Honorary Consular Corps
The Honorary Consular Corps is Westarctica's primary diplomatic institution. It is staffed by volunteers who are carefully vetted by the Grand Duke after passing the Honorary Consul Training Program. They are a key part of Westarctica's foreign affairs program.
Duties
Honorary Consuls serve as representatives of the government of Westarctica in their home countries. They are expected to liaison with other citizens of Westarctica who either reside in their same geographic area or speak their same language. When official diplomatic events occur in their region, the Consuls may be asked to represent Westarctica's interests at these functions. For this reason, the Consuls must be well-versed on Westarctica's history, its mission, and goals.
All Honorary Consuls receive a certificate with their diplomatic credentials as well as a metal lapel pin of the Flag of Westarctica. They are encouraged to wear the flag pin even when not working on official business as a way of establishing conversations about Westarctica.
Although Honorary Consuls are appointed by the Grand Duke, they are managed by the Foreign Minister and deliver monthly reports on their activities to him.
Chiefs of Mission Meeting
Starting in 2018, the Grand Duke and the Foreign Minister hold a one day meeting / reception for the members of the diplomatic corps known as the Chiefs of Mission Meeting. The first such meeting was held in Berlin on 2 November 2018 and was attended by Honorary Consuls from Italy, England, and Spain. It was decided that a similar event would be held every two years in a different country where Westarctica has a diplomatic presence.
The 2020 Chiefs of Mission Meeting will occur in southern Spain.
Ranks
With good service and excellence in their work, Honorary Consuls can be promoted to higher diplomatic ranks. The ranks of Westarctica's diplomats are, in decreasing order of precedence:
- Ambassador
- Consul-General
- Consul
- Vice-Consul
- Honorary Consul
List of Honorary Consuls
As of 29 July 2020, the current roster of Honorary Consuls is:
Rank | Region | Representative |
---|---|---|
Ambassador | Kingdom of Ruritania | Princess Rebecca, Duchess of Rockefeller |
Consul-General | Spain | Joachim Adlfinger |
Consul-General | United Kingdom | Dame Kim Bryan, Baroness Fallone |
Consul-General | The Philippines | Michael Carmen |
Consul-General | Italy | Sir Francesco Alvaro Ronchi, Baron of D'Angelo |
Consul | Borough of Stillwater | Daniel McHenry |
Consul | Southern United States | Michael Hammett, Duke of Tapley |
Consul | Northeastern United States | Sterling MacLeod, Baron of Swan |
Consul | Midwestern United States | Kristina Sullivan |
Vice Consul | Italy | Elisa Ghirardi, Baroness of Jacobel |
Vice Consul | Midwestern United States | Trevor Stratton, Baron of Lambert |
Honorary Consul | Australia | Paul Hattam |
Honorary Consul | Brazil | Thomas Hansen |
Honorary Consul | City of London | Massimiliano Naspi |
Honorary Consul | Hong Kong | Chun Yin Benedict Chak |
Honorary Consul | Germany | Sir Martin Schmidt, KtS |
Honorary Consul | India | Baron H.V. Jain |
Honorary Consul | The Netherlands | Nout Gemmeke |
Honorary Consul | North Carolina | Salvatore Leone |
Honorary Consul | Northern Europe | Michael Kühnl |
Honorary Consul | Vietnam | Doan Duc Nguyên Long |
Honorary Consul | Uruguay | Willingthon Gutierrez |
Honorary Consul | Ukraine | Alex Radionov |
Honorary Consul | Thailand | Michael Desrosiers, Baron of Widich |
Honorary Consul | California | Spencer M Dayton, Duke Van Valkenburg |
Honorary Consul | Japan | Robert Mitchell |
Honorary Consul | Finland | Tommi Mustonen |
Honorary Consul | Chile | Tamara Monzonsillo |