Consul Generals come and go and the summer of 2023 will be marked by the departure of at least 3 of our 7 European Consul Generals.
It was a bitter-sweet moment when Consul General of Germany Andreas Siegel announced his departure at a lovely reception at his Residence on June 14. He arrived in Miami just before the Global Pandemic struck and will remain a part of EACC Florida’s early story: he attended EACC Florida’s launch in February 2020, contributed to EACC’s COVID19 Impact Stories during lock-down, and participated in EACC’s webinar on “Building The 21st Century Workforce With Innovative Apprenticeships” held during Germany’s Presidency of the EU.
Also departing this summer is Consul General of The Netherlands Ruth Emmerink who also attended our launch in February 2020. She will be remembered by a number of sports and soccer-related projects and for contributing Dutch expertise to our local discussions on sea-level rise, climate change, urbanism, public transportation, cycling paths, etc. Most notably, the first ever official raising on Europe Day 2023 of the EU flag in Miami Dade Countywas her initiative.
Italian Consul General of Italy, Cristiano Musillo will also be leaving Miami this summer after deepening the ties between Florida and Italy and initiating a number of cultural and scientific projects in our Sunshine State. Christina Sleszynska, was honored to attend a beautiful reception at the Biltmore in Coral Gables in June to mark the 77th Anniversary of the Italian Republic during which he bid farewell to Miami’s large Italian community.
We thank all three Consul Generals for being Friends of EACC Florida, for their involvement in our community, for being committed Europeans and for leaving their marks in our Sunshine State. We look forward to meeting their successors and to continue working with those that remain notably the Consul Generals of France, Ireland, Romania and Spain.
Pictured left to right: Consul General of The Netherlands Ruth Emmerink, Consul General of Germany Andreas Siegel and EACC Florida Executive Director Christina Sleszynska at EACC Florida launch in February 2020; Consul General Andreas Siegel, Pamela Fuertes – Business School Dean at Miami Dade College, Peter Huwel, CEO Americas at Hellman Logistics at Farewell Reception at German Consular Residence; Cristiano Musillo, Consul General of Italy.