Welcome to Washington

Building peer-to-peer relationships in Washington, D.C. is crucial for diplomats to exchange information and facilitate bilateral cooperation on key global issues. Twice a year Meridian hosts a Welcome to Washington reception to honor newly credentialed diplomats and provide an opportunity for them to meet a cross-section of Washington. This year our honorees included the Chiefs of Mission from Azerbaijan, Belgium, Colombia, El Salvador, Estonia, Guyana, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Mauritania, Oman, Paraguay, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, as well as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Representative. Our special guest speaker U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty shared his perspective on the importance of diplomacy, international engagement and relationship building.

Cultural Diplomacy in Action

The Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy partnered with the makers of the documentary "Call Me Dancer," which follows the journey of an Indian dancer trying to break into the professional ballet world. Moderator and Meridian Council Member Rina Shah, film director Leslie Shampaine, executive producer Jitin Hingorani, and the film star and ballet dancer Manish Chauhan discussed the challenges faced by dancers in India, the presentation of Indian culture in Western media, and the role of dance in breaking down cultural barriers. Percussionist Broto Roy performed on the tabla, a traditional Indian instrument, to which Chauhan danced a piece choreographed by Lucy Bowen McCauley of Bowen McCauley Dance Co. View photos from the special night here.

Celebrating 211 Years of Mexico

To mark the occasion of Mexican Independence Day, Meridian and the U.S.-Mexico Foundation hosted a celebration of shared ties between the two countries in Meridian’s garden. The evening brought together alumni of the U.S. – Mexico 360 Public Diplomacy initiative and distinguished guests Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragán of Mexico and Juan Gonzalez, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. National Security Council, to honor their leadership in accelerating collaboration and fostering bilateral relationships.

Upcoming Events

Celebrate 10 years of the Meridian Summit next month!

Broadcasting Virtually for a Global Audience
Friday, October 22, 2021 | 8:45 AM ‑ 2:00 PM ET

For the past decade, Meridian has brought together thousands of diplomatic, business and civil society visionaries for our annual Global Leadership Summit to address the most challenging issues of our time.

This year's program, Prioritizing People and the Planet, will explore the intersection of diplomacy and emerging environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.