Think diplomacy is tough? Try a White House state dinner
Preparations take months. No detail is overlooked, for this is perhaps the most evolved form of diplomacy: the state dinner.
As first lady Jill Biden prepared Wednesday to host her fifth state dinner, for Japan's leader, she made sure that every aesthetic detail — the crystal on the tables, the food on the White House china, the decor in the State Dining Room, the music and the fashion — dripped with diplomatic significance. This dinner, she said in her preview of the event, would make frequent reference to Washington's famous cherry trees, a gift from Japan more than a century ago.
"As guests sit among the field of flowers, glass and silk butterflies from both our countries will dance over the tables, their graceful flight a reminder that as our nations navigate the winds of change, we do so together as partners in peace and prosperity," she said.
The White House Historical Association laid out the high stakes, saying a state dinner "showcases global power and influence and sets the tone for the continuation of dialogue between the president and the visiting head of state."
Related articles
Derrick White scores 38, Celtics top Heat 102
MIAMI (AP) — The good news for the Miami Heat is that the Boston Celtics might not be back in South2024-05-01Government backs trust tax rate exemptions
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver2024-05-01Nature's the star at The Datai resort in Malaysia. But... beware the monkeys raiding the minibar!
My wooden villa stands on stilts, surrounded by towering trees that obscure the view to the ocean 202024-05-01Glitz ahoy! Posh hotels are muscling in on the cruise market with super
Cruising is the fastest growing sector of the travel industry, so perhaps it’s no wonder that some o2024-05-01Swiatek rallies against Haddad Maia to reach Madrid Open semis
MADRID (AP) — Iga Swiatek came from a set down to defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 and reach2024-05-01From the glamour of Cannes to arty hilltop villages: Inside Provence
There’s a sudden commotion on the beach. People are waving their arms and shouting as if they’ve see2024-05-01
atest comment