Community Relations

We Believe We Are Stronger Together

At Meridian International Center, we believe that the U.S. is stronger at home when we are globally engaged. For over 60 years, we have had the vision that greater collaboration leads to a more secure and prosperous shared future -- equipping thousands of leaders with the diplomatic networks, insights, and cultural context essential for nonpartisan collaboration on shared challenges.

And we believe that the same sentiment applies at the local level. Over the past six decades, we have remained committed to making decisions that responsibly and sustainably invest in our networks, community, employees, and neighborhood. We aim to bring the same sentiment, principles, and collaboration of our work to those within our 16th Street community through experiences that encourage, nurture, and empower a brighter tomorrow for our visitors and those who call the area home.

Our Organizational Impact and Giving Back

Meridian has a long legacy of supporting our community and greater DC. Every year, we offer 20 hours of paid volunteer time to our employees, who proudly fulfill countless regional needs. We also host staff-led volunteer programs, including MLK Jr. Day of Service.

Our DEIA Taskforce builds on this work. Their scope includes monitoring speaker and participant demographics to increase the diversity of those we engage with-- a goal to have numbers reflect demographics in the U.S. Census; expand partnerships with local, minority-owned businesses for our events; ensure that international exchange and fellowship programs expose international participants to the demographic diversity of our country through both professional programming and cultural activities; challenge and encourage Meridian staff and our partners to implement DEIA tasks and goals to meet Meridian core values.

Additionally, Meridian has been an economic engine for 16th Street for more than 60 years. Under Meridian’s programming umbrella, thousands of international visitors, members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, and cultural peers come to Meridian for unique education, leading to them discovering the top attractions, hotels, restaurants, and more in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Preparing for the Future

Throughout its more than 60-year history, Meridian has played a vital role in finding solutions to important matters in Washington, helping to inspire a world of increased collaboration across cultures, sectors and borders while strengthening this community for our visitors, employees and our neighbors. As we move forward, Meridian remains committed to adapting and evolving to meet the changing needs of the future, continuing to foster understanding and cooperation on a global scale.

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Initiatives such as the Meridian Ball, and Meridian Council, and Corporate Council memberships are essential to helping us sustain and expand our mission and impact by bringing global leaders together for international collaboration and diplomacy.

  • Meridian Ball
    • The Meridian Ball – with associated dinners at the embassies and residences of foreign ambassadors -- the Meridian Ball is one of the most prestigious annual events in Washington, DC. The Ball hosts public and private sector leaders, foreign ambassadors, and representatives for the international business and cultural communities.
    • The Ball plays a key role in helping Meridian generate awareness of and support for its mission. Proceeds from the Ball support Meridian’s global leadership educational exchanges, cultural activities, conferences, and seminars.
  • Meridian Council
    • Council members provide vital support to Meridian’s goal of strengthening international capacity to solve the global challenges of our times.
  • Corporate Council
    • The Meridian Corporate Council provides a platform for exchange, dialogue, and networking on key global issues among diplomatic, public, private, and nonprofit sector leaders. Corporate Council members partner with Meridian on a variety of educational programs, roundtable discussions, dialogues, salon dinners, and conferences focused on current issues relevant to the global business community.
INCREASING OUR ENDOWMENT

Building Meridian's endowment is critical to ensuring that the organization has a strong financial base from which to carry out its mission and preserve its architectural heritage. With a robust endowment, we can continue to provide vital programs, support emerging leaders, and maintain our historic buildings into the future, ensuring they remain valuable assets for the community and future generations.

  • 16th Street Development
    • Meridian has contracted to transfer a portion of its property for the development of neighborhood and affordable housing units. It will include off-street loading areas, parking spaces available for neighborhood residents, and loading areas. For questions, please contact neighbors@meridian.org.

Community Engagement

Annually, we have specially themed events on our campus, connecting Meridian employees, participants, and networks with our neighborhood community to celebrate the power diplomacy must unite us all.

Past events include art gallery openings, our annual Meridian Culturefix Conversations, and a neighborhood holiday open house.

  • Not on our mailing list and live in the area? Email neighbors@meridian.org to be included in future invitations.
  • Interested in a history tour of our campus? Email neighbors@meridian.org.
  • Want to stay up to date on our diplomacy work? Sign up for our monthly newsletter.
MONTHLY COMMUNICATIONS
  • Every month, Meridian shares a list of upcoming morning, evening and weekend events, programs and activities with neighbors
  • Neighbors are welcome to reach out to contact our Neighborhood Liaison Manager at neighbors@meridian.org with any questions they may have.
OPEN EVENTS
  • Meridian makes every effort to include its neighbors in its programs, activities and events. Neighbors will be notified of these open events in our monthly communications.

FAQS

  • What is our mission?
    • Meridian strengthens engagement between the United States and the world through global leadership, diplomatic engagement, culture and corporate diplomacy to solve shared global challenges. In pursuit of this mission, Meridian organizes and facilitates dozens of professional and educational exchanges and training programs that empower and educate over 4,000 emerging leaders worldwide annually. Many of our participants have become heads of state, government officials, diplomats, and Fortune 500 executives. Notable alumni include:
      • Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister, United Kingdom
      • António Guterres, UN Secretary General
      • Indira Gandhi, Former Prime Minister, India
    • Who are our partners?
      • Meridian works closely with the U.S. Department of State and other government agencies, the foreign diplomatic corps in Washington and our U.S. embassies abroad, NGOs and leading multi-national corporations.
    • What is the Meridian Ball?
      • The Meridian Ball – with associated dinners at the embassies and residences of foreign ambassadors and Meridian’s own White-Meyer House – is one of the most prestigious annual events in Washington, DC. The Ball is well attended by public and private sector leaders, foreign ambassadors, media personalities and representatives for the international business and cultural communities.
      • The Ball plays a key role in helping Meridian generate awareness of and support for its mission. Proceeds from the Ball support Meridian’s global leadership exchanges, cultural activities, conferences and seminars.
    • How does Meridian mitigate the effects of its operations on the neighborhood?
      • Meridian is committed to ensuring that its educational and other programs do not negatively affect the neighborhood. Below are some of the proactive measures that we have implemented to achieve this goal:
Noise and Traffic Management
  • We have strict protocols in place for incoming. To ensure that our events are respectful of the surrounding neighborhood, we terminate amplified music outdoors for events by 9:00 PM and amplified music indoors by 11:00 PM.
  • For all events, programs, and activities with over 100 attendees, we designate a Traffic Control Coordinator to manage the flow of traffic. When attendance surpasses 150 people, we offer valet operations and collaborate with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to minimize traffic disruptions. In the case of smaller events and programs, we assign staff members to manage guest parking.
  • All Meridian contracts and communications include the following notice provision: “As a courtesy to neighbors, we ask that arriving and departing guests exercise the same degree of consideration they would expect in their own neighborhoods with respect to noise, litter, and otherwise disruptive behavior.”
  • While shuttle buses are allowed to embark and disembark passengers in front of Meridian House, we require shuttle bus drivers to keep one clear lane of traffic open and to wait in an offsite location between drop-offs and pick-ups.

The History of Meridian's Campus

Learn more here? https://www.meridian.org/campus/

 

Meridian is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation in the District of Columbia, Federal Tax ID 53-0259663.