Meridian Annual Report 2019
Redefining Diplomacy
Meridian is redefining diplomacy through Global Leadership, Collaboration and Cultureto solve shared global challenges
Because we believe we are stronger at home
when globally engaged.
In 2019, we empowered 00 global leaders
From 00 countries
Through 00 Meridian programs
Global Leadership
Meridian develops the next generation of leaders through exchange and training programs.
In 2019, Meridian inspired
517 NEXT-GENERATION LEADERS
through global education programs such as the Study of U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders, an exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State that brought 100 international student leaders to the U.S. to learn valuable leadership and entrepreneurial skills and receive insight into American society and institutions. Learn more about SUSI and Meridian’s other global education programs.Meridian empowered
200 WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD
through women's leadership programs such as the White House's Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative. In 2019, Meridian partnered with the State Department and USAID on a new International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) that welcomed women entrepreneurs from across the globe to explore best practices for reducing restrictive legal, regulatory and cultural barriers to women’s full and free economic participation.Read about Meridian’s work on the W-GDP Initiative.Explore Meridian’s other women's empowerment programs.Meridian trained
483 GLOBAL JOURNALISTS
through programs such as the Central Asian Journalist-in-Residence Program (CAJIR), launched in 2019 in partnership with the State Department and the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC) to bring journalists from across Central Asia to Texas for residencies designed to strengthen the credibility and accuracy of participants’ reporting and bolster independent media in Central Asia.Hear what CAJIR participants had to say about their experience.Explore Meridian’s other media and journalism programs.Meridian connected
384 SECURITY EXPERTS
with their U.S. counterparts through exchanges such as Towards a More Safe and Secure World, an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) that welcomed more than 60 judicial, law enforcement and security officials from around the world to the U.S to examine methods for upholding the rule of law, leveraging partnerships, expanding international cooperation and defeating terrorism. Meet the global security experts.Explore Meridian’s other global security programs.#MeridianOnTheRoad: MEXICO
Meridian partnered with the U.S.–Mexico Foundation to bring 15 policymakers from Washington, DC, to Mexico City in March 2019 for a five-day study tour as part of the U.S.–Mexico 360 Public Diplomacy initiative. Discussions throughout the trip revolved around the future of trade between the U.S. and Mexico, the impact of NAFTA and the impending USMCA, how security concerns are shaping Mexican policy and the people-to-people connections between U.S. and Mexican citizens.See how Meridian has kept leaders informed on U.S.–Mexico relations.Collaboration
Meridian promotes collaboration to solve global issues.
95% OF FOREIGN DIPLOMATS
say that Meridian has improved their ability to perform effectively in their field.Read the survey results.Through Welcome to Washington receptions that honor newly appointed ambassadors as well as lectures and networking programs that connect diplomats with U.S. government and business leaders, the Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement (MCDE) has worked with more than 675 diplomats in just one year since its launch.See how we harness the power of collaboration across borders, sectors and cultures.The 2019 Meridian Global Leadership Summit convened
174 DIPLOMATIC, BUSINESS AND POLICY LEADERS
to discuss how shifts in trade, investment and energy will shape the global economy for the foreseeable future, and how we can collaborate on solutions to today’s most pressing global challenges and opportunities.Check out live tweets from the event.Read the key takeaways from the discussion.Meridian connected diplomats with
97 HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS AND EXPERTS
on a variety of global issues through collaborative programs such as the Insights@Meridian and Diplocraft series, which dive beyond the headlines to help foreign diplomats understand the top issues in the United States and allow them to meet the policymakers and thought leaders who are shaping politics and economics in Washington and beyond. Learn more about Meridian’s offerings for diplomats.#MeridianOnTheRoad: BEYOND THE BELTWAY
More than 30 diplomats traveled to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville for a day-long briefing and seminar, co-hosted by the Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement and UVA’s Center for Politics and focused on citizen engagement and top issues for the U.S. at the state and local level in 2019. Participants discussed issues from perspectives not often heard in the nation’s capital and built strong connections with their counterparts from countries around the globe in the process. By leaving the “Washington bubble,” diplomats were able to grasp a more complete picture of the country.Watch the highlights from the trip.Meridian empowered
500 BUSINESS LEADERS
by providing them a platform for exchange, dialogue and networking with foreign ambassadors, top government officials and other corporate leaders on key global issues. In 2019 alone, the Meridian Corporate Council hosted 28 programs for its 52 members.Learn more about the Meridian Corporate Council.Culture
Meridian uses the arts and culture as tools of diplomacy to connect people around the world and bridge divides.
COUNTRY OF FOCUS: UAE
The Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy (MCCD) partnered with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates on 6 programs in 2019, including salon dinners, panel discussions and delegations to explore the rich history of relations between our two countries and share cultural perspectives on a variety of topics, from culinary diplomacy and technological innovation to cultural influencers and museum and arts infrastructure.Check out the highlights from Meridian’s ongoing partnership with the UAE.#MeridianOnTheRoad: MOROCCO
Meridian sent a delegation of 20 private sector and diplomatic leaders to the Kingdom of Morocco as part of the annual Meridian Global Insights Mission. The delegates journeyed through the imperial cities of Rabat, Fez and Marrakesh for a week of impactful exchanges with government and cultural leaders.We came away with a sense that the nation has a strategic view of itself as a bridge both between East and West and between North and South.Read Ambassador Holliday’s blog.— Ambassador Stuart W. Holliday, Meridian President and CEO
