By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 9, 2023 — Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell shared a collection of photos on Facebook on Saturday, September 9, 2023, that I absolutely had to share with readers of my online publication, BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, which has a huge following among the Bahamian diaspora across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The collection of photos shared by Mr. Mitchell further supports a conclusion I have voiced on on more than one occasion that Bahamas Honorary Consul to Chicago Michael Fountain continues to do an outstanding job diplomatically representing Bahamians in the Chicago-area diaspora while at the same time promoting The Bahamas as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.
Honorary Consul Fountain has represented The Bahamas in the Midwestern United states since March 6, 2014. Although the Bahamas Consulate in Chicago was accredited on March 6, 2014, Mr. Fountain was officially introduced as The Bahamas Honorary Consul to the Chicago community by the then Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell at a reception in Chicago on Friday, September 5, 2014. The states served by Mr. Fountain include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Minister Mitchell posted today’s collection of photos with the following narrative:
“I wish to thank Michael Fountain, Honorary Consul General for The Bahamas, for arranging the guided tour of the Art Institute of Chicago and the presentation by the Institute of a memento of the exhibition of Bahamian artist Gio Swaby, whose works are part of the collection at the Institute.
The tour included viewing the iconic painting American Gothic by Grant Wood and impressionist works by Monet, Edward Hopper and works by Van Gough and Pablo Picasso. This is part of the 50th anniversary celebrations to mark in Chicago our independence. Thanks, in particular to Nora Gainer, Executive Director Civic Relations and Partnerships, and P.D. Young, Lecturer. Extraordinary experience. Blessings”
