Consular Chamber of Commerce

Principal Protected Index Investing Provides Innovative Method to Significantly Reduce Stock Market Loss and Risk

noreply@blogger.com (Skyline Capital Management ®) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:49:00 +0000

Principal Protected Index Investing Provides Innovative Method to Significantly Reduce Stock Market Loss and Risk

3 with ties to US consulate killed in Mexican city - Yahoo! News

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:53:00 +0000

3 with ties to US consulate killed in Mexican city - Yahoo! News

WARNING FROM U.S. EMBASSY IN MEXICO: 14 MARCH « Consular Chamber of Commerce

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:53:00 +0000

WARNING FROM U.S. EMBASSY IN MEXICO: 14 MARCH « Consular Chamber of Commerce

Honorary Consul Missing in Chile

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:06:00 +0000

Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Concepcion, Chile, Missing Since Quake

Of one of the 57 missing Dutch citizens in Chile since the earthquake is an Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Concepcion, Chile.

Museum of the History of Polish Jews

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:00:00 +0000

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which will open in 2012 on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto in Poland, was the focus of attention at a lavish reception and fundraiser hosted by Mrs. Wanda Presburger and Mrs. Helena Krol, at the Krol's beautiful Beverly Hills residence.

Ms. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Head of the Core Exhibition Planning Team gave a detailed presentation on the Museum, the first and only museum to focus on the history of Polish Jews.

Poland was once home to the largest Jewish community in the world and center of the Jewish Diaspora. Many Jews trace their ancestry to Poland, which was one of the largest countries in Europe and one of the most culturally diverse. As a result, the legacy of Polish Jews extends also to areas that are today Lithuania, Belarus, and Latvia, as well as to parts of Ukraine, Estonia, and Western Russia. The Museum of the History of Polish Jews will be a portal, a place to begin an exploration of the world of Polish Jews.

Initiated by the Jewish Historical Institute Association in Warsaw in 1996, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews will be a unique institution. It will seek to explore the Jewish presence in Poland across the ages, including the first settlements; the unique guarantees offered to Polish Jews in the 13th century; the “golden age” of Polish Jewry in the 16th and 17th centuries; the Shoah and the remnants of the extinguished presence in post-war Poland. Visitors will be taken on a virtual journey to a lost world in which countless generations lived and flourished. The Museum will discover the vibrant civilization of what was once the largest Jewish community in the world and center of the Jewish Diaspora.

In attendance were distinguished business owners, philanthropists, as well as the Consul Culture of Poland in Los Angeles, the Honorable Malcorzata Cup; the Honorary Consul of Poland in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Honorable John Petkus; the U.S. Representative to the World Federation of Consuls and Honorary Consul of Chile in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Honorable Paulina Biggs-Sparkuhl; the Honorary Vice Consul of Guatemala in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Honorable Dr. Aldo A. Aguirre; the President Emeritus of the Consular Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Jonathan Warren; and Mr. Stanley Kolodziey and Peter Krol from KROL Vodka.

More Immigrants Leap into Business Ownership

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:18:00 +0000

Overcoming language barriers and sometimes lacking business networks to secure financing or advertising, immigrants are anchoring downtowns in cities and remaking the suburbs across the nation with newly established businesses.

According to economist Robert Fairlie, producer of the Kauffman Index of Economic Activity, immigrants have higher rates of starting a business than do native-born Americans. Immigrant women are starting businesses at a rate of 57 percent than native-born women; immigrant men start businesses at 71 percent higher than native-born men.

Whether avoiding barriers that come with traditional jobs or becuse their job skills do not translate well into corporate America, immigrant business owners contribute to the economy by creating new jobs.

The full text of the article is available at http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/12/10/more immigrants making the leap

The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity is available on the Kauffman Foundation's Web site.

The Global Competitiveness Report for 2008-2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:18:00 +0000

The World Economic Forum, an independent, international organization incorporated as a Swiss not-for-profit foundation, was founded on the belief that economic progress without social development is not sustainable, and social development without economic progress is not feasible. Its Vision is threefold:

It aims to be the foremost organization which builds and energizes leading global communities;
It aims to be the creative force shaping global, regional and industry strategies; and,
It aims to be the catalyst of choice for its communities when undertaking global initiatives to improve the state the world.

The World Economic Forum annually hosts a Global Summit, in which it brings together the world's leading minds from academia, business government and society to address the most important global challenges in a collaborative, integrated and proactive way.

At the past Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which took place from November 7-9, 2008, 700 of the world’s leading minds who are Members of the Network of Global Agenda Councils, gathered to address the most important challenges facing the world in a collaborative and integrated way. Global Agenda Council Members addressed ways to tackle governance gaps at the local, regional and global levels, as well as examined the new and continued inter-linkages among the various Councils.

The highlights of the discussions were compiled in The Global Agenda 2009, which sets the platform for discussions at the next Summit. For more details go to The Global Agenda 2009.

The World Economic Forum's 40th Annual Meeting will take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland from January 27-31, 2010.

Costa Rica's president has swine flu

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:20:00 +0000

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) -- Nobel Peace laureate and Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said Tuesday that he has swine flu, showing that not even a head of state is safe from the virus that has caused worldwide concern but relatively few deaths.

The 69-year-old president and Nobel Peace Prize winner said in a statement that he was quarantined at home and is being treated with the anti-flu medicine oseltamivir.

"The pandemic makes no distinctions," Arias said. "I am one more case in this country and I am being submitted to the recommendations that health authorities have established for the entire population."

Arias suffers from asthma and is at higher risk than most, but was in good enough health to continue working.

"Aside from the discomfort of the fever and sore throat, I feel in good shape and in full capacity to carry out my work by telecommuting," Arias said in the statement.

The president had flu symptoms since Sunday, but participated in public activities as late as Tuesday morning, when he appeared at a call center.

Arias has been serving on-and-off as a mediator in the political crisis in Honduras after that country's president was ousted June 28 in a coup.

SOURCE: AP

Honduran consuls ousted for disloyalty to Zelaya

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:04:00 +0000

Ex Consul of Honduras in Los Angeles, California, the Honorable Vivian Panting
Source: La Opinion (www.laopinion.com)

By E.J. TAMARA, Associated Press Writer

Four Honduran consular officials have been removed from their posts for refusing to declare loyalty to the ousted government of Manuel Zelaya or for supporting the man who replaced him, officials said Friday.

Enrique Reina, Honduras' ambassador in the United States, told the Associated Press that the consuls were dismissed in Los Angeles, New York, Washington and San Francisco.

The consuls were removed after Zelaya's Foreign Affairs Minister Patricia Rodas asked each consulate last month to provide a written statement outining its position on the coup.

Vivian Panting, (shown in picture above) Honduras' consul in Los Angeles, said she didn't respond to the letter because she didn't want to take sides.

Zelaya was rousted from his home at gunpoint in June and flown into exile. Roberto Micheletti's interim government has refused to consider Zelaya's restoration, despite calls from the United States and the European Union.

Because Washington recognizes Zelaya as Honduras' legitimate leader, consular officials appointed under Zelaya's government continue to hold their posts in the United States.

Reina said a total of 17 consular officials have been removed so far and more changes may be necessary.

Martha Lorena Alvarado, interim Assistant Foreign Minister in Honduras, said the situation was complex because the United States has not recognized consular officials named by Micheletti's government.

"To me, (this is) an unprecedented question from a diplomatic perspective," Alvarado said. "I don't know until when this situation will be sustainable for the Department of State."

Micheletti's government had recognized the four consuls as legitimate before they were removed.

A sign outside the Honduran consulate in Los Angeles stated that offices were closed because of security concerns.

A spokesman at the Honduran consulate in New York said the consul did not go to work on Friday.

Associated Press writer Claudia Torrens contributed to this report from New York.

International Day of the World's Indigenous People August 9

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:58:00 +0000

Photograph Credit: Prensa Libre .com

The General Assembly of the United Nations decided in 2004 that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People would be observed on August 9, every year during the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1).

"Today is a day to recognize and celebrate the contributions of the Indigenous People throughout the world," stated Dr. Aldo A. Aguirre, Honorary Vice Consul of Guatemala in Las Vegas, Nevada. "Guatemala is one of the most culturally rich and diverse countries in Latin America. With over 20 different languages and unique traditional clothing that displays their user's specific local identity, Guatemala boasts one of the largest and most traditional Indigenous populations. According to the 2002 Census, 42 percent of Guatemalans are of Mayan ancestry and live in greater numbers in the western highlands, particularly in the departments of Baja Verapaz, Quiche, Totonicapan, Huehuetenando, Quetzaltenango, and San Marcos (2). The southeastern region of Guatemala includes groups such as the Ch' orti', the northern lowland Petén region includes the Itza population. The great majority of Mayans are young, with strong community structures and very deeply rooted traditions and customs. The Indigenous people of Guatemala contribute greatly to the local economy and have formed large communities outside of the country, contributing as well with monthly remittances which have been and will continue to be a fundamental pillar of economic support for hundreds of thousands of urban and rural families. I am deeply honored to celebrate the International Day of Indigenous People and encourage all to observe this Day with respect and gratitude," concluded Honorary Vice Consul Aguirre.

_______________________________

(1) By its resolution 59/174 of 20 December 2004, in which the Assembly proclaimed the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (2005-2014), it also decided to continue observing the International Day of Indigenous People every year during the Second Decade, in New York, Geneva and other offices of the United Nations. The Assembly asked the Secretary-General to support observance of the Day from within existing resources, and to encourage Governments to observe the Day at the national level. Source: http://www.un.org/events/indigenous/2007/.

(2) http://www.ine.gob.gt/index.php/demografia-y-poblacion/42-demografiaypoblacion/75-censo2002

Consular Chamber Supports Project C.U.R.E. and MillerCoors in Welcoming First Lady of Ghana to Denver

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Photography by Jimmy Dozer, Jimmy's Photography (http://www.jimmysphoto.com).

July 2009, DENVER, CO - Project C.U.R.E., MillerCoors, and over 1,800 guests and dignataries welcomed Her Excellency Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, the First Lady of Ghana to Denver's Hyatt Regency, for a fundraiser event to raise awareness of global healthcare needs and support the delivery of life-saving medical supplies and equipment to medical professionals and patients under care in Ghana (1).

Mrs. Naadu Mills spoke about the need for medical supplies in her country and about her efforts to support the work of her husband, the president of Ghana, His Excellency John Atta Mills. Improving maternal and child health is part of a strategy "to transform Ghana into a middle-income country. The problem is always with children," she said, referring to stagnant conditions in rural parts of Ghana. "If they are born without problems, it makes things easier for them," she said at the First Ladies' Luncheon (2).

The annual event, sponsored by MillerCoors, benefitted Project C.U.R.E. (the Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment), the Denver-based organization that collects and sends over 94 containers of medical supplies, $50 million worth, a year to hospitals in about 120 countries.

Project CURE exceeded its fundraising goal for the event. Enough money was raised at the luncheon to fund the delivery of more than $2 Million in medical relief to people in need in Ghana. A Ghana-bound container packed with about $400,000 of donated medical supplies left Wednesday. Newmont Mining sponsored the first container. Four more are slated to move using funds raised at the luncheon. Newmont runs a gold mine in Ghana that employs more than 500 workers (2).

In attendance were the event honorary co-chairs first lady of Colorado Jeannie Ritter, Susan Kiely of MillerCoors, former first lady of Colorado Frances Owens and former first lady of Denver Wilma Webb. Anne Trujillo, news anchor for Denver's Channel 7, will emcee the event.

Representing the Consular Chamber of Commerce were its president emeritus Jonathan Warren, its Board Chair, the Honorary Cosul of Chile Paulina Biggs Sparkuhl, and board member, the Honorary Vice Consul of Guatemala Dr. Aldo A. Aguirre. Also present in related activities were Colorado Consular Corps members, the Honorary Consul of Sweden Donald Glenn Peterson, the Honorary Consul of Thailand Donald W. Ringsby, and the Honorary Consul of Denmark Nanna Nielsen Smith.

"We are grateful to Project C.U.R.E.'s Michael Medoro for coordinating the Consular Chamber table at the First Lady Luncheon and for scheduling the tour of Project C.U.R.E.'s Denver Headquarters. We are also appreciative of the time Mr. Dan Aiba, Assistant to the President of Project C.U.R.E., took to show us their beautiful 50K square foot warehouse and headquarters," stated the Hon. Consul of Chile in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Hon. Paulina Biggs Sparkuhl. "There was a true spirit of giving and caring permeating all of the activities related to the visit of Her Excellency Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, First Lady of Ghana. The Consular Chamber is very eager to help Project C.U.R.E. reach more countries in need of medical supplies and equipment. In fact, I will personally address the request from the organization's Founder, Dr. James W. Jackson, to get more involved in their global outreach efforts," said Biggs Sparkuhl.

"I am grateful for the donations of medical equipment Project C.U.R.E. makes to so many needy children across the world, and especially for their humanitarian efforts to benefit needy children and families in Guatemala. It was thanks to JP Dahdah, executive director of Advance Guatemala, and Michael Medoro, executive director of Project C.U.R.E.-Phoenix that the Consular Chamber of Commerce became aware of the work of Project C.U.R.E. They are both great champions for humanitarian aid to developing nations. The world is a much better place because of the caring people at Project C.U.R.E. who translate good intentions into actual deeds. May God continue to bless their work and service," stated the Honorary Vice Consul of Guatemala, Dr. Aldo A. Aguirre.

The Project C.U.R.E. First Ladies' Luncheon is an annual fundraising event featuring first ladies from around the world. Project C.U.R.E. welcomed Senora Ana Ligia de Saca, the first lady of El Salvador, for the inaugural First Ladies' Luncheon in Denver in 2006, during which more than $70,000 was raised to deliver medical relief to El Salvador.

In 2008, Mrs. Margarita Zavala, the first lady of Mexico, was the keynote speaker at the second-annual First Ladies' Luncheon in Denver, where she helped to raise $150,000 to deliver more than $2.5 million in medical relief to the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco.

Project C.U.R.E. also hosted first lady of Belize Ms. Kim Simplis for the inaugural First Ladies' Luncheon in Phoenix, Ariz. Nearly 900 people attended the event in November of 2008, at which enough money was raised to deliver nearly $2 million in medical relief to people in need in Belize.

About Project C.U.R.E.

The registered trademark of the Benevolent Healthcare Foundation, Project C.U.R.E. is a nonprofit, humanitarian relief organization that delivers donated medical supplies, equipment and services to medical professionals and the patients under their care in developing countries. Currently, Project C.U.R.E. is the world's largest organization of its kind, delivering on average two 40-ft. cargo containers of medical relief every week. Since its inception in 1987, Project C.U.R.E. has delivered medical relief to people in need in more than 120 countries worldwide. Project C.U.R.E. is headquartered in Centennial, Colo., outside of Denver. Distribution centers are located in Centennial, Colo., Phoenix, Ariz.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Houston, Texas. Project C.U.R.E. collection centers are located in Albuquerque, N.M.; Austin, Texas; Basalt, Colo., Brooklyn, N.Y., Grand Junction, Colo., Harrisburg, Pa.; Ithaca, N.Y., Lexington, Ky.; Sarasota, Fla., Tampa, Fla.

Since its inception in 1987, Project C.U.R.E. has delivered medical relief to people in need in more than 120 countries worldwide. Project C.U.R.E. is headquartered in Centennial, Colo., outside of Denver. Distribution centers are located in Centennial, Colo., Phoenix, Ariz.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Houston, Texas. Project C.U.R.E. collection centers are located in Albuquerque, N.M.; Austin, Texas; Basalt, Colo., Brooklyn, N.Y., Grand Junction, Colo., Harrisburg, Pa.; Ithaca, N.Y., Lexington, Ky.; Sarasota, Fla., Tampa, Fla. For more information, visit http://www.projectcure.org/ or contact Lana Jefferson Taussig at lanajtaussig@projectcure.org, or call 303-792-0729.

(1) http://www.projectcure.org/_bpost_1893/First_Lady_of_Ghana_helps_raise_funds_for_medical_relief

(2) http://www.projectcure.org/_blog/About/tag/Events/

U.S. vs. UBS: A Fight Over Secret Swiss Bank Accounts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:03:00 +0000

DIPLOMATIC SHOWDOWN RE-ESCALATES

Swiss government calls out US in defense of its primary industry and reputation:

U.S. vs. UBS: A Fight Over Secret Swiss Bank Accounts

The US appears to be willing take on UBS's big brother, the Swiss government itself, as well as international public opinion in order to determine if taxes are owed. Is this the kind of diplomacy we've been hoping for from the new US administration?

RFID Chips in US Passport and ID Documents May Pose Massive Threat to Diplomats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:04:00 +0000

Jonathan Warren's Scam Scope:

"Nightmare security issues with the new US Passport and e-Passport (Passport Card) call into question the compliance of these documents with even the most basic security issues.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090711/ap_on_bi_ge/us_chipping_america_iv

The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security did much to avoid risk of hackers getting in to the database, by making the number a mere pointer to their own files grounded in DHS computers. But the very function of the RFID chip, broadcasting an ID number, is easily co-opted by the private sector (retailers), and combined with the other information the retailer collects.

No need to obtain the government's data file, just about anyone can buy the data collected by the retailer, including your identity, all of your buying habits and payment options, demographics information, etc. The data then is neatly wrapped up and tied together with your RFID number, then sold, legally, to any number of buyers.

Now you walk through the mall, with your new drivers license, passport or passport card in your wallet, and that Israeli chick at the kiosk with the Dead Sea soap calls you by name - from 30 feet away.

Worse, some creepy guy likes what he sees when you pull up next to him in traffic. He inputs your RFID on his mobile, and gets everything about you, including address. He may even add your license plate number to the database app on his iphone.

Worse again, you can be completely watched on cameras which turn on only when you are within 30 feet, anywhere in the world. You might not be worried about that at home, but what about when you are at a foreign airport, or in a foreign city? How about when you are crossing between two foreign countries?

It seems that RFID has no redeeming value. Please comment."

Consular Chamber Hosts Guests at Joint Chamber Luncheon in Las Vegas, Nevada

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:20:00 +0000

The Consular Chamber of Commerce hosted a group of distinguished guests at the Joint Chambers of Commerce Luncheon on July 1, 2009, at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The keynote speakers were the Honorable U.S. Senator Harry Reid and Small Business Administration Director Karen Mills.

Senator Reid spoke about the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and how it would provide funding for job-creating projects in Nevada and across the country. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is one of the largest pieces of legislation of the 21st century and will provide funds to build roads, provide aid for needy families, and will put people to work.

SBA Director Karen Mills provided an overview of the SBA, and highlighted the Small Business Development Centers, wherein consultants help small businesses; and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which provides free counseling from retired executives to small businesses and oversees small business loans.

Joining the Consular Chamber of Commerce's Executive Committee, comprised of President Emeritus Jonathan Warren; Honorary Consul of Slovakia Dr. Geoffrey VanderPal; Honorary Vice Consul of Guatemala Dr. Aldo A. Aguirre; and Consular Emissary David Williams, MBA; were the United States Representative to the World Federation of Consuls, the Honorary Consul of Chile Paulina Biggs Sparkhul, the General Consul of El Salvador for Nevada Jose Rodolfo Garcia; the Consular Chamber Director of Special Projects Kenneth Walther; the Nevada Small Business Development Center Director Larry Vierra; and, the Nevada District Export Council President Randy Innis.

Consular Chamber of Commerce Joins Forces with Project C.U.R.E. to bring you the First Lady of Ghana

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:35:00 +0000

The Consular Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Project C.U.R.E. to bring you Ernestina Naadu Mills, First Lady of Ghana.

Please join us in Denver and meet the First Lady herself.

--Hotel Info--

--Event Info--

Consul of Slovakia to Present Consular Chamber at National Notary Assoc. Annual Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:06:00 +0000

Dr. Geoffrey Vanderpal, Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in the USA and Treasurer-elect of the Consular Chamber of Commerce, has been asked to speak at the 5th International Forum on Document Authentication, hosted by the National Notary Association in June.

Consul Vanderpal enhances an already disinguished list of speakers at the event, including Thomas Hoyle, President of the Notaries Society of England and Wales, and Representatives of the US Department of Homeland Security, among others. He will be presenting the Consular Chamber of Commerce and its Certified Consular Notary project, now in development in coordination with the National Notary Association (NNA).

The NNA International Forum on Document Authentication, eNotorization, eSecurity and eApostilles will take place at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas on June 9-12, 2009. Online registration is available. Consul, notary and lawyer members of the Consular Chamber of Commerce are especially encouraged to attend.

9th World Congress of Consuls Confirmed for Izmir, Turkey Nov. 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Hosted by the Honorable Aikut Eken (http://www.consul.cc/consul/index.php/383/JM-TR), Honorary Consul of Jamaica in Turkey, and Secretary-Treasurer of the World Federation of Consuls (FICAC - http://www.ficacworld.org/), the 9th World Congress of Consuls will take place in Izmir, Turkey on 14-18 November, 2009.

A prosperous industrialist and stalwart supporter of the World Federation, Mr. Eken has consulted and planned the event for years, conferring with FICAC board members regularly, on six continents. He had named this Conference "Collaberation for Economic and Social Prosperity."

Known in part for producing legendary events, Mr. Eken has provided a complete website for the event at http://www.congressofconsuls.com/.

All member consular corps of FICAC are invited to attend. If your consular corps is not a member of FICAC, or you are not a consul but would like to attend, you may do so by joining the Consular Chamber of Commerce at http://www.consul.cc/.

The World Conference of Consuls brings together honorary consuls from all over the globe to continually define and promote public and business diplomacy. This is by far the most effective venue to expand one's outreach in business diplomacy or business itself.

Please join us in Izmir for what promises to be yet another amazing and productive World Conference of Consuls.

Honorary Consul General of Turkey to Atlanta, GA USA to lead delegation to Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit, Istanbul, Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:22:00 +0000

The Consular Chamber of Commerce is pleased to publish the following posting from the Honorable Mona Diamond, Hororary Consul General of Turkey to Georgia, USA.

Please let Consul Diamond know you read about her on consul.cc!

------

The inaugural Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit, where women from around the world will come together to advance women’s entrepreneurship and leadership will take place on June 4-5, 2009 at The Marmara Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey. It is organized by KAGIDER with the partnership of the American Turkish Friendship Council (ATFC) in the United States, and the sponsorship of Garanti Bank, one of the largest banks in Turkey.

Our objective is to provide a rare and exciting opportunity to bring together over 300 women leaders and entrepreneurs from Turkey, the United States, the European Union, and the Middle East North Africa regions to network and share valuable information. This international Summit will educate, engage and encourage women to take a more prominent role in the global business community. Representatives from various governments and prominent academic institutions will ensure that a sustainable environment for women leadership and entrepreneurship is proactively addressed. The Summit program will be second to none, and we hope that it will spawn future similar meetings and help initiate collaborations among many women leaders from different countries.

We are also very excited to announce that Ambassador Melanne Verveer, newly appointed by president Obama as the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues will be joining us as a guest speaker.
Don't miss this unique event to explore opportunities ... engage in building international relationships ... and enhance your ability to succeed in the global business community

About KAGIDER

KAGIDER’s vision is to create a world where women are effective in all decision-making processes by producing and expressing themselves freely. KAGIDER’s mission is to develop women entrepreneurship and to empower women in economic and social life.

About the ATFC

As KAGIDER’s partner for the WEL Summit, the ATFC is responsible for planning this summit along with KAGIDER and representing the interests and needs of the American business women.

The ATFC, a not-for-profit organization, was founded by Mona Tekin Diamond, Turkish Honorary Council General for Georgia, USA in 2005.

The ATFC is committed to promoting Turkey with keen focus on expanding relationships through educational, cultural and economic activities.

Visit http://www.welsummit.org/ for detailed information including registration, sessions, speakers, one-on-one business meeting opportunities, pre and post Summit tours, and more. Contact info@theatfc.org with questions.

Mona Tekin Diamond
Turkish Honorary Consul General For Georgia
Chairperson, The American Turkish Friendship Council
1266 West Paces Ferry Rd.NW Suite 257
Atlanta, GA 30327
404.848-9600
Email: mdiamond@honturkishconsulga.org info@theatfc.org

http://www.honturkishconsulga.org/ - http://www.theatfc.org/

What is an Honorary Consul?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 May 2009 22:34:00 +0000

To understand what an Honorary Consul is, we must first come to understand what a Occupational Consul, or Career Consul is.

CAREER CONSULS

Career consuls are government representatives assigned to diplomatic posts in foreign countries, and are recognized diplomats. Each consul represents his or her government (the “sending country”) in a foreign land (the “host country”). A consul of Mexico in Los Angeles, for example, would be a government official of the country of Mexico, authorized to carry out specific duties on behalf of the Mexican government in the U.S. There are many thousands of consuls, residing in virtually every country in the world, representing their sending country’s interests in the host country.

Consuls operate from official offices called consulates. Consulates are part of the diplomatic foreign mission of the sending country, and are officially recognized by the receiving country as diplomatic in nature, and exempt from certain laws in the receiving country. You may have seen such things as consular license plates, flags or residences. These are used with specific permission of the receiving country in its recognition of the foreign mission of the sending country. Various immunities, exemptions and special treatments are designed to enable the consul to expeditiously carry out the duties required by both the sending and receiving countries, and in recognition of the importance of international business and diplomatic relations by most nations.

Larger consulates are headed by a Consul General. A Consul general typically reports directly to his or her ministry of foreign affairs, and their embassy in the receiving country. In the U.S, embassies are typically in Washington, D.C. Diplomatic duties carried out by consuls and consuls general are typically delegated by their embassies or ministries of foreign relations. Such duties may include such tasks as hosting the head of state, ambassador, business magnates or other dignitaries of the sending country when they are visiting the area of the consulate. These visits often involve a close working relationship between the consul and local government officials, as well as U.S. government officials such as the Secret Service.

Consuls advocate for their citizens located in the host country, including specific duties and privileges when criminal charges are brought against the citizenry of the consulate in the host country. In such events, consuls have a right to visit incarcerated nationals to be sure they have received legal representation, among other things.

Consulates may be very large, with hundreds of employees, or very small, with only the consul working from a small office, depending on the size of the sending country’s population in the area of the consulate, and depending on the budget of the sending country.

Most countries have diplomatic relations with each other. Those which do not have diplomatic relations do not send foreign missions to one another.

HONORARY CONSULS

Like their counterparts the standard consuls and consuls general (often referred to as “career consuls”), the honorary consul is an official of the sending country. Unlike regular consuls however, the honorary consul is not a government employee of the sending state, and therefore does not change posts based on changes of administration in the sending country.

Honorary consuls are generally dignitaries or persons of position in business and society in the receiving state, while having some connection to the sending state. Honorary consuls are not necessarily citizens of the sending states; rather, they are recognized by the sending states as persons of influence, capable of furthering the objectives of the sending state in the receiving state.

Honorary consuls may represent large and densely populated counties, or, as is often the case, small countries in the developing world which seek to promote business diplomacy. As big business often seeks to establish itself in the developing world, honorary consuls are often chosen for their acumen in such environs.

Most honorary consuls are people of means or independent wealth who do not receive monetary compensation for their service as consul. They may have other business interests. Many hold the title for life. Such long term establishment of official representation is invaluable to the sending state. Honorary consuls are often called upon to provide back channel information or communications, diplomatic advance team logistics, local reputation perceptions and government relations. Many come from previous careers in trade, business or elected office.

Honorary consuls are unique in that they are officials of both the sending state and the host state. Honorary consuls in the U.S. are confirmed by the State Department and issued a State Department Consular ID. They are provided many of the immunities of standard consular position. Most honorary consuls are appointed by the president of their sending state, rather than the minister of foreign relations as is the case with standard consuls. Effective standard consuls will often call upon honorary consuls to familiarize and introduce the standard consul within an area where the honorary consul resides.

Many honorary consuls have the same capabilities as standard consuls regarding identification and document legalization. This capability is referred to in the honorary consular community as “powers”. Those with powers legalize documents and provide identification (passport) assistance to the citizens of the sending countries. Honorary consuls without powers will often refer such needs to the nearest consul general of their sending state, or will help citizens obtain Hague apostilles when appropriate.

In cases when a developing or small country does not have the budget to maintain an embassy in a given country, they may establish an honorary consul instead. In such cases, the honorary consul fulfills the duties otherwise assigned to ambassadors or consuls general. Such individuals usually hold the title of Honorary Consul General.

Consular and Diplomatic Representation for Small or Developing Countries

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:01:00 +0000

The Consular Chamber of Commerce is uniquely positioned to assist small or developing countries in selecting consular or diplomatic representation globally.

Many smaller countries thrive due to the number of honorary consuls they have put in place in countries where the sending state has interests. One needs only to search the consul.cc consul database to find that countries such as Austria have substantial representation, promoting the business of their states in business circles all over the world. Even the tiny nations of Comoros Islands and Nauru have high-profile, influential honorary consuls general assigned in such far-flung business and population centers and India and Ghana.

Other small and developing countries have yet to catch on. Some still believe that they are granting some, such as Panama and the US, seem to think they are granting some huge privilege to the consul, often allowing jealousy and suspicion of motives reign instead of good business diplomacy.

Still other countries appoint honorary consuls who might be consuls who only seek the title, and are not at all experienced or interested in business diplomacy or public diplomacy. This too is often fruitless.

The best possible honorary consul for a given country is the one who will best and most actively promote that country's cultural and business interests. Honorary consuls must be capable of working hours without pay, and investing funds when needed to play host and impress. Often acting in place of an entire embassy, honorary consuls must truly master the ancient art of business diplomacy.

As honorary consuls are generally not paid and cover their own expenses, small countries can do very well to place them at key locations around the world. A lack of proper vetting of a candidate, or government corruption in the sending state's consulate general as would undermine the proper nomination of a candidate are the primary risks for any country to appoint honorary consuls. These risks are mitigated by the Consular Chamber of Commerce.

With our own database of candidates for honorary consular positions, each of which has been vetted by other confirmed consuls, provided legalized passport identification, been subjected criminal and regulatory screening and provided numerous references, we are positioned to make recommendations to any inquiring country.

Because each of these candidates is a Consular Emissary and assists honorary consuls in their function, they are also experienced in the administration of an honorary consulate.

To become a Consular Emissary, or to obtain consular representation for your country in a given area, please visit www.consul.cc or contact us.

CERTIFIED CONSULAR NOTARY PROGRAM

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:20:00 +0000

The following is a DRAFT proposal prepared for the National Notary Association (USA). The Consular Chamber of Commerce invites comments. We thank you for your participation.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this outline is to produce a working model from which a certification program will be established to enable notary members of the NNA to facilitate and promote identity verification processes provided by the Consular Chamber of Commerce and Identify.nu.

The principals of the Consular Chamber believe that the exclusive ability of NNA member notaries public to facilitate the proprietary and unprecedented identity and document verification services provided hereby will serve to bring substantial value to the NNA membership.

SECTIONS

Consuls and Their Function
Consular ID
Passports and Passport Cards
The Hague Apostille and its Acceptance
Honorary Consuls
Consular Organizations
The Consular Chamber of Commerce
Identity Fraud and Identification Abuse
Privacy Violation
The Identify.nu Solution
Identify.nu & Consular Chamber of Commerce Affiliation
Certified Consular Notary Affiliation and Duties
Certified Consular Notary Opportunity
Consular Emissary Opportunity

SECTION 1: CONSULS AND THEIR FUNCTION

Consuls are government representatives assigned to diplomatic posts in foreign countries, and are recognized diplomats. Each consul represents his or her government (the “sending country”) in a foreign land (the “host country”). A consul of Mexico in Los Angeles, for example, would be a government official of the country of Mexico, authorized to carry out specific duties on behalf of the Mexican government in the U.S. There are many thousands of consuls, residing in virtually every country in the world, representing their sending country’s interests in the host country.

Consuls operate from official offices called consulates. Consulates are part of the diplomatic foreign mission of the sending country, and are officially recognized by the receiving country as diplomatic in nature, and exempt from certain laws in the receiving country. You may have seen such things as consular license plates, flags or residences. These are used with specific permission of the receiving country in its recognition of the foreign mission of the sending country. Various immunities, exemptions and special treatments are designed to enable the consul to expeditiously carry out the duties required by both the sending and receiving countries, and in recognition of the importance of international business and diplomatic relations by most nations.

Larger consulates are headed by a Consul General. A Consul general typically reports directly to his or her ministry of foreign affairs, and their embassy in the receiving country. In the U.S, embassies are typically in Washington, D.C. Diplomatic duties carried out by consuls and consuls general are typically delegated by their embassies or ministries of foreign relations. Such duties may include such tasks as hosting the head of state, ambassador, business magnates or other dignitaries of the sending country when they are visiting the area of the consulate. These visits often involve a close working relationship between the consul and local government officials, as well as U.S. government officials such as the Secret Service.

Consuls advocate for their citizens located in the host country, including specific duties and privileges when criminal charges are brought against the citizenry of the consulate in the host country. In such events, consuls have a right to visit incarcerated nationals to be sure they have received legal representation, among other things.

Consulates may be very large, with hundreds of employees, or very small, with only the consul working from a small office, depending on the size of the sending country’s population in the area of the consulate, and depending on the budget of the sending country.

Most countries have diplomatic relations with each other. Those which do not have diplomatic relations do not send foreign missions to one another.

SECTION 2: CONSULAR ID AND DOCUMENT LEGALIZATION

One of the primary functions of consulates which serve larger populations of their citizens is Identification. The Consular ID is sometimes the only form of local identification available to a person in a country where he or she does not have permanent residence.

Validity of consular ID is provided for by international treaty such as the Vienna Conventions on Consular Relations, to which most developed countries subscribe.

Not all consulates issue consular ID. Some retain only intra-office ID documentation, so that they may re-issue the sending country ID (such as a passport) when a citizen in the host country is in need of identity documentation.

Another major function of Consulates is to provide sending country legalization of documents in the host country. A consul of France in Chicago, for example, may assist a French national visiting Chicago, who needs to legalize paperwork for the sale of a property back in France. Foreign legalization (notarization) is required in hundreds of thousands of such cases in the U.S. each year. These legalizations are a major part of the daily operations of a typical consulate.

SECTION 3: PASSPORTS AND PASSPORT CARDS

Passports are the standard of identity documentation in every country in the world except the USA. Issued according to international treaty and recognized throughout the world, the passport is your government’s confirmation that you are who you say you are, and that you are in fact a citizen of the issuing country.

In all countries but the USA, passports are necessary to obtain utility services, driver licenses and privileged licenses, as well as to transact banking services, travel by air, or travel internationally by any means. Every country has the capability to process passport identification, and every country issues passports in like format. It is and has been the standard for international identification and travel for centuries.

Despite its reluctance in recent years to utilize the passport for ID purposes, the U.S. has the most advanced passport and passport derivative ID in the world. Each U.S. passport issued since 2008 contains an RFID chip which can be scanned when the passport is open, at short distances. The U.S. has provided countries the world over with the ability to scan its passports at ports of entry, providing the data to the Department of Homeland Security.

While no form of ID is completely foolproof, screening by the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, as well as the design of the actual document itself, make the U.S. passport by far the most reliable form of identification.

Despite its strong reliability, your passport contains little for an identity thief to utilize. Passport numbers are not used for credit purposes, and neither your mailing nor home address is included in the printed document. In fact, your name, photo and birth date are the only items of what would typically be considered personally identifiable information.

Recently, the Department of Customs and Border Control within the Department of Homeland Security developed the Passport Card. This is simply an ID-sized card, issued by the United States of America, containing your photo, name, passport number, birth date, issue date and date of expiration. The card also contains an RFID chip which can be read at relatively short distance.

The passport card is a federal ID which, unlike other forms of ID, provides little for an identity thief to utilize. Tougher to fake than a state-issued drivers license, it provides first rate confirmation of your identity and citizenship, as well as passport capability for Americans traveling by land or sea to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean Islands.

SECTION 4: THE HAGUE APOSTILLE AND ITS ACCEPTANCE

As many NNA members are already aware, the Hague Apostille has become the standard in international document authentication.

The Hague is an international court located in the Netherlands, Europe. The Hague Apostille was developed when various countries decided to speed up and simplify the process of legalizing their documents around the world. What they came up with on October 5, 1961 is called the Hague Apostille.

The Hague Apostille is an officially recognized legalization in much of the world, including China, India, Russia, Mexico, all of Europe and most of Central America, the USA and other countries and regions. A map of ratifying countries can be found at http://countries.consul.cc

Even among non-ratifying countries which do not officially recognize the Hague Apostille as being as valid as their own legalizations, many will honor the Hague Apostille for many types of transactions.

The NNA has long been the US leader in development of the Hague Apostille as a standard in document authentication in the US, and is the driving force behind the digitization of the Hague Apostille.

SECTION 5: HONORARY CONSULS

Like their counterparts the standard consuls and consuls general (often referred to as “career consuls”), the honorary consul is an official of the sending country. Unlike regular consuls however, the honorary consul is not a government employee of the sending state, and therefore does not change posts based on changes of administration in the sending country.

Honorary consuls are generally dignitaries or persons of position in business and society in the receiving state, while having some connection to the sending state. Honorary consuls are not necessarily citizens of the sending states; rather, they are recognized by the sending states as persons of influence, capable of furthering the objectives of the sending state in the receiving state.

Honorary consuls may represent large and densely populated counties, or, as is often the case, small countries in the developing world which seek to promote business diplomacy. As big business often seeks to establish itself in the developing world, honorary consuls are often chosen for their acumen in such environs.

Most honorary consuls are people of means or independent wealth who do not receive monetary compensation for their service as consul. They may have other business interests. Many hold the title for life. Such long term establishment of official representation is invaluable to the sending state. Honorary consuls are often called upon to provide back channel information or communications, diplomatic advance team logistics, local reputation perceptions and government relations. Many come from previous careers in trade, business or elected office.

Honorary consuls are unique in that they are officials of both the sending state and the host state. Honorary consuls in the U.S. are confirmed by the State Department and issued a State Department Consular ID. They are provided many of the immunities of standard consular position. Most honorary consuls are appointed by the president of their sending state, rather than the minister of foreign relations as is the case with standard consuls. Effective standard consuls will often call upon honorary consuls to familiarize and introduce the standard consul within an area where the honorary consul resides.

Many honorary consuls have the same capabilities as standard consuls regarding identification and document legalization. This capability is referred to in the honorary consular community as “powers”. Those with powers legalize documents and provide identification (passport) assistance to the citizens of the sending countries. Honorary consuls without powers will often refer such needs to the nearest consul general of their sending state, or will help citizens obtain Hague apostilles when appropriate.

In cases when a developing or small country does not have the budget to maintain an embassy in a given country, they may establish an honorary consul instead. In such cases, the honorary consul fulfills the duties otherwise assigned to ambassadors or consuls general. Such individuals usually hold the title of Honorary Consul General.

SECTION 6: CONSULAR ORGANIZATIONS

Consuls of various countries will often organize themselves into a corps or society within their metropolitan areas. Such organizations are designed to enable and enhance international relations within the local community. Most corps and societies include both honorary and standard consuls.

In the U.S, the Consular Corps College (www.consular-corps-college.org) helps to educate honorary and career consuls on the procedures consular endeavors and documentation within the U.S.

Globally, the World Federation of Consuls NGO (www.ficacworld.org) is a federation of consular corps founded in 1982. This international group works to build the use and public recognition of the honorary consul around the world.

In 2007, the Consular Chamber of Commerce (www.consul.cc) was formed to enhance world wide consular accessibility, ease identity and document authentication, and to promote international business and good will. The Consular Chamber of Commerce forms local consul chapters within the US and other countries. These chapters themselves are often members of the World Federation of Consuls and the Consular Corps College.

SECTION 7: THE CONSULAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WHO WE ARE

The Consular Chamber of Commerce is a global, non-political, not-for-profit organization incorporated in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007. We have over 1100 diplomatic members directly, and another 3000 diplomatic members by extension of our own organizational memberships. Our corporate, data management and financial structure spans three continents. The Consular Chamber has only just begun opening its membership to businesses and affiliates (individual businesspeople).

OUR MISSION

To establish, standardize, maintain and promote a global community of honorary consuls, in organized support of international fair trade, business initiatives and cultural awareness;

To establish, standardize, maintain and promote a global community of consular emissaries who advocate for the honorary consuls and their status according to the Vienna Conventions and protocols;

To implement and promote standards of practice and technology in identity verification, reputation assessment and transparency, for facilitation of less encumbered and more transparent transaction of business across international borders, and across cultures.

To promote secular education, which welcomes all religions and races, in areas where education is most lacking.

To promote gender equality in all dealings, in all regions.

To celebrate and promote cultural appreciation and diversity in all dealings.

To elevate the subject of global business diplomacy in business, diplomatic and academic circles.

To elevate the Consular Chamber of Commerce mission wherever the subject of global business diplomacy is spoken.

To establish, standardize, maintain and promote a global community of businesses which strive to adhere to this mission statement in their dealings.

The Consular Chamber of Commerce website hosts its online communities and data access for membership at www.consul.cc. We do not accept any form of advertising on any part of the website.

WHY THE CONSULAR CHAMBER? KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER

When doing business across international borders, especially in the developing world, the challenge, naturally, is knowing your customer. Are they who they say they are? Do they have the relationships the claim to have? Are they as capable as they say? The Consular Chamber of Commerce utilizes trusted diplomats - honorary consuls, on the ground in locations the world over, to verify these criteria. Because of our unprecedented and unmatched ability to document identity and reputation, we are the premier means of ensuring that you know who you are dealing with.

WHY HONORARY CONSULS?

Honorary Consuls are the front line of early and back channel diplomacy, international business promotion and on-the-ground diplomatic advance teams. Honorary Consuls are usually appointed by the head of state of the country they represent, are officials of both the sending country which they represent, and the receiving country in which they live. They are not government employees and, unlike career consuls, are not tied to a single administration and bound to change posts. Honorary consuls therefore are the 'go-to' people for the countries they represent, when infiltrating the market where the honorary consul lives.

The Consular Chamber of Commerce is the only institution combining the talents of thousands of honorary consuls, representing countries from all over the globe, living in every corner of the earth, in your firm's market penetration or market improvement. Please click the link below for more benefits of membership.

In Las Vegas, the Consular Chamber has hosted visiting dignitaries including Ambassadors, Heads of State and business magnates. The Consular Chamber is the sponsor of Dine with Dignitaries, where our members dine privately with such visitors. We also developed and funded the Royal African Ball to benefit secular school development in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2006, scheduled again for the fall of 2010 with hundreds already committed.

The Consular Chamber of Commerce Las Vegas Chapter was the first consular organization from North America to obtain member status in the World Federation of Consuls, a U.N.-recognized Brussels NGO (www.ficac-world.org) which supports honorary consuls around the world. Our officers have had observer status with the World Federation's Board of Directors for 4 years on 6 continents. The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Consular Chamber is also the North American Membership Chairperson for the World Federation of Consuls in Brussels. At the meeting of the World Federation in Monte Carlo in February, 2009, 7 delegates from the Consular Chamber Las Vegas Chapter were in attendance, injecting our business interests directly into desired markets by one-to-one contact with the key facilitators in the many countries represented.
SECTION 8: IDENTITY FRAUD AND IDENTIFICATION ABUSE

By now, all notaries should be intimately familiar with identity theft, the most common crime in the U.S. and still fastest growing.

Identity theft is most often referred to regarding the practice of fraudulently obtaining credit in the name of someone else. Other, lesser known identity theft practices include health care identity theft, address theft, corporate officer falsification and drivers license assumptions. Perpetrators will run up medical bills on your health insurance, list you as officer of a corporation which commits crimes, and more. The tales of woe abound.

Most identity theft stems from identification abuse. This takes place when identification is required of consumers in unwarranted and insecure environs. The cashier who holds your credit card and asks for your ID, for example, is the primary perpetrator of theft of the very information you are handing them.

Identification abuse examples include:
a) Cashier ID checking
b) Social Security number use in ID
c) Drivers License use as ID other than for driving
d) Careless faxing or unsecured digital transfer of ID
e) Requirements of home addresses on ID

Falsifying identification when transacting long distance or international business has been very easy to do. This has seriously impeded the ability of business in the developed world from dealing in lesser developed countries.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States, which guarantees payments by foreign buyers of US exports, has in recent years successfully prosecuted hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud cases, perpetrated in the US and abroad, largely involving identity falsification. Many other institutions have similar stories.

SECTION 9: PRIVACY VIOLATIONS

Privacy violations are serious. In the U.S, most such violations by commercial entities constitute FTC violations, with stiff penalties available to the harmed parties.

The Chief Information Officer of the Consular Chamber of Commerce is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPPS, www.privacyassociation.org). We go to great lengths to protect privacy of our members.

In general, a privacy violation occurs whenever any of a person’s personally identifiable information, such as name, address, birth date, photo, social security number, etc. is provided to someone else, without the consent of the person identified. Such instances may be much more common than you think.

Circumstances provide for ample opportunity for privacy violations and identity abuse whenever a person seeks to transact business long distance or across state or international borders. The lack of a standard tends to cause the request for unnecessary documents, and an inability to verify what documents are received.

These are the reasons the Identify.nu identity authentication standard was implemented.

SECTION 10: THE IDENTIFY.NU SOLUTION

Identify.nu utilizes the consular members of the Consular Chamber of Commerce to verify the identification of Chamber members.

Each member provides to a certified confirmed member consul a copy of the member’s passport which has been notarized by a Certified Consular Notary of the NNA. The consul then reviews the documents and either (a) legalizes them in the country where the passport was issued, or (b) obtains a Hague Apostille for the notarized copy. The member Consul then uploads the final document to the Identify.nu system via secure internet connection.

Upon receipt of the upload, the Consular Chamber of Commerce Due Diligence Dept. reviews the documents for accuracy, and enters them into the system. Once in the system, the identified individual may authorize the download of the apostilled or legalized passport copy to any member he or she chooses.

In addition, Identify.nu interfaces with OpenID.org to allow for authorized digital confirmation of verified ID to any website accepting the OpenID platform. Such sites include financial sites, email servers and social networking sites, among others.

Identify.nu allows a user to verify all of the data provided, or only a part thereof. Age may be verified for example, without address. Country of citizenship may be verified without anything else. Name may be the only component verified if you like. All of this is delivered via secure internet connection.

SECTION 11: IDENTIFY.NU AND CONSULAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AFFILIATION

In addition to the identify.nu standard, the Consular Chamber of Commerce securely stores other credentials for its business members, including banker’s reference, attorney or accountant reference, criminal & regulatory name screening, and consular letter of recommendation. Each of these is most credible when notarized as true and correct by a Certified Consular Notary prior to uploading by the consul member.

SECTION 12: CERTIFIED CONSULAR NOTARY AFFILIATION AND DUTIES

Certified Consular Notaries (CCN’s) of the NNA are the only notaries recognized by the Consular Chamber of Commerce and Identify.nu as competent to facilitate the client explanations and notarizations required to fulfill the identification standard of Identify.nu, and the credentials of the Consular Chamber of Commerce.

Consul members of the Consular Chamber of Commerce will seek Certified Consular Notaries from the NNA database. CCN’s are recognized for their familiarity with the consular positions, as well as their practices & procedures, such as foreign country legalizations and obtaining the Hague Apostille.

In the coming years, millions of individual Chamber members will seek to input their identification to facilitate long distance business transactions, as well as to simply be able to securely provide online verification of their ID, age, national citizenship or other personally identifiable information to their intended recipients. Certified Consular Notaries will provide multiple notarizations for each such request, and will be invaluable in providing expertise concerning the entire process.

The number of consuls in the U.S. is equal to approximately 1% of the number of notaries public. It is therefore critical that the CCN becomes familiar with the local consuls identified at consul.cc. The CCN should not hesitate to be the catalyst in bringing new membership to the member consuls to confirm and upload identification, while providing all of the necessary notarizations.

SECTION 13: OPPORTUNITY

The CCN has a unique opportunity to attract a great deal of previously unseen business by introducing yourself to the consul members of the Consular Chamber of Commerce in your area. Each of these is listed at www.consul.cc, with contact capability, free of charge.

Consuls typically generate a tremendous amount of notarial acts. There is opportunity for a Certified Consular Notary to officiate vast numbers of acts unrelated to the Consular Chamber and Identify.nu from any one consul. Consul members of the Consular Chamber of Commerce are routinely reminded of the proficiency of those holding the CCN certification. Please don’t hesitate to let them know a CCN is in the area and able to assist.

SECTION 14: CONULAR EMISSARY OPPORTUNIY

Trusted individuals upon whom honorary consuls come to depend to transact sensitive business on behalf of the constituents of the consul, or the consulate itself, are sometimes bestowed the title of Consular Emissary.

The order of Consular Emissaries sets standards and avails the Emissaries of other consuls or their constituents by directory and transparent endorsement tracking at consul.cc. Emissaries may elect to accept missions from consuls for nominal fees.

Consular Emissaries also partake in international affairs and Consular Chamber activities in their regions.

Certified Consular Notaries may become Consular Emissaries by earning the title from a member honorary

consul.

COMPENSATION FOR HONORARY CONSULS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:50:00 +0000

INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR HONORARY CONSULS IMPLEMENTING AND MAINTAINING THE CONSULAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE / IDENTIFY.NU IDENTITY VERIFICATION STANDARD OF CONSUL.CC

The Consular Chamber of Commerce and Identify.nu have developed an unprecedented accuracy in identity verification and delivery, for international and domestic use.

Utilizing new capabilities in established standards of authentication and transmittal of individual identities internationally, we anticipate partnership with government agencies globally, as well as with organizations of notaries public and the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

METHODOLOGY

Clients of Identify.nu complete an identity verification process which includes obtaining and providing a copy of their passport, certified by a consul and bearing a Hague Apostille or legalization by the issuing country (if the member consul represents the issuing country and has powers to provide legalization). Consul members of the Consular Chamber of Commerce are presented with, or assist in obtaining, passport copies which carry the legalization or the Hague Apostille.

Upon receipt of the apostilled or legalized passport copy in person, the member consul verifies that the document appears to be a true and correct copy of the original, then scan and uploads the document to the consul.cc secure online storage facility.

Once uploaded, the Identify.nu Due Diligence Department reviews the file for inaccuracies, then adds it to the identify.nu system.

FUNCTIONALITY

The document is stored securely on dedicated servers in Denmark, and becomes part of an image file which the identified person may authorize for release to any other Identify.nu subscriber, including Consular Chamber of Commerce confirmed members.

The Identify.nu system interfaces with OpenID.org, allowing for the secure and seamless integration of this unprecedented level of identity verification into existing internet uses, such as bank account logins, airline bookings, and age verifications and name checking on social networking sites, among thousands of other possibilities.

The ability of the Identify.nu system to provide on-location government-vetted individuals virtually anywhere in the world (consuls) to confirm the apostilled or legalized identifications, coupled with the ability to deliver the results securely by standardized method of OpenID.org or by membership in the Consular Chamber of Commerce, creates a new standard in identity documentation and verification.

CONSUL ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPENSATION

Members of the Consular Chamber who are certified by the Chamber as having been confirmed by their receiving countries, and who perform such identity verifications for other certified member consuls free of charge, are eligible to confirm identification for any identify.nu subscriber, for compensation.

Identify.nu will pay each consul US $10.00 for each identification confirmed by a paying member of identify.nu. Each such identity verification re-confirmed upon expiration of the passport verified will also provide a $10.00 renewal fee to the verifying consul.

Should the verification be for a paid member of the Consular Chamber of Commerce, the verifying consul will receive compensation of US $20.00 per verification and US $20.00 per year for every year that individual remains a paid and ID confirmed member of the Consular Chamber of Commerce.

CONCLUSION

With the clear and immediate need for confirmed identification transmitted digitally, the Identify.nu system of ID verification and delivery provided by the Consular Chamber of Commerce is likely to be utilized by millions of individuals around the world. Consuls are uniquely positioned to facilitate this necessary migration, and to be properly compensated in an ongoing fashion for doing so.

CONSUL ENROLLMENT

Go to www.consul.cc. Click where indicated to search for a consul, and see if you are presently enrolled. If you are, you will find your name listed and a page dedicated to you, with information you likely submitted some time ago. If you do not find your name in the search, simply click “Membership” and “Enroll” follow the steps to enter your information, then skip to step 3.

Consul.cc utilizes Identify.nu technology to provide protected login information for each member of Consul.cc. If you are presently a member, place your curser on “Membership” on the menu at the top of the page, then click “Log in” from the drop-down menu. Enter your email address and click the “Begin” button. You will then be transferred to the Identify.nu password page. If you do not know your password, place the curser over “Membership” and click on “Reset Password” from the drop-down menu. The system will then email you a new temporary password.
Check your email for your new password, and enter it where indicated on the login screen. Follow the prompts and instructions to allow the Identify.nu service to share the protected information with consul.cc for the directory.

From your member login, click on “User Info” at the top of the page, and complete the information you would like to publish.

From the member login, click on “Consul Info” and complete the consular data you would like to publish. Click “Save” at the bottom of the screen. You will then be transferred to a confirmation screen, from which you may request confirmation of your consular status by another member consul who is certified confirmed. The system will allow you to choose from several. If you do not know a consul on the list, request confirmation from Paulina Biggs Sparkuhl, Honorary Consul of Chile to the USA. This will allow Consul Biggs Sparkuhl to confirm your status, which will then be reflected in the directory. You will then be able to confirm other consuls you know as well.

Once your are in the system as a confirmed consul, you may request to confirm your identity. This will involve providing a copy of your passport, either legalized by the county of issue, or with a Hague Apostille. The Consular Chamber and Identify.nu are waiving the charge to document and securely store identification for the initial confirmed consuls in each country. This offer may cease at any time. To request a waiver of the $20. Identify.nu fee, please email Consul Biggs Sparkuhl at vegas@consul.cc . In order to have the fee waived for your own ID confirmation, you must agree to provide ID verifications for free to other member consuls as well. For faster completion, you may opt to simply pay the $20. fee, and have it refunded when you confirm your first identification of another member within the system.

When your identification and consular status are certified confirmed, you will automatically be one of the consuls listed as eligible to confirm identities of any member, as well as status of other consuls you know.

Each Identity confirmation you complete for paying members will provide you with payment of the fees detailed herein above.

Participants may begin now at http://www.consul.cc/