I am deeply honoured to be here with you today at the first FICAC Helsinki Consular Conference. This is the first time that my wife and I are visiting your beautiful country and we are very impressed with its beauty and with the excellent hospitality that we have received.

I am very pleased to be with you at this luncheon in honour of President Abdullah Gul in Izmir, the pearl of Aegean.

“The business of a leader is to turn weakness into strength, Obstacles into stepping stones, and Disaster into triumph!” A man of experience, a staunch democrat and a convinced European! A leader par excellence!

The keynote speaker at the opening of the FICAC Helsinki Consular Conference was Minister Pertti Salolainen, former Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador to Great Britain, and the current Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee in the Finnish Parliament.

The Consular Corps of Brazil commemorated the inaugural Consuls’ Day in Pernambuco with a Dinner on August 6, 2008 at the Hotel Manibu, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

I want to thank Esteemed president of FICAC Arnold Foote, and my friend Honorary Consul of Jamaika in Turkey, Aykut Eken. Esteemed guests, As you know, we have just get over a big competition.

I would like to thank you on behalf of the FICAC Board of Directors for your participation to FICAC Gold Star Award Ceremony. This ceremony has been initiated by our President, Honourable Arnold Foote, to present the FICAC Gold Star Award to the President of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Gul.

On the Occasion of FICAC’s ( World Federation of Honorary Consuls ) meeting in Izmir Turkey, to Decorate Honorable Mr. Abdullah Gül, President of Turkey, with The Golden Medal of Honor, we have gathered here.

Ambassador Celso Amorim, Minister of External Relations of Brazil, is very honored and pleased to receive the invitation to participate in the First FICAC Latin American Consular Conference.