2012 Events
Election Night 2012
06 November 2012
The U.S. Embassy London Chancery on Election Night (DoS photo)
The U.S. Embassy in London hosted an Election Night party for the 2012 U.S. Presidential Elections.
Greeting guests were the stars and stripes projected onto the facade. Ending at 4am the next morning, the party featured Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty as well as Elvis! As always you can see photos of the event on Flickr!
On 07 November, nations around the globe reacted to the re-election of President Obama. In the village of Kogelo in western Kenya, where President Obama’s father was born, men, women and children sang and danced in the streets. “Kenya, as always, is proud of our association with you," Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said in a statement. "We look forward to the deepening of relations between our two countries during your second term in office."
NFL comes to the UK
23 October 2012
NFL comes to the UK
As part of the NFL International Series, the St. Louis Rams will host the New England Patriots on Sunday, October 28th. The Rams arrived early in the week to host the St. Louis Rams Community Day at Regent’s Park in Northwest London as well as appear in various other NFL associated events leading up to gameday in hopes of promoting American football in the U.K. and abroad.
The entire player roster and cheerleading squad for the St. Louis Rams met with approximately 500 schoolchildren from 5 London area schools in Regent’s Park on Tuesday, October 23rd to stage the St. Louis Rams Community Day. This American football and cheerleading coaching clinic in Northwest London was met with enthusiasm by players, coaches, cheerleaders and children athletes alike. Children were guided around the clinic by the players showcasing the various aspects of American football and testing the young athlete’s skills in passing, catching and footwork.
Check out the photos on Flickr and our Youtube video !
U.S. Commercial Service Smart Grid Trade Mission
15-17 October 2012
U.S. Delegation at the London Eye (Embassy photo)
On October 15-17, 2012, the U.S. Commercial Service UK hosted a Smart Grid Trade Mission (photos are on Flickr) of 26 delegates from 15 U.S. companies.
Commercial Specialist Claudia Colombo organized a three-day program of meetings with high-level government officials and industry leaders, briefings on the UK and European markets, site visits, and numerous networking opportunities.
The mission provided participants with critical information on the UK and EU electricity markets, as well as concrete business leads.
Artist Maya Lin visits London
14 October 2012
Ambassador Susman, Maya Lin and Mrs Susman at Winfield House (Embassy photo)
Creator of the Washington DC Vietnam War Memorial Maya Lin visited London in October 2012.
She took centerstage at reception hosted at the Embassy's Winfield House and took time out of her busy schedule to spend time with students at Chelsea College of Art and Design.
We've added photos of the event to our Flickr photostream.
Embassy London & Dulwich Picture Gallery work together to help youth
28 September 2012
The U.S. Embassy London’s Cultural section teamed up with Dulwich Picture Gallery and the Salmon Youth Center in Bermondsey to offer young urban artists the unique opportunity to display their works in the U.S. Embassy’s Consular section. The exhibition ‘Across the Pond’, inspired by the city of London, opened on September 28, 2012. The picture exhibit can be viewed by members of the public waiting for visa interviews in the Consular waiting room of the Embassy until approximately January 15, 2013.
With the support of the Embassy of the United States of America, the Dulwich Picture Gallery’s programme with the Salmon Youth Centre offers young people the opportunity to learn new artistic skills, nurtures existing skills and improves self-esteem. The Salmon Youth Centre works with young people from deprived communities who need encouragement, motivation, and skills to engage in education and employment. Some photos are on Flickr!
2012 London Olympics
Updated: 08 August 2012
Ambassador Susman talks to NBA star Dwyane Wade at a sports clinic for London area kids.
First Lady Michelle Obama and kids playing tug-of-war on the lawn of Winfield House at the LetsMove events (Embassy photo)
The U.S. Embassy digital media team brought you behind-the-scenes news from the London 2012 Olympics using our Olympics blog, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and our Youtube channel !
10 September 2012 A Special Summer for the Special Relationship The past 6 weeks was the culmination of years of hard work for both athletes and event organizers alike. Although the Olympic flame is now extinguished, the memories of the summer spectacular are certain to continue “inspiring a generation” on both sides of the Atlantic.
06 September 2012 Wheelchair Basketball – I love this game! Basketball is a sport of speed, agility, and determination. The skills required to be a preeminent basketball player are universal, and require both hard work and a huge amount of practice. But for the stars of the USA Paralympics Wheelchair team, the dedication required goes even further.
31 August 2012 Paralympics 2012: Wheelchair Basketball (Youtube) On the eve of the opening ceremony of the Paralympic games, the Wheelchair Basketball players from Team USA and Team GB took part in a warm up scrimmage at the University of East London.
30 August 2012 The Beast – Tatyana McFadden Voted one of the “Top Ten stars to watch” for the Paralympics, wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden is on track for Gold as she looks to compete in the 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, and a full marathon. With such a huge range of events and distances, Tatyana has embarked on a grueling training regime that has earned her the nickname the “Beast".
28 August 2012 Ambassador Susman hosts reception for Paralympic Delegation at Winfield House (Picasa photos)
17 August 2012 Team USA Olympic Rower Natalie Dell Medal winning Olympian and Department of Veteran’s Affairs researcher Natalie Dell is an inspiration. Not content with simply being an Olympian, Natalie has also found time to work side-by-side with Veteran’s returning from both Iraq and Afghanistan.
14 August 2012 Ambassador Susman calls 2012 greatest ever Games Congratulations to London and the United Kingdom for staging what will doubtless be remembered as the greatest Olympic Games ever. The venues, officials, volunteers, competitors, and spectators were all magnificent. From a brilliant original Opening Ceremony, through remarkable athletic achievements, to the jubilant Closing Ceremony, we have been treated to an enthralling spectacle.
14 August 2012 Last, but Not Least Not all the athletes who competed in the London Olympics went home with a medal. But all went home with the satisfaction of knowing that they competed among the world’s elite. One is Niger’s Hamadou Djibo Issaka. He raced in the men’s single rowing event near Windsor, England. Issaka finished last, but to the sound of a roaring crowd.
14 August 2012 @Whitehouse Celebrates the 2012 Olympic Games in London Like people all over the world, the White House has been using Twitter to celebrate the 2012 Olympic Games in London. As head of the Delegation in London, First Lady Michelle Obama represented the White House at the Opening Ceremonies. While in London, she also met with Team USA to wish them luck, hosted a Let’s Move event for over 1,000 American military children and British students, and cheered our Olympians as they competed.
14 August 2012 Celebrating the Soldier Athletes on Team USA As President Obama said in a recent Weekly Address, Americans could not be prouder of the men and women representing our country in London, in both the recently concluded Olympics and in the upcoming Paralympics. And this year, Team USA included a record number of soldier athletes, both active duty and members of our reserves.
13 August 2012 President Obama thanks Britain for wonderful Olympics President Obama has called Prime Minister Cameron to congratulate him and the people of the United Kingdom and London on an extremely successful Olympic games, which speaks to the character and spirit of our close ally.
10 August 2012 Maya Lawrence Hits Olympic Mark Maya Lawrence, 32, has held onto an Olympic dream for the 16 years she’s been fencing. Although Lawrence is a veteran of women’s fencing, she missed out on qualifying for the 2004 Athens Olympics. She continued to train for four hours a day, six days a week in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Then, even though she ranked among the top four, the United States only qualified for one spot in the individual event, leaving her to work toward the 2012 London Games.
10 August 2012 They Bring Out the Best in Each Other The backgrounds of these champion synchronized swimmers couldn’t be more different: Mariya Koroleva (left) was born in Yaroslavl, Russia, and immigrated to the United States as a child; Mary Killman was born in Texas and is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, a U.S. federally recognized tribe of Native Americans. But in the pool, they are in perfect harmony.
10 August 2012 Team USA Table Tennis gain some East London fans Table Tennis may not be Prime Time viewing for all Olympics fans. But Team U-S-A Table Tennis is gaining a few followers by acting as ambassadors for their sport and country by playing their favorite game with kids in East London.
09 August 2012 First American wheelchair athlete to win an Olympic gold medal In 1984, 28-year-old Sharon Hedrick was offered a place on the U.S. Paralympic team, but she turned it down. She would be heading to the Olympics instead. Hedrick went on to become the first American wheelchair athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. Hedrick, a graduate of the University of Illinois, was the first U.S. wheelchair athlete to win an Olympic gold medal and remains the only U.S. athlete to win gold in both the Olympics and the Paralympics.
09 August 2012 Get fit and make a difference The athletes now competing in the 2012 Olympic Games have dedicated years of training and sacrifice to break world records and prove just what the human spirit is capable of. While only a handful of talented individuals will ever walk away with a gold medal, we can all join in to show just what the human spirit is capable of.
08 August 2012 NBA superstar coaches UK kids NBA superstar, and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, Dwyane Wade set aside some time the week, to coach UK kids. Wade’s mentoring the London-area kids to teach them how to succeed in life through sport. Lessons he teaches his own sons
08 August 2012 Ambassador Susman praises “spectacular” London 2012 U.S. Ambassador to the UK Louis Susman says the Olympics have been "spectacular". Speaking at a clinic for London area kids hosted by NBA star Dwyane Wade, the Ambassador says he has been particularly impressed by Team USA's performance off the field where American athletes have been holding clinics throughout Great Britain to get children interested in sport. Photos are on Flickr!
08 August 2012 NBA star makes being a Dad number one goal Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade has had many impressive achievements: U.S. basketball superstar, two-time NBA champion, eight-time NBA All-Star, and two-time Olympian. However, there is another achievement he works to emphasize: being a father.
08 August 2012 Giving Girls a Chance to Medal and Succeed in Life Before 1972, only one in 27 girls in America played in secondary school varsity sports. Today, two in five play. What changed? In 1972 Congress prohibited discrimination based on gender in educational institutions that received federal funding.
08 August 2012 Cuban-Born Gymnast Danell Leyva life story pay-off with bronze When gymnast Danell Leyva’s mother fled Cuba with her two children — including baby Danell — 19 years ago, the family was hoping to find a better life in the United States. It was a big and risky step for a family to make, but it has worked out well and may have influenced Leyva’s approach to his sport.
08 August 2012 Colorado – Home of future Olympians The U.S. Training Center in Colorado Springs is responsible for a lot of the success at London 2012. Mayor Lionel Rivera and Jim Scherr, CEO of the U.S. Olympics Committee discuss the Olympic spirit and how it inspires excellence in training and performance.
08 August 2012 The Moms Behind Olympic Gold Gymnast Gabby Douglas’ historic gold medals — she’s the first woman of color in Olympic history to be the individual all-around champion and the first American to win both individual and team all-around competitions at the same Olympics — were made possible in part by a very strong network of maternal support.
08 August 2012 Silver medalist Carmelita Jeter leaves her mark Silver medalist Carmelita Jeter has left her mark on London 2012. Nicknamed “The Jet”, the 32-year-old Californian is officially the fastest woman on Earth, and the second-fastest in history
07 August 2012 USA Taekwondo teaches UK kids how to kick down obstacles Team USA Taekwondo is in London for the 2012 games. But before its matches for medals, the team’s showing Wapping kids how to kick down barriers. The Olympians put on a clinic for underprivileged kids from London’s Wapping neighborhood. The clinic, for kids with and without Taekwondo experience, showed the kids how to use sport to learn life lessons. Photos are on Flickr.
06 August 2012 Two great friends from the UK and USA come first and second in 10,000 After running for more than six miles, American Galen Rupp took the Silver Medal in the 10,000 Meter race. Rupp became the first American man in nearly 50 years to medal in the 10K. He did it taking second to his British friend and training partner Mo Farah.
02 August 2012 Soccer Star Abby Wambach to Serve as USAID development champion U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach will serve as the U.S. Agency for International Development’s first-ever Development Champion, the agency announced July 31. In this role, Wambach will raise awareness of the work USAID is doing around the world to improve the lives of young women and girls through sport.
01 August 2012 LetsMove! Event comes to Winfield House At Winfield House, the official residence of U.S. Ambassador Susman, the First Lady encouraged a healthy lifestyle and hosted a Let's Move! event (video) for about 1,000 American military children and American and British students in London on the eve of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony. The event took place at the Ambassador's residence Winfield House. The kids had the chance to meet Olympic and Paralympic legends including David Beckham, Bart Conner, Nadia Comaneci, Teresa Edwards, Emily Hughes, Sarah Hughes, Shawn Johnson, Carl Lewis, Dikembe Mutombo, Dara Torres, members of the 2012 US Track and Field Team and Manchester United legends, among others. Photos are on Flickr.
31 July 2012 U.S. service members providing Olympic support Sixteen active duty US military personnel are competing in the London 2012 games. But, they’re by no means the only American troops taking part in the games. Some 300 service members, stationed at UK Royal Air Forces bases, are getting to take part in the games from behind the scene.
30 July 2012 We covered Michelle Obama leading the U.S. Delegation to the London Olympics (30 July) and her visit to Buckingham Palace.
26 July 2012 Ambassador Susman joined Team USA for the flag-raising ceremony in the Olympic Village. Photos of the ceremony are on Flickr.
A Live Briefing on the new U.S. Embassy London
13 July 2012
Artists impression of new Embassy viewed from Nine Elms Lane (KieranTimberlake)
In 2017, the American Embassy will move to Nine Elms in Wandsworth. It’s unique green design will make it a landmark project. As Ambassador Susman said when announcing the winning design by KieranTimberlake, “We hope to contribute to the architectural heritage and future history of this great city”. We want you to take part.
On Wednesday 18th July, we broadcast a presentation on the new building’s design. Viewers had a chance to watch and ask questions, to those in charge.
Celebrating the Fourth of July in London
01 July 2012
It's more than 3,500 miles from Washington, DC to London. But, the distance didn't stop more than 1,500 Diplomats, embassy staff, local dignitaries, and friends from celebrating American Independence Day in the heart of London.
The U.S. Embassy London's July 4th Family Picnic was hosted at Ambassador Susman's official residence, Winfield House. The celebration included a presentation by the embassy's Marines, music, games like tug-o-war and, of course, hamburgers. Here's the video!
Olympic Bell
18 June 2012
Whitechapel Bell Foundry, MD Alan Hughes
London Olympic Opening Ceremony's Historic American Connection
Oscar winning director Danny Boyle's plan for the London 2012 Opening Ceremony includes the ringing of a giant bell that will dwarf London's other famous bell; Big Ben.
But, what many people watching will not know is the more than 250 year old relationship between the Olympic Bell and its American cousin; the Liberty Bell.
Our digital media team visited the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and spoke with Managing Director Alan Hughes (Youtube).
Conversations with American Artists: Brice Marden
07 June 2012
Conversations with American Artists: Brice Marden discusses Mark Rothko
American artist Brice Marden inaugurated the "American Artist Lecture Series" at the
Tate Modern Museum in London on May 14, 2012.The lecture series is a collaboration between the U.S. Embassy in London, the Tate Modern and the Department of State's Office of Art in Embassies (AIE), in celebration of AIE's 50 years of international cultural exchange.
The Embassy's digital meda team recorded his interviews with Mrs Susman at Winfield House and his remarks on painter Mark Rothko.
Road to 2012: Wheelchair Athletes - The Need for Speed
16 May 2012
U.S. Paralympians Tatayana MacFadden (AP)
We met U.S. Paralympians Tatayana MacFadden and Josh George in London before they competed in the iconic London marathon.
They shared their hopes and dreams for this summer's Paralympic Games and what inspired them to get there in this video interview (Youtube).
Jesse Owens Premiere at the U.S. Embassy London
14 May 2012
We are offering two tickets to attend the premiere of the PBS film
Jesse Owens at the United States Embassy. The screening, on May 24th,
will be followed by a diplomatic reception. Read how to apply !
About Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
was the most famous athlete of his time, his stunning triumph at the
1936 Olympic Games captivated the world even as it infuriated the Nazis.
Jesse Owens is the story of the 22-year-old son of a sharecropper who triumphed over adversity to become a hero and world champion.
American Artist Lecture Series at Tate Modern-London
09 May 20912
Art In Embassies
The Department of State’s Office of Art in Embassies (AIE) is pleased to announce the AIE American Artist Lecture Series at the Tate Modern-London, in a unique collaboration with Embassy London. In celebration of AIE’s 50th anniversary, the three-year-long program will feature six noted American artists.
The AIE program was established by the Museum of Modern Art in 1953, and
formalized as part of the Department of State by the Kennedy
Administration in 1963.
Read the complete media note.
Road to 2012 : Synchronized swimming
01 May 2012
Michelle Theriault, Synchronized swimming Team USA, speaks with the U.S. Embassy's social media team
Dublin was the training base of Team USA's synchronized swimming team before they visited London for an Olympics test event.
They chose jazz as the music for their routine, giving a real American flavor to the performance.
Synchronized Swimming team manager Gigi Grizanti and several members of Team USA spoke with our social media team (Youtube).
Road to 2012: NBA gives back
17 April 2012
Swin Cash and the U.S. Basketball team win gold in 2004 (AP images)
Kids in schools across London, Manchester and Birmingham were in for a treat in March 2012.
Olympics gold medalist's Sam Perkins and Swin Cash shared their skills, thoughts and inspirational stories about what it takes to achieve the ultimate in sport. For Swin, it was a British taster. She'll be back to compete for the gold again at the London Games this summer.
The U.S. Embassy was there to film the action and have a chat (Youtube).
Win Sundance Film Festival Tickets
16 April 2012
This year, the first-ever London Sundance Film Festival will take place. To celebrate, the Embassy has five pairs of tickets to a special screening of the award-winning documentary ‘Chasing Ice’, followed by a Q & A with the film’s director, Jeff Orlowski.
To win
Just follow us on Twitter @USAinUK and answer the trivia questions marked #winsundance. The first correct answer to each tweet will win. Tweets will go out April 17th to April 20th.
Read more about the competition.
The Road to Olympics 2012: Nick Simmons
11 April 2012
Team USA's wrestler Nick Simmons being interview by USEmbassyLondon
Team USA's wrestler Nick Simmons had a simple message for the kids of Sarah Bonnell Primary School when he visited them in the Olympics build-up, "Dedication and sacrifice is what it takes to reach the top".
The children took the team to heart "U.S.A, U.S.A" was the chant of the day!
U.S. Embassy London was on the ball to show you this Youtube video!
John Adams Society: The First Anniversary
26 March 2012
John Adams Society (JAS)
The John Adams Society, the association for alumni of Embassy-sponsored exchange programs, celebrated its first birthday on March 6, 2012. The Society marked the milestone by holding it's first AGM and a celebratory reception at the U.S. Embassy in London.
Earth Day Photo Contest
13 March 2012
In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section will launch a four- week Earth Day Photo Contest on Facebook starting March 15.
Submit a photo that inspires you to “act green” on our Facebook page.
The Press Section’s social media team will judge the submitted photos and the winner will receive an Amazon Kindle and solar powered Kindle case in the spirit of Earth Day!
The Road to 2012 - Goalball
08 March 2012
Goalball is a unique, different and fascinating Paralympic sport.
We met the Paralympic champions Team USA in the Olympic Park, as they checked out the facilities.
Will they win gold again in 2012?
Double Victory screening to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day
12 January 2012
Three images of Tuskegee Airmen (NPS photo)
The UK premiere of George Lucas’ documentary Double Victory took place at the U.S. Embassy on January 12th 2012.
It was attended by VIPs, surviving Tuskegee airmen and special guests, picked by the public. Ambasador Susman presented remarks.
The screening was followed by a diplomatic reception.
Wise Cracks: The Comedies of Woody Allen
06 January 2012
Win tickets to Wise Cracks: The Comedies of Woody Allen
Are you a Woody Allen fan? From 6 January to 8 February the British Film Institute is celebrating his work.
Twenty-one of his films will feature in Wise Cracks: The Comedies of Woody Allen at the BFI on London’s Southbank and we’re offering you the chance to win tickets !