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Foreign ambassadors experience Charleston

Staff //October 18, 2018//

Foreign ambassadors experience Charleston

Staff //October 18, 2018//

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Foreign ambassadors tour a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston during their time in Charleston earlier this week. (Photo/Office of the Chief of Protocol)

More than 30 foreign ambassadors spent time touring the Charleston region earlier this week as part of a trip sponsored by the State Department and the Office of the Chief of Protocol.

The trip was part of Experience America, a program that allows members of the diplomatic corps to see various parts of the country. This week was the 23rd Experience America trip since the program began about 10 years ago, and the third trip during the Trump administration. Previous destinations have included Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta and Austin, Texas.

“This is the best part of my job, honest to God,” Sean Lawler, chief of protocol of the U.S., said at a reception Monday evening in Mount Pleasant. “I tell the ambassadors … these trips are wonderful because you get to leave Washington, D.C. and get outside the bubble and see what America is, but you also get to know each other.”

The trip included tours of Joint Base Charleston and the Clemson University SCE&G Energy Innovation Center on Monday, and a tour of the Boeing S.C. production facility on Tuesday. The diplomats also had breakfasts at Trident Technical College and the College of Charleston, where they heard from Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and business leaders in the Charleston region.

Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Singapore’s ambassador to the U.S., said each Experience America trip is different based on the region’s focus. Some trips have focused on biotechnology and medicine, he said, while others have focused on the tech and startup economy.

“This one is really focused on global multinationals and the talent build, the stream of talent,” Mirpuri said.

He added, “That’s really that new challenge that cities like Charleston face, countries like Singapore face. How do you deal with the future of work?”

Mirpuri noted how enthusiastic business leaders in Charleston are about the global economy, based on conversations he had and the tours he went on.

“It gives a sense of a city that’s very connected to the world,” he said.

Martin Dahinden, Switzerland’s ambassador to the U.S., said his country has a lot of interest in investing in South Carolina, and the state is already home to several dozen Swiss companies.

“What I know from companies that are already present here is that they find the right labor force,” Dahinden said. “This is always very decisive, to find the right people, and I also have very good feedback on the business climate. People who expand or start a business here feel welcome.”

Brad Harvey, general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Charleston – Historic District, said he hopes the ambassadors left Charleston with a better understanding of the region.

“I’m hoping that they understand that Charleston is a diverse economy with lots of opportunity, and that they’ll see the possibility of partnering with Charleston in the future,” he said.

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