After an open process which took place in October and November 2021, the Romanians of Washington, DC (Romanians of DC), a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization (founded in 2018), nominated the distinguished Professor Eliot Sorel as a recipient of the 2021 Romanians of Washington, DC Community Awards (Source: https://romaniansofdc.org/2022/01/25/the-recipients-of-the-2021-romanians-of-washington-dc-community-awards-are-announced/).
Professor Eliot Sorel, MD, DLFAPA, is a well-known global health leader, health systems performance expert, practicing physician, and Clinical Professor of Global Health, Health Policy and Management and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The George Washington University (GWU), Washington, DC, USA (Former President, World Association of Social Psychiatry). Allow us to remember his article entitled “The COVID‑19 Pandemic: A National and Global Social Contracts Stress Test”, and published online on August 14, 2020 [Sorel E. The Covid‑19 Pandemic: A National and Global Social Contracts Stress Test. World Soc Psychiatry 2020;2:72-3.]
Professor Eliot Sorel, well-known as a catalyzer in promoting Romania’s culture in the United States of America (the Romanian monasteries, food, crafts, music and dance), initiated and led the so-called „Opening the Gates to Romania” project at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, in 1999. On that occasion, a wooden Maramures church was also built piece by piece on the National Mall in the center of Washington as part of the year 1999’s Festival. The world’s largest museum and research complex, the Smithsonian (founded in 1846), is a true steward and ambassador of cultural connections, its generous work wisely promoting understanding of world cultures.
It is also worth mentioning that on 3rd October 2008, at the Romanian Academy, the Aspen Institute Romania – Mr. Mircea Geoana, the President of the Aspen Institute Romania, became NATO Deputy Secretary General in October 2019, after a distinguished domestic and international career – organized the Book Launch: “The Marshall Plan- Lessons Learned for the 21st Century” edited by Eliot Sorel and Pier Carlo Padoan and published at OECD. (Sources: http://www.aspeninstitute.ro/articole/228/The-Marshall-Plan-Lessons-Learned-for-the-21st-Century.html; https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_167942.htm)
In December 2004, the “Diplomatic Gazette” Brussels, the Official Organ of the Belgian Diplomatic Club, presented a book entitled “Diplomatic and protocol customs” (Author Theodor Purcarea, Professor at the Romanian-American University), the Foreword being written by Ion Smedescu, Founding Rector of the Romanian–American University, and the Introduction being signed by René Boissin, President of the Belgian Diplomatic Club. The author of this book had the honor to be congratulated by His Excellency Philippe Étienne, a reputed French diplomat who served as Ambassador of France also to Romania (2002-2005), and now being the Ambassador of France in the United States. Allow us to remember within this framework that the above-mentioned book made reference, among other aspects, to: the first NATO Meeting on Romanian soil, October 2004, Poiana Brasov; the books “The End of History and the Las Man” (Francis Fukuyama) and “The Clash of Civilisations and the Remaking of the World Order” (Samuel P. Huntington); the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos and the World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre; how Romanian diplomacy (conducted at that moment by Mr. Mircea Geoana) confirmed the continuity of the substantial concern for certainties; the book author’s correspondence with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 2003; the letter received by the book author from the U.S. Ambassador to Romania, and dated on July 15, 2003; the letter received by the book author from the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, and dated on May 11, 1994; the significant discussion held by the author with Mr. Mircea Geoana at the headquarters of our Embassy in Vienna in October 1993 in the context of Romania’s admission to the Council of Europe; the challenging debate on the New World Order and the various wake-up calls inviting to reimagining the Future World Order etc.
Some years ago, the Romanian–American University expressed its respect for Professor Eliot Sorel’s lecture on President Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States. We underlined within this framework that on April 8, 2016, Professor Eliot Sorel congratulated the Romanian-American University on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary (Source: https://holisticmarketingmanagement.ro/eliot-sorel-lecture-on-president-woodrow-wilson-28th-president-of-the-united-states-an-enduring-vision-in-the-21st-century/).
Finally let us add that we had the great pleasure of discussing with Professor Eliot Sorel about the first impressions of His Excellency Alfred H. Moses, Former U.S. Ambassador to Romania (1994 – 1997; before the appointment HE also served as President of the American Jewish Committee), after the successful Book Launch – “Bucharest Diary: Romania’s Journey from Darkness to Light” – on the occasion of the “Bucharest Diary. Memories of an American Ambassador” Conference, organized on February 20, 2020 at the Șuțu Palace by the Bucharest Municipality Museum. We will always remember the special book dedication written by His Excellency Alfred H. Moses as the expression of friendly connection: “To Theodor, my friend, world class economist, with high regards, Alfred” (Source: https://holisticmarketingmanagement.ro/his-excellency-alfred-h-moses-romania-progressing-from-darkness-to-light/).
