How to greet in a polite manner

I would like to express my thanks/gratitude [choose one; they are synonymous] to all of you for undertaking this historic tour, for taking the trouble of coming all the way down here to gain first-hand knowledge of our situation.

I don't think 'on the ground' is the appropriate idiom-- presumably any competent team of activists is alr

Thanks MM. "Our situation" sounds great although a search for
"situation on the ground" on google book search has got a good number of hits.

To me, "first-hand knowledge of/about the situation on the ground" is fine. "On the ground" emphasises that they're seeing with their own eyes what things are really like -- what's really happening -- rather than learning about it in a more distant and theoretical way.

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I think you are both overly enamoured of the phrase. I can only repeat:

I don't think 'on the ground' is the appropriate idiom-- presumably any competent team of activists is already 'on the ground'.
Using 'on the ground' suggests that your guests are unaware-- so it is potentially slightly insulting. 'Our situation' alone is sufficiently clear, while remaini

Mister MicawberI don't think 'on the ground' is the appropriate idiom ... it is potentially slightly insulting

Curious. To me it is entirely appropriate for a visiting group (who will not have seen the situation first-hand, but have probably heard/read about it), and is not in the least bit "insulting".

Does anyone else have an opini

Yes, I thought it sounded ok as well. Although it sounds as though this is the first time those people have visited that environment. It wouldn't be appropriate if they'd been there before....but I don't see it as insulting or that they have little knowledge of the situation.

Maybe another Brit/US thing?

Can we come to the conclusion that while the phrase may be potentially slightly insulting to some people, it is not so to others?

My another question is: does the use of the phrases "To begin with", "first of all" or "at the beginning" at the beginning of your
delibertion make you less formal? If so, can I use them in any semi-formal meetings?

Thanks.

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Let me just try to clarify one more time: the phrase itself is certainly not necessarily impolite. In this specific situation, given that the visitors are activists, I would expect them not to be ivory tower execs but already hands-on operatives-- and already 'on the ground', as it were (if not specifically at this location). That is my only caution against using it

Thanks MM. Well clarified and I will stick to your suggestions. Now it's clear in which situation I should use "to begin with" etc. Thanks again.