AFSA NEWS 56 MARCH 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FS Wins International Service Award On Nov. 20, 2024, the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) kicked off its annual conference with an opening dinner and awards ceremony at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The evening was dedicated to celebrating achievements that strengthen international cooperation, humanitarian awareness, and global prosperity. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of WACA’s prestigious International Service Award to the U.S. Foreign Service, an honor marking the centennial of the institution’s founding under the 1924 Foreign Service Act. Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, vice chair of the WACA National Board, former president of the American Foreign Service Association, and current vice provost for global affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, introduced and presented the award. A veteran of the Foreign Service with a 34-year career spanning multiple continents, Stephenson reflected on the critical role diplomats play in advancing U.S. interests and fostering mutual understanding across the globe. She noted how this year’s conference theme, “Seeing from the Other Side,” resonated with the work of diplomats who spend their careers immersed in the perspectives of the nations where they serve. In her remarks, Stephenson drew attention to the often unseen but indispensable contributions of the Foreign Service. Drawing on Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s analogy to the film It’s a Wonderful Life, she explained that without the quiet but critical work of America’s diplomats, the world would look very different: less stable, less connected, and less prosperous. She spoke of the sacrifices made by members of the Foreign Service and their families, noting the personal toll that comes with serving far from home, often in challenging and dangerous environments. Stephenson invited representatives of six organizations supporting the Foreign Service to join her on stage: President of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Susan R. Johnson, American Foreign Service Association President Tom Yazdgerdi, DACOR President Angela Dickey, Editor in Chief of The Foreign Service Journal Shawn Dorman, Executive Director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation Ambassador Jo Ellen Powell, and Ambassador Deborah McCarthy for the American Academy of Diplomacy. Next, the WACA Chairman’s Individual Award was presented to former FSO Derrick Olsen, president of World Oregon and a WACA board member. As the evening drew to a close, Stephenson offered a toast to the next century of diplomacy and invited all current and former Foreign Service officers in attendance, as well as their families, to stand and be recognized. “Together,” she said, “we will shape a more connected, peaceful, and prosperous world.” n From left: Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, Ambassador Deborah McCarthy, ADST President Susan Johnson, AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi, DACOR President Angela Dickey, FSJ Editor in Chief Shawn Dorman, and Ambassador Jo Ellen Powell. WACA Without the quiet but critical work of America’s diplomats, the world would look very different.
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