Programs
Recent Programs
Michigan Ambassadors Forum
In collaboration with the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, the American Academy of Diplomacy began the University of Michigan Ambassadors Forum in 2019. Featuring a discussion panel of prestigious experts to enhance public understanding of critical foreign policy areas, the 2023 panel was held on September 25.
Nebraska Ambassadors Forum
The Nebraska Ambassadors Forum is a yearly program to bring distinguished diplomatic practitioners to speak with students and community leaders in Omaha and Lincoln. Each year’s program is developed jointly by the Academy in cooperation with the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Lincoln and Burlington International, whose funding has made these programs possible.
Texas Tech Ambassadors Forum
Each year, Texas Tech University and the American Academy of Diplomacy co-host prestigious panel discussions to enhance public understanding of critical foreign policy areas with the purpose of expanding understanding of US diplomacy. The program, which began in 2016, is held at the International Cultural Center, on the Texas Tech University campus.
Joseph J. Sisco Memorial Forum
Joseph J. Sisco was the Chairman of the American Academy of Diplomacy from 1999-2004. When he passed away in the fall of 2004, he requested that gifts in his honor be made to the Academy. The Academy decided that the best use of the generous donations made by his friends and family was to stimulate public discussion on the foreign policy themes to which Dr. Sisco dedicated his career.
Arthur Ross Discussions of American Diplomacy
The Arthur Ross Foundation generously provided the American Academy of Diplomacy with a fund to create a series of discussions exploring the role of diplomacy in US foreign relations, and encouraging discussions of foreign affairs across the country. The 2024 discussion on September 20 will address "Elections and Diplomacy: Charting a Smooth Course Through Turbulent Electoral Waters"
Implementing the Blueprints Report
As part of the Academy's efforts to engage the community and increase public support for the recommendations of the "Blueprints for a More Modern U.S. Diplomatic Service" report, the Una Chapman Cox Foundation generously granted funding for speaker programs at World Affairs Councils across the US.
Hotchkiss
In 2018, the Academy began its collaboration with the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut through a program suggested by Hotchkiss alum and Academy member, Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft. Through this partnership, the Academy has since created the Ambassador Speaker Series, which aims to educate students about the importance of diplomacy.
Kent
In 2022, the Academy began its collaboration with the Kent School in Kent, Connecticut through a program suggested by Hotchkiss alum and Academy member, Ambassador Maria Yovanovitch. Through this partnership, the Academy has since created the Ambassador Speaker Series, which aims to educate students about the importance of diplomacy.
FSOT Career Track Virtual Series
The Academy and the State Department’s Diplomats in Residence (DIRs) present a collaborative five-part pre-recorded virtual discussion series that examines the five Foreign Service Officer (FSO) career tracks: Consular Affairs, Economic Affairs, Management Affairs, Political Affairs, and Public Diplomacy. In each session, an Academy member and a current DIR draw on their extensive Foreign Service careers to break down the important aspects of a specific career track. These discussions are a great resource for anyone preparing to apply for the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT).
Ambassador Speakers Series
In 2018, the Academy began its collaboration with the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut through a program suggested by Hotchkiss alum and Academy member, Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft. Through this partnership, the Academy has since created the Ambassador Speaker Series, which aims to educate students about the importance of diplomacy.
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Past Programs
America’s Diplomats Screening and Discussion
The American Academy of Diplomacy currently sponsors the screening of the PBS film America’s Diplomats followed by a discussion of the role of U.S. diplomacy with a distinguished former ambassador, at World Affairs Councils across the nation, in collaboration with the World Affairs Council of America.
Diplomacy and Democracy
The American Academy of Diplomacy, in partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) held a well-attended panel discussion on April 28 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs to discuss the valuable tool of diplomatic engagement with non-governmental organizations and civil society to promote effective democratic governance.
Integrating Instruments of Power and Influence
As the U.S. prepares itself for emerging threats and future military interventions, how should it learn from past experiences to make its military operations more effective? The American Academy of Diplomacy and the RAND Corporation published a joint study detailing a set of practical national security recommendations for the incoming administration, the new Congress, and NATO to provide guidance on how to deal with future military operations and their aftermath.
