Consular Corps of Arizona

Films from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Italy, and Lebanon compete in the World Cinema Program at PFF on April 5,6, and 7. Details and tickets at https://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/schedule

We are saddened by the departure of one of our oldest and founding members, Honorable Robert LeMarr.
He was a respected member of the Corps, first as the Honorary Consul of Ecuador, and later as the Emeritus.
We will miss you!
Obituary published by the Paradise Valley Country Club:

PVCC Member ~ Robert Paul LeMarr Long-time Paradise Valley Country Club Member, Robert P. LeMarr, passed away at home on September 15th leaving behind a legacy of remarkable achievements and a lifetime of cherished memories.

Join the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix in celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day on September 15, 2023. There will be a community resources fair, cultural performances, and Mexican music to commemorate Mexico's fight for freedom. The Consul General, Jorge Mendoza Yescas, will perform the Cry of Dolores.

On May 2, during a special ceremony at the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs, former Honorary Consul to Arizona and New Mexico, Fernande Hastert Kuykendall was recognized with the Order of Merit for her long-standing commitment and dedication to representing the Grand Duchy in the United States. The medal was presented by Mr. Olivier Baldauff, Chief of Protocol.
Congrats Fernande! Well deserved!

Czech pianist Tomas Kaco will appear in concert at the Phoenix Art Museum on May 13, 2023. For details and tickets visit:

An Evening with Tomáš Kačo Mr. Kačo expects to play a selection from his collection of compositions for orchestra from “Stronger Than Yesterday,” new compositions and selections of traditional Czech music from “My Home.”

Arizona Matsuri Festival returns on February 25-26, 2023. This year's theme is 和 (wa), harmony. For details visit:

Arizona Matsuri | Feb 25-26, 2023 | Japanese Cultural Festival in PHX Arizona Matsuri is an annual Japanese cultural festival in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. Every last full weekend of February. Free admission. All-ages.

You are cordially invited to attend the 18th Annual Polish Festival in Phoenix on February 18 and 19, 2023.
For details visit:

Home - Polish Festival Annual Polish Festival in Phoenix Arizona - Lots of Polish Food like pierogi or Kielbasa and Polish Beer. Lots of dancing and activities for kids.

Emil Viklický Trio: The Superbowl of Jazz Concerts
Friday • February 10, 2023 • 7:30 PM
ASU Kerr Cultural Center, Scottsdale, AZ

Czech master jazz pianist Emil Viklický, one of the rare European jazz pianists who have successfully incorporated elements of his indigenous folk culture into jazz, will appear for the first time in Arizona! He will be joined by bassist Chris Finet and former drummer for Jimmy Smith and George Benson, Dowell Davis from New Orleans.
For tickets and detailed info visit:
https://asukerr.com/event/the-super-bowl-of-jazz-concerts-featuring-emil-viklicky-trio/

Come and enjoy this special musical treat!

The Super Bowl of Jazz Concerts, featuring Emil Viklicky Trio - Kerr Czech master jazz pianist Emil Viklický will bring his traditional style of straight-ahead jazz to ASU Kerr and perform a Super Bowl weekend kickoff concert! Joining Viklický will be bassist Chris Finet and former drummer for Jimmy Smith and George Benson, Dowell Davis from New Orleans.

Feature films from Canada (Dear Audrey), the Czech Republic (Zatopek), France (You Resemble Me), Italy (Grand Bolero), Japan (A Crack in The Mountain), Switzerland (Princess), and the UK (Ferryman) are competing at the Phoenix Film Festival in the World Cinema category this weekend. For details visit: https://2022phoenixfilmfestival.sched.com/overview/type/Feature+Film+-+World+Cinema

2022 Phoenix Film Festival Schedule Check out the schedule for 2022 Phoenix Film Festival

Entrepreneur Paul Binsfeld Named Honorary Consul of Luxembourg to Arizona and New Mexico

Paul Binsfeld, Arizona entrepreneur and founder of Company Nurse, has been named the Honorary Consul of Luxembourg to Arizona and New Mexico on October 12, 2021. In this role, Binsfeld will promote business, cultural, educational, and tourism exchange between Luxembourg, Arizona, and New Mexico.
This announcement coincides with the Consul General of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Daniel Da Cruz’s upcoming visit to Arizona on November 3rd through November 5th. During this visit, Binsfeld and Da Cruz will meet with government officials and leaders from a multitude of industries including education, space mining, technology, data and analytics, and automotive, with a majority of these meetings focusing on opportunities for sustainable economic development.
Congrats!

The Phoenix Film Festival will present feature films from our member countries.
Austria: Love It Was Not (https://sched.co/jDsf); Canada: Sin La Habana (https://sched.co/jDt0), Driveways (https://sched.co/jDuP), Queen of the Andes (https://sched.co/jDpE), Puppy Love (https://sched.co/jDqI); Czech Republic: Sweethearts (https://sched.co/jDpx); France: Lifelines (https://sched.co/jDuS); Fires in the Dark (https://sched.co/jDow); Italy: We Are the Thousand (https://sched.co/jDtv); Mexico: N**o Mixteco (https://sched.co/jDvE); United Kingdom: Listen (https://sched.co/jDs5), Surge (https://sched.co/jDub). After Love (https://sched.co/jDvi), How to Stop a Recurring Dream (https://sched.co/jDpH), Ribblehead (https://sched.co/jDpu).
For the festival details visit https://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com

The new Czech Consul General in Los Angeles, Ambassador Jaroslav Olsa Jr., made his first official visit to Arizona. He met with city dignitaries and various department heads to discuss closer cooperation. At ASU, he met provost Julia Rosen, exploring new avenues for expanding partnerships in education. He also met with leaders of select valley institutions to discuss cultural exchanges.

El Salvador is at a crossroads. The country looks to become the world’s first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. El Salvador's young President Bukele is increasingly seen as an authoritarian leader. This is all in the midst of a migration crisis in Central America and at the U.S. border.
Please join PCFR and the Consular Corps of Arizona for a joint program with former Ambassador of El Salvador to the U.S., Rubén Zamora, and Claudia Umaña Araujo, President of FUSADES for a timely discussion on El Salvador.
June 21 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM MST.

Register at https://pcfraz.org/event-4356243

We have confirmed that Friday, December 3rd, will be the 2021 Ambassadors' Ball. This year, the Ball will be held at the new Thunderbird School of Global Management Headquarters. The great country of Italy will be the honoree and the Arizona Ambassadors of the Year will be Dr. Sanjeev Khagram and Ms. Diana Megan Bowman. The General Consul of Italy in Los Angeles, Silvia Chiave, has confirmed her attendance as well as Valeria Rumori, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles. Save the date!

If you missed last week's Zoom session: Advancing Global Partnerships (A Dialogue Between Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib) you can watch the recording of it made by the PCFR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smr5YH32UqM

Congrats to Honorable Wolfgang Klien, Honorary Consul Emeritus of Austria, on being awarded the Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria. The medal was presented to him by the Consul General in Los Angeles, Honorable Andreas Launer, at a reception in Scottsdale.
Wolfgang, we are proud of you!

Advancing Global Partnerships:
A Dialogue Between Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib
MAY 13, 2021 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
A VIRTUAL dialogue with the Mayor of Phoenix and Mayor of Prague will be moderated by Akram Rosheidat, Phoenix Sister Cities Prague City Committee Chair.
Mayors Hřib and Gallego will explore common issues and priorities for their respective cities, including sustainability and Smart Cities, inclusivity and equity, and economic development.
Register here: https://lnkd.in/efBNsqv

Consular Corps of Arizona updated their information in their About section.

We are saddened by the departure of our oldest member, Honorable Tracy Thomas.
He was a respected member of the Corps, first as the Honorary Consul of El Salvador, and later as the Emeritus.
We will miss you!

Tracy Thomas Obituary (1934 - 2020) - The Arizona Republic View Tracy Thomas's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

After four years of dedicated service to the Guatemalan community in Arizona and New Mexico, the Consul General has been reassigned to a new post in Canada. As a token of appreciation, the CCAZ presented him with a plaque to remember his colleagues who admire his professionalism, and have enjoyed his company while stationed here.
We will miss His Excellency Oscar Adolfo Padilla Lam!

Our dear colleague, the Consul General of Ecuador, Laura Machuca, completed her mission in Arizona. During her three years here she has worked relentlessly to help her countrymen and improve the relationship between governments. She has been essential in promoting the culture of Ecuador.
The Corps expressed their gratitude at a reception hosted by Chairman Molina.
We wish her safe travels home and we look forward to seeing her again in the not too distant future. God speed Laura!

Thank you, Enrique Melendez and Ken Smith, for braving the Covid threat and physically representing the corps at the Castro Ribbon Cutting Ceremony! How many CCAZ members were present at the event through the Zoom link may remain a mystery.

You are invited to Raul H. Castro Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!
8/21/2020 at 11AM

Join the ceremony via Zoom Meeting (https://zoom.us/j/95116564252?pwd=ZVVsQm8wcXpLbWNaSFVRTEdyTGtRZz09).
Meeting ID: 951 1656 4252
Passcode: 5i1gnG
or One tap mobile
+16699006833,,95116564252 #,,,,,,0 #,,770673 # US (San Jose)
+12532158782,,95116564252 #,,,,,,0 #,,770673 # US (Tacoma)

Our executive director, Honorable Enrique Melendez, has been one of the founding members of the Fountain Hills' Sister Cities. The organization just donated disinfectants, and face mask to Covid stricken sister city of Ataco, El Salvador. The support also provided food for families with children that are out of work due to the two hurricanes that devastated the mountain coffee region.
Enrique, we are proud of you!

Participate in a webinar with the consul general of Japan on July 29. Mr. Muto will discuss his country's response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the future of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Detailed information and RSVP at https://arizonaconsularcorps.org/

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has selected the Consular Corps of Arizona as this year’s Global Citizen Award winner.

The Global Citizen Award is presented annually to an outstanding individual or organization, which demonstrate a tireless and selfless commitment to our community, and are indeed visionaries who inspire us all to take action and do more.
The award is presented at The Mayor’s International – an event presented by Phoenix Sister Cities each spring. Given the current situation, the event has been postponed and thus, the award acceptance will wait. 🙁

Four countries will compete for the Audience Award at the Phoenix Film Festival.
Details at https://arizonaconsularcorps.org/cultural-diplomacy-2020.php

The Honorable Alfredo Molina hosted a reception in support of the Arizona Jazz Appreciation Month and Scottsdale Jazz Festival 2020. As at any party/reception at Molina's the food and wine were exquisite. The jazz band was great and the company of jazz lovers was outstanding. Although we have no news as to how much money was raised by the event, we trust the jazz will fill the valley in celebration of Jazz Day Arizona in April. Learn more about the upcoming free events and support the non-profit organizer at https://www.jazzdayaz.com.

Consular Corps of Arizona updated their address.