Meridian Extends a Spring Welcome to New Chiefs of Mission

(Left to right): Her Excellency Yolande Smith (Ambassador of Grenada), Her Excellency Lone Dencker Wisborg (Ambassador of Denmark), His Excellency Dr. Asad Majeed Khan (Ambassador of Pakistan), His Excellency Dr. Bolot Otunbaev (Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan), The Honorable Ann Stock (Vice Chair, Meridian Board of Trustees), The Honorable Stuart W. Holliday (President and CEO, Meridian International Center), Her Excellency Rosemary Banks (Ambassador of New Zealand), His Excellency Marios Lyssiotis (Ambassador of Cyprus), His Excellency Chum Sounry (Ambassador of Cambodia), His Excellency Dato’ Azmil Bin Mohd Zabidi (Ambassador of Malaysia), and Ambassador George S. W. Patten, Sr. (Ambassador of Liberia). Photo: Jessica Latos

On May 14, 2019, Meridian International Center hosted an evening reception to welcome newly-arrived international ambassadors to Washington, DC.

Meridian honors new ambassadors twice a year through Welcome to Washington receptions, which provide Chiefs of Mission with an opportunity to meet and engage with a cross-section of Washington influencers and decisionmakers from the government, business and policy communities.

This reception introduced nine new ambassadors hailing from Cambodia, Cyprus, Denmark, Grenada, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Many high-profile guests from Meridian’s network were present, including David Bohigian (Acting President and CEO, Overseas Private Investment Corporation), The Honorable Donald Bliss (President, United Nations Association), The Honorable Blanche Lincoln (U.S. Senator D-AR, 1999-2011), The Honorable Ed Royce (U.S. Representative R-CA, 1993-2019), and Andrew Wheeler (Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). Meridian’s Board of Trustees, Diplomatic Engagement Advisory Committee, Global Leadership Council and Corporate Council were also well-represented.

Meridian International Center’s President and CEO Ambassador Stuart W. Holliday provided brief remarks acknowledging the ambassadors’ important roles in strengthening international relations at their new postings. Building peer-to-peer relationships in Washington is crucial for diplomats to exchange information and facilitate bilateral cooperation on a wide variety of global issues.

Ambassador Holliday also recognized Akin Gump as a new lead partner of the Meridian International Center and Sahouri for their sponsorship of the event.

Through the Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement, Meridian creates opportunities like the Welcome to Washington reception to accelerate collaboration between the international diplomatic corps and U.S. public and private sector leaders to cooperate on solutions to global economic and security issues. For more information, please visit our page.

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Project summary

Meridian Extends a Spring Welcome to New Chiefs of Mission | May 2019
Number of Attendees: 188
Regions: Africa, East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, South and Central Asia, Western Hemisphere
Countries: Argentina, Cambodia, Cyprus, Denmark, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malaysia, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan
Impact Areas: Public Diplomacy
Program Areas: Diplomatic Engagement
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