Meridian Global Leadership Council Salon Series: Entrée to Dialogue Japan Sports Diplomacy

On the eve before the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics, Meridian International Center celebrated the diverse world of sports with our partners at the Embassy of Japan. On February 7, 2018 Japanese Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae welcomed guests to his residence in Washington, D.C. to enjoy a night of conversation regarding the invaluable role sports play in fostering cultural understanding and appreciation.

With the 2018 Winter Olympics in Seoul underway and the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, sports diplomacy has never been more relevant. This fourth dinner of the Meridian Global Leadership Council Salon Series: Entrée to Dialogue sparked meaningful conversations of current sports and sports diplomacy topics with influencers across all sectors. Guests included former U.S. Ambassador and former White Sox player Mark Gilbert, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabu, former NFL player Calvin Hill, Nationals’ principle Ed Cohen, AFLAC’s Brad Knox, United’s Steve Morrisey and Sasha Johnson, and MGLC members Tom Monahan, Josh Wachs, Jodie McLean, Adam Bernstein, and Washington Sports Commissioner Alan Bubes and Nancy Taylor Bubes. The night began with a warm welcome from Meridian President and CEO, Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Japan Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae. Soon after, discussion of the economic impact of sports, sports diplomacy, and sports and leadership engaged the audience. Guests heard from a variety of speakers including Jimmy Lynn, a pioneer in the digital sports sector, Debbie Phelps, acclaimed author and mother to Olympic champion Michael Phelps, Ambassador Jim Cain, Michael Ledecky, brother of Olympic champion Katie Ledecky, as well as Baltimore baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. Topics ranged from the vital, and often overlooked, role sports play in the development of cross-cultural communication and the ability of sports to act as a bridge between diverse groups. Speaker Debbie Phelps highlighted the unique way sports are able to defy long-standing cultural barriers to come together through healthy competition, helping empower people of all ages to respect and appreciate cultural diversity around the world.

Meridian is proud to collaborate with the Embassy of Japan to promote our mutual commitment to cultural diplomacy through sports. We are grateful to our Global Leadership Council for their continued support of Meridian’s mission of advancing cultural diplomacy and global leadership. With the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics drawing nearer, sports diplomacy continues to play an important role in bringing people together from all over the world through the mutual love of sports.