Launching Diplomacy at 250: America’s 250 Years of Diplomacy & Global Partnerships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2026
Washington, DC — Meridian International Center announced the launch of Diplomacy at 250, a bold, yearlong initiative marking America’s 250th anniversary through the lens of public diplomacy, international partnerships, and cultural exchange. The Diplomacy at 250 Embassy Salon Series, the flagship program of the initiative, will bring together senior government leaders, diplomats, innovators, cultural figures, and global partners at embassies across Washington to explore how America’s international partnerships—past, present, and future—are shaping the nation’s role in the world.
“At this historic moment, Diplomacy at 250 gives us an opportunity to reflect on the international partnerships that have shaped America’s story—and to imagine the partnerships that will define its future,” said Deborah Lehr, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Meridian International Center. “For 65 years, Meridian has connected people, ideas, and cultures across borders. This initiative links that legacy to a forward-looking vision, highlighting how diplomacy, collaboration, and shared values drive innovation, security, and global progress.”
bp America joins as a founding partner of the initiative and Roblox and the Inter-American Development Bank also join as supporting partners, underscoring a shared dedication to collaboration, innovation, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Timed to coincide with the national commemoration of America’s Semiquincentennial, Diplomacy at 250 includes a range of programs highlighting the history, innovation, and global connections that have defined American diplomacy. Confirmed and upcoming programming includes:
- Flagship: Diplomacy at 250 Embassy Salon Series
- Participating embassies include: Japan, Sweden, Ireland, France, Denmark, Singapore, Qatar, Spain, Argentina, the Philippines, and Brazil
- Additional embassies are in discussion, reflecting growing participation across Washington’s diplomatic community
- Other Key Programs Across the Initiative:
- America: An Unfinished Portrait – Art Exhibition Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary
- Meridian’s Sixth Annual Culturefix Conversations and Cultural Diplomacy Awards Gala
- Linden Grove Garden Party Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom & Innovation
- The Americas at 250 Forum with the Inter-American Development Bank
Through Diplomacy at 250, Meridian will:
- Empower leaders to advance the next era of diplomacy by sharing lessons from history and models for future partnerships
- Strengthen American leadership by convening cross-sector leaders to showcase the U.S. as a global engine of innovation and collaboration
- Redefine diplomacy by piloting forward-looking models of public-private partnership that build geopolitical resilience and accelerate collaboration on shared challenges
"As we mark America's 250th anniversary, we reflect on our past and look ahead with purpose," said Mary Streett, bp's senior vice president for communications and external affairs, Americas. "bp America is proud to support Meridian's leadership series, which underscores our belief that diplomacy and global partnerships remain essential to meeting the world's challenges and shaping the opportunities for the next 250 years."
For more information on Diplomacy at 250 and Meridian’s Semiquincentennial programming, contact Senior Director of Institutional Partnerships, Meghan Murphy at mmurphy@meridian.org or visit meridian.org.
About Meridian International Center
Meridian is a nonpartisan center for diplomacy that empowers the next era of leaders to advance diplomacy for a better future. The Meridian Sports Diplomacy Forum is the inaugural edition of a new series that highlights sport as a strategic tool for diplomacy, economic development, and cultural connectivity.