The Pensacola portion for five European visitors on U.S. foreign policy challenges project allowed these visitors, a military officer from Croatia, the foreign affairs adviser to the speaker of the Latvian parliament, an editor with a Lithuanian news service, a Swedish member of parliament, and a reporter-in-chief with a Swiss newspaper, to meet locals and to explore their opinions and experiences with foreign policy issues.
Their program began the moment they arrived in Pensacola from San Francisco. They were picked up at the airport and delivered to the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council’s annual Evening of Cheer to enjoy dinner with locals and a short bit of socializing before arriving at their hotel.
The next morning, City Council President Maren DeWeese met the group at City Hall and answered their questions about the community. This was followed by an hour at Seville Quarter in a coffee shop discussion with local residents. The approaching political season and the ongoing identification and refinement of potential Republican presidential candidates was one topic discussed, and attendees also took the opportunity to learn more about the visitors’ own jobs and opinions.
Following these orientation and welcome events, the group next focused on foreign policy issues as varied as the military and food/agriculture. At a meeting with Colonel Mike Canzoneri, Deputy Commander of the Florida National Guard, the conversation centered on the service and sacrifice of the National Guard in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Florida. Several of the visitors remarked afterward that meeting Colonel Canzoneri helped them to better understand the role of the National Guard.
Following this, the group donned t-shirts for the United Way’s Day of Caring and picked up food donated by Escambia County staff. They transported two large boxes of canned food, over 200 pounds, to Manna Food Bank where Cathy Sowell, Pantries Program Director, met them to discuss the organization’s mission, food distribution methods, and growing community gardens program. This was immediately followed by a farm tour given by Libbie Johnson, a extension agent with Escambia County Extension, which not only gave the group the opportunity to visit with a row crop farmer but also the chance to discuss how international trade policies affect the economics of agricultural activity.
At the Pensacola News Journal, the group attended a morning staff meeting where Carl Wernicke, Editorial Page Editor, answered their questions about how and when local papers cover international news. The group benefitted from their interaction with PNJ staff and was happily surprised with the books and pelican statues that the paper gave them at the end of their appointment.
Another highlight of their Pensacola experience took place at the University of West Florida with their visit with Dr. Jongseok Woo’s Model UN class which gave the group with the opportunity to interact with students. On the day of the visit, the focus of the class was "Economic Development and the Environment" which provided a platform for further exploration on current global affairs.
Their final appointment was at Catholic Charities where Mark Dufva, Executive Director, and Josefina Devito, Immigration Coordinator, discussed immigration and refugee integration and human trafficking issues in the northwest Florida area.
Our council would also like to thank Dr. & Mrs. Jack Kichler and Dr. & Mrs. Paul Austin for hosting dinners in their homes for the visitors and Mr. & Mrs. Buddy Gissendanner for having the group at their home on Halloween evening.
