The U.S.-Japan relationship was center stage as over 100 leaders from government, business and academia convened for the 3rd Annual Meridian Diplomacy on June 6, the same day Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in the U.S. to meet President Donald Trump ahead of the North Korea Summit. The Forum addressed timely issues including our defense and security partnership. Kevin Tsujihara, CEO of Warner Bros. and Dan Amos, CEO of AFLAC discussed the importance of leveraging both countries' tech leadership in tandem with cultural adaptation to enhance global business operations. Ambassador Kazutoshi Aikawa, Deputy Chief of Mission, paid tribute to the countries' shared pastime of baseball, underscoring the influential role of soft power in advancing diplomacy as much as trade, defense and development. Learn More

When U.S. and Canadian leaders gathered at Meridian on May 23-24 for the U.S.-Canada Shared Priorities for a Sustainable Future program in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, NAFTA renegotiations were the central point of focus with a look toward the upcoming G7 as a chance to reestablish the strong link between neighboring North American nations. At that time, no one had anticipated the strong rhetoric elicited by Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump at the close out of the G7 Summit on June 9. Many of the recommendations from the May program – including the potential reestablishment of the “North American Committee,” the original driver of the Auto-Pact and the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement – remain valid, if not more important, following the U.S.-Canada turmoil of the past few weeks. Learn More

From food and architecture to visual arts and music, Italy's creative industry is renowned for its global economic and social contributions. Among the top five EU countries with a vibrant creative sector, Italy significantly adds to the 3% of the world’s GDP and 30 million jobs generated annually by the industry. Italian Ambassador to the U.S., His Excellency Armando Varricchio, welcomed guests to his residence, Villa Firenze, on May 8 for a dinner discussion with the Meridian Global Leadership Council on the role of the creative economy as a driver of global economic growth as well as cultural diversity and social inclusion. Guests heard from experts Marco Ausenda, President & CEO of Rizzoli International Publications; Davide Cremese, CEO of Boffi USA; John Jenkin, CEO of Kartell; Dodge Thompson, Chief of Exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art; and Fabio and Maria Trabocchi, Founders of Fabio Trabocchi Restaurants. Learn More

Ahead of yesterday's Mexican presidential elections, 15 U.S. leaders from government, business, think tanks, NGOs and academia traveled to Mexico City and Queretaro in May to meet counterparts on the U.S.-Mexico Policymakers Exchange. With the landslide presidential victory by populist party candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who had been leading in the polls for months, exchange participants questioned the future of U.S.-Mexico relations amid NAFTA negotiations and ongoing economic and social reforms. While representing diverse facets of U.S.-Mexico policy, participants left with a better understanding that Mexican democracy and the fundamentals of its economy are strong enough to handle political change. Learn More