First International Consulate Day provides resources to over 1,500 people

LADSON, S.C. (WCSC) - Over 1,500 people came to Exchange Park over the weekend to receive services from six different countries that citizens may not be able to obtain otherwise.

Charleston’s first International Consulate Day was hosted on Saturday and Sunday with consulates from Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Argentina and Ecuador offering services to their citizens.

The consulates provided help for citizens by providing passport and birth certificate services as well as ID card renewals. Ileana Fiegel, Dominion Energy Community Outreach assistant and volunteer with the Latin Exchange Club of Charleston, says the weekend showed diversification and inclusion.

“We have so many embassies under one roof and have so many people from different countries,” Fiegel says. “We are providing resources that otherwise is very hard to get, because they will have to travel out of the state.”

To ensure that citizens were able to attend the event, it was planned for the weekend so the majority of the community would be off from work.

Organizers say that seeing such a large turnout at International Consulate Day says how important the need is for these resources to be available for citizens of the six countries.

“It’s important for everyone to have an ID; and of course, they approved to renew their passports is important for everyone to be very, very careful with and for all to respect the law,” Consulate General of Mexico Claudia Velasco says. “We empower our people.”

The Latin Exchange Club of Charleston and the Exchange Club of Charleston say this event is the first time consulates from this many countries have come together in the city.

The Latin Exchange Club is part of the National Exchange Club which has been around for nearly 115 years. The club is the first Latin club in its history, and they help the Hispanic community due to the language barrier.

“All the volunteers that we have had here in the last two days, it has been a work effort for a year trying to get it put together. Now that it is here, and we have seen how much it is needed in Charleston, how much the Latino community has grown,” Fiegel adds.

A free health care was also offered with participating organizations helping the public receive vaccines, testing and other resources for people who may need other medical attention.

The lines were so long both days that some people had to be turned away, which is why organizers hope the event will continue for years to come.

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