World Madam International Culture Week, hosted by World Madam Foundation and jointly presented by World Madam Group, took place from December 10th to 15th locally in New York. UN ambassadors, elites from all walks of life and candidates from all regions attended the event ceremoniously in batches.

On December 12, Dr. Djibril Diallo, the former United Nations General Assembly Press Secretary served as World Madam 2024 chairman of the annual review committee; Daniel del Valle Blanco, Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Committee of UN-Habitat, led World Madam Global Authentication Officer representatives and the former World Madam Global Winner representatives formed the 13-member jury. After reviewing of videos and live speeches, talents, Chan Laifong from Macao and Liora Michelle Green from America tied for first place as World Madam 2024 Global Overall Champion. At the same time, nominated by the Chair of judges, ? was awarded the honor of World Madam 2024 Global Honorary Champion; and Shayana Rex from Canada won the title of World Miss 2024 Overall Champion, Helena Hou from New Zealand claimed the victory of World Junior 2024 Overall Champion. More than 20 candidates from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Guyana, Bolivia, EI Salvador and other countries and regions, as well as their families and friends added color to the culture week activity.

The award ceremony was held in Oheka Castle, the largest private castle in New York. The attendees were over 200, including: Anni Huang, founder of World Madam Foundation and World Madam Global Brand, Lisa Chen, Global Authentication officer, Cici Zhang, Europe Authentication officer, Fei Fang, U.S. Authentication Officer, Adem Erol, Turkey Chief Executive, Xuefen Mo, New Zealand Chief Executive, Alice Liao, Canada Chief Executive, Lily Yan, Northern California Chief Executive, Alan Yang, Director of World Madam Group, Zaozao Wang, 2021 World Madam Global Audience Choice Champion, Lili Han, 2022 World Madam Global Overall Champion, Sepideh Behboudi, 2023 World Madam Global Overall Champion, World Madam regional organizing committee representatives and people from fields of art, education, finance, diplomacy, media, etc..

At the award ceremony, World Madam Global Organizing Committee presented Star Organizing Committee Award to New Zealand Organizing Committee, and World Madam Lifetime Achievement Award to Xuefen Mo. Peter Cheng, director of Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Fushou Senior Center which was sponsored by World Madam Foundation for many times, expressed sincere gratitude and awarded honorary medals.

On the afternoon of December 13, World Madam representatives attended the UNCA 2024 Annual Ceremony, which was supported by World Madam Foundation. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Ambassador representatives had a cordial talk with Anni Huang, World Madam representative and took a group photo.

On December 14, part award winner representatives and their friends and relatives shared their New York experience with honor on reception party held by Anni Huang. Finally, accompanied by the blessings of all representatives and award winners, World Madam 2024 International Culture Week wrapped up.

“WORLD MADAM” is an international brand with global influence. The term “madam” in WORLD MADAM is derived from the French “madame.” It is a polite and formal form of address for women in both English and French languages, pronounced as “ma dame.” It’s registered and initiated by Anni Huang in Canada, later, it operates globally in the way of China- America double headquarters by World Madam Group with support of World Madam Foundation. The aim of World Madam is to establish more female role models, promote the training of female talents, maintain social stability, help the underprivileged women and child, so as to facilitate the world peace and development. With the concept of “One Small Step for Madams, One Giant Leap for the World”, it has become a comprehensive service platform providing empowerment for women from all over the world. Through cultural activities that show female charm and spread their inspirational stories, World Madam aims to push forward the commercial layout and operation for global female entrepreneurship and employment.

Over the years, the brand has been considered as symbol of modern women fashion culture, even been called by people in this field as “Oscar” in women’s world. Since its foundation, hundreds of international activities have been taken place, which attracted millions of women from different countries and regions. These women not only demonstrated their personal talents and charm, but interpreted the core value of the brand World Madam and further enhanced the brand’s depth and connotation.

Over the years, the brand has been considered as symbol of modern women fashion culture, even been called by people in this field as “Oscar” in women’s world. Since its foundation, hundreds of international activities have been taken place, which attracted millions of women from different countries and regions. These women not only demonstrated their personal talents and charm, but interpreted the core value of the brand World Madam and further enhanced the brand’s depth and connotation.

According to De Wet, World Madam Group Global Secretary, as of December 2024, World Madam brand has got 80+ independent intellectual property rights around the world, established over 100 city meeting rooms and partner agencies, held more than one hundred large-scale series events and made charitable donations exceeding 100 times. Nearly 1 million women participated in its activities directly or indirectly, and once set a data record of more than 2 million people online watching worldwide, attracting over 700 mainstream media’s follow and report. In 2024, World Madam launched “Double 100” activity (100 madams endorse 100 brands) to build stronger connections with other international brands. Looking ahead, World Madam will continue to create diversified, open and inclusive career development platform for all women by means of brand cooperation and connection; pass positive energy and make greater contribution for our society with continuous innovation and cross-cultural development strategies.

After years of development, World Madam has shaped into a pattern that taking international cultural activities as their main axis, gradually cooperating with the global female and household consumer goods supply chain, and using a modern network operation mode combining online and offline. Besides, it also created salary incentive mechanism to assist global female in their entrepreneurship and employment, so as to form version 1.0 World Madam brand commercial closed-loop layout. This year (2024), keynote speeches and series of activities conducted by Anni Huang, the founder of World Madam, have repeatedly pushed its brand influence to a new high.

In 2025, World Madam Group will accelerate it’s brand upgrade to version 2.0 and expand the education and multimedia field. In the future, it will take advantage of the platform to build global live video streaming system, making the unemployed women caused by family issues or postpartum reasons as priority, and help them return to work or start new businesses. These initiatives will further strengthen the brand’s influence and appeal worldwide and present it’s social responsibility and global leadership perfectly.

WORLD MADAM List of winners of the 2024 Global Annual Selection

I. WORLD MADAM GROUP：

1、 World Madam 2024 Global Honorary Champion

Rokhaya Niang ｜SENEGAL

Nonhlanhla Jiyane ｜SOUTH AFRICA

Saran Somparé ｜REPUBIC OF GUINEA

2、World Madam 2024 Global Overall Champion:

Chan Laifong|MACAO   

Liora Michelle Green| AMERICA

3、World Madam 2024 Global Audience Choice Champion：

Xiangling Huang|CANADA

Naomi Parisette|AMERICA

4、World Madam 2024 Global Wisdom Champion：

Chen Yun|CANADA

5、World Madam 2024 Global Talent Champion：

Cheng Zou|AMERICA

6、World Madam 2024 Global Elegance Champion：

Yelin Liu|KOREA

7、World Madam 2024 Global Runner-up：

Jocelyn Bullock|VIETNAM

Haixiang Wang|CHINA

8、World Madam 2024 Global Third Place：

Xiaoying Wu|CHINA

Weiyan Huang|CANADA

9、World Madam 2024 Global Charity Ambassador：

Xu Ling|CANADA

10、World Madam 2024 Global Best in Family Harmony：

Chum Yee Yan|SINGAPRO

11、  World Madam 2024 Global Most Inspirational ：

Sophia So|THAILAND

II. WORLD MISS GROUP

1、World Miss 2024 Global Overall Champion:

Shayana Rex|CANADA

2、World Miss 2024 Global Audience Choice Champion：

Xiaojing XU |CHINA

3、World Miss 2024 Global Elegance Champion：

Aislinn Evans|AMERICA

4、World Miss 2024 Global Wisdom Champion：

Haitong Huang|CHINA

5、World Miss 2024 Global Talent Champion：

Desseri Dubhnath|GUYANA

6、World Miss 2024 Global Best in Vitality：

Maria Belen Paz Soldan De Ugarte |BOLIVIA

Daniela María Vasquez Segovia|El SALIVADOR

7、World Miss 2024 Global Most Fashionable：

Jasmine Metivier |FRANCH

III. WORLD JUNIOR GROUP

1、 –World Junior 2024 Global Overall Champion：

–World Junior 2024 Global Best Wisdom Award：

Helena Hou|NEW ZEALAND

2、 -World Junior 2024 Global Audience Choice Champion：

–World Junior 2024 Global Most Talent Award：

Tiffany Chen|AMERICA

The post World Madam 2024 International Culture Week Ended in New York Chan Laifong from MACAO Won World Madam 2024 Global Overall Champion appeared first on Good News!.

Milestone Broadcast did all the marketing for the first Lunar New Year Stamp, US Postal…
Marina Johnson
Indianapolis Star

It’s the Year of the Wood Dragon: What to know about Lunar New Year celebrations

Lunar New Year, the beginning of the new year based on the lunisolar calendar, is almost here and the unique celebration has many festivities and traditions along with it.

When is the Lunar New Year?

Each year, the date on which the Lunar New Year occurs varies. In 2024, it falls on Saturday, Feb. 10. However, only the first seven days are considered a public holiday, from Feb. 10 to Feb. 16, according to Chinese New Year.

What is Lunar New Year all about?

According to the National Museum of Asian Art, the Lunar New Year, commonly known as the Spring Festival in China, celebrates the beginning of spring and the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. The most important holiday in China, other countries also widely celebrate such as South Korea and Vietnam.

First Lunar US Postal New Year Stamp 1992. Milestone Broadcast Corporation helped with the advertising and marketing efforts. Here is the First Mint Block of the stamp and marketing materials that helped to grow the sales. The stamp was a big hit and still is being created each year and sold worldwide.

#peninsulahotel #lunarnewyear #chinesenewyear #dragon

The post Peninsula Hotel/NY Lobby and YAO New Restaurant/NY celebrate the Lunar New Year, Gorgeous, along with Milestone Broadcast Lunar Stamp Marketing. Happy New Year to ALL. appeared first on Good News!.

Here are a few birthday traditions from around the world:

China

Traditional Chinese birthdays aren’t even counted the same way as they are in the West. A child’s first year of life is counted as one instead of zero, so that a child is two years old in his second year (their first birthday as we could count it), three years old in his third year (his second birthday), and so on.

In traditional Chinese culture, a baby’s first month birthday is celebrated with a red egg and ginger party. Before modern medicine, infant mortality was very high in many countries, so a child that survived through their first month had a much greater chance of staying alive. This party is when the baby is formally introduced to friends and family and the baby’s name is officially announced for the first time.

Traditionally, the most important birthday in Chinese culture is the 60th. In Chinese culture 60 years is one cycle of life, so 61 is the beginning of a new life. On their birthday morning the person celebrating will eat a bowl of long noodles to symbolize their long life.

England

An old English birthday custom is to mix a coin and thimble into the birthday cake batter. Superstition says that the person who got the coin in their slice of birthday cake would be wealthy, while the unlucky finder of the thimble would never marry.

When someone turns 21 in England (they can legally drink at 18, so it’s not quite the party like it is here in the States), they are sometimes given a key to the house as a symbol of their coming-of-age. The key means their parents have given the birthday boy or girl permission to come and go as they please.

Germany

Historians say that birthday cake tradition started in Germany when the cakes given as treats on Christmas started being given out to celebrate children’s’ birthdays. German birthday cakes are supposed to have candles that burn all day, one for each year they are celebrating.

Never wish a German “happy birthday” before their actual birthday. No cards, no gifts, no nothing! It’s considered bad luck.

If a German man turns 30 and still isn’t married, he is supposed to sweep the steps at City Hall to show they are good husband material to the eligible women in town. Meanwhile, a single woman is supposed to clean all the doorknobs in her house. The only way out of the chore is to get a birthday kiss from a member of the opposite sex!

Holland

In Holland certain birthdays (5, 10, 15, 20, and 21) are called “crown” years. The birthday child (or teen or adult) is supposed to receive an especially large gift that year. Their family also decorates the birthday boy’s/girl’s chair at the table with seasonal flowers or paper streamers, paper flowers and balloons.

In the Netherlands, a man’s 50th birthday is known as “Abraham” after the Biblical patriarch Abraham, who supposedly lived to be 175. Women are known as “Sarah” on their 50th who, according to the Bible, lived until she was 127.

Vietnam

Birthdays as we know it are only really celebrated in the most urban areas of Vietnam, those cities most heavily influenced by Western Culture. Everyone celebrates their birthday on New Year’s Day in Vietnam, also known as “tet.” Vietnamese tradition is that an individual’s actual day of birth is not to be celebrated. Rather, people become a year older every year at tet, regardless of when they were actually born.

• South Korea – Seaweed Soup. PIN IT. …
• Russia – Personalized Pie. PIN IT. …
• China – Longevity Noodles. PIN IT. …
• Australia – Fairy Bread. PIN IT. …
• The Netherlands – Taarties and Pancakes. PIN IT. …
• Sweden – Princess Cake. PIN IT. …
• Ghana – Oto. PIN IT.

The post Birthday Traditions Around the World – Happy Birthday Austin, A Man For Peace, Love, HOPE & Health for the World. appeared first on Good News!.

The post VETERAN Is POOR SHAMED By YOUNG LAD appeared first on Good News!.

By Seth Mydans
Published Jan. 21, 2022
Updated Jan. 25, 2022

Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was one of the world’s most influential Zen masters, spreading messages of mindfulness, compassion and nonviolence, died on Saturday at his home in the Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam. He was 95.

The death was announced by Plum Village, his organization of monasteries. He suffered a severe brain hemorrhage in 2014 that left him unable to speak, though he could communicate through gestures.

A prolific author, poet, teacher and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh was exiled from Vietnam after opposing the war in the 1960s and became a leading voice in a movement he called “engaged Buddhism,” the application of Buddhist principles to political and social reform.

Traveling widely on speaking tours in the United States and Europe (he was fluent in English and French), Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced tik nyaht hahn) was a major influence on Western practices of Buddhism, urging the embrace of mindfulness, which his website describes as “the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment.”

In his book “Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life,” he wrote, “If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything.”

His following grew as he established dozens of monasteries and practice centers around the world. The original Plum Village, near Bordeaux in southwest France, is the largest of his monasteries and receives visits from thousands of people a year.

In 2018, he returned home to Hue, in central Vietnam, to live out his last days at the Tu Hieu Temple, where he had become a novice as a teenager.

Thich Nhat Hanh dismissed the idea of death. “Birth and death are only notions,” he wrote in his book “No Death, No Fear.” “They are not real.”

He added: “The Buddha taught that there is no birth; there is no death; there is no coming; there is no going; there is no same; there is no different; there is no permanent self; there is no annihilation. We only think there is.”

That understanding, he wrote, can liberate people from fear and allow them to “enjoy life and appreciate it in a new way.”

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Thich Nhat Hanh at a news conference in Chicago in 1966. Dr. King nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize the next year.Credit…Edward Kitch/Associated Press
His connection with the United States began in the early 1960s, when he studied at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey and later lectured at Cornell and Columbia. He influenced the American peace movement, urging the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to oppose the Vietnam War.

Dr. King nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967, but the prize was not awarded to anyone that year.

“I do not personally know of anyone more worthy than this gentle monk from Vietnam,” Dr. King wrote to the Nobel Institute in Norway. “His ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity.”

Thich Nhat Hanh was born Nguyen Xuan Bao in Hue on Oct. 11, 1926. He joined a Zen monastery at 16 and studied Buddhism there as a novice. Upon his ordination in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich is an honorary family name used by Vietnamese monks and nuns. To his followers he was known as Thay, or teacher.

In the early 1960s, he founded Youth for Social Services, a grass-roots relief organization in what was then South Vietnam. It rebuilt bombed villages, set up schools, established medical centers and reunited families left homeless by the war.

Thich Nhat Hanh began writing and speaking out against the war and in 1964 published a poem called “Condemnation” in a Buddhist weekly. It reads in part:

Whoever is listening, be my witness:
I cannot accept this war.
I never could I never will.
I must say this a thousand times before I am killed.
I am like the bird who dies for the sake of its mate,
dripping blood from its broken beak and crying out:
“Beware! Turn around and face your real enemies
— ambition, violence hatred and greed.”

The poem earned him the label “antiwar poet,” and he was denounced as a pro-Communist propagandist.

Thich Nhat Hanh took up residence in France when the South Vietnamese government denied him permission to return from abroad after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973.

He was unable to return to Vietnam until 2005, when the Communist government allowed him to teach, practice and travel throughout the country. His antiwar activism continued, and in a talk in Hanoi in 2008 he said the Iraq war had resulted from fear and misunderstanding in which violence fed on itself.

“We know very well that airplanes, guns and bombs cannot remove wrong perceptions,” he said. “Only loving speech and compassionate listening can help people correct wrong perceptions. But our leaders are not trained in that discipline, and they rely only on the armed forces to remove terrorism.”

Thich Nhat Hanh during a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City in 2007. He had lived in exile for decades. Credit…Associated Press
In 2013, on one of his many visits to centers of influence in the West, he spoke at Google’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, bringing his message of quiet contemplation to the forefront of the high-energy digital age.

“We have the feeling that we are overwhelmed by information,” he told the assembled workers. “We don’t need that much information.”

And he said: “Do not try to find the solution with your thinking mind. Nonthinking is the secret of success. And that is why the time when we are not working, that time can be very productive, if we know how to focus on the moment.”

#thich #nhat #hanh #monk #zen #master #activist #nguyen #xuan #bao #hue #author #poet #teacher #peace #chi #ho #minh #city #martin #luther #king #vietnam

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God Bless America

Errol Rappaport
Good Will Ambassador
Operation Warrior Shield
Vietnam Veteran, Medic United States Air Force
www.operationwarriorshield.com
errollink@gmail.com
310-780-1170

#ErrolRappaport #Ambassador #Operation #Warrior #Shield #Vietnam #Veteran #Medic #UnitedStates #Air Force

The post Star-Spangled Banner As You’ve Never Heard It appeared first on Good News!.

A letter to a Vietnam Soldier as a young child becomes a story of peace, love and hope. Our Interview occurred on 9/11, no more war, please.

“Your friend, Mike” – A true story written by Nancy Mikaelian Madey

Hidden stories from the past uniquely find their way into the present, leaving an indelible imprint. This is one of those stories.

1970 was a challenging year for America. The United States sent an additional 334,600 active military troops overseas to Vietnam to continue the U.S. war efforts against the spread of communism. Students opposing the war were demonstrating on college campuses, and organized protests and marches were held across the country.

Meanwhile, at an elementary school in Racine, Wisconsin a third grade class was writing letters to those brave unknown soldiers who were fighting a battle across the globe––not really knowing what war was.

Somehow, a 23-year-old man already knew what it was like: the soldier who received my letter. His name was Mike Conrad, serving in the 101st Airborne. I can recall the sheer happiness and excitement upon receiving a response back in an airmail envelope personally addressed to me. And, I bet Mike was equally thrilled to receive my letter. I can remember anxiously opening up the letter dated January 26, 1970:

“Dear Nancy,

First of all let me thank you for taking time out to write. It really means a lot to all of us when we get a letter. Especially when it is one from a pretty girl like you. My name is Mike. I am from Gastonia, North Carolina. I am 23 years old. I am married but I don’t have any children. My wife’s name is Becky. It is the middle of monsoon season here in Vietnam. This means that it rains almost all of the time. I’m glad to hear that you like school. This will help you a lot in life. Because a good education is very important. Always be sure that you do your best in everything you do. I better go for now. Thank you again for the very nice letter and the pretty picture of yourself. If you get a chance write again. Be good and study hard.

Your friend,

Mike Conrad

P.S. Tell all of your family and everybody in your class hello for me. Okay?”

American soldiers were drafted to fight for freedom and ideology in Vietnam, and in a way, we all are now drafted into a different kind of war. Back then it was serving on the battlefield and keeping a clean locker. Now it’s staying home and wearing masks when we go out. During the shelter-in-place, I decide to do some deep cleaning. Tucked away in the back of our closet was a cardboard box of memories nearly forgotten with time.

I opened the box which contained my childhood keepsakes: artwork, report cards, photos, and Mike’s letter. I picked up the neatly folded letter and re-read it. I held a snapshot of history in my hands––“Your friend, Mike Conrad.” His name kept ringing throughout my head and truly moved me into action. I wondered where he was now, and if he would even remember the little girl who wrote to him 50 years ago.

Since I had his full name, I did some online research to try and connect with him. Sure enough, I found a Mike Conrad in Gastonia, North Carolina—it had to be him! As I dug a bit deeper, I sadly learned that he passed away in January 2019. I read his obituary and also learned that Mike was an avid traveler and community volunteer—what a guy!

I was now, more than ever, determined to get a copy of Mike’s letter to his family. While continuing my research, I found the name of Mike’s wife, Becky Conrad. I sent a letter to her along with a copy of Mike’s original letter from 1970. Not knowing whether or not the address I found was current, I crossed my fingers and remained optimistic. In a time when we could all use some good news, I hoped my letter would reach her and spark something. And, boy did it ever!

“Such a touching surprise,” were her words in an email back to me, “joyful and bittersweet at the same time.” Becky emailed me a photo of Mike during his service in Vietnam, a photo of their family, and as an unexpected surprise, a copy of my letter that I had written back to Mike, dated February 3, 1970. Mike obviously treasured my letter just as much as I had treasured his.

“Hi Mike,” my letter began,

“I was very happy to get your letter today. Our whole class got their letters today. My teacher read each one of them to the class. I went to the dentist today and got my tooth pulled and it didn’t even hurt at all. It was a baby tooth. It was very cold out today. 13 below zero. I’m learning how ice skate, but I’m a little chicken at it. Did you know I am an aunt? I have a sister Kathy 21 years old, who had a baby boy December 30th. His name is Justin. My sister lives in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin which is a 1-1/2 hour drive from Racine. Her husband has one more year of college left. I have an 18 year old brother Curtis who goes to college here in Racine and lives at home. My mother and father send their best wishes and say they hope you will be able to come home soon. If you have a snapshot of yourself, please send it. Write soon if you have time.
Love, Nancy Mikaelian”

Not too bad for a third grader!

Now as a grown woman, wife and mother of two children, I have a better understanding of war, and what these young soldiers and their families had to endure.

I eventually spoke with Becky over the phone and she filled in the gaps about Mike’s life. He passed away from Multiple Myeloma—a cancer he contracted from the USA’s use of Agent Orange. She shared some personal stories about the young man I never knew, who grew up to be a wonderful husband for nearly 51 years, a father, and a grandfather.

Even though Mike is not here with us today, 50 years later he managed to help unite two families—all with a simple stroke of a pen, “Your friend, Mike.”

The post My Vietnam War Letter by Nancy Mikaelian Madey appeared first on Good News!.

In Vietnam, I support a Christian charity that takes care of babies who were tossed in the trash.

Buddhist Boys, an orphanage in Thailand

A poor Muslim girls organization in Sri Lanka.

“The Nest” in Nairobi

“CALVARY” chapel in Nairobi

Skid row drive once a month

If you want to help, please donate whatever you can. I want you to experience the joy and pleasure that I’ve received by helping each and everyone one of these charities. One day I will I build CHEZ MUNNI and you can be part of that. http://www.munniirone.com

The post Dame Munni Irone Comes from Beverly Hills to Support our Peace Day Party in Times Square for the UN International Day of Peace September 21. appeared first on Good News!.

The post Cathy from Vietnam appeared first on Good News!.

The 144 citizenship candidates originate from the following 52 countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Montenegro, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Serbia, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, St. Kitts-Nevis, The Gambia, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen. Of those naturalizing, two are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

This year, USCIS will welcome more than 10,000 new citizens in nearly 130 naturalization ceremonies between Nov. 7 and 13. Of those being naturalized, more than 250 are veterans, service members and military spouses. USCIS is asking new citizens and their families and friends to share the experience and photos at their ceremonies via Twitter using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

WHO:
USCIS New York District Director Phyllis Coven

WHEN:

Friday, November 13, 9 a.m. (media will be escorted in starting at 8:30 a.m.)
WHERE:
USCIS NY District Office
26 Federal Plaza (please use the entrance on Duane Street between Broadway and Lafayette)

CONTACT:
Katie Tichacek, USCIS Public Affairs Officer, 212-264-5098, 202-420-9581 (cell) katherine.tichacek@uscis.dhs.gov

NOTE:
Media interested in participating, please RSVP to Katie Tichacek (contact info above) no later than 9:00 am EST on November 13.

– USCIS –

News Release Nov. 9, 2015

USCIS Will Host Naturalization Ceremonies to Honor Veterans and their Families

WASHINGTON—Veterans, service members and military spouses across the country will become U.S. citizens this week as they take the Oath of Allegiance at special Veterans Day naturalization ceremonies. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will highlight the sacrifices that military members and their families have made while serving our country. From Nov. 7-13, USCIS will welcome more than 10,000 new citizens in nearly 130 naturalization ceremonies across the country and around the world. Of those being naturalized, more than 255 are veterans, service members and military spouses.

Many current and former military members and their families are eligible for citizenship, including expedited screening and overseas processing, under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Since Oct. 1, 2001, when data collection on military naturalizations began, more than 109,000 service members have become U.S. citizens, including individuals serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany, Japan and elsewhere. In 2015 alone, USCIS hosted nearly 175 naturalization ceremonies at military installations in the U.S. and abroad.

“On Veterans Day, we salute the men and women who have so courageously served our country and defended the freedoms that it was built upon. Among our brave veterans are thousands of immigrants, many of whom vowed to defend their new home even before they were citizens,” USCIS Director León Rodríguez said. “It is because of their extraordinary sacrifices, and those of their families, that we can enjoy the rights and liberties of living in this great country.”

USCIS has a robust military outreach program that provides information about immigration and naturalization to service members and veterans at military installations, Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, universities and various military organizations. USCIS also has offices on multiple military installations, including Fort Benning, Georgia; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; and Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. These offices identify recruits who may be eligible for naturalization.

USCIS’ Veterans Day activities this year will feature a naturalization ceremony at the USS Torsk and USS Constellation, located at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, on Nov. 11. During this event, Dan Renaud, USCIS associate director for the Field Operations Directorate, will administer the Oath of Allegiance, and Sgt. Maj. Mercy A. Diez of the U.S. Army Band will be recognized as an Outstanding American by Choice.

Other ceremonies include events at:
· American Heroes Air Show in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 7.
· Cullman Performance Hall of Tryon Palace in New Bern, North Carolina, on Nov. 11.
· Joint Base Lewis McChord in Seattle, Washington, on Nov. 13.

In addition, 12 recruits will become new citizens at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, through the Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative. Developed with the Department of Defense, this program allows enlisted service members to complete the naturalization process during basic training.

USCIS invites new citizens, and their families and friends, to share their experiences from the ceremonies through Twitter and other social media using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook(/uscis), and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

– USCIS –

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