Understanding Washington: A Deep Dive into Federalism

Friday, December 11 | 10:00AM EST

Understanding Washington: A Deep Dive into Federalism,” our next program in the Diplocraft series, is designed for newly-arrived diplomats to immerse themselves in the complex U.S. federal government structure as quickly as possible and connect with their counterparts from other countries. The session will bring together 10-15 members of the foreign diplomatic corps to hear from Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin, former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands (2009-2011) and Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement Advisory Committee Member.

The briefing will provide an overview of the inner workings of the U.S. government system, including the Constitutional decentralization of federal and state levels of government and the evolving role of the branches. The significance of the two-party system, as well as the changes in the executive branch during a presidential transition will also be covered in detail and participants will have an opportunity to have questions answered by Ambassador Hartog-Levin. It is crucial for diplomats operating in Washington to understand these structures to most effectively execute their assigned duties.

Please reach out to Melody Wei with any questions.