The American Academy of Diplomacy

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The American Academy of Diplomacy The Academy is an association of former ambassadors and senior-level government officials whose miss

The American Academy of Diplomacy is a prestigious, independent non-profit association of former ambassadors and senior-level diplomats. The Academy represents a unique wealth of talent and experience in the practice of American foreign policy.

10/23/2026

What do diplomats consider when negotiating? Is it more about listening? Or control? Take a listen to this clip from Ask a Diplomat!

Are you a college student looking for firsthand experience in diplomacy and nonprofit management? It's not too late to a...
10/23/2026

Are you a college student looking for firsthand experience in diplomacy and nonprofit management? It's not too late to apply to the Academy's Spring 2027 Internship! Check out our website for more information!

10/22/2026

What did it take to be a diplomat in Cold War Moscow? What was life like in such a tense moment in history?

If you want to understand the resiliency behind an esteemed diplomat and his family, check out the 2018 Douglas Dillon Special Mention, The Kremlinologist: Llewellyn E. Thompson, America’s Man in Cold War Moscow written by Jenny and Sherry Thompson! What do you want to learn about diplomacy?

This , let's learn about U.S. with ! 🇺🇸🤝🇰🇭The U.S. established relations with Cambodia in 1950. Ties broke in 1965 o...
10/22/2026

This , let's learn about U.S. with ! 🇺🇸🤝🇰🇭

The U.S. established relations with Cambodia in 1950. Ties broke in 1965 over the Vietnam War, resumed in 1969, and ended in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took power after years of war and U.S. bombing during the Vietnam War. After the 1991 Paris Peace Accords, the U.S. backed UN-supervised elections in 1993 and reopened its embassy. In 2012, Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cambodia.

Today, the U.S. and Cambodia are building closer ties after a decade of strain. Bilateral defense ties have strengthened as the U.S. removed Cambodia from its arms sale blacklist in early 2026, and the two countries’ armies finalized plans to resume joint military exercises after a nine-year pause. Cooperation on transnational crime and cyber fraud has also grown. The U.S. remains Cambodia’s largest export market, primarily for garments, footwear, and travel goods, and the two nations signed a landmark Agreement on Reciprocal Trade in late 2025.

There are just two weeks left to apply for the Academy's Spring 2027 Internship Program! If you are a student interested...
10/20/2026

There are just two weeks left to apply for the Academy's Spring 2027 Internship Program! If you are a student interested in diplomacy and nonprofit management, this opportunity is for you. We review applications on a rolling basis, so apply today!

10/16/2026

Check out our 2019 Douglas Dillon Awardee, The Back Channel A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for its Renewal by William J. Burns for a masterful dive into diplomacy! What topics do you want to learn more about?

This , let’s learn about the role of First Ladies in American diplomacy! After WWII, and especially beginning with Jack...
10/16/2026

This , let’s learn about the role of First Ladies in American diplomacy! After WWII, and especially beginning with Jackie Kennedy, many First Ladies employed cultural and personal diplomacy initiatives to advance foreign policy goals of the U.S.

Jackie Kennedy’s French language skills won over the popularity of the French people during President Kennedy’s state visit in 1961, demonstrating a famous example of cultural diplomacy.

During President Nixon’s negotiations in Beijing in 1972, Pat Nixon visited local schools, markets and hospitals. That same year, she became the first First lady to visit Africa during a solo trip, and toured the USSR with Soviet first lady Breshneva. Pat Nixon visited 41 countries during her time as , a record held until Hillary Clinton’s time as First Lady.

In 1977, Rosalynn Carter made a solo trip to Latin America, visiting 7 countries over 13 days. She met with heads of state to discuss nuclear proliferation, human rights, trade issues, and arms reduction.

Nancy Reagan was responsible for planning the 1987 state dinner with Mikhail Gorbachev in Washington, D.C. Gorbachev was the first Soviet leader to visit D.C. since 1959.

Barbara Bush built a personal relationship with Gorbachev’s wife and first lady of the Soviet Union, Raisa Gorbacheva. Their rapport has been said to have helped ease tensions between the U.S. and the USSR in the later years of the .

This , as comes to a close, we’re looking back at an early moment in inter-American diplomacy. In 1889, representativ...
10/15/2026

This , as comes to a close, we’re looking back at an early moment in inter-American diplomacy. In 1889, representatives from across the Americas gathered in Washington, D.C., for the first Pan-American Conference.

An early milestone in hemispheric diplomacy, it was one of the first major efforts to bring together countries across the hemisphere. Delegates discussed trade, transportation, arbitration, and ways to strengthen relations across the hemisphere. The meeting helped lay the groundwork for a more organized system of inter-American diplomacy.

Why does it matter today?
The 1889 Pan-American Conference began a tradition of hemispheric dialogue that would eventually contribute to a broader culture of diplomacy in the Americas:
- It established the inter-American system: diplomatic organizations and institutions that promote cooperation throughout the Western Hemisphere.
- It also laid groundwork for the Organization of American States (OAS), a forum for countries throughout the Americas to address regional security, democracy, human rights, and development.

10/14/2026

Is the U.S.-Iran war benefitting Russia? How are U.S. tariffs and confrontational diplomacy methods impacting relations with Canada and Mexico? Check out what our members are writing about.

Today, the Academy celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day, honoring the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous p...
10/12/2026

Today, the Academy celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day, honoring the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples.

Plus, a fun fact about US-Native American diplomacy: did you know that America almost had a Native American 14th state? In 1778, the US signed its first treaty with a Native American nation: the Lenape (Delaware) Nation.

Known as the Treaty of Fort Pitt, it included a surprising provision: the possibility of creating a 14th U.S. state governed by Native Americans, with representation in Congress! However, the agreement fell through. The Lenape leader who negotiated the treaty, Chief White Eyes, was killed suspiciously, damaging trust between the US and the Lenape. Differing understandings of diplomacy and encroaching US settlement also led to the relationship falling apart.

The Treaty shows how the US negotiated with Native Americans as sovereign political entities and how diplomatic promises may not always be upheld.

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