Dining with a Dozen Diplomats, A Culinary Holiday Special: Part One
12/25/24 • 68 min
Embark on a culinary exploration with us as we uncover the cherished comfort foods and cultural tales shared by diplomats from an assortment of countries. These twelve diplomats offer insights into how food can serve as a bridge between peoples both past and present.
For the “Dining with a Dozen Diplomats” culinary special episode, our host J. Alex Tarquinio chatted with foreign ministers, with permanent representatives, so-called because they lead their country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and with the president of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club.
Contributors:
The Delegates Lounge
J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge
Australia
H.E. Rebecca Bryant, Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations. @BecsBry @AustraliaUN
Brazil
The Consulate General of Brazil in New York. @Itamaraty_EN
Cyprus
H.E. Maria Michail, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations. @MichailmariaCY @CyprusinUN
The Czech Republic (Czechia)
H.E. Martin Dvořák, Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic. @_MartinDvorak @CzechMFA
Estonia
H.E. Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia. @Tsahkna @MFAestonia
Finland
H.E. Elina Valtonen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. @elinavaltonen @Ulkoministerio
Malta
H.E. Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations. @_VanessaFrazier @MaltaUNMission
Portugal
H.E. Rui Vinhas, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations.
Slovenia
Mr. Klemen Ponikvar, Political Coordinator of the Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations. @SLOtoUN
Switzerland
H.E. Pascale Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations. @SwissAmbUN_NY @swiss_un
United States
H.E. Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. @USUN
Zambia
Mrs. Cecilia Kanyangwa Milambo, President of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club and of the United Nations African Ambassadors Spouses Group; spouse of H.E. Dr. Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations. https://www.facebook.com/UNDWCNewyork/
References:
My Foreign Policy essay about Slovenia’s campaign for an elected seat on the United Nations Security Council.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/09/belarus-slovenia-russia-united-nations-security-council-rotating-seat/
Recipes referred to can be found on our website: https://thedelegateslounge.com/
Embark on a culinary exploration with us as we uncover the cherished comfort foods and cultural tales shared by diplomats from an assortment of countries. These twelve diplomats offer insights into how food can serve as a bridge between peoples both past and present.
For the “Dining with a Dozen Diplomats” culinary special episode, our host J. Alex Tarquinio chatted with foreign ministers, with permanent representatives, so-called because they lead their country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and with the president of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club.
Contributors:
The Delegates Lounge
J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge
Australia
H.E. Rebecca Bryant, Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations. @BecsBry @AustraliaUN
Brazil
The Consulate General of Brazil in New York. @Itamaraty_EN
Cyprus
H.E. Maria Michail, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations. @MichailmariaCY @CyprusinUN
The Czech Republic (Czechia)
H.E. Martin Dvořák, Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic. @_MartinDvorak @CzechMFA
Estonia
H.E. Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia. @Tsahkna @MFAestonia
Finland
H.E. Elina Valtonen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. @elinavaltonen @Ulkoministerio
Malta
H.E. Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations. @_VanessaFrazier @MaltaUNMission
Portugal
H.E. Rui Vinhas, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations.
Slovenia
Mr. Klemen Ponikvar, Political Coordinator of the Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations. @SLOtoUN
Switzerland
H.E. Pascale Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations. @SwissAmbUN_NY @swiss_un
United States
H.E. Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. @USUN
Zambia
Mrs. Cecilia Kanyangwa Milambo, President of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club and of the United Nations African Ambassadors Spouses Group; spouse of H.E. Dr. Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations. https://www.facebook.com/UNDWCNewyork/
References:
My Foreign Policy essay about Slovenia’s campaign for an elected seat on the United Nations Security Council.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/09/belarus-slovenia-russia-united-nations-security-council-rotating-seat/
Recipes referred to can be found on our website: https://thedelegateslounge.com/
Previous Episode
A Canadian Officer Resigns to Join Belarusians Fighting for Ukraine, Part 3
Join us for a firsthand account of life on and near the battlelines in Eastern Ukraine by Dave Smith, a former Canadian infantry officer who resigned to fight for Ukraine. This is the third episode in our multi-part series where Dave explores the evolving tactics and motivations that define the conflict. He offers listeners a deep dive into the experiences of soldiers and citizens that’s brimming with insights into how the geopolitical climate —including the election of former American President Donald Trump and the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region — shape Ukrainian optimism despite the war weariness.
J. Alex Tarquinio (https://x.com/alextarquinio) and Frank Radford, our hosts in The
Delegates Lounge, (https://x.com/delegateslounge) had three conversations with Dave Smith. The hosts spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference in July and October, and from London in November.
References
In a background briefing by the U.S. Department of Defense in October, the Pentagon estimated that Russia had sustained at least 600,000 casualties, including killed and wounded, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Some estimates range much higher.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3932364/a-senior-
defense-and-military-official-host-a-background-briefing-on-russias-wa/
The Pentagon estimated in November that 11,000 North Korean troops had moved into Russia’s Kursk region.
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3968230/north-korean-troops-enter-kursk-where-ukrainians-are-fighting/
Radio Free Europe published an article last year citing some Russian contract soldiers and their families claiming that the state hadn’t honored payments or pardons promised in their contracts. A Reuters photo in the article was reminiscent of the Squid Games drama.
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-systema-investigation-contract-soldiers-pay-pardons-promises-broken/32676712.html
We shared some of our guest’s bylines with listeners in the show notes for the first
episode in this mini-series. Here is his latest essay about his life in Kharkiv for the online magazine Merion West.
https://merionwest.com/2024/11/27/at-home-in-the-war/
Next Episode
Dining with a Dozen Diplomats, A Culinary Holiday Special: Part Two
Welcome back to the second part of our culinary special podcast miniseries: “Dining with a Dozen Diplomats.” Discover how joining together over a simmering pot of gumbo or carving a roast lamb can bridge cultural divides and foster diplomacy. Above all, get ready for some practical tips on hosting with warmth and creativity, even when things don't go according to plan. In the first episode, in our playlist below, our host J. Alex Tarquinio elicited recipes and reminisces from foreign ministers and permanent representatives, so-called because they lead their country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. In this episode, we continue the conversation with ambassadors and with the president of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club, as we delve deep into the secret sauce of gastrodiplomacy.
Contributors:
The Delegates Lounge
J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge
Australia
H.E. Rebecca Bryant, Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations. @BecsBry @AustraliaUN
Malta
H.E. Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations. @_VanessaFrazier @MaltaUNMission
United States
H.E. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. @USUN
Zambia
Mrs. Cecilia Kanyangwa Milambo, President of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club and of the United Nations African Ambassadors Spouses Group; spouse of H.E. Dr. Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations. https://www.facebook.com/UNDWCNewyork/
References
The host mentioned her essay about soft power in Foreign Policy:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/08/06/russia-ukraine-soft-power-culture-diplomacy-fellas-nafo/
U.S. President Richard Nixon ate with chopsticks at a banquet given in his honor by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1972. It’s an example of gastrodiplomacy making an impact on world history.
https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/nixon-chopsticks
Visit our website to discover some of the recipes suggested in episodes one and two of our culinary special, “Dining with a Dozen Diplomats.”
The Delegates Lounge - Dining with a Dozen Diplomats, A Culinary Holiday Special: Part One
Transcript
Welcome to the Delegates Lounge . Pull up a chair . I'm Alex Tarquinio , a journalist based at the United Nations here in New York City and your emcee for this podcast featuring some of the most influential minds in the world today . Settle in for some riveting tete-a-tete , available wherever you listen to podcasts .
H.E. Elina ValtonenAlmo
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