What the World Really Thinks about U.S. Leadership

On April 11, 2014, Meridian and Gallup co-hosted the fifth annual U.S. Global Leadership Project, What the World Thinks about U.S. Leadership, at which the findings from Gallup’s latest global opinion survey were released and discussed by a panel of experts. The U.S. Global Leadership Project is a joint effort between Meridian and Gallup, which combines Gallup’s global opinion data with Meridian’s leadership convening to analyze the factors driving global perceptions of American leadership and to create a powerful barometer of the standing of U.S. leadership in the world.

Governor James J. Blanchard, Chairman of Meridian Board of Trustees, opened the event with welcome remarks and recognizing the many diplomats in attendance. Jon Clifton, Managing Director of the Gallup World Poll, presented the survey data and analysis, which provided context for a high-level panel discussion to follow. Ambassador Stuart Holliday, Meridian’s President and CEO, framed and moderated the panel discussion to follow, with speakers H.E. Adebowale Adefuye, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the U.S., H.E. Igor Munteanu, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the U.S., and Ambassador James Glassman, Chairman and CEO of Public Affairs Engagement, LLC. The panel discussion was followed by an engaging Q&A session with the audience.

The event brought together leaders from the public and private sectors, academia, think tanks, NGOs and most notably, the diplomatic community. Representation from embassies included Belgium, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Greece, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, Suriname, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.