Minnesota’s Diplomats

From the first woman to hold the position of U.S. ambassador through foreign service officers meeting the complex challenges of the 21st century, Minnesotans have a long and remarkable legacy of diplomatic service. Global Minnesota and the Alworth Institute share the stories behind some of Minnesota’s most inspiring diplomats, and how Minnesotans have represented the United States around the world, navigating pivotal moments in U.S. diplomatic history and how that work has benefited Americans and their communities. Tom Selinger, a retired Foreign Service Officer and current Project Manager at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, will bring these stories to life, sharing accounts of Minnesotans who have served their country through diplomacy.

Also, there will be an exhibit on display: United States Diplomacy: From Its Beginnings to Today – Celebrating diplomatic accomplishments throughout America’s 250-year history. Created with support from the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, this exhibit highlights the important role that diplomacy has played across American history. It begins with the Revolutionary War, when Benjamin Franklin – America’s first diplomat – was dispatched to Paris to secure the French military assistance that proved critical to winning American independence. It takes visitors through how diplomats protected a young republic and then helped expand both its borders and global trade. In the 20th century, it captures diplomats’ role in navigating two World Wars and in building an international system that helped win the Cold War. It concludes with diplomats confronting 21st century challenges such as transnational terrorism, technology advances, climate change, environmental degradation and global health/pandemics.