A Formal Invitation E-mail

[F1challenger]

Hello! I am trying to write a formal invitation e-mail to invite consul-generals to give a talk at our event series. Following is a draft that I have written, could anyone proof read it for me and correct my mistakes if there are any? Thank you very much!

Dear Mr. Vladimir A. Pulyakov, Consul-General of the Russian Federation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China,

On behalf of the International Relations Association (IRA), I would like to invite you as our speaker in the March session of our International Relations Current Affairs Seminar Series.

The IRA is a professional, non-profit and non-political organization that seeks to maintain the global entity of the Hong Kong community and to bring together all individuals interested in international relations.

As an effort to provide a platform for educational discussion to keep the local citizens informed with the situations in various countries and to raise their global awareness, we are organizing a monthly event to acknowledge the younger generation about international affairs. The IRRA is inviting official representatives of different countries in Hong Kong to give a talk on a particular topic or a popular issue in their respective countries.

The topics to be discussed in our events are flexible. The following are some of the topics that we are proposing, you may also give a talk on a topic of your interest:

It has almost been a decade since the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council which has widely been regarded as a milestone in the Russia-NATO relation, it also marks the start of an unprecedented strategic partnership between the two sides, since then the two sides have been working together to ensure the security and stability of the northern hemisphere. At the present stage, how does Russia assess its partnership with NATO and how does she expect her ties with NATO to develop in the future?

Initially as the brainchild of both Russia and China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was incorporated in 26 April 1996, with three other members from the central Asia region at the time of its founding. To a large extent the SCO has strengthen the cooperation on the sphere of regional security of its member states, it has been facilitating efforts in countering terrorism resulted from religious fundamentalism, separatism and various other causes, the series of joint military rehearsals have depicted this. Apart from cooperation on security, the SCO has also provided an effective platform for development in the cooperation on the economic and cultural aspects among the member state, all these are drawing many other Asian Pacific countries’ interests in joining the SCO. At this phase, how does Russia assess the work of SCO and is what is her vision on the future of the SCO and her involvement in it?

Islamic fundamentalism and separatism are some of the significant issues that have been bothering the Russian government, after two Chechen wars and a series of counter-terrorism operations, the influence of the separatists has been largely weakened, however recently terrorists attacks have remerged in the Russian capital. How would the Russian government respond to deal with these threats?

More and more scale corporations from the rapidly developing economies including Russian corporations are showing their interests in listing in Hong Kong, how do you comment on such a trend and the future of the Russia-Hong Kong ties in this regard?

This would be a great opportunity for Hong Kong citizens to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the current status of Russia. Apart from that, it would be a great channel to enhance the dynamics and connection between the official representative body of Russia and the local community of Hong Kong.

The International Relations Current Affairs Seminar will be held at the Hong Kong Book bookstore, located at 2/F, 59 Sai Street South, Ming Bak, Hong Kong. We are planning to conduct our seminar on either October 15 or October 16 at 6pm.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at EMAIL REMOVED - Send PM to This User Instead or 8882 9009 if you have any questions. To learn more about the IRA, you may also visit our website at IRA It is our honor to have you as one of our prestigous speakers.

[Gillnetter]

Hello! I am trying to write a formal invitation e-mail to invite consul-generals to give a talk at our event series. Following is a draft that I have written, could anyone proof read it for me and correct my mistakes if there are any? Thank you very much!

Dear Mr. Vladimir A. Pulyakov, Consul-General of the Russian Federation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China,
I'm sure that Mr. Pulyakov knows what his offical position is. This is not a letter where you have to address it in a certain form. This is an e-mail - keep it short and to the point. I suggest that you begin with - Dear Mr. Pulyakov.

On behalf of the International Relations Association (IRA), I would like to invite you as our speaker in the March session of our International Relations Current Affairs Seminar Series.
This part is fine.
The IRA is a professional, non-profit and non-political organization that seeks to maintain the global entity of the Hong Kong community and to bring together all individuals interested in international relations.
This part is a bit "wordy" but it is still OK.
As an effort to provide a platform for educational discussion to keep the local citizens informed with the situations in various countries and to raise their global awareness, we are organizing a monthly event to acknowledge the younger generation about international affairs. The IRRA (Is it IRA or IRRA?) is inviting official representatives of different countries in Hong Kong to give a talk on a particular topic or a popular issue in their respective countries.

The topics to be discussed in our events are flexible. The following are some of the topics that we are proposing, you may also give a talk on a topic of your interest:

It has almost been a decade since the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council which has widely been regarded as a milestone in the Russia-NATO relation, it also marks the start of an unprecedented strategic partnership between the two sides, since then the two sides have been working together to ensure the security and stability of the northern hemisphere. At the present stage, How does Russia assess its partnership with NATO and how does she expect her ties with NATO to develop in the future?

Initially as the brainchild of both Russia and China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was incorporated in 26 April 1996, with three other members from the central Asia region at the time of its founding. To a large extent the SCO has strengthen the cooperation on the sphere of regional security of its member states, it has been facilitating efforts in countering terrorism resulted from religious fundamentalism, separatism and various other causes, the series of joint military rehearsals have depicted this. Apart from cooperation on security, the SCO has also provided an effective platform for development in the cooperation on the economic and cultural aspects among the member state, all these are drawing many other Asian Pacific countries’ interests in joining the SCO. At this phase, how does Russia assess the work of SCO and is what is her vision on the future of the SCO and her involvement in it?

Islamic fundamentalism and separatism are some of the significant issues that have been bothering the Russian government, after two Chechen wars and a series of counter-terrorism operations, the influence of the separatists has been largely weakened, however recently terrorists attacks have remerged in the Russian capital. How would the Russian government respond to deal with these threats?


More and more scale corporations from the rapidly developing economies including Russian corporations are showing their interests in listing in Hong Kong, how do you comment on such a trend and the future of the Russia-Hong Kong ties in this regard?

This would be a great opportunity for Hong Kong citizens to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the current status of Russia. Apart from that, it would be a great channel to enhance the dynamics and connection between the official representative body of Russia and the local community of Hong Kong.
The International Relations Current Affairs Seminar will be held at the Hong Kong Book bookstore, located at 2/F, 59 Sai Street South, Ming Bak, Hong Kong. We are planning to conduct our seminar on either October 15 or October 16 at 6pm.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at EMAIL REMOVED - Send PM to This User Instead or 8882 9009 if you have any questions. To learn more about the IRA, you may also visit our website at IRA It is would be our honor to have you as one of our prestigous speakers.

Your English is fine but this text is just too long. A Consul General should be familiar with the information you wrote about.

[F1challenger]

Thank you very much Gillnetter! You've given me a big hand! I'll take your advice and give it a little bit of polish.. Thank you once again!!

[Tdol]

There are different approaches to the salutation for a Consul General.

The US government suggests the following

Mr. Douglas E. Carter
Consul General
[mailing address]

Salutation: Dear Mr. Carter:

How to Address Officers

An Australian government site suggests

Dear Consul-General
http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/CA256D800027B102/Lookup/FormsofAddress/$file/FORMSOFADDRESS.doc (Word Document)

I certainly agree with Gillnetter that the full title you give seems far too wordy for a letter. I would use that on the envelope. I think I would be probably use what you put on the envelope of follow the Australian form in the letter. Others may think differently, though.