An exhibit on the history of U.S. Diplomacy was displayed at Dickinson from February 24-28 in the lower level of Althouse. The exhibit has been traveling around U.S. and its stay at Dickinson was co-sponsored by the international studies department and the Middle Eastern studies department. An opening reception was held on Monday, February 24.
The exhibit was curated in celebration of the 100th year anniversary of the Rogers Act, which created a unified and official Foriegn Service department in 1924. Sponsored by the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, which was created out of appreciation for the service and kindness of U.S. Diplomats, the exhibit was then curated by the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST), a nonprofit focused on preserving and sharing diplomatic history. The curators and supporters of the exhibit not only hope it educates Americans on the history of diplomacy, but that the exhibit also celebrates the awe-inspiring work diplomats have done throughout the last century.
The reception featured speakers from both Dickinson departments and a member of the ADST. Magda Siekert, senior lecturer in Middle East studies, and one of the featured speakers, shared her personal experience from over two decades in U.S. Foreign Service. Siekert emphasized that the role of Foreign Service Officers has often been overlooked, and she brought awareness to the sacrifices and dangers that many officers experience as a part of their service to their nation.
The representative from the ADST, Thomas Selinger, spoke about the organization’s hopes for the impact that this exhibit will have on Americans. In addition to his role with the ADST, Selinger is a Foreign Service Officer and veteran, who served for over twenty years in the U.S. military.
When asked what he hoped people took away from the exhibit, Selinger said “that the role of diplomacy is making America safer, stronger and more prosperous” and that he hoped that the exhibit would “show the American people how vital diplomacy is for our nation.” He went on to add that, “this is a pivotal moment in our country where Americans get to decide what they value,” and that he hopes this exhibit will show everyday citizens the value of the Foreign Service. Selinger closed by stating that “everyone is impacted by diplomacy” and “it is important for Americans to see themselves and what they care about in the history of U.S. diplomats and their work.”
This exhibit is traveling the U.S. at a pivotal time in the nation’s history, where diplomacy and foreign relations are more vital than ever. As the American political and social climate become increasingly more polarized, the value of diplomacy and peacemaking cannot be overlooked.
