The Panama City skyline rises up in the distance behind a historic cathedral. Photo by Duarte Dellarole

Panama

Story by Mark Hungerford U.S. Embassy Panama City sits on a hill surrounded by a lush rainforest that still covers much of the former Canal Zone—the roughly 5-mile stretch of land that hugged the Panama...
Boys practice their acrobatic skills on Lido beach, Mogadishu. Photo by Tobin Jones

Opening Doors

By Janet Deutsch Rarely do Foreign Service officers (FSOs) have the opportunity to experience the launching of a new diplomatic presence in a host nation. In November 2018, eight FSOs had that distinct privilege at...
From left: Sister Orla Treacy of Ireland, Razia Sultana of Bangladesh, Naw K’nyaw Paw of Myanmar, Col. Khalida Khalaf Hanna al-Twal of Jordan, Olivera Lakić of Montenegro, Secretary Pompeo, first lady Melania Trump, Flor de María Vega Zapata of Peru, Magda “Mama Maggie” Gobran of Egypt, Moumina Houssein Darar of Djibouti, Marini de Livera of Sri Lanka, and Anna Henga of Tanzania. The 2019 International Women of Courage Award recipients with Secretary Pompeo and first lady Melania Trump stand on stage at the ceremony, March 7 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Ron Pryzsucha

Worldwide Welcome

By Linsey Armstrong In March, the Department of State celebrated Women’s History Month through a host of inspiring activities and initiatives. This year, the Department kicked off the celebrations with the 13th Annual Secretary of...
Retirements

Retirements | May 2019

Civil ServiceBohanon, Donna M.Brancato, GildaBrown, Carolyn L.Carter, Carol A.Clark, Pamela D.Cleveland, Wayne E.Cook, OiltipCooper, Angela W.Crue, Karen E.Davis-Dudley, Bonita A.Decker, Christina R.Decker, Tony L.Dennis, Bernard G.Doery, RichardDonley, Christine B.Dunbar, Leon L.Foster, Kathleen V.Frost, Susan...
Ethics Answers

Ethics Answers | May 2019

Question: I’m an FS-03 stationed abroad and my alma mater has invited me to campus to speak at a career day about how I transitioned from the private sector to government service. They offered to...
World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan joined the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the Bureau of International Information Programs and Mission Tanzania for a Facebook Live event, March 21, to celebrate Women’s History Month. The event kicked off ECA’s “Step In, Dream Big” initiative ahead of the 2019 Women’s World Cup to tap into the power of role models, encouraging girls to step into their potential and realize their dreams. Youth athletes, coaches and advocates from Tanzania (where Morgan served as a Department of State sports envoy in 2017) and 20 U.S. embassies, consulates and American centers in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and South and Central Asia interacted live with Morgan for a 45-minute question and answer session.

Olympian Alex Morgan participates in ECA social media event

World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan joined the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the Bureau of International Information Programs and Mission Tanzania for a Facebook Live event, March 21,...
The Managing Dual Careers forum was held in Beijing, Jan. 24. Event organizers included (from left) Assistant CLO Sharon Fierro, Housing Manager Katya Ilieva-Stone, Consular Associate Eugenio Otero-Melendez, Consular Officer Lisa Hecht-Cronstedt, HR Officer Lycia Coble Sibilla and HR Officer Monica Simmons. Photo by Keome Rowe

Beijing Women’s Leadership Group hosts dual careers forum

By Katya Ilieva-Stone Managing dual careers in the Foreign Service—whether as a tandem couple or as a couple where only one party is a U.S. direct-hire employee—can be challenging. In China, with the lack of...

DGHR helps seal history

Director General of the Foreign Service and Human Resources Carol Perez helps authenticate her official commission from the president with Program Specialist Jessica Newcomb from the Presidential Appointments Office, March 20, in the exhibit...
In March, U.S. Ambassador to India Kenneth I. Juster visited Kerala, a state on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India where severe flooding claimed 483 lives last August. Juster toured the impressive Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s largest contemporary art exhibition, and interacted with artists and volunteers. The ambassador reflected on the themes of recovery and resilience expressed through the artwork and encouraged continued U.S.-India collaboration in the arts and education.

Kerala art exhibition depicts resilience

In March, U.S. Ambassador to India Kenneth I. Juster visited Kerala, a state on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India where severe flooding claimed 483 lives last August. Juster toured the impressive Kochi-Muziris Biennale,...
U.S. Ambassador to Namibia Lisa Johnson presents certificates, in Windhoek, Namibia, March 29, to health care providers who completed a cervical cancer screening training program led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. HIV-postitive women are five times more likely to develop and die of cervical cancer than HIV-negative women. However, cervical cancer is detectable, preventable and treatable. This approach—which utilizes something as simple and accessible as table vinegar—will offer Namibian women across the country a cost effective, timely and nurse-empowered option to screen women and immediately treat them for cervical cancer in the same clinical visit. Photo courtesy of Embassy Namibia

Empowering health care providers in Namibia

U.S. Ambassador to Namibia Lisa Johnson presents certificates, in Windhoek, Namibia, March 29, to health care providers who completed a cervical cancer screening training program led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and...