.

German In the Basement Directed by Ulrich Seidl (Austria, 2014, 81 min.)

Arch provocateur Ulrich Seidl returns to his documentary roots with this investigation of how his countrymen and women relate to their basements — a space, according to the filmmaker,
 for one’s most personal hobbies. AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 13, 9:25 p.m., Mon., Dec. 14, 9:25 p.m.

Fassbinder: To Love Without Demands Directed by Christian Braad Thomsen (Denmark, 2015, 109 min.)

Danish documentarian
 Christian Braad
 Thomsen reflects
 upon the life and
 career of his longtime 
friend Rainer Werner
 Fassbinder, the enfant
 terrible and leading
 light of the New 
German Cinema. AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 4, 3 p.m., Sun., Dec. 6, 9:30 p.m.

A German Youth Directed by Jean-Gabriel Periot

(France/Germany/Switzerland, 2015, 93 min.)

Before they became radicalized terrorists and members of
 West Germany’s infamous Red Army Faction, Ulrike Meinhof, Gudrun Ensslin and Holger Meins were journalists, artists and filmmakers (German and French). AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 11, 3 p.m., Sat., Dec. 19, 3:15 p.m.

Greek A Blast Directed by Syllas Tzoumerkas (Greece, 2015, 83 min.)

A wife and mother is driven to extremes by the collapse of her family, business and belief system in this scathing thriller (Greek, English and German). AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 12, 9:40 p.m., Sun., Dec. 13, 7:15 p.m.

Impressions of a Drowned Man Directed by Kyros Papavassiliou (Cyprus/Slovenia/Greece, 2015, 82 min.)

A man wakes up on the beach with no memory of who or where he is. In his possession is a notebook of poems. In time meets people who claim to be his parents and an ex-girlfriend who claims he
is actually the famous poet Kostas Karyotakis, who committed suicide in 1928.

on the train, claiming to be en route to witness a love suicide between a married woman and her lover. Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Dec. 6, 2 p.m.

Pistol Opera Directed by Seijun Suzuki (Japan, 2001, 112 min.)

Stray Cat, the number three killer in her assassins’ guild, battles her way to the top against characters such as Painless Surgeon, a cowboy who can feel no pain, and the mysterious number one killer Hundred Eyes. Freer Gallery of Art Fri., Dec. 18, 7 p.m.

Princess Raccoon Directed by Seijun Suzuki (Japan, 2005, 111 min.)

Yumeji Directed by Seijun Suzuki (Japan, 1991, 128 min.)

Liza the Fox-Fairy

Zigeunerweisen

My Mother Directed by Margherita Buy (Italy/France, 2015, 106 min.)

Director Margherita Buy projects calm confidence, but the mounting strain of various life challenges is starting to take a toll. Her mother is hospitalized with heart trouble, her movie shoot is not going well, she’s just broken up with her actor boyfriend and her daughter is flunking Latin (Italian and English). AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 13, 5:05 p.m., Tue., Dec. 14, 9 p.m.

Maltese Simshar Directed by Rebecca Cremona (Malta, 2014, 101 min.)

Based on a 
true story from
 the front lines of 
Europe’s migrant 
crisis, young
 Theo is excited to
 go out on his father’s tuna fishing boat, the Simshar, for the first time. But things go terribly wrong and the boat sinks, leaving the crew stranded far out in the Mediterranean.

Polish

Hungarian

Italian

Leaving her third stint in rehab for alcoholism, faded actress 
Eva Nová is intent on reconnecting with her estranged son but with little hope to revive her acting career, must take a job at a grocery store.

Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Dec. 20, 2 p.m.

Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Dec. 13, 2 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Sat., Dec. 19, 9:40 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Mon., Dec. 7, 9:50 p.m., Wed., Dec. 9, 5:10 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Tue., Dec. 8, 5:10 p.m., Wed., Dec. 9, 9:45 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Mon., Dec. 14, 10 p.m., Wed., Dec. 16, 5:10 p.m.

In 1970s Budapest, Liza, a live-in nurse for an ailing widow,
has an imaginary friend: long-dead Japanese pop singer Tomy Tani, but when a real-life love arrives, Tomy becomes jealous (Hungarian and Japanese).

Slovak

After being exiled, a prince comes across a magical land of shape-shifting raccoons and falls in love with their princess.

Takehisa Yumeji (1884-1934) was an artist known as much for his paintings of beautiful women as for his bohemian lifestyle. As played by rock star Kenji Sawada, this Yumeji is a serial seducer haunted by thoughts of his own death while pursuing ideals of beauty in his art.

Directed by Károly Ujj Mészáros (Hungary, 2015, 98 min.)

removed from reality. Sent into a remedial class after his latest violent outburst at school, X meets Shirley, and the two teens retreat into a world of sex, drugs and violence.

Directed by Seijun Suzuki (Japan, 1980, 144 min.)

Aochi is an uptight professor at a military academy while his erstwhile colleague Nakasago, is now a wild-haired wanderer and possible murderer in this metaphysical ghost story involving love triangles, doppelgangers and a blurred line between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Body Directed by Malgorzata Szumowska (Poland, 2015, 92 min.)

At a
 loss to cope with his anorexic, depressed daughter Olga, her coroner father has her institutionalized for therapy. Olga’s counselor gets good results with the girls in her care, but has an unconventional sideline as a medium who converses with the dearly departed. AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 18, 7:15 p.m., Sun., Dec. 20, 1 p.m.

Portuguese (Be)longing Directed by João Pedro Plácido (Portugal/Switzerland/France, 2014, 78 min.)

Documentarian João Pedro Plácido captures the look and feel
 of rural life in this portrait of a tight-knit community of farmers in the village of Uz in northern Portugal.

A mother, teenager and 9-year-old don’t venture outside their house. Across three chapters, each exploring the perspective of a single family member, the family’s story and the reasons they fear their neighbors gradually come into focus (Slovene and Albanian). AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Dec. 17, 9:40 p.m.

Spanish Ma Ma Directed by Julio Medem (Spain/France, 2015, 111 min.)

Diagnosed with breast cancer and recently left by her husband, a chance encounter with a Real Madrid scout leads to an unexpected romance for Magda. AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 6, 3:15 p.m., Mon., Dec. 7, 7:10 p.m.

The Pearl Button (El botón de nácar) Directed by Patricio Guzmán (Chile/France/Spain, 2015, 79 min.)

Chile, with its 2,670 miles of coastline, the largest archipelago in the world, presents a supernatural landscape and holds the secret of a mysterious button that was discovered in its seabed. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Escaping Riga

Aferim!

Teenager John returns to his home in rural Sweden after two years away
 in a secure institution. It’s not immediately revealed what his crime was, but it soon becomes clear that the other kids in school have no intention of forgiving him.

Directed by Davis Simanis Jr. (Latvia/Russia/U.K., 2014, 69 min.)

More than 100 years ago, two men were born in Riga: revolutionary Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein and celebrated Russo-British philosopher Isaiah Berlin. Filmmaker Davis Simanis playfully explores their divergent paths throughout the important moments of the 20th century.

Directed by Radu Jude (Romania/Bulgaria/Czech Republic/France, 2015, 108 min.)

In the principality of Wallachia, life is more Dark Ages than Age of Enlightenment, even in 1835. AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Dec. 11, 7:15 p.m., Mon., Dec. 14, 7:15 p.m.

Juliette Binoche stars as Anna, a grieving mother holed up at a Sicilian villa. When her son’s girlfriend shows up unexpectedly, Anna isn’t able to break the tragic news, instead pretending he will return in a few days (Italian and French).

The Summer of Sangaile

A mysterious woman named Shinako invites Matsuzaki, a playwright, to a romantic rendezvous. While Matsuzaki is on his way, his patron Tamawaki appears

Directed by Sonja Prosenc (Slovenia/Italy, 2014, 90 min.)

Directed by Magnus von Horn (Sweden/Poland/France, 2015, 102 min.)

On his way up to his apartment, Sandu overhears a violent argument between neighbors Laura and Vali. Later that day,
 he learns that Laura is dead — possibly murdered.

Directed by Seijun Suzuki (Japan, 1981, 140 min.)

The Tree

Romanian

Lithuanian

Kagero-za

Slovene

Latvian

Directed by Piero Messina (Italy/France, 2015, 100 min.)

Japanese

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 19, 1 p.m., Sun., Dec. 20, 7:15 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 12, 11 a.m., Tue., Dec. 15, 5:10 p.m.

One Floor Below

AFI Silver Theatre Wed., Dec. 16, 9:20 p.m., Sun., Dec. 20, 3 p.m.

Directed by Marko Skop (Slovakia/Czech Republic, 2015, 106 min.)

Freer Gallery of Art Fri., Dec. 4, 7 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 13, 9 p.m., Thu., Dec. 17, 5:10 p.m.

The Wait

Eva Nová

Directed by Alanté Kavaïté (Lithuania/France/ Netherlands, 2015, 88 min.)

Alanté Kavaïté won a Best Director award at Sundance for this rapturous portrait of two teenaged girls’ summertime love affair. AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Thu., Dec. 10, 9 p.m.

Luxembourgish Baby(a)lone

Directed by Donato Rotunno (Luxembourg, 2015, 90 min.) Living alone with his single mother, 13-year-old X is a troubled teen,

Directed by Radu Muntean (Romania/France/Germany/Sweden, 2015, 93 min.)

AFI Silver Theatre Tue., Dec. 15, 9:45 p.m. Thu., Dec. 17, 9:45 p.m.

The Treasure

Swedish The Here After

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 5, 11 a.m., Tue., Dec. 8, 9:20 p.m.

Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words (Jar är Ingrid) Directed by Stig Björkman (Sweden, 2015, 114 min.)

Through never-before-seen home movies — along with Ingrid Bergman’s personal notes, letters and diaries — this documentary presents an intimate and moving portrait of one of the most acclaimed film actresses of all time (Swedish and English). Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Tamil

Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu (Romania/France, 2015, 89 min.)

Dheepan

Unemployed Adrian asks neighbor Costi for a loan to fend off foreclosure on his apartment. Rebuffed, Adrian entices Costi to become his partner on a scheme to dig up a mysterious treasure, the existence of which was promised 
by Adrian’s late grandfather.

In this gripping tale, three
 Sri Lankan refugees, seeking escape from their wartorn homeland, pose as a family to gain safe passage to France (Tamil, English and French).

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.

December 2015

Directed by Jacques Audiard (France, 2015, 109 min.)

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Dec. 5, 5:15 p.m., Tue., Dec. 8, 7:20 p.m.

The Washington Diplomat Page 45

[ around town ]

EVENTS LISTING **Admission is free unless otherwise noted. All information on event venues can be found on The Diplomat Web site at www.washdiplomat.com. Times and locations are subject to change. Unless listed, please call venue for specific event times and hours of operation.

ART Through Dec. 3

Surveillance Blind

Data and information flow around us and track our consumer habits, shape our identities, and mediate our relationships to our nation states. Who controls and uses our data is a question debated worldwide. The artists in this exhibition investigate the paradox of these connections and probe our relationship with data collection and interpretation. Goethe-Institut Washington Through Dec. 13

Susanne Kessler: Jerusalem

German-born artist Susanne Kessler has created a work unique to the American University Museum: a combination of drawing, installation and mixed media inspired by the city map of Jerusalem. Kessler explores how the city has transcended international conflict and war between religions as a spiritual location for three monotheistic religions, referring back to a common root and the beauty and wisdom of the three. Katzen Arts Center Dec. 13 to March 20

Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World Some 50 bronze sculptures and related works survey the development of Hellenistic art as it spread from Greece throughout the Mediterranean between the fourth and first centuries B.C. Through the medium of bronze, artists were able to capture the dynamic realism, expression, and detail that characterized the new artistic goals of the period.

The first exhibition at Hillwood to present Marjorie Post’s full range of style, “Ingénue to Icon” will examine how Post’s lifelong passion for objects that were exceptionally beautiful and impeccably constructed extended to her taste for clothing. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens Through Jan. 2

Peacock Room Remix: Darren Waterston’s Filthy Lucre

“Peacock Room REMIX” centers on “Filthy Lucre,” an immersive interior by painter Darren Waterston who reinterprets James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room as a resplendent ruin, an aesthetic space that is literally overburdened by its own excesses — of materials, history, and creativity. Like “Filthy Lucre” and the original Peacock Room, this exhibition invites viewers to consider the complex relationships among art, money and the passage of time. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Through Jan. 3

Age of Lawyers: The Roots of American Law in Shakespeare’s Britain

In the 800th anniversary year of the Magna Carta, “Age of Lawyers” offers a close-up look at the rapid increase of lawyers and legal actions in Shakespeare’s Britain, from the law’s impact on daily life to major political and legal disputes — some invoking the Magna Carta — that still influence American politics and government. Folger Shakespeare Library Through Jan. 3

Bold and Beautiful: Rinpa in Japanese Art

Through Dec. 14

Rymd – A Swedish Space Odyssey

Through Jan. 3

Sweden has been a member of the world space elite ever since the first space rocket left Earth. For more than half a century Swedish space research, technology and innovations have been at the cutting edge of space exploration and discovery. See the smallest space rocket engine in the world, find out about a unique and sustainable propulsion system and learn how Sweden awakened comet chaser Rosetta from her solar slumber. You can even help plan a mission to search for alien life on the icy moons of Jupiter. The digital stations in this exhibit offer videos, interviews and in-depth facts. And don’t miss out on the chance to win a space adventure in Abisko, Sweden, north of the Arctic Circle. For information, visit www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/ Washington/Current-affairs/Events/ EXHIBIT-Rymd---A-Swedish-SpaceOdyssey-sys/. House of Sweden

46

The Washington Diplomat

December 2015 of work comes from the social, political and historical events of the artist’s life during the chaos of the Chilean coup d’état.

Through Dec. 31

Ingénue to Icon: 70 Years of Fashion

The modern term Rinpa (Rimpa) describes a remarkable group of Japanese artists who created striking images for paintings, ceramics, textiles and lacquerware.

National Gallery of Art

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

Freer Gallery of Art

Enigmas: The Art of Bada Shanren (1626-1705)

EMBASSIES COME IN FROM THE COLD AT WINTERNATIONAL

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

“Winternational - 4th Annual Embassy Showcase” at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center offers visitors the opportunity to travel the world and take care of some holiday shopping — all during their lunch hour. This popular annual festival features an international bazaar that includes displays of visual arts, handcrafts, travel and tourism information as well as samples of national specialties, coffees and teas. There will also be chances for one-on-one interviews with diplomats, embassy exhibitors, sponsors and attendees.

want to

go?

“Winternational” will be held Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building. For information, visit http://itcdc.com.

Participating embassies include: African Union, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, European Union Delegation, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Latvia, League of Arab States, Macedonia, Mauritius, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and more.

— Anna Gawel

Through Jan. 10

Gauguin to Picasso: Masterworks from Switzerland, The Staechelin and Im Obersteg Collections

This exhibition pays tribute to two pioneering supporters of the arts, Rudolf Staechelin (1881-1946) and Karl Im Obersteg (1883-1969), both from Basel, who championed the work of impressionist, post-impressionist and School of Paris artists, providing a platform to distinguish collecting philosophies and situate them within the history and reception of modern art. The exhibition features more than 60 celebrated paintings — masterpieces created during the mid-19th and 20th centuries by 22 world-famous artists. The Phillips Collection

remains a mystery. How a working-class owner of a Kyoto fan shop transformed into a sophisticated designer with a network of aristocratic collaborators is still an enigma — and the focus of this indepth examination of masterpieces. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Through Jan. 31

Streams of Being

Through March 13

Celebrating Photography at the National Gallery of Art: Recent Gifts

Marking the culmination of a year-long celebration of photography at the museum, this installation brings together an exquisite group of gifts, ranging from innovative photographs made in the earliest years of the medium’s history to key works by important 20th-century artists and contemporary pieces that examine the ways in which photography continues to shape our experience of the modern world. National Gallery of Art

DANCE

Through Jan. 31

Hidden Identities: Paintings and Drawings by Jorge Tacla

Esther Bubley (1921-98) was a photojournalist renowned for her revealing profiles of the United States and its people in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. Bubley’s talent for creating probing and gently humorous images of Americans contributed to her success in photojournalism.

Sōtatsu: Making Waves

Tawaraya Sōtatsu (act. ca. 1600–40), a fountainhead of Japanese painting and design, is one of the most influential yet elusive figures in Japanese culture. Sōtatsu’s work is instantly recognized by its bold, abstracted style, lavish swaths of gold and silver and rich jewel tones. Much of the artist’s life, however,

The Phillips presents recently acquired gifts of German and Danish art to the museum’s permanent collection, generously given by art collector Michael Werner. A selection from the 46 works are on view, painting, sculpture and works on paper by Georg Baselitz, Jörg Immendorff, Per Kirkeby, Markus Lüpertz and A. R. Penck.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through Feb. 3

Esther Bubley Up Front

Postwar Germanic Expressions: Gifts from Michael Werner

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

National Museum of Women in the Arts

The Phillips Collection

Freer Gallery of Art

This exhibition of nearly 20 works from the museum’s collection follows Italian contributions to the transnational evolution of abstraction, through movements and tendencies such as futurism, spatialism, op art and kinetic art.

This exhibition presents dynamic women designers and artists from the mid-20th century and today making groundbreaking commercial and industrial designs, maintaining craft traditions and incorporating new aesthetics into fine art.

Drawn from the permanent collection of the Art Museum of the Americas, “Streams of Beings” brings to light a multiplicity of ideas and identities emerging within contemporary Latin American art. Featuring 22 artists from 12 countries across the Americas, this exhibition explores the permeable boundaries and dimensions of life through interrelated themes of scale and place, human and animal bodies. Throughout four intersecting “streams” — Bestiary, Cosmos, Topologies and Bodies in Exile — the display stages movement and displacement, dwelling on crossings both serendipitous and transgressive.

Through Jan. 17

Le Onde: Waves of Italian Influence (1914-1971)

Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft, and Design, Midcentury and Today

Through April 24

Born a prince of the Ming imperial house, Bada Shanren (1626–1705) lived a storied life, remaking himself as a secluded Buddhist monk and, later, as a professional painter and calligrapher. Featured in this exhibition are examples of his most daring and idiosyncratic works, demonstrating his unique visual vocabulary. Through Jan. 3

Through Feb. 28

With the earliest works in the series dating to 2005, “Hidden Identities” by Chilean artist Jorge Tacla is composed of a rich series of paintings and drawings that explore central themes of mutability of identity, collective memory, the physical and psychological fallout of trauma, and the omnipresent yet latent potential for change. The inspiration for this body

Through May 15

Louise Bourgeois: No Exit

Louise Bourgeois’s ties to surrealism and existentialism will be explored through 17 works on paper and four sculptures. National Gallery of Art Through June 5

Perspectives: Lara Baladi

Egyptian-Lebanese artist Lara Baladi experiments with the photographic medium, investigating its history and its role in shaping perceptions of the Middle East, particularly Egypt, where she is based.

Dec. 3 to 27

The Nutcracker

This celebrated production has become D.C.’s perennial holiday favorite. Set in historic Georgetown with historical figures and whimsical touches, this sumptuous rendition of the holiday classic showcases the grandeur of the Washington Ballet’s international roster of dancers set against Tchaikovsky’s

December 2015

majestic score. Please call for ticket information.

and neon-colored production. Tickets are $59 to $75.

Kennedy Center Concert Hall

The Warner Theatre

Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m.

DISCUSSIONS

One of today’s leading clarinetists, the “king of crossover from Canada” Julian Milkis joins the Russian Ensemble Siberian Virtuosi for a performance that brings an international flavor to the holidays with a program of vibrant, colorful and mood-filled works ranging from baroque to classical to jazz genres. Tickets are $35 to $55.

Thu., Dec. 3, 4 p.m.

Dante Alighieri’s 750th Birthday Anniversary

The Library of Congress European Division, in partnership with the Embassy of Italy, present a panel of distinguished scholars discussing Dante’s Alighieri’s 750th birthday anniversary and the great Italian poet’s influence on music, American art and pop culture, philosophy, science and the law. Immediately following, at 5:30 p.m., a Dante Alighieri Collections display will showcase unique treasures in the library’s collections relating to Dante.

GW Lisner Auditorium

FESTIVALS

Library of Congress James Madison Building, 6th Floor Thu., Dec. 3, 6:45 p.m.

An Evening with Rick Steves: Sharpen Your European Travel Skills

Popular travel expert Rick Steves — acclaimed for his bestselling guidebooks and public television series — shares strategies on how to make the most of every mile, minute and euro on your next European adventure. Tickets are $42; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. University of the District of Columbia UDC Auditorium Mon., Dec. 7, 6:45 p.m.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Pharaohs

We can now look a pharaoh in the face. New imaging technology has offered some amazing insights into of the lives of ancient Egyptians when it was applied to the royal mummies in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Not only are scientists learning more about the age, cause of death, and medical conditions of pharaohs and queens, 3D imagining even allows experts to render detailed and lifelike representations of ancient royalty. Tickets are $35; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center Tue., Dec. 8, 9:30 a.m.

Perspectives on Reform of Islamic Law

In recognition of Human Rights Day, the Law Library of Congress and the Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division hosts a panel of Islamic scholars to explore new avenues and perspectives on Islamic law reform with a particular focus on reform within the framework of Islamic jurisprudence itself — as opposed to purely secular or “external” reform processes. Library of Congress James Madison Building Thu., Dec. 10, 6:45 p.m.

Edith Piaf: Passion, With No Regrets

Legendary French singer Edith Piaf (1915-63) not only sang of love, loss and sorrow, she lived it. Known by adoring fans as “The Little Sparrow,” she was discovered in the sordid Pigalle district in Paris and became a superstar in France almost overnight. Despite her success, her personal life was filled with despair,

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

Taste of the Holidays

Photo: Embassy of the Czech Republic

Glassor is one of the featured companies whose hand-made products are on display at the Czech Christmas Market, held Dec. 5 at the Embassy of the Czech Republic.

marked by addiction, debt, divorce and the deaths of her daughter and her greatest love. Tickets are $45; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

were arranged to complement her unique stage presence and vocal prowess. Tickets are $150, including buffet; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

Embassy of Luxembourg

MUSIC

Dec. 11 to 13

Wed., Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Virgil Boutellis-Taft, Violinist

In this special all-French program dedicated to the victims of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, virtuoso violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft is joined by pianist Yoonie Han for a concert featuring César Franck, Philippe Hersant, Debussy, Massenet and Saint-Saëns. Tickets are $80, including reception; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org. Embassy of France Sat., Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m.

Opera Camerata of Washington 25th Gala

Under the patronage of Colombian Ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzon and his wife Maria Pilar de Pinzon, the Opera Camerata celebrates its 25th anniversary gala with a dinner and performance of Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca.” The Opera Camerata of Washington DC offers both first-time and long-time fans of all ages a unique, intimate opera experience that combines world-class performances and orchestras with lavish receptions held in exclusive salon settings. Tickets are $250; for information, visit www.operacamerata.org. Colombian Residence Sun., Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m.

Calmus: Christmas Carols of the World

Experience the German a cappella quintet who holds the audience “spellbound with its artistry” (the Washington Post) as they sing traditional and contemporary holiday music. Tickets are $35. Wolf Trap Fri., Dec. 11, 7:15 p.m.

Christmas Gala at Embassy of Luxembourg

A tribute to “The Great American Songbook,” singer Adrienne Haan’s distinctive interpretations of these classics

China National Traditional Orchestra: Rediscover Chinese Music

The China National Traditional Orchestra, a state-level ensemble administered by China’s Ministry of Culture, carries forward the cultural tradition of Chinese national music by collecting the essence of folk music as well as contemporary works in performances at home and on tour throughout Europe and the United States. Tickets are $20 to $150.

Through Dec. 13

Sorry and Regular Singing

The final plays in Richard Nelson’s “The Apple Family Cycle” quartet explore the immediate present and evolving future of the United States. Over meals at the family homestead, the tensions and compromises, affections and resentments of the Apple family’s lives play out against a rapidly changing America. Tickets are $49 to $96. The Studio Theatre

Sat., Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dec. 15 to Jan. 10

Czech Christmas Market

Matilda The Musical

The Embassy of the Czech Republic invites the public to celebrate the season with its annual Czech Christmas Market, which features beautiful hand-blown glass ornaments, exquisite handcrafted glass, Czech music, delicious Christmas cookies and mulled wine (svařák). Featured companies include Glassor, Topix Crystal Art and Bistro Bohem.

Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, “Matilda The Musical” is the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Tickets are $30 to $204. Kennedy Center Opera House

Embassy of the Czech Republic

Through Dec. 20

THEATER

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival Production of Pericles

Dec. 7 to Jan. 3

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind

Returning to the Woolly stage, the Neo-Futurists race against the clock to perform 30 miniature plays in just 60 minutes — with new plays added every night. Audiences choose the order, so every performance is a unique experience in this eccentric mini-play showcase that’s become a staple of Chicago’s underground theater scene for more than 25 years. Tickets start at $35. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Kennedy Center Opera House

Pericles, Prince of Tyre, sets sail on an extraordinary journey through the decades and is blown from the coasts of Phoenicia to Greece and to Turkey. Chased by the wicked King of Antioch, Pericles finds his true love in Thaisa and loses her and their daughter Marina on the rough seas. Tickets are $35 to $75. Folger Shakespeare Library Through Dec. 31

A Christmas Carol

Celebrated Washington stage actor Edward Gero returns for the seventh year to play Ebenezer Scrooge in the Michael Wilson adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic that the Washington Post hailed as “musically high-spirited” and “infectiously jolly.” Tickets are $22 to $95. Ford’s Theatre

Dec. 13 to 22

Through Jan. 3

The Washington Chorus: A Candlelight Christmas

Kiss Me, Kate

As they try to stage a musical version of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” sparks fly on and off stage between the show’s director and his leading lady — and ex-wife. Add to the mix passionate young lovers, plus a few musically inclined gangsters’ heavies, and the result is a sharp and witty night with some of Cole Porter’s most immortal songs. Tickets are $20 to $118.

This beloved holiday tradition from the Washington Chorus features Christmas classics, sing-alongs, the 200-voice chorus and the enchanting candlelight processional. Tickets are $18 to $72. Kennedy Center Concert Hall Dec. 14 to 24

The Choral Arts Society of Washington: A Choral Arts Christmas

“A Choral Arts Christmas” celebrates the holidays with a magical mix of seasonal classics, favorite sing-alongs and popular Christmas standards. The Dec. 14 concert will feature the SYC Ensemble Singers from Singapore, representing this year’s Choral Arts embassy partner. Tickets are $15 to $69.

Shakespeare Theatre Company Sidney Harman Hall Through Jan. 3

Oliver! Photo: SCOTT SUCHMAN

Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Celebrated Washington stage actor Edward Gero returns for the seventh year to play Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” at Ford’s Theatre.

Dec. 17 to 20

Dec. 12 to 20

National Symphony Orchestra: Handel’s Messiah

Holiday Family Opera: Hansel and Greta

Get in the holiday spirit with Handel’s epic masterpiece, performed each year with a fresh perspective by the National Symphony Orchestra and acclaimed guest artists. Tickets are $15 to $89.

Complete with a cackling witch, enchanted fairies, dancing animals and an oversized gingerbread oven, the timeless Grimm brothers’ fairytale returns for the holidays in the Washington National Opera’s whimsical

December 2015

Charles Dickens’s unforgettable characters burst to life in the Tony Award-winning musical that blends the chaotic worlds of Victorian London with 2015 London to infuse a modern edge to the classic story about an innocent orphan living amongst double-dealing thieves and conmen. Please call for ticket information. Arena Stage

Plan Your Entire Weekend.

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The Washington Diplomat Page 47

DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT

The Washington Diplomat

December 2015

The Diplomat Logo Launch

The staff of The Washington Diplomat pose by the redesigned front cover of their newspaper at a logo launch reception: From left are sales account manager Rod Carrasco, publisher and editor in chief Victor Shiblie, graphic designer Cari Henderson, operations director Fuad Shiblie, managing editor Anna Gawel and news editor Larry Luxner.

Over 150 guests fill the Sofitel Washington DC’s Paris Ballroom as they wait for the unveiling of The Washington Diplomat’s new logo and newspaper redesign.

From left, managing editor of The Washington Diplomat Anna Gawel; Peter Ruffo, senior director of government relations for ZTE Inc.; and coach Kathy Kemper, founder and CEO of the Institute for Education, attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

From left, Ambassador of Costa Rica Roman Macaya Hayes; Kate Irvin, group director of diplomatic relations for Coca-Cola; Ambassador of Nicaragua Francisco Obadiah Campbell Hooker; and former Ambassador of Sri Lanka Devinda Subasinghe attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception at the Sofitel Washington DC hotel.

From left, Political Affairs Counselor at the Italian Embassy Andrea Catalano, Chargé d’Affaires of the Libyan Embassy Wafa Bugaighis and publisher of The Washington Diplomat Victor Shiblie attend The Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

From left, Christine Tyszka, Rosebell Kirungi of the Embassy of Uganda and embassy liaison Jan Du Plain attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

From left, operations director Fuad Shiblie, Alexandra Byrne, Jennifer Logsdon and Cristina Gospodin, all from the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, and Isabel Lobo from Odisea DC attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

From left, Oksana Shulyar, counselor at the Ukrainian Embassy; Jan Du Plain, embassy liaison for the Ronald Reagan Building; Ambassador of Ukraine Valeriy Chaly; and Mariia Budiakova of the Ukrainian Embassy Political Section attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Nadeem Hotiana, press attaché and media spokesman for the Embassy of Pakistan, poses behind The Washington Diplomat’s “New Ambassador” cutout at the newspaper’s logo launch reception.

Will Bohlen, vice president at the Podesta Group, left, and Jake Jones, executive director of external affairs and public policy for Daimler, enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the Paris Ballroom of the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square.

From left, The Washington Diplomat contributing writer Michael Coleman; Luis Miranda, communications director for the Democratic National Committee; Frances Holuba, formerly of the National Security Council; and Steven Lubot of the State Department attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

From left, Matt Keller, senior political advisor at the Embassy of Liechtenstein; Amanda Keller; Head of Press and Public Diplomacy Section at the European Union Delegation James Barbour; and Senior Press Officer at the EU Delegation Kasper Zeuthen attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Deputy Chief of Mission of the Indonesian Embassy Arto Suryodipuro, left, and Nur Khan attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Camila Rodrigues, marketing intern for The Washington Diplomat, helps unveil the newspaper’s new logo and redesign, which will officially debut in the January 2016 issue.

Mathieu Riviere, general manager of the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, welcomes guests to the hotel’s recently renovated 1,700-square-foot Paris Ballroom, which echoes the links between D.C. and the City of Lights.

Diplomats from the Embassy of Albania came out to celebrate the launch of The Washington Diplomat’s new logo, including, from left: Second Secretary Eni Jucje; Ambassador Floreta Faber; Minister Plenipotentiary Mamica Toska; Head of the Consular Office Daniela Kristo Nesho; and Edmond Faber.

photo: larry luxner

From left, Melissa Beale; Deputy Chief of Mission of the Monaco Embassy Lorenzo Ravano; and Leila Beale, wife of the Barbados ambassador, attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Bauyrzhan Kerimkulov, assistant to the ambassador at the Embassy of Kazakhstan, left, and Mukhamed Lou, minister-counselor at the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Philip Jacobs of Celebrity Cruises, left, and Mauro Kolobaric, minister-counselor and consul-general for the Embassy of Australia, attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Executive Officer in the Press Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office Yueh-chin Wang, left, and Program Specialist at the Library of Congress Office of Scholarly Programs Jason Steinhauer attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

photo: larry luxner

Michael Coleman, contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat and “People of World Influence” columnist, has fun posing as the city’s newest ambassador.

48

Sam Adebayo, left, and Ray Friday of the United Nations Federal Credit Union attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception at the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square.

The Washington Diplomat’s new logo and redesign, spearheaded by graphic designer Cari Henderson, features a sleeker, more contemporary look, while maintaining the traditional appeal of the original.

Yagmur Cosar of FleishmanHillard, left, and Tugcem Gaines of Marble Systems attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

The Washington Diplomat

Publisher and editor in chief Victor Shiblie, left, and graphic designer Cari Henderson celebrate the launch of The Washington Diplomat’s new logo, which underwent several iterations before a final version was decided on in November.

December 2015

The Diplomat Logo Launch

From left, The Washington Diplomat sales manager Rod Carrasco, Danny Kreps of Don Beyer Volvo in Falls Church, Va., managing editor Anna Gawel and Patrick Gilgallon, business development manager at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception.

Hosai Rashid of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, left, and her husband Weiss Farouq of ADT Fire & Security attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception at the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square.

Anastasia Dellaccio of Sister Cities International, left, and Will Bohlen, vice president at the Podesta Group, attend The Washington Diplomat’s logo launch reception at the elegant Sofitel hotel located across from the White House.

Meridian Global Leadership Summit

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, talks about why foreign policy matters, including the threat that radical religious extremism poses to the U.S., at the Meridian Global Leadership Summit held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Deputy Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, left, talks with Meridian President and CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday at the Meridian Global Leadership Summit held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Icida McClean, left, and Natalie Placek, both of Delucchi Plus marketing consultants, attend the launch party for The Washington Diplomat’s new logo, which has been refreshed after 20 years.

Over 150 guests fill the Sofitel Washington DC’s Paris Ballroom as they wait for the unveiling of The Washington Diplomat’s new logo and newspaper redesign.

Angolan Independence

The foreign diplomatic corps was well represented at this year’s Meridian Global Leadership Summit, including Ambassador of Uganda Oliver Wonekha and Ambassador of Timor-Leste Domingos Sarmento Alves.

From left, Ambassador of Angola Agostinho Tavares da Silva Neto speaks with Maria da Cruz Gabriel, executive director of the US-Angola Chamber of Commerce, and Todd Haskell, deputy assistant secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, during Angola’s 40th anniversary celebration at the Willard InterContinental Washington hotel.

From left, J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center; Laurinda Santos of the Angolan Embassy and Joseph Szlavik, president of Scribe Strategies and Advisors, celebrate Angola’s 40th anniversary of independence.

photos: larry luxner

Jon Clifton, managing director of Gallup Global Analytics, releases Gallup’s global report “Where the Great Jobs Are,” which seeks to offer metrics beyond traditional unemployment figures.

Former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, now chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group, left, shares his perspective on China’s growth (or lack thereof), and its impact on America with Financial Times world trade editor of Shawn Donnan.

Photos: Joyce Boghosian

Meridian Ball chairs Beatrice Wilkinson Welters, former U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, and Anthony Welters of UnitedHealth Group offer closing remarks at the Meridian Global Leadership Summit.

Todd Haskell, deputy assistant secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, speaks during Angola’s 40th anniversary celebration at the Willard InterContinental Washington.

Rosebelle Kirungi, third secretary at the Embassy of Uganda, left, and Joseph Szlavik, president of Scribe Strategies and Advisors Inc., attend the Angolan Independence Day reception.

The International Patient Program at the George Washington University Hospital A boutique concierge program offering care for our diplomats and international community:

• Language interpretation • Appointment scheduling

• Medical cost estimates • Insurance settlements

For more information, call 202-715-5100 or email helen.salazar@gwu-hospital.com

December 2015

www.gwhospital.com/international

Photo: Shiv Vachhani Physicians are not employees or agents of this hospital. 150079

The Washington Diplomat Page 49

DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT

The Washington Diplomat

December 2015

Meridian Ball

Photo: Joyce Boghosian Photo: Joyce Boghosian

U.S. Protocol Chief Peter A. Selfridge and his wife Parita Shah, a vice president at APCO, attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

From left, Patrick Steel and Lee Satterfield, executive director of the Meridian International Center; Meridian President and CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Gwen Holliday; and Senior Vice President, Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer of the Coca-Cola Co. Clyde Tuggle and Mary Streett attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Journalist Huberta von Voss-Wittig and Ambassador of Germany Peter Wittig attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball at the Meridian Center, a nonprofit global leadership organization that has addressed global challenges for over 55 years.

From left, Norah Burton, Ambassador of Tunisia Fayçal Gouia, who hosted one of the evening’s dinners, and Simone Williams attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

CNN’s Dana Bash, left, and CNN’s Michelle Kosinski enjoy coffee and dessert at the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Ambassador of Switzerland Martin Dahinden and his wife Anita Dahinden attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Guests enjoy cocktails and networking under the Linden trees at the Meridian International Center as part of the Meridian Ball, a highlight of the fall social season. Each year, through exchange, education and policy programs, Meridian impacts more than 3,500 leaders in 180 countries.

Melanne Verveer, executive director of the Georgetown University Institute for Women, Peace and Security, left, and former U.S. Protocol Chief Capricia Marshall, now with the Atlantic Council, attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Ambassador of Egypt Yasser Reda and his wife Nahla Reda attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball, where a record-breaking 800 guests gathered to support Meridian’s ongoing efforts to prepare private and public sector leaders around the world for a complex future.

From left, recently appointed Secretary for Integral Development at the Organization of American States Neil Parsan; Tara Compton; Iris de Graaf of the International Finance Corp.; and Ambassador of Grenada Angus Friday enjoy dessert and dancing at the 47th annual Meridian Ball, which was preceded by dinners at 24 embassies and ambassador residences around town.

From left, Rhoda Septilici, Melissa Beale, Ambassador of Barbados John Beale, Leila Beale, Marie Royce of Alcatel-Lucent, Rene Shaw and Shahin Mafi, CEO of Home Health Connection Inc., attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

From left, Sergio García Gómez of the Embassy of Mexico; his wife outgoing Ambassador of Argentina Cecilia Nahón; former Ambassador of Mexico Arturo Sarukhan; and Veronica Valencia-Sarukhan attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Photo: Haik Naltchayan

From left, “House of Card” stars Michel Gill and Jayne Atkinson-Gill; Almust Thorp and Elizabeth Thorp, editor in chief of Capitol File magazine; Spencer Garrett and CNN’s Dana Bash attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Kate Irvin, group director of diplomatic relations for Coca-Cola, left, and Vukani Magubane of Coca-Cola South Africa attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

50

CNN’s Jim Sciutto and his wife ABC News’s Gloria Sciutto enjoy the gardens of the Meridian International Center.

From left, Dr. Franklin Lowe, U.S. vice presidential aide Carlos Elizondo, Mark Dumas and Ambassador of Ireland Anne Anderson attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Photo: Joyce Boghosian

The Coca-Cola Co. was the corporate chair of the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

From left, Beth Rosenheim, President of Tiny Jewel Box Matthew Rosenheim, Jimmy Reyes and Patrick Steel attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

From left, Sudafi Henry, former legislative director for Vice President Joe Biden; Anita Denning; Sela Collins; and Art Collins, founding partner of the Collins|Johnson group and now managing partner of theGROUP, attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

From left, Deputy Chief of Protocol Rosemarie Pauli, Denise Grant and Frank Raines, formerly head of Fannie Mae, attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

The Washington Diplomat

December 2015

France Mourns

Ambassador of France Gérard Araud welcomes hundreds of supporters gathered in Lafayette Square for a vigil honoring the victims of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people and wounded over 350.

Mourners leave flowers at the French Embassy in the wake of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people. French President François Hollande said the coordinated assault on a soccer stadium, cafés and concert hall was an “act of war” committed by the Islamic State.

Photo: u.S. state department

Attendees of a vigil at Lafayette Square in D.C. for the victims of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks joined together in singing France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” before lighting candles.

Meridian Ball

Attendees of a vigil at Lafayette Square in D.C. for the victims of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks joined together in singing France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” before lighting candles.

Hundreds of supporters gathered in Lafayette Square for a vigil honoring the victims of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people.

A sign saying “We Love France” stands outside the gates of the French Embassy in D.C.

Embassy Night

Photo: Joyce Boghosian

Meridian Ball guests enjoyed desserts made with fresh fruit prepared on the spot by expert chefs at a Moroccan-style fruit market.

Ambassador of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle, left, and Deputy Chief of Mission of the Monaco Embassy Lorenzo Ravano attend 47th annual Meridian Ball.

From left, Christine Warnke of Hogan Lovells, Charles Sills of Trillacorpe Construction, Stephanie Misar of CQ Roll Call, embassy liaison Jan Du Plain and Christine Shepherd attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

Deborah Kielty, president and executive director of the Baltimore-based World Trade Center Institute (WTCI), welcomes guests to Embassy Night 2015, held at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center.

Bob Hannon, CEO of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp., left, and Steve Pennington of the Maryland Department of Commerce discuss business at Embassy Night 2015.

Camilo Ayala of the Colombian Embassy, left, talks with Negash Assefa, project manager for the Maryland Department of Transportation, at Embassy Night 2015, which brought together dozens of Maryland companies from Alliance Engineering in Elkridge to ZBest Executive Global Transport.

Bruce McIndoe, chief executive of iJet International, an Annapolis-based consulting firm specializing in integrated risk management, speaks at a breakout panel during Embassy Night 2015.

Photos: Saalika Khan / WTCI

Delegates from 45 countries mixed with nearly 200 local business executives for Embassy Night, an annual event sponsored this year by the Maryland Department of Commerce, Venable LLP and the World Trade Center Institute.

From left, Michelle Camp, lawyer Charles Camp, James Blanchard of DLA Piper and Janet Blanchard attend the 47th annual Meridian Ball. From left, Ray and Shaista Mahmood join Shamim Jawad of the Ayenda Foundation and former Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad at the 47th annual Meridian Ball.

December 2015

Hundreds of supporters gathered in Lafayette Square for a vigil honoring the victims of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, joined by U.S. Ambassador to France Jane Hartley, looks as the U.S. Embassy in Paris is illuminated in the French tricolor in a sign of solidarity following the Nov. 13 terrorist attack on the capital city.

Flowers grace the entrance of the French Embassy, known as La Maison Française, to honor those killed in a coordinated assault by the Islamic State in Paris on Nov. 13.

Ambassador of France Gérard Araud, left, is joined by White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough at a vigil for the victims of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks. Araud thanked the American people for their outpouring of support and reminded them that the two countries “are not just allies, but friends.”

Photos: © Samuel Tribollet / Embassy of France in D.C.

Jack Gocke, senior vice president at March and McLennan Companies, makes a point during a breakout session at Embassy Night 2015.

The Washington Diplomat Page 51

from page 21

Liechtenstein get to weigh in directly on many issues via referendum. Voters can even approve or deny individual requests for Liechtenstein citizenship. Fritsche: It is similar to the Swiss system but we don’t vote quite as often as our Swiss neighbors. Liechtenstein is a direct democracy in terms of involving the people directly in decisions. Also, there are a low number of signatures needed if a citizen wants to propose a public referendum on a topic that is important to him or her. It is not only the Parliament who can propose a referendum to create or revoke a law. TWD: Diplomats from many small countries find it difficult to secure meetings with key officials from the U.S. and other big countries. How do you try to navigate this problem? Fritsche: The challenge is similar but not quite the same in New York as in Washington. In New York, the issue is most pronounced during the two or three weeks of the U.N. General Assembly. In Washington, you can plan a bit differently. If a minister absolutely needs an appointment with a member of the executive branch in Washington, as a small country, you just have to accept that you are given a particular date, and then the minister has to accommodate that. This is the way things work. In the General Assembly, the problem applies not just to small countries but medium-size ones as well that have a problem getting appointments with officials from the big, powerful nations. But it makes a big difference if you know your colleagues well and you interact with them on a friendly basis throughout the year — they will make a special effort to accommodate you. TWD: I visited your country in August, for your National Day celebration, and Albert Frick, the president of Liechtenstein’s Parliament, stated in his speech that immigration was one of the biggest challenges the country faced in the years to come. But your country hasn’t received thousands of asylum seekers as others have this year, has it? Fritsche: I think the main reason for this is that we are not as well known as, for example, Germany, Austria and other European countries. Liechtenstein is not a full member of the European Union, but we are a member of the European Economic Area and we are a member of the Schengen Area and Dublin agreement. Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein decided some years ago not to pursue full membership in the European Union, but we needed access to the markets in the European Union. So we negotiated a separate treaty that gives us (trade) access to the 28 countries of the EU, and we implement many EU acts, so we are deeply integrated into EU markets but we are not a member.

Photos: Liechtenstein Marketing

Above, wildflowers and meadows dot the pastoral scenery in Triesenberg, the largest municipality in Liechtenstein. At right, a climber looks out at the views over Augstenberg mountain.

gees coming into Europe, Liechtenstein is not very much on the radar screen as a desired destination. But even before this crisis, we agreed to take in five Syrian families of some 22 to 25 people. Because we are a member of the Schengen and Dublin agreements and because we want to demonstrate solidarity at the European level as well, our government has agreed to be part of the two EU relocation programs that will bring another 50 to 60 people to Liechtenstein. We have agreed to take our share just like every other European country. If you look at our total number of refugees, it may be eventually only about 200 people, but that is a large number for such a small country. If it were 150 more, that would be 1 percent of our population. Right now it is still manageable. There is public discussion and debate regarding some of the difficulties (of absorbing migrants) but I think so far we are managing quite well. TWD: I noticed that the princely family pays for the reception at the National Day, where there is free food and beer for everyone, along with a chance to meet the crown prince in the castle garden. Fritsche: Yes, he is very approachable. TWD: He didn’t have much security either. We walked right up to him. I don’t think you could walk right up to President Obama like that. Fritsche: I’m afraid that’s not quite a valid comparison! Whoever wants to attend this event can go.The princely family, unlike many other royal families around the world, does not spend taxpayer dollars. They get a very small amount from the Parliament to cover their representational duties but this is immediately donated to charities.The princely family does not live off of one single taxpayer franc.

TWD: I asked the crown prince at the National Day reception about the immigration issue. He said that as a member of the European community, Liechtenstein had to take its fair share of refugees and asylum seekers but he also said the country had to protect its culture. How do you achieve that balance?

TWD: Coming back to some of my impressions about your country, someone once said that you can tell a lot about how developed a country is by the state of its public bathrooms. I was floored by the temporary bathrooms set up at the National Day in Vaduz. Not only were they spotless, there were bathroom attendants cleaning up after people.

Fritsche: I think our geographic location mostly takes care of that. (Liechtenstein is one of just two double-landlocked countries in the world.) Regarding this huge flow of refu-

Fritsche: We live in a country where expectations are very high when it comes to cleanliness and people are very environmentally conscious. Keeping a clean environment even

52

applies to toilets. On our National Day, we have public toilets set up. For one day, you can easily make a special effort for them to be nice. TWD: Also, I used the public buses and could hardly believe how punctual they are. If the schedule says they will arrive at 10:18, that is exactly what time they arrive. Is it easier to keep things running smoothly in a small country like Liechtenstein compared to a big country? Fritsche: Being in a small environment allows you to be more efficient. TWD: I was told that in Liechtenstein, if you’re not five minutes early, you’re late. I’m not sure if they were being sarcastic about that. Fritsche: That is not sarcasm, that’s the way we operate. We are extremely punctual. I think it is our Alemannic background. We stay on our toes all the time. It’s in our genes. TWD: Aside from the punctuality, I noticed that bus drivers in Liechtenstein uniformly spoke English and they often exchanged greetings with everyone. They also seemed to know their passengers by name in many cases. Fritsche: This is due to the small size of the country. If you don’t know the person, you probably know their brother or cousin or friend. It is a small place. Everyone is familiar with each other’s life circumstances. With regard to knowledge of English, English and French are taught early in our schools, and Liechtenstein is a very international place so we are used to encountering non-German speakers. English is very widely spoken. TWD: Does your country have more of a cultural kinship with Switzerland or Austria? Fritsche: We have longstanding, historic ties with Austria and we have strong economic ties to Switzerland.There is no border; we have a customs union, meaning there are open borders. And since the 1920s, Liechtenstein’s economy is very closely linked to Switzerland. There are intensive, neighborly ties with both countries for different reasons.

Fritsche: No. That is a widely held perception but we have no treaty with Switzerland to defend our borders. And the same goes for Austria. In case of a catastrophic situation, all eligible male citizens would be called on to defend our borders. I guess we would also rely on our 150 or so policeman. TWD: So if someone was to be deported from your country, who removes them? The Swiss police? Fritsche: It depends where the person came from. Any refugee or asylum seeker would have already crossed at least one other country (Switzerland or Austria). If there is a deportation, it would be carried out by our police, in cooperation with the police in either Switzerland or Austria, depending on where they are returned to. TWD: Let’s talk about something more fun: food. The national dish of Liechtenstein is Käsknöpfle, which is kind of like a type of pasta with melted cheese. What else do Liechtensteiners eat? Fritsche: Käsknöpfle dates back to earlier times when people could not afford to eat meat, fish or poultry every day. It’s still popular today. The dish contains a very strong smelling cheese, so it’s not to everyone’s taste. It is made on the basis of eggs, flour and water and then you need a special grater whereby you can push the dough into the boiling water. In terms of other dishes, we are very influenced by our region, so you’ll find fondues, Austrian specialties and, of course, international cuisine. In the fall we like to eat a great variety of venison dishes. TWD: So if someone wanted to visit your country, what’s the best way to experience the culture? Fritsche: What you did, visiting during the National Day (Aug. 15), is really a good idea because you get to see a lot of our traditions. But if you can’t come then, I would suggest late spring or early fall. Definitely plan a hike in the mountains; they come very easy or challenging. Visit a museum or two — we have a choice of six museums on 600 meters. Taste our food and excellent wines. Venture outside the capital and visit some of the surrounding villages — don’t just stay in Vaduz. Dave Seminara (@DaveSem) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

TWD: The army was abolished in 1868, so does Switzerland protect your country’s borders?

The Washington Diplomat

Your Source for Diplomatic News. www.washdiplomat.com

December 2015

AROUNDTHEWORLD

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

December 2015

HOLIDAYS ALBANIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

BOLIVIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

ANDORRA Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: St. Stephen’s Day

BOTSWANA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

ANGOLA Dec. 25: Christmas Day ANTIGUA and BARBUDA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day ARGENTINA Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 31: Bank Holiday ARMENIA Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve AUSTRALIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day AUSTRIA Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: St. Stephen’s Day AZERBAIJAN Dec. 31: Solidarity Day of Azeri People BAHAMAS Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day BAHRAIN Dec. 16: National Day BANGLADESH Dec. 16: Victory Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day BARBADOS Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day BELARUS Dec. 25: Christmas Day BELGIUM Dec. 25: Christmas Day BELIZE Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day BENIN Dec. 25: Christmas Day

December 2015

Dec. 25: Christmas Day COSTA RICA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

BRAZIL Dec. 25: Christmas Day

CÔTE D’IVOIRE Dec. 7: Independence Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day

BRUNEI Dec. 25: Christmas Day

CROATIA Dec. 25-26: Christmas

BULGARIA Dec. 25-26: Christmas

CYPRUS Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

BURKINA FASO Dec. 11: National Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day BURMA (MYANMAR) Dec. 25: Christmas Day BURUNDI Dec. 25: Christmas Day

CZECH REPUBLIC Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day DENMARK Dec. 24-26: Christmas

CAMBODIA Dec. 10: International Human Rights Day

DOMINICA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

CAMEROON Dec. 25: Christmas Day

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Dec. 25: Christmas Day

CANADA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day CAPE VERDE Dec. 25: Christmas Day CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Dec. 1: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic Dec. 25: Christmas Day CHAD Dec. 25: Christmas Day CHILE Dec. 25: Christmas Day COLOMBIA Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF Dec. 25: Christmas Day CONGO, REPUBLIC OF

EAST TIMOR Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day ECUADOR Dec. 25: Christmas Day EL SALVADOR Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 31: Bank Holiday EQUATORIAL GUINEA Dec. 10: International Human Rights Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day ESTONIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day FIJI Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day FINLAND Dec. 6: Independence Day Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Dec. 25: Christmas Day

Dec. 26: Boxing Day FRANCE Dec. 25: Christmas Day GABON Dec. 25: Christmas Day GAMBIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day GERMANY Dec. 25-26: Christmas GHANA Dec. 1: Farmer’s Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day GREECE Dec. 25: Christmas Day GRENADA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day GUATEMALA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve GUINEA-BISSAU Dec. 25: Christmas Day GUYANA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day HAITI Dec. 5: Discovery of Haiti Dec. 25: Christmas Day HONDURAS Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve HUNGARY Dec. 25-26: Christmas ICELAND Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve INDIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day INDONESIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

Send Us Your Holidays and Appointments Fax to: The Washington Diplomat at: (301) 949-0065 E-mail to: news@washdiplomat.com Mail to: P.O. Box 1345, Silver Spring, MD 20915-1345

IRELAND Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: St. Stephen’s Day ISRAEL Dec. 6-14: Hanukkah ITALY Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: St. Stephen’s Day JAMAICA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day JAPAN Dec. 23: Emperor’s Birthday Dec. 31: Bank Holiday JORDAN Dec. 25: Christmas Day KAZAKHSTAN Dec. 16: Independence Day KENYA Dec. 12: Jamhuri (Independence) Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

LITHUANIA Dec. 25-26: Christmas LUXEMBOURG Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: St. Stephen’s Day MADAGASCAR Dec. 25: Christmas Day MALAWI Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day MALAYSIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day MALTA Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 13: Republic Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day MARSHALL ISLANDS Dec. 25: Christmas Day MEXICO Dec. 25: Christmas Day MICRONESIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day NORWAY Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day PAKISTAN Dec. 25: Birthday Anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam PALAU Dec. 25: Christmas Day PANAMA Dec. 8: Mother’s Day Dec. 20: National Mourning Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day PAPUA NEW GUINEA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day PARAGUAY Dec. 8: Virgin of Caacupe, Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day PERU Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day

LAOS Dec. 2: National Day

MOZAMBIQUE Dec. 25: Christmas Day

LATVIA Dec. 24-26: Christmas Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve

NAMIBIA Dec. 10: International Human Rights Day Dec. 25-26: Christmas

PHILIPPINES Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 30: Jose Rizal Day Dec. 31: Last Day of the Year

LEBANON Dec. 25: Christmas Day

NETHERLANDS Dec. 25-26: Christmas

POLAND Dec. 25-26: Christmas

LESOTHO Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

NEW ZEALAND Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

LIBERIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

NICARAGUA Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day

PORTUGAL Dec. 1: Restoration of Independence Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day

LIECHTENSTEIN Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 24: Holy Night Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve

NIGER Dec. 18: Republic Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day NIGERIA Dec. 25: Christmas

ROMANIA Dec. 1: National Day Dec. 6: St. Nicholas Day Dec. 8: Constitution Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve

RWANDA Dec. 25: Christmas Day ST. KITTS and NEVIS Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day ST. LUCIA Dec. 13: National Day Dec. 25-26: Christmas ST. VINCENT and THE GRENADINES Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day SENEGAL Dec. 25: Christmas Day SEYCHELLES Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25: Christmas Day SINGAPORE Dec. 25: Christmas Day SLOVAKIA Dec. 24-26: Christmas SLOVENIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Independence Day SOLOMON ISLANDS Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day SOUTH AFRICA Dec. 16: Day of Reconciliation Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Day of Goodwill

Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: St. Stephen’s Day SYRIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day TANZANIA Dec. 9: Independence Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day THAILAND Dec. 5: HM the King’s Birthday Dec. 10: Constitution Day TOGO Dec. 25: Christmas Day TONGA Dec. 25: Christmas Day TRINIDAD and TOBAGO Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day TURKMENISTAN Dec. 12: Day of Neutrality UGANDA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day UKRAINE Dec. 6: Armed Forces Day UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Dec. 2: National Day UNITED KINGDOM Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

SPAIN Dec. 6: Constitution Day Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception Dec. 25-26: Christmas

URUGUAY Dec. 25: Christmas Day

SRI LANKA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

VENEZUELA Dec. 25: Christmas Day

SUDAN Dec. 25: Christmas Day

ZAMBIA Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve

SWEDEN Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day SWITZERLAND Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception

UZBEKISTAN Dec. 8: Constitution Day

ZIMBABWE Dec. 22: National Unity Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day Dec. 26: Boxing Day

The Washington Diplomat Page 53

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The Washington Diplomat

December 2015

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ct sign and fax to: (301) 949-0065 (301) 933-3552

REAL ESTATE

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T WS K S VIE

To place an ad in the classified section, call (301) 933-3552 or email sales@washdiplomat.com

COMMERCIAL

COMMERCIAL

Embassy Office Space – DC/ NYC Chancery Buildings / Residential Buildings and Land Development Sites. Leases and Lease Renegotiation Services. Embassy Row Area Mansions with parking. Ideal for embassies, law firms, foundations, etc. Lease or Sale. SCR (202) 491-5300. James Connelly – The Diplomats Agent

32OMAC

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Agent has numerous other properties to show!

EMBASSY OFFICE BUILDING WITH PARKING FOR SALE

ALL COMMERCIAL USES

COMMERCIAL OFFICE SALES/LEASING —

EMAIL: JCONNELLY@SUMMITCRE.COM TOURS BY APPT: 202 491 5300

Embassy Chancery Commercial Office Sales/Leasing Over the past 30 years we have specialized in working with Embassies to find suitable Chancery and office properties to buy or lease. WASHINGTON

kalorama 2310 tracy place, nw washington, dc

DIPLOMATS

F I N E P RO P E RT I E S , L L C

Please call Guy d’Amecourt for consultation. (202) 415-7800 or (202) 682-6261

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December 2015

DUPONT METRO OFFICE CONDO JCONNELLY@SUMMITCRE.COM TOURS BY APPT: 202.491.5300 DIPLOMAT REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS — Classifieds get superb results! Place your real estate classifed today by calling (301) 933-3552.

FOR RENT MCLEAN, VA — Elegant 4 BR home. Stately 4 BR, 2.5 BA all-brick Colonial. Close to DC (10 min), Tysons (10), Bethesda (20), both airports (20-25) and Capitol Hill (25). Walk to prestigious Potomac School; just minutes to other excellent schools & metro. Absolutely ideal for professionals with international organizations, embassies and corporations requiring representative DC presence. Marble foyer, living (fireplace), dining, upgraded kitchen and great room (fireplace) with vaulted ceiling opening up to terrace and lovely landscaped yard. All upstairs rooms (carpeted) have new blackout shades and window treatments. Master bedroom has huge walk-in closet. Two-car garage connects to a mud/laundry room, which opens to foyer. Available December 1, 2015, for 2-3-4-year lease, starting at $4,750 per month. Contact Jack.Roepers@GMail.com or call (703) 981-5895.

GRAND RENTAL – Perfect for Embassy/Business-style entertaining. One stop light to G.W. Parkway and two lights to Chain Bridge. Unique, elegant home. Six large BRs, 5.5 BAs plus two dens/offices, 3-car garage, swimming pool and patio,theatre room, fenced yard, lovely gardens and views, finished walk-out lower level with two BRs, BA and rec room perfect for in-laws or au-paire. $9,700 per month. Call Dolores Ferrer, Weichert, Realtors, (703) 623-9295.

CALL

COMMERCIAL

CLASSIFIED ADS

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Diplomat

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To place your ad here. 301.933.3552

POTOMAC FALLS, VA — Rental below market: 3,000 sq. ft. Elegant 4 BR, 2.5 BA house near Metro, close to shopping and entertainment and sports facilities. Individual roommates: ($1,000 per person) or family ($2,000 per month). Call (703) 399-9899.

SELL? BUY? RENT? REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS

CALL 301-933-3552 ROCKVILLE — King Farm - Excellent End Unit Townhouse 4 BR, 3 FB and 1 HB, Quality Hardwood floors on entire main level and upper bedroom level. Gas Fireplace, large kitchen with breakfast area and family room. Master BA with separate shower and Jacuzzi jetted tub. Spacious finished walkout basement. Patio. Detached 2-car garage. Close to shopping, restaurants, pool and park. Shuttle bus to Metro. Close to Rt. 355 and I-270. $3,600 per month. Contact: kftownhouse@gmail.com or (202) 656-4326.

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SAMIR RAFEEDIE Broker-President

16165 N. 83rd Ave. Suite 200 • Peoria, Arizona 85382 Phone: 623.815.1900 • Fax: 623.505.1900 samir@rahomes.com • www.realtyambassadors.com

PLACING CLASSIFIEDS ADS Free Ads for Diplomats

Real Estate Ads

Foreign diplomats are entitled to a 25 word ad (additional words are 35¢ each) for merchandise only. Offer limited to one ad per month and does not include real estate or business ads. Must fax a copy of Diplomatic Identification card.

Real Estate ads of 25 words with a photo are $40, without photo $20. Each additional word is 35¢.

PROOF #1

REVISIONS Classified Ad Rates

ISSUE DATE: 05.08.15

REDESIGN TEXT REVISIONS IMAGE/LOGO REVISIONS NO REVISIONS

Rates start at $20. Classified ad $20 for 25 words, 35¢ each additional word. Add photo for $20. All classifieds running three months or longer are posted on the Web at no additional cost to the advertiser - a saving of $10/month. NOTE: Ad materials and full payment due by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

December 2015

Placing Your Ad

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Call (301) 933-3552 and ask for a sales Method of payment: Money Order Check Credit Card representative. REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Visa forMasterCard Exp. Date: Proof will be considered final and will be submitted publication ifAmex revision is not submitted within 24 hours of the date / of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts omnimedia General Policies llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is responsible Billing forAddress _________________________________________________________ The Washington for Diplomat reserves the right to refuse any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through __________________________________________________ Advertiser its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or any rgihts ofCVN: third ________________ any classified adsthe for advertisement. any reason. Tear sheets are not represents that including, not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, sent for classifiedparties, ads. If you would like but a copy of the trademark, trade secret, music, image, or Name other on proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair competition, Card ___________________________ Signature__________________________ paper mailed to you, please addinvasion $2 to yourofpayment. defamation, privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) and or all money order to: THE WASHINGTON By DIPLOMAT from check any and liability, loss, damages, signing this proof you ar Deadline to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmlessSend causes of month action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred by brown snaff pitts s MDwashington s 20915 blade newspape The deadline forclaims, ads is theor15th of each at the P.O. Box 1345 Silver Spring omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the foregoing representations and warranties. payment and insertion sched close of business. For credit card or delivery outside the continental United States, call (301) 933-3552.

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The Washington Diplomat

December 2015