In the News Archives - State Magazine

The Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) launched a crowdsourced digital storytelling campaign as part of NMAD’s exhibit, #FacingDiplomacy. Illustration courtesy of NMAD

Crowdsourced digital storytelling campaign bolsters #FacingDiplomacy series

By Maryum SaifeeThe National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) launched a crowdsourced digital storytelling campaign as part of their #FacingDiplomacy series, March 30. The campaign is focused on building and sharing a more complete...

Retirement Counselor Celeste Caldwell reviews a retirement case at her desk. Photo by Leon Lowder

Department sets retirements record in 2021

By Leon Lowder For the Bureau of Global Talent Management’s Office of Retirement (RET), 2021 was a banner year with 837 State Foreign Service and Civil Service employees retiring—the highest annual number on record. This increase...

Arab-American members of the Foreign Affairs Agencies Board meet with USAID Administrator Samantha Power (top row, second from left) to reflect on diversity, equity, inclusion, and Arab-Americans in public service, Oct. 30, 2021. Photo courtesy of Arab Americans in Foreign Affairs Agencies

AAIFAA highlights Arab-Americans in government during National Arab American Heritage Month

By Rita Stephan and Dr. Charles Kiamie III Arab-Americans in Foreign Affairs Agencies (AAIFAA), an official interagency employee affinity group with a membership surpassing 450 people, is celebrating its eighth anniversary in 2022. In April,...

Retired Foreign Service Officer John Dickson's Ralph J. Bunche Speaker Series event was held virtually, Feb. 15. Photo courtesy of the Ralph J. Bunche Library

Retired FSO shares essential history in Bunche Library Speaker Series

By Kristine Sasala “American diplomats need to do a better job learning about the history and culture of their host countries,” said retired Foreign Service Officer John Dickson during a presentation in the Ralph J....

Roberta Mather (center in red dress) worked with a team back in Washington to provide an overview of the history of American Sign Language to online viewers. Left photo by Madina Turdieva. Right photo by Michael Cunningham.

ASL event strengthens ties between U.S. and Canada

By Claudia L. Valladolid The U.S. Consulate General in Toronto hosted a virtual American Sign Language (ASL) program, Dec. 14, 2021, in honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The event featured the Bureau...

A trainee involved in the BuildHer program receives assignment instructions on the construction site of the Rosslyn Grove diplomatic housing project in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo courtesy of BuildHer

Diplomatic housing project bolsters women in Kenya’s construction sector

By Evan Lewis The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations’ (OBO) new Rosslyn Grove diplomatic housing project in Nairobi is contributing to the advancement of women in Kenya’s construction sector. The construction contractors assigned to the...

Under Secretary for Management John R. Bass addresses the workforce in a recorded message, “Giving Back and Inspiring Our Workforce Through Mentoring,” which debuted, Jan. 27. Photo by Rosemarie Hasan

National Mentor Month highlights impacts of mentorship

By Rosemarie Hasan January was National Mentoring Month and the Bureau of Global Talent Management held events to raise awareness about mentoring, to recognize the value of mentoring, and to thank those who mentor and...

Police officer for the Bellevue Police Department in Washington Craig Hanaumi (front in uniform) strengthens ties between community and police enforcement through some nontraditional methods like practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with community members. Photo by Gauri Doshetty

Embassy Stockholm DEI Council engages community on justice issues

By Arnela Hadzisulejmanovic Just as Foreign Service officers’ employ different types of diplomacy to further their nation’s goals, law enforcement officials should strive to do the same through consistent and meaningful community engagement. That was the focus of a...

The Charlie Porter Quintet performs at the Katara Opera House, Nov. 27. Photo by Tracy Castro Aguilar

Cultural programs unite Americans and Qataris during a momentous year

By Michael Pointer For the past decade, Qatar Museums has selected one country per year with which to celebrate a “Year of Culture.” In 2021, they chose the United States. Embassy Doha’s Public Affairs team...

The Office of Foreign Missions’ Gingerbread Diplomacy Contest included submissions from: the Embassy of Mexico (top left) which depicts the Mexican Cultural Institute of Washington, D.C.; the Embassy of the United Kingdom (bottom left) which depicts the British ambassador’s residence in Washington; the Office of Foreign Missions’ non-competitive submission (center, top right) of the façade of the National Center for American Diplomacy; the Embassy of Georgia (center bottom right) which depicts Svanuri Koshki (Svan Towers) in Georgia; the Embassy of Ukraine (far right) which depicts the Swallow’s Nest in Ukraine. Photos courtesy of OFM

Office of Foreign Missions hosts gingerbread contest in Washington

By Dan Pattarini The Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) held their first ever Gingerbread Diplomacy Contest in December 2021. With pandemic concerns making traditional holiday gatherings and outreach events inadvisable, OFM sought a safe, enjoyable...