On April 1st, the day the first American consul arrived in Recife in 1815, Consul General Richard Reiter was honored with the title of “Citizen of Recife.” The ceremony took place during a session of the city council; among the attendees were the vice-governor of Pernambuco, Raul Henry, the consulate staff, and the consul general’s family. During the event, musicians from the Recife Symphony Orchestra performed the official anthems of the United States of America, Brazil, and Recife.
The proposal for the honor came from Councilman André Régis, who explained that the title was in “recognition of the diplomatic path, always dedicated to the noblest public humanitarian causes, with the commitment to Brazil, and especially, to the city of Recife.” Richard Reiter first worked in the Northeast of Brazil between 1993 and 1995 and, since July 2014, has served as consul general for the entire Northeast region. “I love living and working in Recife, and one of the great honors of being here, in this specific moment, is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the consulate in Recife. My mission and my passion while here in Brazil is to strengthen these ties and ensure that more Brazilians know this story,” said Richard Reiter.
