Arturo Sarukhán
Encyclopedia
Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana (born on 14 September 1963) is a Mexican
diplomat. He is the current Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, a former Consul General at New York City, and served as foreign policy coordinator in Felipe Calderón
's presidential campaign and transition team (February – November 2006).
His grandfather, Artur Sarukhanian, was a Russian Armenian
aide to the 2nd Minister-Chairman of the Russian Provisional Government, Alexander Kerensky
. After Kerensky was overthrown by the Bolshevik
s, Sarukhanian moved to Venice
, Italy where he trained at the Mechitarist seminary. Sarukhán's grandmother fled to Thessaloniki
, Greece during the Armenian Genocide
, then moved to Venice, where she met and later married Sarukhanian. Shortly after Benito Mussolini
came to power, they left Italy for Mexico.
On his mother’s side, Sarukhan is a descendant of Spanish Republican refugees. The Casamitjanas, a Catalan family, crossed the Pyrenees into France at the end of the Civil War and after the fall of Barcelona, and were held in a French concentration camp. They sought asylum in Mexico, when then President Lázaro Cárdenas
welcomed thousands of Spanish Republicans who fled after the victory of Francisco Franco's fascist forces.
Sarukhan graduated from El Colegio de México
with a bachelor's degree in International Relations and received a master's degree in U.S. Foreign Policy at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University
in Washington, D.C., where he studied as a Fulbright scholar and Ford Foundation Fellow. In 1988–1989, before joining Mexico’s Foreign Service, Sarukhan served as the Executive Secretary of the Commission for the Future of Mexico-US relations, a non-governmental initiative funded by the Ford Foundation to recast the Mexico-US relationship.
He has served in different posts at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. In 1991, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs and during that period he also represented Mexico at the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean
(OPANAL). In 1993, he was posted to the Embassy of Mexico in Washington DC and was the Chief of Staff to the Ambassador, during the NAFTA negotiations. In 1995 he was put in charge of the office for antinarcotics in the same diplomatic mission. In 2000–2003, Sarukhan was designated Chief of Policy Planning to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and served as Consul General in New York City in 2003–2006.
As an academic, he has taught several courses at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
(ITAM), at the National Defense College, at the Inter-American Defense College
and at the National Defense University
of the United States.
On 3 February 2006, he requested a leave of absence from the Foreign Service and left his post at the Consulate General in New York City to join Felipe Calderón
's presidential campaign as international spokesperson and coordinator of foreign affairs.
He was appointed Ambassador to the United States on 27 January 2007.
Sarukhan is member of several organizations. He is vice-chair of the Executive Council on Diplomacy Ambassadors Advisory Board, Board member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas; Advisory Board member of the Post Classical Ensemble; member of the Advisory Board of the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, and ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the US-Mexico Foundation. He is a recipient of the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit of the Kingdom of Spain, and has been awarded the insignia of Commander of the Order of the Polar Star of the Kingdom of Sweden.
In November 2010, he was presented with the prestigious B’nai B’rith Excellence in Diplomacy Award.
In October 2009, Sarukhan became the first Ambassador in Washington, D.C. to have a personal Twitter account. He tweets under the handle @arturo_sarukhan.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
diplomat. He is the current Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, a former Consul General at New York City, and served as foreign policy coordinator in Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
's presidential campaign and transition team (February – November 2006).
His grandfather, Artur Sarukhanian, was a Russian Armenian
Armenians in Russia
Armenians in Russia or Russian Armenians are ethnic Armenians who live in Russia. The 2002 Russian census recorded 1,130,491 Armenians in the country, but most probably did not take into account the Armenian guest workers, most of whom do not hold Russian citizenship...
aide to the 2nd Minister-Chairman of the Russian Provisional Government, Alexander Kerensky
Alexander Kerensky
Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky was a major political leader before and during the Russian Revolutions of 1917.Kerensky served as the second Prime Minister of the Russian Provisional Government until Vladimir Lenin was elected by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets following the October Revolution...
. After Kerensky was overthrown by the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s, Sarukhanian moved to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Italy where he trained at the Mechitarist seminary. Sarukhán's grandmother fled to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece during the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
, then moved to Venice, where she met and later married Sarukhanian. Shortly after Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
came to power, they left Italy for Mexico.
On his mother’s side, Sarukhan is a descendant of Spanish Republican refugees. The Casamitjanas, a Catalan family, crossed the Pyrenees into France at the end of the Civil War and after the fall of Barcelona, and were held in a French concentration camp. They sought asylum in Mexico, when then President Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
welcomed thousands of Spanish Republicans who fled after the victory of Francisco Franco's fascist forces.
Sarukhan graduated from El Colegio de México
El Colegio de México
El Colegio de México, A.C. is a prestigious Mexican institute of higher education, specializing in teaching and research in the social sciences and the humanities...
with a bachelor's degree in International Relations and received a master's degree in U.S. Foreign Policy at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in Washington, D.C., where he studied as a Fulbright scholar and Ford Foundation Fellow. In 1988–1989, before joining Mexico’s Foreign Service, Sarukhan served as the Executive Secretary of the Commission for the Future of Mexico-US relations, a non-governmental initiative funded by the Ford Foundation to recast the Mexico-US relationship.
He has served in different posts at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. In 1991, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs and during that period he also represented Mexico at the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean
OPANAL
The OPANAL is an international organization which promotes nuclear disarmament...
(OPANAL). In 1993, he was posted to the Embassy of Mexico in Washington DC and was the Chief of Staff to the Ambassador, during the NAFTA negotiations. In 1995 he was put in charge of the office for antinarcotics in the same diplomatic mission. In 2000–2003, Sarukhan was designated Chief of Policy Planning to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and served as Consul General in New York City in 2003–2006.
As an academic, he has taught several courses at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
The Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México , commonly known as ITAM, is a private Ph.D.-granting research university located in Mexico City, Mexico...
(ITAM), at the National Defense College, at the Inter-American Defense College
Inter-American Defense College
The Inter-American Defense College is an international educational institution located in Washington D.C., United States, operating under the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Defense Board ....
and at the National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
of the United States.
On 3 February 2006, he requested a leave of absence from the Foreign Service and left his post at the Consulate General in New York City to join Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
's presidential campaign as international spokesperson and coordinator of foreign affairs.
He was appointed Ambassador to the United States on 27 January 2007.
Sarukhan is member of several organizations. He is vice-chair of the Executive Council on Diplomacy Ambassadors Advisory Board, Board member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas; Advisory Board member of the Post Classical Ensemble; member of the Advisory Board of the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, and ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the US-Mexico Foundation. He is a recipient of the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit of the Kingdom of Spain, and has been awarded the insignia of Commander of the Order of the Polar Star of the Kingdom of Sweden.
In November 2010, he was presented with the prestigious B’nai B’rith Excellence in Diplomacy Award.
In October 2009, Sarukhan became the first Ambassador in Washington, D.C. to have a personal Twitter account. He tweets under the handle @arturo_sarukhan.