The Foreign Service Journal, March 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2013 7 n Jan. 25 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, joined by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, Deputy Secretary William Burns and Ambassa- dor Elizabeth Bagley (chief fundraiser), hosted a reception in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Department of State. Its purpose was to mark the official launch and start of the construction phase of the United States Diplomacy Center, which will be located at the 21st Street entrance of the department. It was a significant day for American diplomacy and the diplomatic service, one worthy of celebration. The USDC, which will also house a Museum of American Diplomacy, has great potential to build public understanding of, and support for, diplomacy. Nothing like it has existed before, and we all need to support it strongly. Toward that end, AFSA is undertaking a campaign to build awareness and support among our membership. In his remarks at the event, Secretary Baker made a compelling case for the Center’s importance. Let me share some of his words here: “Since the days of our founding, we have been very blessed here in this country by the practice of adroit diplomacy. It was suc- cessful diplomacy, after all, that allowed us to strike the Treaty of Paris, the picture of which is over there on the other side of this hall. It was diplomacy that made possible the Louisiana Purchase. It was diplomacy that formu- lated and implemented the Marshall Plan. It was diplomacy that made sure— practiced under all presidents from Tru- man to George H.W. Bush—that the Cold War ended with a whimper and not a bang. Throughout our history, our nation has been strengthened and protected through strong, diplomatic alliances and agreements. “Diplomats such as Ben Franklin, John Jay and Dean Acheson have all played roles that are every bit as impor- tant to our nation’s security and well- being as the roles played by generals such as Winfield Scott, John Pershing and Norman Schwarzkopf. So I think it is very fitting that this Diplomacy Center is being built, because it will tell…the amazing stories of the brave men and women who have served on the front lines of American diplomacy. Although too often overlooked, their tales of hero- ism really are inspiring. “But this center is going to do something else as well, something equally important. It’s going to explain why diplomacy matters to every single citizen. Diplomats negotiate everything from peace treaties to international trade pacts to agreements that keep our air clean. As a former American ambassador once said, ‘Foreign policy can raise or lower the cost of your home mortgage, it can give you a job, or it can take that job away. Foreign policy can affect the air you breathe. Foreign policy can determine the future of American security, and it can determine the fate of American ideals.’ “The lessons that this center will teach are particularly important for all Americans to know and to understand. America’s might cannot be properly exercised without the support of citizens who appreciate our nation’s role in the world and its relationship with other countries, because that’s simply how our democracy works.” AFSA has long endeavored to explain to the American people, whom we have the privilege to represent overseas, what diplomacy is, and why they should care about and support a premier, profes- sional diplomatic service. The U.S. Diplo- macy Center will serve as an important vehicle and force multiplier to this effort. It deserves and needs our concrete sup- port. Now is the time for every AFSA member who believes in the value of diplomacy to help us demonstrate our commitment by visiting www.afsa.org/ usdc t o make your contribution. Please watch for regular updates on our cam- paign to make the U.S. Diplomacy Center a reality. Your support will help advance the USDC and, more importantly, ensure that the Foreign Service is at the table to contribute to its development. n The U.S. Diplomacy Center and Museum: Celebrating Our Profession BY SUSAN R . JOHNSON PRESIDENT’S VIEWS O Susan R. Johnson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.