Ambassador Wendy Sherman Emphasizes the Importance of Global Collaboration at the Meridian Global Leadership Summit
On October 14, 2016, more than 150 of Washington’s top leaders met at the 5th Annual Meridian Global Leadership Summit to discuss “Restoring Confidence in Leadership and Institutions”. Panelists from the public and private sectors, as well as the diplomatic community, discussed the importance of global collaboration and cultural understanding in an increasingly dynamic and competitive international market, driven by the digital economy.
The critical importance of cross-border collaboration was driven home by Ambassador Wendy Sherman, Senior Counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group and Former Under Secretary for Political Affairs, during her panel discussion with Meridian’s President and CEO, Ambassador Stuart Holliday. Ambassador Sherman emphasized that in this borderless global environment, it is necessary for people to have confidence in their leaders and institutions, as well as an appreciation for their identity and the identities of others, stating that “living in a world where there is not only a lack of confidence in world leaders and institutions, but the profound sense of self-identity as a person is gone”. His Excellency Dr. Hamdullah Mohib, Ambassador of Afghanistan, also focused his panel contributions on the significant impact of cross-cultural exchange as a means to help people understand themselves, appreciate their own identity, and ultimately maintain peace, stability, and national security, emphasizing that “cultural diplomacy is national security”.
Among the key highlights at the Summit, which was held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, was the presentation of the latest findings of the Gallup World Poll, “Rating World Leadership – What People Worldwide Think”. This data, collected in more than 160 countries around the world, tracks and analyzes how people view their leadership, as well as the leadership of China, the European Union, Germany, Russia and the United States. The data forms part of Meridian’s Global Leadership Project - a joint effort between Meridian International Center and Gallup to provide a comprehensive assessment of how world residents view U.S. leadership. The findings formed the basis of the Summit’s discussions, and panels including:
Opening Remarks Watch Video
- Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group
Rating World Leaders: 2016 – What People Worldwide Think of the U.S., China, Russia, the EU and Germany Watch Video
- Jon Clifton, Managing Partner, Gallup
State of The World Watch Video
- Ambassador Wendy Sherman, Senior Counselor, Albright Stonebridge Group
- with Ambassador Stuart Holliday, President and CEO, Meridian International Center
The Digitalization of the Global Economy Watch Video
- Gargee Ghosh, Director of Development and Policy Finance, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Deidre Cristal Lee Kin, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dingole, Ltd. and Fellow, White House’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative
- Macon Phillips, Coordinator of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State
- with Brian Kelly, Editor and Chief Content Officer, U.S. News & World Report
Restoring Confidence in Leaders and Institutions Watch Video
- The Honorable Matthew W. Barzun, Ambassador of the United States to the United Kingdom
- with Ambassador Stuart Holliday, President and CEO, Meridian International Center
Beyond Understanding International Cultures and Societies Watch Video
- Don Baer, Worldwide Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Burson Marsteller
- Megan Beyer, Executive Director, President’s Committee for the Arts & the Humanities
- His Excellency, Dr. Hamdullah Mohib, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States
- with Joie Chen, Journalist
Closing Remarks Watch Video
- His Excellency Emanuel Gonzalez-Revilla, Ambassador of Panama to the United States
