Diplomatic Pouch | Mike Peters

Vassilios Costis, Greece's new ambassador to China, presented a bronze bust of the philosopher Plato to the headquarters of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras had promised the sculpture during his visit to China in May. The artwork was received by CASS Vice-President Li Yang. The ambassador assured Li that the enhancement of relations with Chinese universities and think tanks and the exchange of views in the academic field are top priorities of the embassy.

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General Guillermo Chalup Liendo, Bolivia's ambassador to China, hosted a reception at Beijing's Jintai Art Museum on Aug 6 to celebrate the 188th anniversary of his nation's independence.

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The Commonwealth Society of Beijing hosted a luncheon for friends in the diplomatic and business communities last week, a thank-you for their support of its recent charity gala. Joan Chong Leung, CSB's president and the spouse of the ambassador of Mauritius, presented a total of 550,000 yuan ($89,870) to representatives of several charities.

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Ecuador's ambassador Jose M. Borga (pictured) wrapped up more than a week of cultural activities with two events on his country's national day, Aug 9. A watercolor exhibition featuring the animals of the Galapagos Islands, by artist Graciela Legarda Bruckmann, opened at the Jintai Art Museum and continues until Aug 18. On Friday evening the ambassador hosted a reception at Beijing's Marriott Northeast hotel.

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Norway's embassy announced on its website that the nation will commemorate the terror attacks of July 22, 2011 by establishing two national public art memorial sites at Hole and Oslo. Artists, architects and collaborative teams from around the world are invited to participate in an open call for prequalification entries, which will end on Sept 1.

According to a survey, the top five words Norwegian people would like to see reflected in the memorial sites are: solidarity, sorrow, love, reflection and peace. More information (with translations in English and Chinese) can be found at minnesteder.no.

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Tony-nominated stage, film and TV actress Maria Dizzia and acclaimed playwright Will Eno recently offered two workshops for 30 actors, directors and playwrights at the Sichuan People's Arts Theater and Eight Space Theater in Chengdu. The US consulate says Dizzia and Eno took the local actors through a series of acting and writing exercises. The actors, all of whom currently have stage productions running in Chengdu, learned from their US counterparts about the theater scene there and acting techniques popular with American actors.

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China's consul-general for Chicago, Zhao Weiping, met last week with Christopher R. Hill, former US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and incumbent dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, Colorado.

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The Brazilian embassy is hosting a series of documentary films beginning Sunday at Beijing's Latin American and Caribbean Center. The "DocBrazil 2013" program kicked off last week with a martial arts and dance exhibition of the Milonga Capoeira School. This week's 8 pm film showings feature Gringa (Sunday), Zumbi (Tuesday) and Marighella (Wednesday). It's all a lead-up to Brazil Culture Month, which the embassy will formally launch this week.

Send embassy news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 08/11/2013 page5)