March 2014 Dr. Michael Nobel Honoured Receives the FICAC Order of Merit 50th Anniversary celebrations of the United Nations Vienna Convention on Consular Relations were held at the J.W. Marriott Marquis in Miami Florida on the 1st of February 2014. Dr. Michael Nobel is the first recipient of the FICAC Order of Merit, the commemorative medal of the 50th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 from the President of FICAC, Hon. Arnold Foote, OJ, CD, JP. Also in photograph from left, Hon. Nikolaos Margaropoulos, Director, Hon. Aykut Eken, Secretary General, Hon. Costas Lefkaritis, Vice President of FICAC. Several Dignitaries from around the world flew to Miami for the occasion. This historic event was well attended and very successful. 1 Introduction of Dr. Michael Nobel by Hon. Nikolaos Margaropoulos In picture from left Hon. Aykut Eken, FICAC Secretary General, Hon. Nikolaos Margaropoulos introducing Dr. Michael Nobel, FICAC President, Honourable Arnold Foote and Hon. Costas Lefkaritis. In his introduction, Hon. Nikolaos United Nation’s Social Affairs Division fellow at the Centre for the Study of Margaropoulos said: in the field of drug abuse prevention. World Civilizations at Tokyo Tech For 15 years he also represented the and a professor at Seisa University. Michael Nobel was born in 1941 in Nobel family as vice chairman and He regularly gives keynote lectures Stockholm, Sweden. He is a member of later chairman of its board of directors. on various subjects at international the Nobel family, the great grandson of He is founder and trustee of the Nobel conferences around the world. Industrialist and humanitarian, Ludvig Sustainable Trust. Nobel, the founder of Branobel, and one Michael Nobel sits on several of the worlds richest men in his time. Dr. Nobel participated in the introduction international prize committees and has Ludvig was the brother of Alfred Nobel of magnetic resonance imaging as received many international citations who invented dynamite, and established European Vice President of Fonar Corp and awards for his work in the fields of 5 prizes in the family name. in 1981. From 1991 to 2007 he served as medicine and conflict resolution. These After studies in Sweden and America the Executive Chairman of the MRAB include an honorary doctorate from Prof. Nobel obtained a doctorate at Group, a company providing diagnostic Soka University in Japan and honorary the University of Lausanne in psycho- imaging services to Swedish hospitals. professorships from the National pedagogy. Today Dr. Nobel is chairman or board Academy of Science of Azerbaijan and member of six international companies the Alfred Nobel University in Ukraine. He then worked for seven years as in medical diagnostics, treatment and a researcher in social sciences at the information systems. Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great Institute for Mass Communication at pleasure to ask Dr. Michael Nobel to the Lausanne University and at the In the academic field Dr. Nobel was come forward and receive the FICAC Department of Social Psychiatry at visiting professor at the Frontier Order of Merit, the Commemorative the Institute of Social and Preventive Research Institute at the Tokyo Medal marking the 50th Anniversary Medicine. He was also consultant to Institute of Technology between 2007 of the Vienna Convention on Consular UNESCO in Paris and the Geneva and 2012. He is currently a senior Relations. 2 President of FICAC welcomes guests to the banquet Honouring Dr. Michael Nobel FICAC President, The Honourable Arnold Foote OJ, CD, JP, Dr. Michael Nobel and Hon. Costas Lefkaritis. FICAC President Arnold Foote, states on the attainment by the Vienna publicly congratulate the United in his speech, said: Convention on Consular Relations of Nations on its achievement. its Golden Jubilee. The Board of Directors of our On behalf of the Board of Directors Federation decided to mark the of the World Federation of Consuls, To mark the occasion of the occasion by honouring 5 outstanding it gives me great pleasure to welcome 50th Anniversary of the Vienna citizens of the world and I am pleased you all here this evening to our Convention on Consular Relations, a to announce that Dr. Michael Nobel banquet to honour Dr. Michael Nobel. reception was held by our Federation was the first world citizen chosen. Dr. at the Turkish Centre, opposite the Nobel will receive the FICAC Order On 24th April, 1963, the United United Nations, at which over 100 of Merit, the commemorative medal Nations Conference on Consular countries were represented. marking the 50th Anniversary of Relations adopted and opened for the Vienna Convention on Consular signature, the Vienna Convention The guest list was headed by H. E. Relations. on Consular Relations, the Optional Mr. Vuk Jeremic, President of the Protocol concerning acquisition of General Assembly of the United While the origin of the Consular nationality and the Optional Protocol Nations. The Secretary General H. institution can be traced back to concerning the compulsory settlement E. Ban Ki-moon, sent his apologies ancient Greece, it was not until the of disputes. for not being able to attend due to a 12th century that the first figure of On 24th April, 2013, The World previous engagement. the Consul emerged and developed Federation of Consuls congratulated It is important to note that our to its present and more complex the United Nations and its member Federation is the only NGO to structure. The extraordinary increase 3 recognized by the Organization of American States. The World Federation of Consuls has achieved international recognition, credibility and influence. Today, our Federation has over 90 country members, associations and affiliated members with several thousand individual Consul members. Our membership is a network of highly experienced, well connected individuals, whose determined focus, combined expertise and resources can President of World Federation of Consuls Hon. Arnold Foote congratulates Dr. Michael Nobel on be used to impact the world for good. his receiving the FICAC Order of Merit. “This award is well deserved Dr. Nobel. We are honored that you are here with us tonight receiving the FICAC Order of Merit” says Hon. Arnold Foote. The practice of mutual respect and adherence to the principals recognized of Consulates during the 19th and Associations to share experiences and in the Vienna Convention on Consular 20th centuries revealed the need for a to coordinate efforts to enhance the Relations 1963 will continue to guide precise legal framework specific to the effectiveness and status of the Consul. the promotion of Consular cooperation Consular service and the legal status of Our Federation is incorporated in in each member country. Consuls. Belgium by Royal Decree as a non- We have undertaken an extensive profit international organization with programme, to congratulate and thank The Vienna Convention on Consular its Permanent Secretariat located in the United Nations, and celebrate Relations 1963 recognized that Brussels. the 50th Anniversary of the Vienna Honorary Consuls that had been Convention on Consular Relations, extensively utilized in the past, The Federation’s business is conducted which involves all our members in constituted an efficient instrument through several committees, each every region of the world. in enhancing international relations. operating with clearly defined Later on, changes in social, political portfolios and terms of reference. Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of and economic activity created a new Our Board of Directors meets the Directors and members of our challenge for the Consular institution; quarterly to evaluate action by the Federation, I would like to again the protection of citizens and the committees and take decisions on their welcome you and thank you for being safeguard of their interest. recommendations, in accordance with with us tonight and sincerely hope you mandates and policies agreed by the will enjoy the evening. The World Federation of Consuls was General Assembly at our Triennial established in Copenhagen in October World Congress. Thank you. 1982 as the Federation Internationale des Corps et Associations Consulaires, Our Federation enjoys United Nations abbreviated as FICAC. FICAC was recognition as an NGO with ECOSOC born out of the necessity to bring Status. We have similar recognition at together Consular Corps and Consular the European Union, and we are also 4 Dr. Michael Nobel praises Consuls. “You are truly indispensable representatives of the Diplomatic Corps” In photograph with Dr. Michael Nobel are Hon. Nikolaos Margaropoulos, Director, Hon. Sylvain Cohen, Director, Hon. Francois Piers, Director and Hon. Aykut Eken, FICAC Secretary General. In his speech, Hon. Dr. Michael Nobel I am very pleased to see so many said: representatives of the diplomatic corps here but I would also like to thank those Dear Arnold, excellences, dear here who are not members of FICAC colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. and have come tonight. It is great to be here tonight and I am very honored to participate in this Starting with those who have the farthest prestigious dinner organized by the to travel we have among us Nicolai International Federation of Consuls. Korpan from Vienna, Henrik Selstam I have been asked to talk about the from Gothenburg with his business Nobel Prize but before I do I would associate Erik Fareid from Norway, like to express my special thanks to a Vincent Giampapa with partner from number of persons here. New Jersey. From Florida we have Fred Blevens and his wife, Tom Schaefer I’d like to warmly thank Arnold and and last but certainly not least, Robin Patricia Foote for hosting this event and and Susie Shelley from Coconut Grove. for doing me this singular honor. My Thank you all very much for being thanks also go to the board of directors here. I also would like to express some of the International Federation of words of admiration for the members Dr.