He summarized security measures now in place for U.S. embassy facilities and discussed the challenge of balancing safety with the field work of diplomacy. “We send people around the world so that they can engage, so that they can represent us. Making sure that they’re able to do that, while ensuring that they do so in safety and security, is the work we do every single day,” he said. He also highlighted the department’s efforts to improve care for survivors and family members, such as staffing a corps of psychiatrists to provide crisis response, one-on-one counseling, and other direct services. The Care Coordination Team, he said, assists in case of physical health incidents and helps to secure workers’ compensation and benefits. The Office of Casualty Assistance serves as a single point of contact for bereaved families and those who have experienced critical incidents like a terrorist attack. In closing, he said, “I can’t think of a better way to honor the scars, the sacrifices of that day than to carry forward the work that those we lost were engaged in—the work of diplomacy, the work of the United States, the work of connecting our country with other countries.” After observing a moment of silence, the Secretary worked his way through the audience, speaking with family members and survivors, offering embraces to some, and allowing others to cry on his shoulder. A brief panel discussion followed. Edith Bartley, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma, Under Secretary for Management John Bass, AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi, and event participants shared thoughts on how to care for embassy communities, and then many proceeded to Arlington National Cemetery for a memorial ceremony. Memorial Event at U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam Nearly 100 people gathered on Aug. 7 at the Hope Out of Sorrow memorial at the Tanzania National Museum and House of Culture to remember the victims of the 1998 bombing. Survivors, victims’ family members, members of the diplomatic community, and leaders from the Interfaith Peace Committee attended, alongside eight employees who worked for the embassy in 1998 and remain on staff today. In his remarks, Ambassador Michael Battle commented that although the attacks that day were meant to divide the partnerships between nations, relations between the U.S. and Tanzania are stronger than ever. They are, he said, “as powerful a repudiation of the violence and hate on display that day as I can imagine.” The Hope Out of Sorrow memorial was inaugurated in 2018 on the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Vice President Kamala Harris paid her respects and laid a wreath during her visit to Tanzania in March 2023. Mohamed Ahmed, a Somali American who grew up in nearby Mombasa, Kenya, also spoke to commend the interfaith dialogue in Tanzania and its role in countering violent extremism (CVE). Ahmed was in the country as a participant of an embassy-organized U.S. speaker program on CVE. He noted that the cultural and religious diversity in the U.S. and Tanzania serves as common ground for the countries’ strong partnership. Later that day, embassy employees gathered with Amb. Battle at a small memorial on the mission compound to place a wreath and share a moment of silence in remembrance of their fallen colleagues. At the Hope Out of Sorrow memorial in Dar es Salaam on Aug. 7, 2023, Ambassador Michael Battle (center, in suit) stands with former embassy employees who survived the bombing. U.S. EMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM The second event was a commemoration at the August 7th Memorial Park, the former site of the U.S. embassy, where American and Kenyan officials, including members of parliament, victims support organizations and religious leaders, offered remarks and members of the public laid white roses and wreaths at the plaque bearing the names of the 218 victims. Locally employed (LE) staff spoke of the significance of the park to survivors and what it represents to the city. In a testament to their dedication, 71 LE staff colleagues who served at the embassy during the attack 25 years ago continue to serve there today. U.S. Embassy Nairobi Remembers The 25th anniversary of the embassy bombing was marked by two events in Nairobi. Internally, the mission community gathered at the embassy to commemorate the sacrifices of those who lost their lives during the attack. As part of the ceremony, staff laid flowers at the memorial that honors the 46 American and Kenyan employees who died in the bombing. Former ambassadors to Kenya including Prudence Bushnell, Johnnie Carson, and Robert Godec joined Ambassador Meg Whitman in offering reflections via video. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2023 15
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