Some of our neighbors are inviting us over in May. And we should jump at the chance to visit.
Embassy tours on May 6th and 13th feature diplomatic missions here in Forest Hills and Van Ness. The first one is the Around the World Embassy Tour, one of a number of Passport DC events sponsored by Cultural Tourism DC.
The second is the Shortcut to Europe tour, a.k.a. the European Union Open House.
Both tours are free. Of course, food is a main attraction for both as well as other cultural events. The Around the World tour strongly encourages the use of public transportation. For the EU tour, there will be shuttle buses running from 9:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Both tours recommend that you bring government-issued photo identification.
Saturday, May 6, 2017, 10 a.m to 4 p.m. – Around the World Embassy Tour
“More than 40 embassies will open their doors to DC visitors and residents Saturday, May 6. Participants can travel the world as they experience the food, art, dance, fashion, and music of different countries. In the past, visitors have been treated to karate demonstrations, dance performances, sari wrapping lessons, and henna demonstrations.”
Participating embassies as of April 17th include: Afghanistan, African Union, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Kyrgyz Republic, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (Oman), Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay and Zimbabwe. (Check here for the latest list of participating embassies.)
Three of them are near the Van Ness Metro on International Court and International Drive: Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan.
Saturday, May 13, 2017, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Shortcut to Europe/European Union Embassies’ Open House
“The Delegation of the European Union to the United States and the Embassies of 28 EU Member States to the United States will open their doors to the Washington public during the EU Embassies’ Open House Day…. The day will provide a unique opportunity to experience the country’s cultural heritage and national traditions.”
Here’s the list of participating embassies. Five are in the Forest Hills/Van Ness area:
These aren’t the only embassy events in May. See CulturalTourismDC.org for more.