The Foreign Service Journal, June 2015

22 JUNE 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL have the capacity to work for change in constructive and mean- ingful ways. Our first rule will be to do no harm. But do no harm doesn’t mean do nothing. It means we must engage in creative ways within the context of broad partnerships and coalitions. One key way we are currently partnering with like-minded governments, private foundations and business leaders is through the Global Equality Fund, which was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership to support programs to advance the human rights of LGBT persons around the world. Through the fund, we’re able to provide critically needed support to civil society organizations in the work that they are doing and also empower Foreign Service members at our embassies to engage more deeply on these issues. One of the GEF’s tools that promotes this engagement is the LGBT small grants program. Through small grants, our network of embassies and consulates is able to provide targeted support to grassroots organizations working to promote and protect the human rights of LGBT per- sons. I look forward to working to build additional partnerships through the GEF, and beyond. SD: As a gay FSO, have you faced difficulties working in and with countries where homosexuality is still illegal ? RB: Complications, yes; but difficulties, not really. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have worked with positive, supportive mission teams throughout my career, and under the leadership of some truly impressive chiefs of mission, who have effec- tively set the tone in terms of acceptance and equality within our embassies and consulates overseas. I’ve worked in several countries that criminalize same-sex relationships, including Bangladesh, Egypt and Uganda; but I can honestly say that I never encountered a serious level of difficulty in any of those places. However, I’m also well aware that this is not the norm, and that at least part of that lack of difficulty also stemmed from being a U.S. diplomat, which somewhat shielded me from I will be placing a key priority on engagement with foreign civil society organizations and with leading business interests. Randy Berry engages with Amsterdam University students about his career in the Foreign Service. EDGARVANDEBURGT/CONSULATEGENERALAMSTERDAM