On April 17, we celebrated the Independence Day at the Mandarin Hotel in Washington. The huge attendance was a testimony to how Syria is regarded by the American people despite years of trying to distort its image, particularly during the Bush era.
Washington's foremost blogger and the director of the New America Foundation Steve Clemons paid me the best compliment I have ever had since I came to America when he wrote:
"Yesterday evening, I wanted to pay my respects to a fellow blogger and lover of the arts, Imad Moustapha- who also happens to be the Ambassador of Syria to Washington."
I am usually described here as the Ambassador of Syria who is also a blogger and a lover of art. Clemons's way of introducing me was music to my ears.
The event was attended by the Syrian community from the national beltway, American friends of Syria, academics, diplomats - including almost all Arab ambassadors, prominent personalities from the US State Department, and major think tanks pundits. Most notably: it was heavily attended by the media. Representatives of major TV channels, national newspapers, influential internet sites, bloggers and independent analysts participated in celebrating Syria's national day. The implication of their heavy attendance was both a rebuke to the Bush legacy, and a strong condoning of President Obama's policies of dialogue and respect.
Another notable blogger had also this to write about our national day celebration in his Friday Lunch Club blog. However, a less friendly comment appeared in Foreign Policy's Syria on the Potomac. Well, after all, this is life in Washington DC.
