The American Diplomacy Project: A Foreign Service for the 21st Century

The World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) will host a webinar Thursday, September 10, at 4:00-5:00 PM ET, to discuss a new initiative from the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

The goal of this initiative – The American Diplomacy Project: A Foreign Service for the 21st Century – is to produce a nonpartisan report on how the White House, both parties in Congress, the State Department leadership, and concerned citizens can lead an effort to rebuild the Foreign Service for the next half-century. The report will be released following the November U.S. presidential election.

The American Diplomacy Project intends to address the serious challenges the Foreign Service has faced during administrations of both parties, including inadequate budgetary support to train and sustain the nation’s diplomats, increased politicization of the Foreign Service, and the need to recruit and retain the very best women and men from every part of the country and every ethnic and religious group.

This WACA webinar is free and open to all. As part of a national discussion about the purpose and future of the U.S. diplomatic corps, the speakers welcome questions and comments from the audience. They will also seek feedback from members of Congress and the wider public.

Webinar speakers include:

Ambassador Marc Grossman, Vice Chairman of the Cohen Group and former WACA Chairman

Ambassador Nancy McEldowney, Professor, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service

Ambassador Marcie Ries, Senior Fellow, Future of Diplomacy Project, Harvard Kennedy School

Moderator: Bill Clifford, President and CEO, World Affairs Councils of America