The USA celebrates 236 years of independence on the 4th of July

The USA celebrates 236 years of independence on the 4th of July

SURABAYA- The United States Consulate General in Surabaya celebrates the 236th year of American independence with a traditional barbeque for our community and friends.  This holiday when Americans come together to celebrate independence and democracy with their families, communities, and friends, is being celebrated in Surabaya with a traditional American style barbeque hosted by Consul General Kristen  Bauer.  We are honored to have the U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Scot Marciel, join the barbeque.
Over the past year the U.S. mission to Indonesia has done much to expand cooperation under the Comprehensive Partnership between Indonesia and the U.S. that was signed by Presidents Yudhoyono and Obama in 2010. To promote trade and investment, the U.S. Consulate General has hosted business delegations from the US and held entrepreneurship programs. For energy, we have continued our Energy Policy Dialogue to find areas of cooperation with Indonesia and donated millions of dollars to support Indonesia’s clean energy infrastructure development. For security, our militaries have cooperated in exercises to help protect Indonesia’s ports and we have donated equipment to help TNI monitor marine borders. For the environment the U.S. Consulate General has held programs to highlight mangrove protective efforts and plant trees, coupled with Tunas Hijau to support their Green School campaign, and opened a new “green” consulate with construction and technologies designed to minimizing negative environmental impacts. For civil society and democracy, the U.S. Consulate General has hosted lawmakers from the U.S. to engage with their Indonesian counterparts to share experiences and best practices as well as invited academic experts on elections to share information about the American democratic experience.
Currently the U.S. mission to Indonesia’s top priority and part of the Comprehensive Partnership, is education.  Consulate staff have visited hundreds of schools, universities, and pesantrens. The U.S. mission to Indonesia has donated books to libraries, supported exchange programs for dozens of students and teachers to go to the U.S., and funded university partnerships to strengthen educational ties between our two countries. This morning, as part of efforts to support educational development and help those in need on one of our major holidays, the U.S. Consulate General donated desks, books, supplies, and a basketball hoop to Pesantren Al Ibrahimi in Madura. 
The U.S. Consulate General covers East Java, the provinces of Sulawesi, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, and the Malukus.