AFSA offers the resources below to help members with speaking presentations and local outreach on the Foreign Service and the role of diplomacy. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact us at speakers@afsa.org.
Local Outreach
- Sample Letter of Introduction to Send to Organizations/Schools ( Word | PDF )
- Designing the Perfect Bio
- Share the Story of the Foreign Service
- Organizations Interested in Speakers
- Tips and Best Practices
AFSA Resources
- Talking Points
- Videos
- AFSA’s National Outreach and Advocacy
- Ambassador Tracker
- Senior Official Appointments
- The Foreign Service Journal
- Inside a U.S. Embassy
State Resources
- State by State Map
- USAID Reports and Data
- USAID News and Information
- USAID Storytelling Hub
- Diplomacy 101
- Consular Affairs By the Numbers
- HR Fact Sheets
Other Resources
- U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
- The American Academy of Diplomacy
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training
- United States Institute of Peace
AFSA Background Information Package
Request a Copy of Inside a U.S. Embassy
We will send you a copy of the latest edition of Inside a U.S. Embassy, along with order forms. Speakers Bureau members may use this as a personal reference and/or as a door prize or gift at the event you speak at. Please introduce “Inside a U.S. Embassy” in conjunction with your talk, as probably the best general introduction to the Foreign Service and its work, and please make the order forms available to attendees. For your free copy, please email fsjedit@afsa.org, reference the venue (the date you are speaking and the organization you are speaking to), and the address you would like the book sent to.
For additional information, please click the link below:
Standard Language to Use in Promoting an Event
AFSA asks that you please use the following language in all print and electronically disseminated material promoting the program as well as in introducing the speaker:
AFSA is the professional association and labor union that represents nearly 17,000 active and retired Foreign Service employees. The Speakers Bureau is part of AFSA’s overall effort to educate the public about the work of the Foreign Service and the importance of diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Please note that ideas expressed by the speakers represent their personal perspectives and do not necessarily reflect official U.S. policy.
Clearance Guidance to Retired Speakers
While clearance is generally not required for remarks made by Speakers Bureau members (unless explicitly speaking on official U.S. policy), speakers are reminded of their responsibility NOT to divulge classified information and to use great discretion and to err on the side of caution in discussing any Unclassified but Sensitive information.