The events of this past Wednesday, January 6, that marred the U.S. Capitol underscore the importance of our need as a nation to maintain dialogue, respect, and the rule of law. The breach of the U.S. Capitol was counter to our democratic traditions and unity as a nation.
The Diplomacy Center Foundation represents a tradition of public service, epitomized in the National Museum of American Diplomacy and our diplomatic service that encompasses all regions and peoples of our great nation. Our diplomatic community is a voice for democracy around the world.
In this regard, we respect the differences marking our society and the right to express one’s constitutional rights. However, there is no place for violence or threats against our institutions and American democracy. We mourn the loss of life that resulted from this senseless and undemocratic incident, and we call on all Americans to reflect on the democratic principles that unite us as we move forward.
Ambassador Roman Popadiuk (ret.),
President, Diplomacy Center Foundation
Ambassador Edward Perkins (1928-2020) and Senator Paul Sarbanes (1933-2020) were two dedicated public servants whose careers and devotion to country have benefitted American diplomacy and the federal government. With the passing of both Ambassador Perkins and Senator Sarbanes in 2020, the Diplomacy Center Foundation reflects on the legacy of two important members of the Foundation’s leadership.
Edward Perkins
Edward Perkins joined the Foreign Service in 1971. He first began working in the Office of the Director General of the Foreign Service, followed by assignments in the Bureau of Personnel, the Bureau of Far East and South Asian Affairs, and the Office of Management Operations. In 1978, Ambassador Perkins was a counselor for political affairs at the US embassy in Accra, Ghana, and, in 1981, became the deputy chief of mission in Monrovia, Liberia. In 1983, he became the director of West Africa Affairs. Ambassador Perkins was appointed his first ambassadorship in 1985 to Liberia.
One of Ambassador Perkins’s most notable years of service was from 1986 to 1989, when he was the first Black ambassador to South Africa. Ambassador Perkins’ appointment overlapped with the last decade of apartheid—a system of institutionalized racial segregation that lasted in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The United States’ response to apartheid was a significant foreign policy issue. From 1992 to 1993, Ambassador Perkins served as ambassador to the United Nations.
Ambassador Perkins also left a lasting legacy with his dedication to diversifying the US Foreign Service, which had been overwhelmingly white and male at the time. As director general of the Foreign Service from 1989 to 1992, he helped recruit people of color, women, and individuals from underrepresented groups to the Foreign Service. His responsibilities included overseeing the hiring of individuals like Avraham Rabby (1942-2020), who became the first blind person in 1989 to join the diplomatic corps.
Ambassador Perkins retired from the Foreign Service in 1996 with the rank of career minister. In retirement, Ambassador Perkins was the first executive director for the University of Oklahoma’s International Programs Center, continuing his legacy of service to American diplomacy. Ambassador Perkins joined the Diplomacy Center Foundation donor family in 2019 as part of our Founding Ambassadors Society. That same year, he also became a Diplomacy Center Foundation trustee.
Jim Dandridge, vice chair of the Diplomacy Center Foundation Board of Directors, remembers his last conversation with Ambassador Perkins:
We had a lengthy phone conversation, in which he shared his excitement over the upcoming publication of his book. Many of the stories within that book are ones he has told me at one time or another, including recounting his prior private conversation with President Ronald Reagan on his consideration for appointment as the US ambassador to South Africa. The character of his conversation with President Reagan was a description of a plain-talking, to the point diplomat who gained the President’s confidence in that single, rather lengthy private conversation.
I characterize Ambassador Perkins as a forthright diplomat before, during, and after his Foreign Service career. He was a keen evaluator of people and issues, with an equally keen empathetic ability. As Ambassador Ruth Davis recounted during the State Department’s recent memorial service, Ambassador Perkins was a mighty oak in this forest of humanity.
Paul Sarbanes
Paul Sarbanes had a 40-year career dedicated to serving Marylanders. In 1967, he joined the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 2nd district. He was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1971 to represent Maryland’s 4th district and reelected in 1973 from the 3rd district. In 1977, Senator Sarbanes began his 30-year career as a US senator for Maryland. During his senate career, he served on several Senate committees: banking, housing, and urban affairs; special Whitewater; foreign relations; budget; and joint economic committees.
Some of the most significant periods of Senator Sarbanes’s service were at the beginning and the end of his career with the federal government. As a US representative in his third year in office, then-Representative Sarbanes composed and introduced the first of three articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon for obstruction of justice as a ranking member of the US Senate Whitewater Committee.
In 2002, Senator Sarbanes sponsored the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act, also known as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which was created following the 2001 financial accounting scandal involving the Enron Corporation energy company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act expanded or set new requirements for business practices to promote corporate responsibility, enhance financial disclosures, and prevent corporate and accounting fraud. Today, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act remains an important law that governs the securities industry.
Senator Sarbanes was a founding director of the Diplomacy Center Foundation when it was established in 1999 as the Foreign Affairs Museum Council. In 2017, he became a trustee of the Foundation. Ambassador William Harrop, a Diplomacy Center Foundation board director, reflects on Senator Sarbanes’s contributions to American diplomacy:
While Senator Sarbanes was best known for his legislation that reformed the legal structure of public corporations, he consistently supported American diplomacy and the Foreign Service throughout his long Senate career. He disapproved of the spoils system, under which campaign contributors are awarded ambassadorial appointments, and he publicly opposed and voted against the confirmation of unqualified nominees.
From the beginning of the Diplomacy Center Foundation’s history, Senator Sarbanes was an active participant in our board meetings for over a decade. Even long into his retirement—when his health did not allow him to serve on nonprofit boards—he continued to serve as a trustee, believing that a national museum dedicated to American diplomacy was long overdue.
The Diplomacy Center Foundation is pleased to announce a gift of $4 million from the Honorable John L. Loeb, Jr. to support the creation and maintenance of a gallery, exhibit, theater, and interactive film at the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD).
Located in Hall II: The History of American Diplomacy, the Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr., Gallery will explore the political and economic uncertainty faced by the United States following the end of the Revolutionary War. As the United States engaged in transatlantic commerce, conflicts with the Barbary Pirates made clear that the young nation could not survive without recognition, allies, and the means to defend itself.
“The Barbary Pirates Exhibit: Diplomacy, Treaties and Trade” will tell the story of the Barbary Pirate crises: the capture of US vessels and crew in the Mediterranean Sea, American diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages, and the establishment of treaties and bilateral relationships to end the conflict. Through dynamic images and videos, historical objects, and interactive exhibits, the Ambassador John L. Loeb Gallery will explore how diplomacy served as a foundation for achieving the 1776 vision of a free and independent nation that prospered through equitable trade with other nations.
Ambassador Loeb’s contribution also supports the creation of the Museum’s theater. The Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. Theater will be a multi-use space accommodating theatrical viewings, live presentations, and the Museum’s interactive “Be a Diplomat” experience. In “Be a Diplomat,” guests will step into the shoes of US diplomats to understand that negotiation and strategic decision-making are powerful tools of American diplomacy. Presented with the same information and choices as US diplomats, guests will decide how to proceed through one of four real-life scenarios. Thanks to the contribution of Ambassador Loeb, the story of the Barbary Pirates will be one of the four scenarios that guests will encounter.
Ambassador Loeb served as the US ambassador to Denmark from 1981 to 1983 and as a public delegate to the United Nations. He is a philanthropist and art collector, and he was the partner of the Wall Street investment banking firm Loeb, Rhoades and Co. from 1957 to 1979. He has long been a champion of religious freedom. In 2009, Ambassador Loeb built a unique visitor’s center on the campus of Touro Synagogue. Built in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island, it is the oldest existing synagogue in America. In 2015, he received the Emma Lazarus Statue of Liberty Award from the American Jewish Historical Society.
Ambassador Loeb’s contribution builds upon his previous donation to the Diplomacy Center Foundation as a member of the Founding Ambassadors Society. The Society recognizes museum donors who are members of the presidentially appointed US diplomatic community.
“We greatly appreciate Ambassador Loeb’s generous support and continued passion for NMAD,” says Ambassador Roman Popadiuk (ret.), Diplomacy Center Foundation President. “The Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. Gallery will provide significant space for guests to learn about the exciting and important formative years of American diplomacy, while The Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. Theater will allow guests to experience diplomacy firsthand.”
On his newest support for the National Museum of American Diplomacy, Ambassador Loeb says, “I have been delighted to be a part of this exciting new Museum under the leadership of Ambassador Roman Popadiuk.”
Image: Drawing of “The Barbary Pirates Exhibit: Diplomacy, Treaties and Trade” in the Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. Gallery (Courtesy of C&G Partners).
On December 1, join the GivingTuesday movement to spread generosity by supporting the Diplomacy Center Foundation (DCF). A global day of giving, GivingTuesday was created in 2012 with the idea for a day that encourages people to do good. This idea has since grown into a year-round movement, inspiring hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. The last GivingTuesday, on December 3, 2019, generated $2 billion in giving just in the United States. It also inspired millions of people worldwide to volunteer, perform acts of kindness, and donate their voices, time, money, and goods.
Your support of DCF on GivingTuesday helps us in our mission to share the story of American diplomacy and to create the first national museum dedicated to American diplomacy. While the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) is under development, NMAD hosts temporary exhibits, educational programs, and teacher trainings that explore the history of American diplomacy, share how diplomacy impacts our everyday lives, and honor the contributions of members of the diplomatic community.
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, with no one left untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many museums, NMAD remains closed, but it has shifted to offering educational and public programs virtually so that we can explore American diplomacy from home. In these uncertain times, your support—no matter how large or small—helps keep NMAD active and our mission alive.
For GivingTuesday, we hope you will support the Diplomacy Center Foundation in any way you can. Here is how you can join us on GivingTuesday and help us fulfill our vision.
Share. Celebrate. Give.
On December 1, join us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as we share our story and celebrate the individuals who are helping make NMAD a reality. Here’s how you can join us for GivingTuesday:
Share.
Share your story of why you support DCF and NMAD or why American diplomacy is important to you. Share your story by
Using the hashtag #WhyDiplomacyMatters;
Tagging the Diplomacy Center Foundation; or
Direct messaging us with your story. All responses will be collected and shared on December 1!
Or you can use #AskDCF on our social channels to ask us your questions about DCF, NMAD, and the future museum.
Celebrate.
Every hour, join our thank-a-thon on our social channels as we celebrate the individuals who are making it possible for us to share the story of American diplomacy. Without our supporters, we would not be able to share the unique story of American diplomacy and honor the members of our US diplomatic community.
Give.
Now more than ever, your support can make an impact. From teaching students the skills of diplomacy with NMAD’s diplomacy simulation program to supporting the creation of the museum’s permanent exhibits, your support brings American diplomacy to life. Here is how you can support us:
Become part of our donor family. You can contribute to the Diplomacy Center Foundation in support of the National Museum of American Diplomacy by visiting our donation page. If you are a federal employee or retiree, considering supporting us during the 2020 Combined Federal Campaign.
Become an artifact donor. Anyone currently or previously working in a diplomatic capacity may have objects that would be a perfect fit for the NMAD collection. Learn more
Thank you for joining us on GivingTuesday! It is through the support of individuals like yourself that together we can make the National Museum of American Diplomacy a reality.
The recent events in Minneapolis and throughout the country underscore the need for healing and stronger efforts to break down racial and social barriers in our country. The Diplomacy Center Foundation reaffirms its commitment to racial, ethnic, and gender equality. American diplomacy has been strengthened by the professional dedication of all groups across our society who have served in our foreign affairs agencies that advance our national interests.
We look forward to helping build a stronger, more inclusive society that truly reflects the principles of justice and equality for all on which the United States was founded.
Ambassador Roman Popadiuk (ret.),
President, Diplomacy Center Foundation
On May 5, 2020, the Diplomacy Center Foundation is participating in #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of unity and giving, a day for everyone to come together and give back in response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Over the past few weeks and months, the world has come together to help, give back, and heal. Whether it is through donations to a favorite nonprofit organization, celebrating healthcare workers, or reaching out to a neighbor to help with groceries, generosity has been at the forefront of helping the entire world get through this global pandemic together.
We hope you will join us on #GivingTuesdayNow as we aim to spread generosity and encourage others to discover diplomacy. By providing support to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, we are dedicated to sharing stories of American diplomacy, honoring the contributions of American diplomats, and preserving the legacy of American diplomacy for generations to come. We hope that through #GivingTuesdayNow, individuals will learn more about NMAD and how they can support our campaign to open the Museum while giving back.
How you can participate
There are many ways you can participate in #GivingTuesdayNow. You can show generosity and spread kindness. You can learn more about American diplomacy and how the work of diplomats impacts us all. And you can show your support for American diplomacy and the National Museum of American Diplomacy.
See how others are spreading generosity and kindness with GivingTuesday’s generosity map.
No matter how you choose to spread generosity, make sure you follow CDC and WHO guidelines.
Discover Diplomacy
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook on May 5th to learn more about NMAD, American diplomacy, and the role of diplomacy during public health crises.
Use #AskDCF on Twitter or check out our Instagram Stories to ask us about the Foundation, NMAD, and how we support American diplomacy.
The Diplomacy Center Foundation’s highest priority is the health and welfare of our staff, donors, and supporters of NMAD. As the situation surrounding novel coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves, we are continually monitoring and evaluating developments, as well as taking precautions as suggested by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and local health and government authorities. Our staff continues to work from home, and the Diplomacy Center Foundation remains fully operational.
At this time, the Diplomacy Center Foundation is not offering in-person programs. Until further notice, all Foundation programs will take place virtually. We continue to reassess whether future events will be postponed or canceled based on guidelines from the CDC, the District of Columbia Health Advisory, and other government officials. Please check diplomacycenterfoundation.org/news/covid-19 for up-to-date information about changes to the Foundation’s operation as a result of COVID-19. Any changes to future operations and programs will be communicated via email, our website, and social media channels. The National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) has temporarily closed their Friday open house tours and in-person programming.
We are encouraging everyone to remain cautious and follow hygiene practices as published by the CDC:
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
Stay 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and avoid poorly ventilated spaces
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or the inside of your elbow, then throw the used tissues in the trash and immediately wash your hands
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily
Monitor your health daily and be alert for symptoms
If you have any questions regarding future programs, please contact us at [email protected] or visit our website for the latest updates.
Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering (left) and Mr. James T. L. Dandridge, II (right).
The Diplomacy Center Foundation (DCF) Board of Directors welcomed Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering and Mr. James (Jim) T. L. Dandridge, II, as the Board’s new chair and vice-chair, respectively. Ambassador William C. Harrop (ret.) stepped down from his role as chairman of the Board, which he held since 2010. He remains a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Ambassador Pickering is a career ambassador who previously served as US ambassador to Russia, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, and Jordan. At the US Department of State, he was also the under secretary for political affairs, US representative to the United Nations, assistant secretary of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and executive secretary. Ambassador Pickering joined the Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2001 and has served as the Board’s vice-chair since 2015.
Jim Dandridge joined the Foreign Service after retiring in 1978 from the US Army as a special operations branch chief in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dandridge retired from the Foreign Service as a senior foreign service officer, with a personal rank of minister counselor. His final diplomatic assignments were director of the Office of Policy Guidance in the United States Information Agency and an assignment to the State Department as a senior advisor to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Dandridge has been a Board Director since 2011.
The Diplomacy Center Foundation welcomes the opportunity to work with Amb. Pickering and Mr. Dandridge during phase II of the capital campaign. Their “dynamism, outreach efforts, and dedicated service to the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) will be instrumental in guiding the Foundation through phase II of the capital campaign to finish the Museum,” says Ambassador Roman Popadiuk, president of the Diplomacy Center Foundation.
The Foundation also wishes to extend its deepest thanks and appreciation to Ambassador Harrop, who has served on the Board since 2007. Amb. Popadiuk praises “Ambassador Harrop’s exceptional leadership over the years to successfully steer the Foundation through phase I of the capital campaign. Under his chairmanship, we marked several important milestones, including the opening of the NMAD’s entrance pavilion in 2017. His vision, dedication, and generous support of the museum are greatly appreciated. We are all glad that he will continue to serve on the board and stay engaged with the Foundation and Museum.”
Ambassador Francis X. Taylor (left), former US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (center), and Ambassador Joseph B. Gildenhorn (right)
The Diplomacy Center Foundation Board of Directors recently elected 24th US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Ambassador Francis (Frank) X. Taylor (ret.) to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Ambassador Joseph B. Gildenhorn (ret.) was also elected to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Secretary Chuck Hagel served as the 24th US Secretary of Defense from 2013 to 2015 where he modernized America’s partnerships and alliances, enhanced defense cooperation in the Middle East, oversaw America’s combat mission in Afghanistan, and led major initiatives for service members and their families. Hagel also served two terms in the US Senate, representing the state of Nebraska (1997-2009). He was a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Intelligence Committees.
Ambassador Frank Taylor most recently served as under secretary of Homeland Security for intelligence and analysis at the US Department of Homeland Security. At the US Department of State, Taylor was ambassador at large, serving as coordinator for counterterrorism. He also served as director of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, assistant secretary of state for Diplomatic Security, and director of the Office of Foreign Missions.
Ambassador Joseph Gildenhorn is a founder, officer, and director of The JBG Companies and a partner in the law firm of Brown, Gildenhorn, and Jacobs. From 1989-1993, Gildenhorn served as the US ambassador to Switzerland.
Secretary Hagel, Ambassador Taylor, and Ambassador Gildenhorn “are staunch supporters of diplomacy and the need for a strong diplomatic service,” says Foundation President Ambassador Roman Popadiuk (ret.). “Their participation broadens the perspective of our board and offers greater outreach opportunities to new sectors. The Diplomacy Center Foundation looks forward to their input and to working with them as we move forward with ‘Supporting American Diplomacy,’ the capital campaign to build the National Museum of American Diplomacy.”
One of NMAD’s most successful programs is its Diplomacy Simulation education program. Using immersive, problem-solving situations that address current international issues, students and teachers are engaged in the study of diplomacy and the work of the Foreign Service. Participants take on the role of nations and invested parties, learn about different perspectives on an issue, present their positions, and attempt to negotiate a solution between parties. Current diplomacy simulations include addressing human rights and border security through an international migration crisis and global health and development through an HIV/AIDS crisis.
Through funding provided by the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, NMAD will develop three new simulations that highlight historical issues and events. These simulations will be linked to modern events, in order for students to better understand how questions of the past are still relevant today. They will also incorporate the stories of Foreign Service members to reflect the diversity of roles and individuals in the Foreign Service. These new simulations will aid teachers in equipping their students for a productive life in the global community.
The Diplomacy Center Foundation thanks the Una Chapman Cox Foundation for its support of the National Museum of American Diplomacy!
Image: During International Education Week, students from Montgomery Community College participated in a diplomacy simulation focused on resolving an international migration crisis (courtesy of NMAD).
