2017 – Diplomatic Challenges for the New Administration

Second Annual Ambassadors Forum
Changing Constants: Diplomatic challenges for the New Administration

Texas Tech University
March 27, 2017 – 5:30 p.m.
International Cultural Center Auditorium,
601 Indiana Avenue – Lubbock, Texas

The speakers pose with some west Texas area high school students for a group photo in front of the globe in the International Cultural Center at Texas Tech

The Office of International Affairs at Texas Tech University along with the Center for Global Understanding and the CH Foundation welcomed four distinguished former United States ambassadors for TTU’s Second Annual Ambassadors’ Forum on March 27, 2017, regarding the new US Presidential Administration’s diplomatic challenges.  The former ambassadors were Ronald Neumann, Kathleen Stephens, Kurt Volker, and John Beyrle and belong to the American Academy of Diplomacy.  The dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Ambassador Beyrle, provided intriguing foreign policy insight gained from more than 100 years of combined Foreign Service experience from the four ambassadors.

“The American Academy of Diplomacy includes some of our nation’s most senior and knowledgeable diplomats and other foreign affairs specialists, and we are pleased to have this distinguished group coming to share their insight into the world’s current foreign policy challenges” said Ambassador Tibor Nagy, vice provost for International Affairs.  “Texas Tech is delighted to partner with the Center for Global Understanding and the CH Foundation in sponsoring this annual event.”  

The panel discussion with the ambassadors took place at the International Cultural Center auditorium, located at 601 Indiana Ave., and was free and open to the public.
For more information about the event, call (806) 742-3667 or visit the Office of International Affairs website.

Watch the full event here

 

Ambassador Ronald Neumann formerly served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and three times as Ambassador to Algeria, Bahrain and Afghanistan. Before Afghanistan, he served in Baghdad from 2004 with the Coalition Provisional Authority and as Embassy Baghdad’s principal liaison with the Multinational Command. He is the President of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the author of The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Kathleen Stephens is a Texas native whose foreign service career included various posts in Asia and Europe. While serving as US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2008-2011) she was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Service Award. She was a career diplomat, achieving the rank of Career Minister with over 35 years of service. She authored Reflections of an American Ambassador to Korea which was published in 2010 and is in its third printing in Korea.
Ambassador Kurt Volker served as U.S. Ambassador to NATO in 2008-2009. His foreign service experience includes work on European policy for five US Administrations and serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.  He was responsible for US policy on US-European Union relations, NATO, the OSCE, and numerous bi-lateral relationships.  He contributes regularly to foreign policy debates on BBC, Al Jazeera English, and Fox News.

Ambassador John Beyrle has served as Ambassador to the Russian Federation and   Ambassador to Bulgaria. He has held various policy positions and foreign assignments with an emphasis on U.S. relations with Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the USSR since joining the State Department in 1983. He was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Service Award and is also a four-time recipient of the Superior Honor Award.

Press Release