The Federal Triangle Partnership, consisting of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Postal Service, is pleased to announce its program celebrating 2009 National Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The 2009 national theme is "Leadership to Meet the Challenges of a Changing World.”

This year's program will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, in the Main Auditorium of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, U.S. Department of Commerce. The U.S. Department of Commerce is located on 14th Street, NW, between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, and is accessible from the Federal Triangle Metro station on the Blue/Orange lines. Seating for this event is on a first come, first serve basis.

The keynote speaker will be Major General Antonio M. Taguba, U.S. Army, Retired, who became the second Filipino American to attain General Officer rank in the U.S. Army. His last assignment prior to his retirement was as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (Readiness, Training and Mobilization), Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon. His responsibility encompassed policy oversight of the readiness, training, and mobilization aspects of the Reserve Components -- Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Noble Eagle. While deployed in the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was assigned to head an investigation into accusations of prisoner abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. His story was chronicled in the June, 2007, New Yorker magazine, in an article by Seymour M. Hersh. General Taguba is a man whose service, sacrifices, and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion to the ideals of duty, honor, and country.

The Breeze 6 Choral Group will perform various musical selections. Breeze 6 has won critical and popular acclaim in the Washington metropolitan area for its superb performances of choral works, musical styles and repertoire.

This program is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to (202) 482-4481 or TTY (202) 482-2030 as soon as possible, so that arrangements can be made with the interpreter service. If you have any questions about this program, please contact Milton Belardo, Office of Civil Rights, at (202) 482-0109 or by e-mail, mbelardo@doc.gov.