56th Christmas Tree Lighting Reception

December 7, 2007. The U.S. Consulate General Hamburg hosted its annual Christmas Tree Lighting reception for more than 650 guests from the 5 North German states, representing the media, politics and the cultural scene. Guests included the heads of the Turkish Community in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, the president of the Alliance of Islamic Communities in Northern Germany as well as the managing director of the Association of Islamic Communities in Lower Saxony. Hamburg State Minister of the Interior Udo Nagel, as guest of honor, lit the tree. Consul General Karen E. Johnson thanked friends and partners for the excellent cooperation during the last year and referred to her experiences in Afghanistan, calling on Germans and Americans to work together to tackle today’s global challenges successfully.