November 3, 2008

World Cultural Economic Forum in New Orleans, LA

The first World Cultural Economic Forum (WCEF) was organized in New Orleans, Louisiana between October 29 and November 1 by Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitchell J. Landrieu and Peter J. Tichansky, President and CEO of the New York based Business Council for International Understanding.

The WCEF was organized to offset the destructive cultural and economic effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and to enhance investment and tourism. The international conference was hosted by one of the largest convention centers in the United States, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans with more than 1.1 million square feet of exhibition area.

 

The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans has more than 1.1 million square feet of exhibition area

More than 700 diplomatic, cultural and political representatives attended the event from 70 countries, among them 18 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Denmark, United Kingdom, Estonia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Croatia, Ireland, Macedonia, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, and Slovenia) sending delegations and putting up national stands. The Hungarian Embassy was represented by Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon and Mónika Varga.

 

Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitchell J. Landrieu, Mónika Varga and Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon in the Residence of Dr. Scott Cowan, President of Tulane University on Wednesday evening, October 29

The English and French language workshops presented panel discussions on cultural economic development, best practices in local and global governance, economic management, and cultural initiatives in green industries.

 

French Ambassador Pierre Vimont, former New York Governor George Pataki, Indonesian Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrad

Panelists included former New York Governor George Pataki, French Ambassador Pierre Vimont, Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson, Romanian Ambassador Adrian Vierita, Indonesian Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrad, and Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission Xie Feng.

 

First Lady Laura Bush greeted the participants of the WCEF through a video message

The WCEF was greeted by First Lady Laura Bush in a video message, and Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, the sister of the current Lieutenant Governor, addressed the audience live in the Convention Center. The World Bazaar and Marketplace featured more than 60 tourism, art, gastronomic and embassy stands.

 

Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon, Louisiana Lieutenant-Governor Mitchell J. Landrieu, and Mónika Varga at the Hungarian Stand in the World Bazaar and Marketplace

 

 

The Austrian Stand in the World Bazaar and Marketplace

 

 

The Indonesian Stand in the World Bazaar and Marketplace

 

 

The Stand of Ghana in the World Bazaar and Marketplace

 

 

New Orleans Mardi Gras Atmosphere

 

 

Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon and Mónika Varga at the Hungarian Stand in the World Bazaar and Marketplace

 

 

Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon and Joseph Dunn, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary in the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development

The forum was officially closed with a networking business lunch presented by the Pan-American Life Insurance Group, the Louisiana Economic Development, and the Consular Corps of New Orleans.

 

Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon and New Orleans World Trade Center Managing Director Eugene 'Gene' Schreiber

Eugene Schreiber, Managing Director of the New Orleans World Trade Center, is one of the central figures of stimulating economic development and enhancing investments in and around New Orleans.

 

Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon, Mónika Varga, Paul Fabry and his wife, Elizabeth Adams in their house on Bourbon Street in New Orleans

The Hungarian delegation visited Paul Fabry, founder of the Hungarian Pulitzer Memorial Prize and former CEO of the  New Orleans World Trade Center, and his wife, Elizabeth Adams, who is half Hungarian, and she is also a direct descendant of John Adams (1735-1826), the second President of the United States (1797-1801).