NEWS RELEASE

Global Business Leader Leverages  Her  Diplomatic  Background  in  New Role  Advancing  Cross-Cultural Understanding  Through the Arts and Culture.

Washington, DC – As people around the world celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women leaders on International Women’s Day 2019, Meridian International Center is marking the occasion by welcoming Mei Xu as Chair of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy.

The Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy is the leading center in the United States that employs the arts and culture as a tool of diplomacy and cross-cultural understanding. The Center collaborates with embassies, governments and the private sector to curate cultural diplomacy programs ranging from vibrant visual art displays to film screenings, exchanges and concerts to strengthen U.S. engagement with the world. Recent programs designed by the Center include the Chinese New Year Celebration, the Emirati Culinary Diplomacy Salon, and the Common Tides photo exhibition showcasing U.S. – Asia-Pacific shared values.

In announcing Mei Xu as new Advisory Council Chair, Terry Harvey, Vice President of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy, says, “We are thrilled to have such a talented business leader and creative visionary in this role. We look forward to working with Mei in strengthening our Center’s global brand with a mission to harness the power of the arts and culture to bridge divides through shared values and interests, and expanding our diverse portfolio in the private, government and cultural sectors.”

Mei Xu, founder of Chesapeake Bay Candle™ and BlissLiving Home™, was educated and trained as a diplomat in China prior to becoming an entrepreneur and immigrating to the United States.

"I look forward to working with Meridian and returning to my diplomatic roots by serving as an ambassador of the global arts and culture as a way to promote mutual understanding,” says Xu. “With the arts as a driver of the global creative economy, I'm excited to bring together artists, creators and innovators – especially women – to empower them to use their creative skills to become economically independent.”

To learn more about the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy and upcoming programming, please visit our events calendar. If interested in joining the Cultural Diplomacy Leadership Council, please contact: Terry Harvey, Vice President of Cultural Programs (202-939-5566, tkharvey@meridian.org).

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Meridian International Center is a public diplomacy and global leadership institution that strengthens U.S. engagement with the world through the exchange of people, culture and ideas. Founded nearly 60 years ago as a non-partisan, non-profit organization, Meridian works with governments, the private sector and the diplomatic community to develop exchange, training, culture and convening programs to help leaders better address the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly globalized society.

Mei Xu is the founder of Chesapeake Bay Candle™ and BlissLiving Home™. Her new venture, MEI XU, is an online community that connects women DOERS, innovative DESIGNS, and global DESTINATIONS to accelerate the entrepreneurial endeavors of women around the world. The brand invokes her name, MEI XU, and its phonetic pronunciation in English, M-A-Y  S-H-E, along with its traditional spoken delivery in Chinese, S-H-E  M-A-Y, to tell women doers around the world the definite answer: "YES SHE MAY!”