The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2022

32 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL world challenges are expected to continue to displace millions of people around the world. Look no further than the refugee and migrant crises in Afghanistan and Haiti, respectively, to under- stand this challenge. Next Steps Subnational diplomacy is not a zero-sum game or a com- petition. Cities and states can help the U.S. “build back better,” while nation-state diplomacy continues; the two activities are not mutually exclusive. Moreover, subnational diplomacy can be a useful tool in increasing the number of people of color and individuals of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds entering the State Department. If State can increase its engagement with cities and states across the board, including via education—for example, by increasing diplomats in residence at city and state colleges and universities, facilitating diplomats in engaging with their home- town schools and community organizations, and expanding the reach of organizations like Global Kids that engage young stu- dents from underserved communities about global affairs—the department can help solve the diversity pipeline challenge. Congress and the State Department can play a major sup- porting role by establishing a city and state office for subna- tional (or city) diplomacy, which would provide the necessary resources and support for cities to take on global engagement more intentionally. The fact of the matter is this: City diplomacy is happening whether the State Department likes it or not. The question is whether State will seize the opportunity and use this powerful dynamic to strengthen U.S. foreign policy. n As host of the United Nations and epicenter of world finance and investment, New York City is uniquely situated to become a leader in this ever-evolving city diplomacy arena.