MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER

Center for cultural diplomacy - from visual art exhibitions to film screenings and concerts, meridian's center for cultural diplomacy fosters connection by bringing together global communities to celebrate shared interests and values. In 2024, key programs included the annual flagship cultural diplomacy convening, culturefix and mother earth, an exhibition showcasing over 30 works by 18 women artists, complemented by public programming at meridian's washington, d.c. Campus. Meridian also facilitated international artist residencies in costa rica, france, taiwan, and zimbabwe through next level, a program run in partnership with the u.s. Department of state's bureau of educational and cultural affairs. Additional initiatives included cultural exchanges that brought kazakh museum professionals and pakistani preservation experts to the u.s. For study tours focused on best practices and cross-cultural collaboration

Other programs in 2024, the meridian center for corporate diplomacy expanded its influence through high-level forums, ministerial roundtables, and global business briefings that strengthened u.s. Economic diplomacy. These engagements offered timely insights into investment climates, regulatory shifts, and geopolitical riskreinforcing the growing role of the private sector in advancing u.s. Global leadership. A major milestone was the release of the u.s. Competitiveness report, highlighting the critical intersection of diplomacy and economic strategy. Other key activities included briefings with cabinet-level ministers, discussions with g20 ambassadors on key global issues, and convenings with senior officials from the state department, commerce department, and national security council. Meridian also hosted 34 foreign legislators and 74 ambassadors, providing a platform for strategic dialogue and country-specific policy insights.also, during 2024, the meridian center for diplomatic engagement hosted over 25 dialogues, workshops, and roundtables, engaging more than 500 diplomats from 115 embassies, along with leaders from government, business, and civil society. Topics included artificial intelligence, science cooperation and energy security. Meridian's flagship eventsthe meridian summit and diplomacy forumexplored diplomacy's role in emerging technology and space cooperation, emphasizing trust, innovation, and the growing number of actors in the space domain. Diplomacyrise, meridian's initiative to develop the next generation of global affairs professionals, provides career training, mentorship, and fellowship opportunities. In 2024, the meridian cox foreign service fellowship introduced 30 college students to careers in diplomacy through a week-long immersion in washington, d.c. Additionally, a seven-part hybrid diplomatic skills course trained 20 emerging scientists in areas including public diplomacy, cultural competence, protocol, and negotiation.