December 2019

Latest

Center in white shirt: Deputy Assistant Secretary Cynthia Kierscht meets with youth ambassadors and leaders at the first-ever Caribbean Youth Forum on Drug Use Prevention in Barbados, Oct. 23. Photo courtesy of Embassy Bridgetown

Caribbean Youth Forum tackles drug abuse

IRM hosts appreciation event to share resources with employees

To improve accessibility and increase the number of lactation rooms for nursing mothers, the Bureau of Human Resources (HR) in coordination with the Bureau of Administration opened a new lactation room on the second floor of the Harry S. Truman building. A joint ribbon cutting ceremony commenced with remarks by DGHR Carol Z. Perez and Assistant Secretary Carrie Cabelka, Oct. 30. “Opening one more lactation room is important for our nursing mothers. Thank you to all who helped to make this happen,” said Perez. Currently, there are 29 lactation rooms at domestic facilities, in addition to 109 designated lactation spaces at posts worldwide. Photo by Luis A. Jimenez

New lactation room unveiled in Main State

Retirements

Retirements | December 2019

The U.S. Mission to the U.N. in Geneva and the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) co-hosted a seminar, Conflict and Stabilization: Best Practices, Challenges, and New Approaches, in Geneva, Nov. 7. As many parts of the world today are impacted by violent conflict, stabilization has become a topic of increasing importance for individual countries, the U.N., and regional and global coalitions. Nearly 100 attendees representing governments, NGOs, academia, and international organizations, participated in an exchange on contemporary approaches to stabilization, including the U.S. government’s Stabilization Assistance Review, and its intersection with other disciplines, such as humanitarian assistance, human rights, and long-term peacebuilding. Panelists included Senior Advisor for CSO Eythan Sontag, President of Interpeace Scott Weber, and the Head of the European Union’s Division for the Integrated Approach to Security and Peace Madeleine Majorenko. Jason Aplon, peacebuilding and post-conflict advisor for the International Organization for Migration moderated the event, and U.S. Mission Geneva’s Chargé d’Affaires Mark Cassayre delivered welcome remarks. The event was broadcast on Facebook Live and can be watched online. Photo by Eric Bridiers

Geneva Peace Week examines approaches to conflict stabilization

Senior Diplomatic Interpreter and Branch Chief Michael Yan (second from left) interprets for President Donald J. Trump and his team in the Oval Office as he meets with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He following continued U.S.-China trade talks, April 4. Photo by Shealah Craighead

Interpreting for America’s leaders

By Lefteris Kafatos Preparations for international summits include collaboration and coordination between many offices within the Department of State, which includes securing foreign language interpreters. Interpreters do much more than just show up and relay...

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Post of the Month

Dawn breaks over downtown Montréal as seen from atop the city’s eponymous peak, Mount Royal. Photo by Isaac D. Pacheco

Montréal

Office Spotlight

Storm surge from then-Tropical Storm Nicole slams against the seawall on Junkanoo Beach in Nassau, Nov. 9, 2022. Photo by Isaac D. Pacheco

Climate Security & Resilience Program

Making a Statement