Embassy Highlights
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American Business Mission Visits Vientiane | | From left: Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce Khemmani Pholsena; Minister of Planning and Investment Soulivong Daravong; Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly, Ambassador Huso, and Paul Acito of the American Chamber of Commerce, Thailand. |  | | Ambassador Huso addresses guests at a reception in honor of the business mission. |
Representatives of twenty-four American companies visited Vientiane on May 6-8 to explore opportunities for investing and doing business in the Lao PDR. The business mission was sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, the American Chambers of Commerce in Southeast Asia, and the U.S. Commercial Service and was co-hosted by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce. Among the companies participating were 3M, General Electric, Citibank, and Motorola. A number of senior Lao government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly and Minister for Planning and Investment Soulivong Daravong, briefed the mission's members on business opportunities in the Lao PDR. Ambassador Huso told the delegation that this is a promising time to be doing business in Laos, given the country's growing economy and increasing engagement with the region and the rest of the world. Members of the mission visited several Vientiane-based businesses, including Lao Ford City, which sells a range of Ford vehicles. Following the conclusion of the formal program, delegation members had an opportunity to discuss business opportunities with Lao government officials and business representatives at a reception at Ambassador Huso's residence.
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Battery Dance Company Electrifies Laos Audiences | Dancers recreate the antics of high school students in the piece “I’ll Take You There” |  | | The Company performs “Shell Games,” their newest piece |
New York City’s Battery Dance Company thrilled audiences in Vientiane on April 22 with a public performance before an audience of over 900 at the National Cultural Hall and two master classes for 70 local dancers. This modern dance company selected four pieces from its repertoire to showcase a wide range of American dance. At the end of their performance, local dancers from the Lao Bang Fai group rushed the stage to perform a piece they learned during the earlier master classes. Battery Dance Company performances are characterized by eclectic and highly original choreography and music inspired by worldwide sources, reflecting the multiplicity of cultures that make up American society. Jonathan Hollander, founder and resident choreographer, works in his own contemporary vein built on a traditional base, creating compelling works executed by world-class performers. The Battery Dance Company’s success demonstrates that dance can build bridges between languages and cultures. For over a decade, Battery Dance Company has represented the U.S. overseas and has developed international cultural exchange programs in the realm of dance and the performing arts. Their tour of Asia included performances in Korea, China, Mongolia, Burma, Taiwan, and Laos. The performances in Laos were jointly sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and the Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs.
“Crossroads Café” Series returns to the Faculty of Engineering  | Students at the Faculty of Engineering watching the video of the English language program “Crossroads Café.” |
After the Lao New Year on April 25, 2008, the U.S. Embassy’s Information Resource Center and Faculty of Engineering’s Library organized a video showing for another installment of the English language teaching series “Crossroads Café.” In these episodes, “Fish out of Water” and “Family Matters,” the series showed how parents in the U.S take care of their children at home and at school, and how the family decides to budget their money for school fees, food, electricity, and other necessities.
Over 70 students from various departments around the campus watched this installment of the program. This ongoing project helps Lao students who are learning English at the beginning and intermediate levels by developing their vocabulary and listening comprehension skills.
The Information Resource Center will host showings of “Crossroads Café” on a regular basis at the both the Faculty of Engineering and at the Lao American Center.
State Department Official Visits UXO Programs in Laos | | A UXO Lao official demonstrates the use of various detectors. To take advantage of improving technology, the U.S. has donated 50 of the most-up-to-date detectors for use in Laos. |  | | UXO Lao advisor John Dingley (left) and Deputy Assistant Secretary Ganyard inspect UXO that has been prepared for detonation. |
Deputy Assistant Secretary Stephen Ganyard of the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs visited Laos on April 25-29 to observe U.S.-funded clearance of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The United States is the largest donor in this sector. In Vientiane, he received briefings from a number of Lao government officials and foreign donor organizations. In Xieng Khouang, one of the most heavily affected provinces, he visited a metal foundry that will be cleared of explosives by MAG, a non-governmental-organization, with U.S. funding. Accompanied by officials from UXO Lao, the Lao government’s clearance organization, he visited a village where clearance was underway. The village chief told Mr. Ganyard how pleased he was that he and his neighbors would soon be able to farm their fields safely.
U.S. Embassy Supports English Language Training with the Series “Crossroads Café” | | Students at Sisatanak High School watch Rebecca apply for a job in the video “Crossroads Café.” |
The U.S. Embassy’s Information Resource Center organized a video showing on of the English teaching series “Crossroads Café” at Sisatanak High School.
Opening Day! Who needs a job? Students at the Sisatank High School watched the first episodes of the series “Crossroads Café,” titled “Opening Day” and “Growing Pains”, in a video designed for people studying English as a second language. The series begins with a restaurant owner getting ready to open for business, hiring staff, picking menus, painting, cleaning the restaurant and dealing with problems large and small. Over 40 students and six teachers watched the segment introducing the characters and stories they will follow while they learn about American culture, society, and how Americans use the English language. This video is for students at the beginning and intermediate levels of English learning. The Information Resource Center also hosts showings of “Crossroads Café” on a regular basis at the Faculty of Engineering and the Lao American Center.
JPAC Commander, Rear Admiral Donna Crisp Visits Laos for Consultative Talks on POW/MIA Cooperation | | Memorandum of Meeting signing |  | | Joint Lao-U.S. Consultative Talks Delegation |
Rear Admiral Donna L. Crisp, who assumed command of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in January 2008, visited Laos on 20-22 April 2008 to participate in semi-annual Lao-U.S. POW/MIA Consultative Talks. The talks, which were held in a spirit of partnership and mutual cooperation, reviewed the results of the previous joint Lao-U.S. team field activities and plans for future joint work and discussed initiatives for consideration to advance the U.S. POW/MIA accounting mission in the Lao PDR. Admiral Crisp represented the U.S. side during the Executive Level session of the talks on 22 April, and Mr. Khouanta Phalivong, Director General, Department of Europe and Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the Lao side. Also participating in the Executive level session of the talks was U.S. Ambassador Ravic Huso. During her visit, Admiral Crisp also paid courtesy calls on Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hiem Phommachanh and Major General Somphet Thipmala, Vice Minister of National Defense.
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