His Excellency October 2016 Ambassador Harald Braun

Permanent Representative to the United WHO WE ARE Nations from The Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy actively supports UVU’s global engage- ment efforts by advancing UVU’s presence and prestige in Ambassador Harald Braun has been SUNY Stony Brook before entering the International community; the Permanent Representative of the Foreign Service in 1981. helping UVU students become Germany to the United Nations in globally competent graduates; Ambassador Braun was awarded an New York since March 2014. Honorary Citizenship of Washing- promoting cultural literacy and Prior to his nomination, Ambassa- ton D.C. in 2002. He is Grand diversity both on campus and in dor Braun was State Secretary of Officier of the National Order of the the community. the Federal Foreign Office from French Legion D’Honneur, bearer 2011 to 2014. Between 2009 and of the Grand Cross of the Italian 2011 he had been Director-General Order of Merit and further interna- for Management of the German tional distinctions, as well as a Foreign Office. Former diplomatic member of the Knights of the Or- postings include Beirut, London, der of St. John. CONTACT US Bujumbura, Washington and Paris. He has been married to Dr. Ute Office of International Affairs In 1992-94 he was Chief of Staff to Braun since 1980; they have three the Foreign Minister and from 2003 LA111f adult children and two grandchil- to 2005 Deputy Foreign and Securi- dren. 800 West University Parkway ty Adviser to the Federal Chancel- MS 263 lor. His interests include classical mu- sic, modern literature, arts and Orem, UT 84058 From 2005 to 2008 he was on leave sports. Phone: 801-863-7191 of absence from the diplomatic service as Corporate Senior Vice E-mail: [email protected] President for policy and external www.uvu.edu/intlaffairs relations of Siemens AG. In March 2008 Ambassador Braun was named Research Professor for Global Studies and Diplomacy at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Harald Braun studied economics and history in Tübingen and New York and completed a doctorate at

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT

Germany

 The was once the lin- THE OF gua franca of central, eastern and north- Germany ern , and remains the language with the most native speakers in Eu- rope.  As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors, Germany is both the world's third-largest exporter and importer of goods.

MEANING  Frankfurt International Airport claims The flag of Germany is the world record in the most interna- a tricolor consisting of three equal tional destinations served. The horizontal bands displaying Lufthansa, based in Frankfurt, is the the colors of Germany: , , world's largest airline in terms of inter- and . The flag was first adopt- national passengers carried, and Eu- ed as the of mod- rope's largest in terms of passenger- ern Germany in 1919, during kilometers flown, freight ton-kilometers flown and fleet size. the . The colors of the modern flag are associated  The Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) tradi- with the republican democra- tion came from Germany. cy formed after , and  The first printed book was in German. represent German unity and free- dom.  Ulm Cathedral is the tallest church in the world, with 161.53 metres (530 feet)

in height.  A long tradition of sausage-making ex- ists in Germany; more than 1500 differ- ent types of sausage (German: Wurst) are made. Strict regulations governing what may and may not be put into them have been in force in Germany since the 13th century.

 Oktoberfest is held annually in Mu- www.eupedia.com/germany/ nich, Bavaria, Germany, it is a 16- to 18- trivia.shtml; https:// day folk festival running from mid or en.wikipedia.org/ late September to the first weekend in October, with more than 6 million peo- ple from around the world attending the event every year.