UAE Marks 50 Years of US Friendship with ‘Story Diplomacy’ Videos
A project launched three years ago by the United Arab Emirates embassy in Washington celebrates the UAE’s 50th anniversary and highlights its relationship with the United States in a unique way: through a series of short videos that could be called “story diplomacy.”
The project is called 50 Years | 50 Faces and started with the story of the current UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba when he was a student-athlete at Georgetown. It was finalized with an interview in which Otaiba reflected on the breadth and depth of the UAE’s friendship with the United States.
“We spoke with Emiratis and Americans, across decades, and from all walks of life – artists and athletes, educators and entertainers, poets and even presidents,” the ambassador says in the series finale.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush, who was the first sitting U.S. president to visit the UAE, contributed to the collection of videos, as did the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter. Jason Carter spoke of efforts by the Carter Center to eradicate Guinea worm disease and the UAE’s support for that and other global health projects.
The series of short videos also features a pitmaster who brought Texas-style brisket to the UAE, an Emirati teenager who loves science, space and Star Wars, and whose experiment was launched into space by NASA; and a female ice hockey player whose skills earned her and her teammates the opportunity to meet the Washington Capitals ice hockey team.
Meridian Ball Hits the Jackpot in Its 55th Year
Poker, roulette, blackjack, and more were the hit of the night at the 55th annual Meridian Ball last October.
‘Casino Night’ was the year’s theme of Meridian International Center’s biggest event of the year. It brought together diplomats, members of Congress and the administration, and people from the public and private sectors to benefit the center’s mission for global leadership exchange, training programs, and cultural activities.
VIP guests dined at one of 34 embassy-hosted dinners before migrating to the Meridian House for an evening of dancing and dialogue, specialty cocktails, and desserts. Next door, the White-Meyer House opened for guests to listen to music and play casino games with fake money they received at the door.
A non-partisan, non-profit diplomacy center that believes greater understanding and collaboration between the United States and the world leads to a more prosperous future for all, the Meridian International Center has hosted its annual ball for 55 years. The event has long brought together guests from across the political spectrum to engage in thought-provoking conversation.
‘A Diplomat’s Diplomat’ – Moroccan Envoy Named Ambassador of the Year
Morocco’s ambassador to the United States, Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Joumala Alaoui, was lauded by fellow diplomats and U.S. officials at a lunch in Washington, where she received the National US – Arab Chamber of Commerce’s Ambassador of the Year award.
Scores of diplomats, including the ambassadors of Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal, Spain, Tunisia, and the Arab League, attended the ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington. Joumala will be succeeded by Morocco’s former ambassador to South Africa Youssef Amrani.
