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Consuls: Las Vegas' Hidden Diplomats

If you're traveling abroad and you get in trouble, what would you do?

Call the embassy or consulate, of course.

Foreign visitors to Las Vegas are no different, and a network of 25 consuls – or representatives of foreign governments – is stationed here to help travelers when they're in a pinch.

Lena Walther was in the diplomatic service for her home country of Sweden for many years. Then, she became the honorary consul for Sweden in Las Vegas.

Walther told KNPR's State of Nevada that she is basically available to help Swedish citizens at any time for about any problem -- from lost passports, to illnesses to detention center visits.

“I tell you, it’s a lot of trouble here sometimes,” Walther said.

John Petkus is the honorary consul for Poland. He said lost or stolen passports are a big problem in Las Vegas because so many nightclubs and bars require them to get in.

 “In this town, that’s a recipe for disaster,” Petkus said, “It seems that a lot ask for a passport from somebody because they wouldn't understand a foreign driver’s license or identity card.”

Once inside the club or bar, people have too much to drink and forget their passport, or are preyed upon by people looking to steal it, since they know foreign tourists are carrying them around.

Petkus said the consuls are working on a strategy to present to casinos and nightclubs to solve the problem.

According to Walther, she replaces between 70 and 80 passports a year. 

The job is more than just tracking down replacement documents. They also work on business opportunities and exchanges. Petkus has worked with mining companies in Poland to set up shop in Nevada.

“We had to get over the Las Vegas stigma,” Petkus said, but once the Polish businesses realize the potential of the state, they were happy to come to Nevada.

Astra Michels, the honorary consul of Lithuania, does the same thing. She is working with a solar panel company to find foreign investment and with a technology school in Lithuania on a partnership with UNLV. 

Michels and Walther are both involved in the effort to end human trafficking. 

“Sometimes these girls are lured here. They think they’re coming here for a job,” Michels said. Instead, they are exploited.  

Michels and Walther believe being consuls for their respective countries has helped them start conversations with casinos executives and police about solving the problem. 

Lena Walther, honorary consul to Sweden John Petkus, honorary consul to Poland; Astra Michels, honorary consul to Lithuania

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Joe Schoenmann joined Nevada Public Radio in 2014. He works with a talented team of producers at State of Nevada who explore the casino industry, sports, politics, public health and everything in between.
Casey Morell is the coordinating producer of Nevada Public Radio's flagship broadcast State of Nevada and one of the station's midday newscast announcers. (He's also been interviewed by Jimmy Fallon, whatever that's worth.)