The Foreign Service Journal, September 2004

82 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 4 f all the memorials and historical museums in this country, including some 220 administered by the federal government alone, not one focuses on our relations with the rest of the world or describes the proud record of American diplomacy. This sad situation reflects the fact that in our country, diplomacy is neither highly valued nor well understood, and its contribution to the development of our modern nation is unappreciated. Many Americans have little idea what an embassy is, or what an ambassador does. Nor are they aware that our diplomats and other Foreign Service personnel work 24/7 around the world in the interest of the American people. They do not understand the antic- ipation we experience as we approach every new assign- ment, whether in Canada or Burkina Faso; the hours dedicated to learning languages, new customs and laws, and meeting new people; or the pride we feel when we see an important agreement that we have toiled over signed, a business opportunity opened, an exchange stu- dent back home full of new experiences, a dispute resolved and hostilities averted, and Americans protected abroad. Several years ago, I discussed this problem with for- mer Senator Charles (Mac) Mathias, R-Md. He respond- ed: “Let’s do something about it.” And together, we start- ed to investigate the establishment of a new National Museum of American Diplomacy on the Washington Mall. The timing for pursuing our initiative was auspicious. Through the private, nonprofit Association of Diplomatic Studies and Training located on the Foreign Service Institute campus, I had already been involved in helping create an exhibit and pamphlet called A Brief History of American Diplomacy. Working with Nick Burns, then acting assistant secretary for public affairs, we had put together a diplomatic history display in Main State’s exhibit hall, which Secretary of State Warren Christopher opened in one of his last official public acts. Then, in 1999, the White House called on every fed- eral agency to create a project celebrating the new mil- lennium. The United States Agency of International Development had moved out of Main State, and the General Services Administration had provided the department with over $350 million to renovate the oldest part of the building — the part built and occupied by the War Department from 1941 to 1947. Seizing our opportunity, we approached Secretary of State Madeleine Albright with our proposal to designate a space at the 21st Street entrance for public access to the department for the prospective museum and a visitor center. She not only backed it, but presided over a ground-breaking ceremony in November 2000, in which Secretary Christopher and Senators Mathias and Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., also participated. But while State has agreed to provide the renovated space, staff and security, the cost for designing, fabricat- ing and installing the exhibitions and presentations must come from the private sector. To raise those funds, we set up a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the Foreign Affairs Museum Council, with Sen. Mathias as chairman. All living former Secretaries of State are hon- orary directors of the museum, and all have signed a let- ter of support, stating: “We believe that this is an impor- tant initiative that will stimulate considerable interest and T ELLING O UR S TORY : T HE N ATIONAL M USEUM OF A MERICAN D IPLOMACY T HE F OREIGN A FFAIRS M USEUM C OUNCIL IS WORKING TO ESTABLISH THE D EPARTMENT OF S TATE V ISITOR C ENTER AND N ATIONAL M USEUM OF A MERICAN D IPLOMACY IN M AIN S TATE . B Y S TEPHEN L OW O