Commonwealth Deputy SG appointed

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Commonwealth Deputy SG appointed

Arjoon Suddhoo – Picture by Commonwealth

Thurday, 28 February 2019,  Marlborough House, London, UK: Mauritian citizen Dr Arjoon Suddhoo has been appointed as Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations by the incumbent VI Secretary-General, The Baroness Scotland of Asthal. 

Thus far Dr Suddhoo has behind him a distinguished career as a scientist, in academia as well as in commerce. He was most recently Executive Director of the Mauritius Research Council, a role he combined with being chair of the board of Air Mauritius and chair of the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA).

Earlier in his career Dr Suddhoo was Head of Research and Planning at the Mauritius Tertiary Education Commission, and prior to that worked in research and development as a scientist for Rolls Royce Aerospace.

For further information:
http://thecommonwealth.org/media/news/new-deputy-secretary-general-appointed

Olivia Palermo signed up Karl Lagerfeld 

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Olivia Palermo signed up Karl Lagerfeld 

Karl Lagerfeld – Picture by Chanel News

February 2019: Through Instagram, fashion designer Olivia Palermo unveiled her collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld‘s eponymous label, which ought to be launched in June, in spite of the latter designer’s demise.

Olivia Palermo is due to style pieces from the Fall/Winter 2019-2020 collection as well as co-creating five Karl x Olivia pieces in collaboration with Creative Director Virginie Viard. 

Dubbed “Karl Lagerfeld Styled By Olivia Palermo“, the collection aims to interlace the signature Parisian pieces with the street style star’s New York influences. The collection will launch in June in boutiques as well as online shopping. 

For further information https://oliviapalermo.com

Bremen opens office in Prague

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Bremen opens office in Prague

19 February 2019: Bremen opens a representation in the Golden City of Prague as a hub for harbour economics. An agreement was signed between the harbour management company Bremenports and the German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce located in Prague. 

Bremen’s Senator for Economics, Employment and Harbours, Martin GĂĽnthner, highlighted the fact that beside Austria, Czechia is an important economic partner for containers and the automobile industry. The representation will be managed by Bremenports to heed the interests of Bremen and Bremerhaven. However other companies in Bremen will be able to use its services to tap on the Czech market.  

Whereas economic ties vis-Ă -vis Saxony or Hamburg are stagnating the ones towards Bremen are booming. In 2018 the Bremen-Czech foreign trade amounted grew by 14,6 percent and reached a record of 848,4 million Euro. In other words, more much more than the total Czech trade vis-Ă -vis Canada or the United Arab Emirates altogether. Much of the trade concerns the automobile industry, including parts for car manufacturing amounting to 35 percent of the total, the rest goes to clothing, metals, food industry and machines. 

Bremenports General Manager Robert Howe spoke about the opportunity to intensify the lobbying in place as the city-state has certainly profited from its representation in Vienna. 

For further information:
Czech Embassy to Germany (HE Ambassador Tomáš Jan Podivínský): https://www.mzv.cz/berlin
bremenports: https://bremenports.de
Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen: https://www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de/detail.php?gsid=bremen146.c.315163.de&asl=bremen02.c.732.de

I EU-League of Arab states summit Press release by the European Commission 

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I EU-League of Arab states summit Press release by the European Commission 


24-25 February 2019, Sharm El-Sheikh, Arab Republic of Egypt: the first ever European Union – League of Arab States Summit took place bringing together 49 countries from the League of Arab States and the EU.

The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, represented the European Union at the Summit, alongside the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, who also co-chaired with the Egyptian President, Field Marshall Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.

Leaders from the 28 EU Member States and the 21 countries of the League of Arab States, as well as the Secretary General of League of Arab States, were also invited. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, also participated at the Summit.

The Leaders agreed upon a joint declaration, summarising the wide range of areas discussed as noted below. 

Euro-Arab cooperation

In their discussions, the EU and the League of Arab States reaffirmed that stronger regional cooperation is the key to find common solutions to common challenges. They renewed their commitment to create new opportunities through a collaborative approach, by placing people, in particular women and youth, at the heart of joint work. Leaders recognised the important role played by civil society. Both sides also agreed to strengthen economic cooperation and committed to develop a concrete agenda especially in the fields of trade, energy, science, research, technology, tourism, agriculture and other mutually beneficial areas.

Global challenges

The EU and Arab Leaders expressed their commitment to multilateralism and to an international system based on international law. Greater cooperation between the EU, the League of Arab States, the United Nations and the African Union is crucial to tackle global challenges. They reiterated their full commitment to the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

These principles should guide the work to tackle common challenges such as climate change, upholding international human rights law, irregular migration, smuggling and trafficking in human beings, protection and support to refugees and the fight against hatred and intolerance.

The Leaders also exchanged concerns on threats to peace and security such as terrorism and radicalisation. All these global challenges require concerted work in accordance with international law.

Regional issues

As outlined by the High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, the Leaders had constructive, serious and thorough discussions on regional issues such as the Middle East Peace Process, recent developments in Syria, Libya and Yemen and reaffirmed their commitment to the UN-led processes and full support to the UN Special Envoys/ Representatives.

They reaffirmed their common positions on the Middle East Peace Process and reiterated commitment to reaching a two-state solution as the only realistic way of achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. They also reaffirmed the need to support UNRWA and called for a fundamental change for the better in the Gaza strip. On Syria, they recalled that the only sustainable solution is a genuine political transition in line with the 2012 Geneva communique and agreed that their respective policy towards Syria shall be conducted in step with tangible progress towards a peaceful political settlement.

On Libya, they expressed their support for the UN efforts and the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement on 2015 and called on all Libyans to engage in good faith in the UN-led efforts. On Yemen, the Leaders welcomed the Stockholm agreement and in particular the ceasefire on Hodeida and called for safe, rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

For further information:
Sharm El Sheikh Summit Declaration: 

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/02/25/sharm-el-sheikh-summit-declaration/

Australasia and larger Asia guests in Bremen

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Australasia and larger Asia guests in Bremen


Friday, 22 February 2019, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen: For the 118th occasion, the Eastern Asia Association Bremen (OAV) arranged its traditional foundation feast held at Bremen City Hall under the patronage of the President and Governing Mayor of Bremen, Dr. Carsten Sieling, and in the attendance of the ambassadors of Australia, Lynette Wood, New Zealand, Rupert Holborow, Mongolia,  Ganbat Bontoi Damba, Singapore, Laurence Bay, the Philippines’ ChargĂ©e d’affaires, Lillibeth Pono as well as the Nipponese Honorary Consul in Bremen.

They were flanked by the guests of honour Lucy Hugues Turnbull, 79th Mayor of Sidney accompanied by her spouse, The Hon Malcolm Turnbull, 29th Prime Minister of Australia, and Dr. Holger Bingmann, President of the Federal Association of Wholesale and Foreign Trade. 


This year’s chief foreign guest was Lucy Hugues Turnbull, Chief Commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commision and formerly Lord Mayor of Sidney. She held an allocution as an expert on the technological development of urbane regions. ´The German speaker was Dr. Holger Bingmann and Mayor Dr. Sieling who highlighted the the relevance for Bremen-Bremerhaven to constantly exchange trade and views with partners of the Asia-Pacific region to promote the well-being of peoples and companies. 


The soirĂ©e’s organiser is the Ostasiatischer Verein Bremen (Eastern Asian Association Bremen) which was founded in 1901 to serve as a meeting point for merchants, captains and lay people with ties to Asia. Since 1951 the gala is held in Upper Hall of Bremen’s City Hall. 

For further information Greater Sydney Commission: https://www.greater.sydney

Eastern Asian Association Bremen: https://www.oav-bremen.de

Image by Bremen Senats presse stelle.

The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery at V&A Museum

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The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery at V&A Museum

Coronet and case Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond coronet, designed by Prince Albert, made by Joseph Kitching, London.

April 11th 2019 shall be thus far for the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) to reopen the doors of its jewellery gallery rebranded as “The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery” since 2008.

More than 80 new items, including Queen Victoria’s sapphire coronet shall be on display. 

Amongst the museum’s most popular galleries, more than 4,2 million people have visited the William and Judith Bollinger Gallery’s treasure trove of historic and contemporary jewels. In itself the gallery charts the history of jewellery from Ancient Greece through to the present, featuring pieces once worn by a host of powerful women including Queen Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great or Beyoncé, who gifted herGlenn Spiro Papillon ring to the museum last year.

Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles. Photography by Speaight, Ltd., London. About 1922 – Image by V&A Museum

The unveiling of the coronet, one of Victoria’s most important jewels, shall kick off a year of bicentenary celebrations by the museum to mark the 200th bicentennial of Queen Victoria and Prince Consort Albert, the royal couple from whom it takes its name. Prince Albert designed the piece for Victoria in 1840, the year of their marriage.

Created by her jeweller Joseph Kitching, the young queen wore the newly completed coronet in a 1842 portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. The latter painting subsequently became the image of Victoria throughout the world through replicas and engravings. This coronet eventually passed out of the royal family and into private hands during the 20th century. It was saved from export in 2017 when the V&A acquired it through the generosity of benefactors William and Judith Bollinger as well as their their sons.

Brooch Brooch, gold and iron, designed and made by Annamaria Zanella, Italy, 1997 Annamaria Zanella (1966-) Italy 1997

The newly refurbished gallery, which is closed until it reopens on 11 April, marks the first time it will go on permanent public display.

The space will also now benefit from an outstanding collection of 49 Art Deco vanity cases, a loan and promised gift from Kashmira Bulsara, sister to the late singerFreddy Mercury. Most of the cases are intricate oeuvres created by Cartier, Laclocheand Van Cleef & Arpels, in gold and platinum setting together a riot of coloured fine stones and enamels. 

For further information:
Victoria & Albert Museum: https://www.vam.ac.uk
https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2019/02/24/200-years-victoria-albert/

Ericsson expands presence at Hannover Fair 2019

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Ericsson expands presence at Hannover Fair 2019

Ericsson headquarters in Kista, Stockholm – Image by Arild VĂĄgen 


Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson will expand its presence at the Hannover-Messe, wherein Sweden is partner country, under the motto “Empowering Connectivity.”Be Limitless with 5G.“ Its planned pavilion will encompass 210 square meters but likewise will be present at the Swedish pavilion “Sweden Co-Lab – Innovate with us!“.

Swedish Ambassador to Germany, Per Thöresson commented on the multinational’s presence at the the Hannover-Messe that “Ericsson unifies the prowess of global innovation with Swedish values”. 

Next Generation Mobile Networks such as 5G and LTE (Long Term Evolution) could be an remarkable added-value to the manufacturing industry. Wireless connections of production systems create a higher flexibility in the manufacturing process, and may lead to a less expensive manufacturing. Particularly by connecting and keeping surveillance on a larger number of components as well as a higher 

data throughput, mobile solutions shall become more reliable options for intelligence manufacturing. Precisely the latter advantages will be demonstrated by Ericsson and partners at the Hannover-Messe through:  

  • Connections That Perform
  • Smart Wireless Manufacturing
  • Private Plant, Global Reach
  • Robust, Secure & Safe Environments

Ericsson is an international leader in the market of telecommunications and related services with seat in Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden. In fact, 40% of the global mobile networks are managed by Ericsson. 

The company was founded by Lars Magnus Ericsson in 1876, and employs ca. 95,000 employees worldwide. It has clients in 180 countries altogether. Ericsson is listed at the NASDAQ OMX in Stockholm as well as at the NASDAQ in New York.


For further information
Hannover-Messe: https://www.hannovermesse.de/home

Ericsson: https://www.ericsson.com/hannovermesse

From the Swedish Embassy in Germany: https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2018/11/03/innovate-with-us-sweden-at-the-hannover-fairin-april-2019/

Lalla Meryem of Morocco at the OIC

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Lalla Meryem of Morocco at the OIC

HRH Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco – Picture by Protocole royale du Royaume du Maroc.

Saturday, 2 March 2019, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE: the ministers of foreign affairs of the fifty seven member states forming the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) approved the designation of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco to serve as the organisation’s  “Goodwill ambassador for women empowerment, the family, and for combating child marriages”.

Her candidature had been put forward by her brother, HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco. 

Lalla Meryem of Morocco’s final designation came during the 46th council of ministers of foreign affairs of the OIC, which call upon the members states to facilitate the princess’ mission. 

For further information 
https://www.oic-oci.org

https://www.oic-oci.org/topic/?t_id=17461&ref=9256&lan=en

South Africa honoured at Schaffer Banquet 

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South Africa honoured at Schaffer Banquet 

Premier Helen Zille -Western Cape Province- sings the golden guest book – Picture by Bremer Senats pressestelle.

Friday, 8 February 2019, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen: South African 7th Premier of Western Cape Province, Helen Zille and the Premier of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, were the guests of honour at this year’s Schaffer Banquet held traditionally at Bremen’s City Hall the second Friday of each February. 

The feast is arranged by the Foundation Haus Seefahrt (House Seefare), and encompasses the participation of 100 captains, 100 sailors and 100 guests that gather to fund-raise for the latter foundation as well as to celebrate seafarers. 

Premier Helen Zille was in  Germany for a follow-up call to the trade visit that Bremen’s President and Governing Mayor and the city-state’s chamber of commerce undertook to South Africa in the summer of 2018 (https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2018/06/27/bremen-delegation-to-south-africa-and-namibia/).

Other prominent guests included AIRBUS President Guillaume Faury, the German Ambassador to South Africa, Dr. Martin Schäfer, artist Prof. Markus LĂĽppertz, and the Premier of the Free State of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, main guest of honour. 

The Schaffer Banquet is the oldest of its kind worldwide, bringing together the brotherhood extant between seafarers and merchants. 

For further information 
Schaffer banquet: https://www.schaffermahlzeit.de/de/home/

Bremen delegation to South Africa and Namibia

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On the image: Premier Helen Zille (Western Cape Province in South Africa) sings the golden guestbook as Dr. Martin Schäfer, German Ambassador to South Africa, the President and Governing Mayor of Bremen, Dr. Carsten Sieling, the latter’s spouse, Alexia Sieling, Honorary Consul Volker SchĂĽtte (South Africa), AIRBUS President Guillaume Faury and Premier of Saxony Michael Kretschmer. 

Virginie Viard, Chanel’s creative director

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Virginie Viard, Chanel’s creative director

Chanel Haute Couture Fall Winter 2011-2012 – Picture by Creative Commons Attribution.

Maison Chanel has announced that studio director Virginie Viard was appointed successor to the recently deceased and much celebrated designer Karl Lagerfeld. 

Viard will be in charge of the creative work for the collections, from ready-to-wear, to haute couture. Selected by Alain Wertheimer, CEO of Chanel, Virginie Viard has worked in close collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld since 1987 and shall continue the legacy that both he and the founder of the fashion house, Gabrielle Chanel, have left behind.

Virginie Viard becomes the first woman since Gabrielle â€śCoco” Chanel to be in charge of the brand’s creativity. 

Viard began as an intern at Chanel in 1987, and left the latter maison with Lagerfeld to join ChloĂ© in 1992, where the pair worked together for five years. When Lagerfeld returned to the French fashion house in 1997, she took on the role of coordinator for haute couture, and then ready-to-wear in 2000.

For further information 
https://www.chanel.com/us/fashion/handbags/c/1x1x1/

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