Jan Eliasson Salutes Dag Hammarskjöld Jan Eliasson, the former Swedish ambassador and now president of the U.N. General Assembly, returned to Washington last week to help the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs commemorate the opening of a traveling exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the popular and prolific U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld. Hammarskjöld held the post from April 1953 until his death in September 1961 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously later that year. “We are all following in his footsteps,” said Eliasson, who is also a former ambassador to the United Nations and a former U.N. undersecretary. “Dag certainly made this world a better place…. He was a world-class public servant,” Eliasson said, calling him independent, innovative and spiritual. “I have the U.N. Charter in my pocket and in this charter there is nothing about peacekeeping. He called it ‘Number 6,’ just before ‘7,’ which is ‘use of force,’ He felt we had to have ‘eyes and ears on the ground’ to create peace.” Eliasson, a favorite during his five years in Washington, quoted Hammarskjöld as often saying, “You have to look at your feet to be grounded in reality, but you must also keep your eye on the horizon.” Those around Eliasson know that he often reminds himself and his audiences likewise: “You must have both roots and wings.” Along with the George Washington students, former U.S. ambassadors now on the Elliott faculty and Swedish Embassy staffers, Eliasson’s audience was packed with old friends. So many that Eliasson, in his gracious way, resisted a formal question-and-answer session in favor of personal hugs and handshakes with as many people as possible. photo by Gail Scott Former Swedish Ambassador Jan Eliasson, center, talks with colleagues at the George Washington University during an exhibit commemorating former U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld.

French Ambassador Encourages Contributors Continuing to organize support for Hurricane Katrina victims in the former French territories, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte and Madame Levitte opened their spectacular residence to lawmakers, French-based corporations and organizations that have gotten involved in the relief effort on behalf of France. Determined to continue the French relief and recovery initiatives in the Gulf Coast states, Ambassador Levitte raised an additional $2.2 million from French companies and the government. This second round of donations follows the original nearly $20 million sent to aid Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi that was reported in our last column. In addition, out-of-work musicians from New Orleans will tour France, with the support of the French government, in a series of fundraising concerts. The first one, organized by French artists, took place on Nov. 7 in Paris and raised more than $130,000. photo by Kyle Samperton From left, Marie-Cecile Levitte and her husband, French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, and Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) and his wife Kristin attend a fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina victims at the French Embassy. Romania’s Nadia Comaneci We remember sprightly Nadia Comaneci, the darling of the 1976 Montreal Olympics who became the first gymnast in Olympic history to be awarded a perfect score of 10. Today, she is a stunning 44-year-old who was recently the star of a Romanian Embassy gala to honor her work for the Special Olympics and also to celebrate her birthday. Both Nadia and her husband, Bart Conner, also an Olympian, are on the board of the Special Olympics and volunteer their time to work for this 37-year-old organization, which provides sports training and competition for people with disabilities. “Both Bart and Nadia have been wonderful celebrity representatives,” said Linda Potter, speaking for her husband Timothy Shriver, president of the Special Olympics. “They are always ready to travel where no one else is willing to go.” Nadia and her husband run a gymnastics school in Oklahoma, which trains more than 1,200 students, publishes a monthly gymnastics magazine, and manufactures gymnastic equipment. Along with the Olympians and the Shrivers, Romanian Ambassador Sorin Ducaru and his expectant wife Carmen welcomed Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Icelandic Ambassador Helgi Agustsson and his wife Heba, Hungarian Ambassador Andras Simonyi and his wife Nada, and Nicaraguan Ambassador Salvador Stadthagen and his wife Analia. The spirited gala, Romania’s largest sit-down dinner, was topped with Bart serenading his wife Nadia with “Happy Birthday” in Romanian. Guests were also treated to an impressive classical and jazz piano recital featuring Dan Grigore, Romania’s internationally acclaimed pianist, and Valentin Radu, an artistic director, conductor and pianist. In closing, Ambassador Ducaru couldn’t resist saying that although he is often heard talking about “getting [Romania] into” organizations such as NATO, “when it comes to Jazz, Romania is [already] in!” photo courtesy of the Embassy of Romania From left, Special Olympics Board Director Bart Conner, Karyn Frist, wife of the Romanian ambassador Carmen Ducaru, and Nadia Comaneci attend a birthday celebration for Comaneci at the Romanian Embassy.

WPAS Entertains Ambassadors’ Wives Although he didn’t bring his cello along, Washington Performing Arts Society (WPAS) President and cellist Neale Perl enjoyed entertaining more than 50 diplomatic wives at the hilltop mansion of WPAS patron Isabel Ernst. Isabel also enchanted the crowd with stories of how this same hall once welcomed the Queen of England and Gertrude Stein. WPAS has long been involved with embassies through its Embassy Adoption Program, in which the District’s sixth-grade public school students are adopted by foreign embassies in Washington. photo by Lili Iravani From left, wife of the Turkish ambassador Mimi Logoglu, wife of the Afghan ambassador Shamim Jawad, wife of the Chilean ambassador Lily Urdinola, wife of the Romanian ambassador Carmen Ducaru, and Isabel Ernst attend a luncheon hosted by the Washington Performing Arts Society at the home of Isabel Ernst. Hollywood on Embassy Row Nicole Kidman, one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses, has moved into Embassy Row. To be more exact, she and her huge entourage have taken over the Chilean Residence, just north of Sheridan Circle, where they are shooting 19 scenes from “The Visiting”—a sci-fi thriller being billed as “the next James Bond,” also starring Jeremy Northam, who appeared in “Emma,” “Gosford Park” and “Carrington.” “Nicole Kidman is sleeping in my bed,” said an excited Lily Urdinola, wife of Chilean Ambassador Andres Bianchi and a well-known Chilean journalist who could well be a movie star herself. Meanwhile, the Bianchis have moved to a local luxury hotel, though they miss their devoted staff members, who have stayed on at the mansion to help with the month-long shoot. The Chilean mansion was chosen out of more than 30 other Washington locations because this neoclassical gem, created around a glamorous central staircase, is elegant in every corner of its gracious interior, thanks to Lily. “I call my staff every day and sometimes go by to see what is going on in my house,” said Lily, the quintessential diplomatic hostess who is also famous for her stunning floral designs. “It’s interesting to see what they have changed and what else is possible.” Exterior scenes will be shot around Washington’s National Mall, historic Georgetown, in the Metro, at Union Station and around this city’s graceful circles and squares. photo by Maria Paz del Rio From left, Lily Urdinola, her husband, Chilean Ambassador Andres Bianchi, and their daughter Camila have loaned the Chilean Residence to the filmmakers of “The Visiting,” a sci-fi thriller starring Nicole Kidman.