House Concurrent Resolution 82

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING AND COMMENDING THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, THE GERMAN PARLIAMENT, HANS-JOERG BRUNNER, CONSUL GENERAL FOR THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIRLINES AND CARL BECHSTEIN-GYMNASIUM IN ERKNER, GERMANY, FOR EXTRAORDINARY KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY SHOWN TO THE GULFPORT HIGH SCHOOL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA.

WHEREAS, Consul General Hans-Joerg Brunner, through the Glory of Baroque Dresden Exhibit in Mississippi in 2004, forged meaningful friendships with citizens of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, The Federal Republic of Germany, German Corporations and German citizens responded with kindness and generosity in providing financial aid and assistance to citizens of the Gulf Region of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Consul General Brunner and Vice Consul Monika Reuter invited Billy Ulmer, Director of Orchestra Activities for the Gulfport School District, to visit Germany in December 2005, as a guest of the German Government, and to meet with Herr Karsten Voigt, Coordinator of German-American Cooperation, and Dr. Anna Prinz, Directorate-General, at the German Foreign Office in Berlin, and to interact with students and faculty at Carl Bechstein-Gymnasium; and

WHEREAS, in January 2006, Consul General Brunner delivered a formal invitation for members of the Gulfport High School Orchestra, Mr. Ulmer, and his staff to travel to perform in Berlin and to enter into a cultural exchange with students of Carl Bechstein-Gymnasium in Erkner, Germany; and

WHEREAS, Consul General Brunner and his staff in Atlanta did, in an exemplary manner, promote this cultural exchange, and assist and encourage all participants, and Principal Ruediger Konertz and Herr Joerg Schuze from Carl Bechstein-Gymnasium have planned a superb program for this cultural visit; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize outstanding contributions such as the German Parliament TransAtlantik Program which is providing generous financial assistance to the Gulfport High School Chamber Orchestra for this exchange:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we hereby extend this expression of sincere gratitude to The Federal Republic of Germany, German Consul General Hans-Joerg Brunner, and the students and faculty of Carl Bechstein-Gymnasium for sincere efforts to show good will and friendship between our two countries, and to facilitate a cultural exchange between the students of Carl Bechstein-Gymnasium in Germany and the students of the Gulfport High School Orchestra.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to officials at the German Foreign Office in Berlin, Consul General Hans-Joerg Brunner, Billy Ulmer, Superintendent of Schools Glen East, the Gulfport School District Board of Trustees and to members of the Capitol Press Corps.