We are heartbroken over the events in Afghanistan and Haiti given our efforts to support the citizens of the countries through a range of exchange programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and others. As summer comes to a close, we reflect on the strides Meridian has made to reconnect our network this season, while keeping the health and security of everyone involved top of mind. Read below to learn more about our latest initiatives.

Welcoming Washington'sSocial Secretaries and Cultural Attachés

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After two years, Meridian hosted the long awaited Embassy Social Secretaries and Cultural Attachés Reception at Meridian House. With proper safety measures, the in-person event reunited diplomats and secretaries alike. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” said Carlos Elizondo, White House Social Secretary quoting Maya Angelou during the reception’s opening remarks. We thank all the social secretaries, cultural attachés and embassy protocol officers for their efforts in advancing diplomacy, cultural exchange and international cooperation.

Hybrid Programming is Underway

As we adapt to unprecedented times, Meridian continues to safely proceed with virtual and in-person events by fostering spaces for collaboration in Washington, D.C. and beyond.

• The Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement hosted a successful hybrid Federalism Briefing for newly-arrived diplomats—allowing those to convene safely based on comfort levels. The hybrid model was proven effective again for our Diplocraft event, "Flight Plan: Reconnecting the World Safely" with United Airlines. The panel discussion, attended by an in-person audience and a simultaneous livestream, focused on how nations can safely return of travel by establishing common vaccination and testing protocols while jumpstarting economic recovery.
• The Meridian Center for Global Leadership also hosted the first in-person International Visitor Leadership Program in two years: Contribution of Television Programs to Civic Debate in the United States: A Project for Cameroon. These IVLP participants gathered both on the Meridian campus and virtually to learn about the federal government and freedom of the press and expression in the United States. Alternatively, this month began our French-speaking 2021 Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) cohort connecting 60 students and 11 adult mentors from across Africa completely virtually!

Support Diversity in Foreign Policy

This past spring, Meridian introduced DiplomacyRISE (Readiness, Innovation, Skill, and Equity), an inclusive diplomatic professional development program that provides greater access to critical skills training, career guidance networks, and emerging issue expertise to cultivate the next generation of U.S. diplomats. Meridian President and COO Lee Satterfield announced DiplomacyRISE as "a part of the solution to shared global challenges," and reinforced the need for initiatives like it, "to cultivate the next generation of diplomats that reflect America's diversity and 21st-century statecraft. We all have a role to play and can work together to build a better world."

Help us spread this message at 2022 SXSWEdu! Our proposal for the SXSWEdu PanelPicker program, “American Diplomats Should Look Like America”, showcases the vitality in creating a pipeline that educates, mentors and prepares underrepresented U.S. youth for global affairs careers. "Vote up" our pitch here!​​