FSM’s First Lady attends museum lunch hosted by Michelle Obama

Michelle and Emma

New York, NY (24 September 2013) – Along with about forty other spouses of world leaders, FSM First Lady Emma Nelson Mori attended a luncheon hosted by Mrs. Michelle Obama on the occasion of the opening of the 68^th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The event was held at the Studio Museum in Harlem, a venue chosen because it evokes the historical struggle of African-Americans and reflects their stories of triumph as well as showcasing the vibrancy of the artists in this neighborhood.

When Mrs. Mori arrived at the museum, she was met by a U.S. Protocol Officer and shortly thereafter greeted by Mrs. Obama, who she had met before on two other occasions, once the night before at a reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and once on a previous occasion. Before lunch was served, Mrs. Mori and other first ladies from the Pacific—including Mrs. Lieom Loeak of the Marshall Islands, Mrs. Louisa Waqa of Nauru, Madam Meme Bernadette Tong of Kiribati, and Mrs. Marie Louise Milne of Vanuatu—enjoyed a guided tour of the museum as a small group. During the tour, Mrs. Mori met Mrs. Roman Tesfaye of Ethiopia for the first time.

Eloise and Emma

The ladies had lunch in the main gallery, during which Mrs. Obama gave a brief speech about the important roles of education and the arts. She commented that many of the women in the room had contributed significantly to advancement of women’s education and other important causes in their countries and internationally. Her remarks were followed by performances by Broadway star Audra McDonald and the Dance Theater of Harlem.

In addition to Mrs. Tesfaye of Ethiopia, it was Mrs. Mori’s first introduction to a number of other first ladies, including Mrs. Linda Rama, wife of the Prime Minister of Albania, with whom Mrs. Mori conversed at lunch, Mrs. Eloise Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Mrs. Sandra Elisabeth Roelofs of Georgia. Other ladies who she saw at the event were already her friends and acquaintances, such as the wives of the Pacific island countries mentioned above and Mrs. Bronagh Key of New Zealand.