In Brief

Members of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, a small but dedicated group of officials operating under Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, guide U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome around Margalla Hills National Park, November 2022. Blome visited the park to learn more about how the United States and Pakistan can advance mutual interests in ecology, climate resilience, and countering wildlife trafficking. Under the U.S.-Pakistan Green Alliance framework, Blome has emphasized the importance of cooperation with Pakistan across a range of environmental issues, including biodiversity, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and clean water, among others. Photo courtesy of Embassy Islamabad

National park visit highlights conservation efforts in Islamabad

Members of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, a small but dedicated group of officials operating under Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, guide U.S. Ambassador...

Pyeongtaek American Corner hosts student town hall

Embassy Seoul’s Public Diplomacy Officer Joshua Lustig (left) spoke with approximately 30 high school students at the Pyeongtaek American Corner, Dec. 1, 2022, about...

U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program delivers on diversity

Students from the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program (USFSIP) visited the Department of State’s Harry S Truman Building, June 6, 2022, during the domestic...
Embassy Baghdad’s Regional Security Office presented Nir Khadge (left) with a flag flown over the embassy to mark his 40th year with the Department of State, July 27. Khadge—who as a personal services contractor financial advisor with the regional security office, manages post’s $1 billion budget for Diplomatic Security (DS)—began his career with the Department in 1982 in Kathmandu as a locally employed staff senior financial specialist/alternate certifying officer. Khadge, pictured with former U.S. Mission Iraq Deputy Chief of Mission Greg LoGerfo, has supported financial operations throughout his career at high-threat posts including Tripoli, Sana’a, and Juba. From 2006-2015, he helped establish the Global Financial Center in Charleston. In his current role in Baghdad, Khadge manages the daily financial operations of the largest DS operation in the world, with nearly 60 agents, a dozen security engineers, and more than 2,500 security personnel across three sites in Iraq. Photo by Saher Altwal

Embassy Baghdad celebrates personal services contractor’s 40 years of service

Embassy Baghdad’s regional security office presented Nir Khadge (left) with a flag flown over the embassy to mark his 40th year with the Department...
U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec (left) and local students helped Thai-Indonesian American artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (right) paint the embassy’s new mural on the street-side of the consular section. The mural depicts a group of bold women and non-binary people looking toward the horizon, forging new paths and working towards a shared future. The mural was inspired by the artist’s conversations with Thai women and nonbinary youth, and depicts a vision for Thai society that can be celebrated and championed by all. This mural is a visible public-private partnership between the U.S. Mission and Organon, a U.S.-based healthcare company. Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy Bangkok

Embassy Bangkok unveils women’s empowerment mural

U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec (left) and local students helped Thai-Indonesian American artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (right) paint the embassy’s new mural on...
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim met with Brig. Gen. Arben Kingji, in his new capacity as chief of defense of Albania, to strengthen U.S.-Albania defense relations during the 100-year anniversary of relations between both nations. They agreed to increase cooperation following the historic Defender Europe 2021 exercise, and in preparation for the upcoming Defender Europe 2023 exercises. They noted the positive impact of the new U.S. Special Operations Command forward-based headquarters in Albania and the recent presence of the U.S. Army Security Force Assistance Brigade. The leaders also discussed the response to recent flooding that devastated northern Albania, with Kingji expressing appreciation for American contributions of training, equipment, and supplies. Photo credit to Antonio Cakshiri.

Embassy Tirana meeting highlights defense cooperation in Albania

On Nov. 21, U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim (second from right) met with Brig. Gen. Arben Kingji (second from left), in his new...

In the News

Supervisory Human Resources Specialist Montreal Ravenel from the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (seated far right) looks at Executive Director Elissa Pitterle (seated left) from the Bureau of Administration and the Bureau of Information Resources Management, as she answers questions and shares advice with the 2022 fall interns in the Delegates Lounge at the speed-networking event, Nov. 7, 2022. Photo by Kerri Glass

Speed-networking inspires careers in public service

By Myranda Campanella The Department of State’s internship program has a long history of educating young professionals in the art of diplomacy. Students have the opportunity to work on substantive...
From left: U.S. Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone and U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Timmy T. Davis cut the ribbon to open the U.S.A. Pavilion for the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 19, 2022. Photo courtesy of Embassy Doha

Embassy Doha World Cup preparations result in success

Argentine tennis player Gabriella Sabatini (second from left) cuts the ribbon to officially unveil a new mural painted by Argentine street artist Martin Ron (second from right). The mural was commissioned by Ambassador Marc Stanley (far left) and his wife Wendy Stanley (middle) and features Sabatini, Argentine tennis player Diego Schwartzman (far right), and American tennis player Serena Williams. Photo courtesy of Embassy Buenos Aires

Tennis mural completed in Buenos Aires

Director of the FBI Christopher Wray speaks at the Bureau of Counter Terrorism event, Dec. 2, 2022. Photo by Vincent Picard

Building capacity to counter terrorism

Safety Program Coordinator Nury Zepeda (center, with plaque), Consul General Roger C. Rigaud (next to Zepeda, lilac shirt), ConGen Monterrey’s gardening crew, and executives from the cross-border freight railroad company, Kansas City Southern de Mexico, stand before the butterfly garden, Oct. 17, 2022. Photo by Mohmoud Chikh-Ali

Monterrey garden protects butterflies

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Making a Statement

The image is split down the middle with the "Making a Statement" logo in white on a blue background on the left, followed by the name Kasirat "Bo" Villa. Villa smiles on the right.

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