Ivonne Juez Abuchacra de Baki, a product of two countries—Ecuador and Lebanon—has made her mark as both an artist and diplomat. In 1998, she became the first woman in Ecuadorian history to represent her country in Washington as ambassador, and four years later, the first woman ever to run for president. A-Baki, as she is commonly known, lived through Lebanon’s brutal 1975-90 civil war, and more recently has witnessed Ecuador’s rapid slide into violence and gang warfare. Yet “my first identity is as an artist,” A-Baki told The Washington Diplomat some 25 years ago. “Art opens the right and left ..read more

Chiefs of mission from Arab nations celebrated the Muslim holy month of Ramadan alongside U.S. government officials and businesspeople at the National U.S. – Arab Chamber of Commerce’s 13th annual iftar dinner on March 26th. But amid the celebratory mood and words of praise for NUSACC’s role in promoting relations between the United States and Arab world, participants in the dinner, held at the opulent Ritz Carlton Hotel, held the people of Gaza and the extreme hardship they are facing in their thoughts. NUSACC iftar dinners “are always contemplative, but this year’s gathering was especially r ..read more

It has long been held that embassies should be treated as “off-limits” to other nations. Yet in a single week, two governments — both long-established democracies — stand accused of violating, in different ways, the laws surrounding foreign diplomatic missions. First, on April 1, 2024, Iran’s embassy in Damascus was bombed, presumably by Israel, killing several high-ranking commanders of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Then, on April 5, Ecuadorian police forced their way into the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest a former vice president of Ecuador who was seeking p ..read more

At the start of this year, Washington Post columnist Ishaan Tharoor observed that “in society after society, illiberal values and politicians who embrace them are gaining ground.” Similarly, a key finding of Freedom House’s recently released annual report was that “global freedom declined for the 18th consecutive year in 2023;” the previous year’s report had grimly observed that “the struggle for democracy may be approaching a turning point.” What should the United States do to meet this challenge? Voters need to vote, political chaos needs to end First and foremost, it needs to get its own ho ..read more

Spring, to the Dutch, means tulips in full bloom, and April brought a blast of color to the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood as more than 10,000 of the perennial flowers decorated the residence of the ambassador of The Netherlands. Guests, including 40 contest winners, were invited to take in the blooms, including one named after U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, and to hold some serious discussions during Tulip Days, from April 10-12. Freedom, sustainability and innovation were the topics. “These are the values that bind us together,”  Dutch Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar told visitors on April 11 ..read more

If Russia wins the war it launched in Ukraine more than two years ago, it could extend its border with the European Union by nearly 1,400 miles (2,235 km), or roughly the distance between New York City and Wichita, Kansas. EU Ambassador to Washington Jovita Neliupšienė That’s why European Union Ambassador to the United States Jovita Neliupšienė, who presented her credentials to President Joe Biden on February 27,  considers the war in Ukraine the most serious issue she has had to deal with since she started in the role, and an existential security threat to the EU, she said. “Ukrainians a ..read more

The United Arab Emirates’ space program has come a long way in a relatively short time, and last month, Emirati and U.S. officials celebrated the partnership and cooperation that have helped the UAE to accomplish all it has in space. In the 10 years since the UAE Space Agency was launched, the young nation has established the first astronaut program in the Arab world; launched a made-in-the-UAE satellite; sent two astronauts to the International Space Station; become the first Arab nation and fifth country globally to reach Mars, joined an international project to establish a longterm human pr ..read more

Colombian tall ship calls in Baltimore A tall ship that is used to train Colombian sailors and serves as a floating embassy for the country called in the port of Baltimore last month, making a spectacular entrance to the Inner Harbor at sunrise on March 15 as dozens of naval cadets stood on the masts. Baltimore was the first of 10 ports of call for the ARC Gloria, a ship that “holds special significance as a national symbol of Colombia and is recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a cultural interest property on the sea,” Ambassador Luis Gilberto Murillo Urrutia told guests at an evening coc ..read more

Two years have gone by since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded neighboring Ukraine, sparking Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. And the news only seems to get worse. Just in the last month, following the suspicious death of jailed 47-year-old Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, Putin was “re-elected” president with 87% of the vote, extending his rule until 2030. Five days later, a terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall killed 145 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the March 23 massacre—the deadliest to hit Russia in decades—though the Putin regime ..read more

As Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Middle East appears closer to all-out war than it has in decades, with the latest conflict threatening to involve not only the Palestinians but Iran, Syria, Yemen and possibly even Egypt. Times like these require sensitivity, empathy and tolerance—all of which are now in dangerously short supply across the region. America Abroad Media (AAM), a recognized leader that “champions global storytelling through the power of entertainment,” touched on those themes during its 11th annual awards dinner. The gala event, held Feb. 28 at the US ..read more