Cultural and Sports Diplomacy

Cultural and sports diplomacy is the exchange of sports, ideas, information, art, language, and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples to foster mutual understanding.

Showing 1–10 of 17 results

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    Ambassador Harper’s Moccasins

    In 2014, Keith M. Harper became the first Native American to be named a U.S. ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Harper served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council until 2017. These moccasins were a gift to him from his…

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    Autographed First Pitch Baseball

    In the mid-1940s, an American named J. Robert Fluker was living in Afghanistan and teaching at Habibia College in Kabul. Fluker, whose teaching position was funded by the U.S. Department of State, decided to introduce the game of baseball to his students. In 1946, during the opening game, the Prime Minister of…

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    Souvenir Wooden Eggs

    These decorated wooden eggs were given to participants in U.S. Embassy Moscow's 3rd annual "Spring Egg Roll" in 2000. This annual event was modeled after the White House Easter Egg Roll, a tradition in Washington, DC dating to 1878. The family-focused event brings children and their families together to celebrate Spring and…

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    Women’s Soccer Jersey

    This U.S. Women’s National Team away jersey was personalized for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and given to her on June 6, 2011. That day, Secretary Clinton made remarks at an event at the State Department launching the Women’s World Cup Initiative and marking the 40th anniversary of Title IX in the…

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    Ancient Tongan Royal Tombs Painting

    The ancient royal tombs in Lapaha are central to Tonga's cultural heritage. The most ancient of these tombs were built around 1200 AD. They are considered the most important historical and archaeological monument in the South Pacific. This painted depiction of the tombs was a gift to a Foreign Service Officer who…

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    Commemorative African Headrest

    The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is a Department of State-sponsored effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. Launched in 2010, YALI supports young Africans’ efforts to generate economic prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Sub-Saharan Africa. YALI includes a fellowship program, an online community,…

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    Amy Purdy's Carnival Costume

    In 2017, U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, invited dancer and Paralympian Amy Purdy to represent the U.S. as a cultural envoy during the annual Carnival celebrations. Amy is a double amputee who danced in the opening of the Paralympics, won a snowboarding bronze in 2014, was a runner up in…

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    Kerosene Slide & Film Projector

    This kerosene-powered projector from the U.S. Embassy in Singapore is an unusual device dating to the 1950s. It was used by diplomats, particularly those focused on public diplomacy efforts, to show slides or film strips to groups of people in areas with limited or no electricity.

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    Beijing Banquet Menu

    In April 1971, nine players from the U.S. Table Tennis team took a historic trip to China. Their trip was the start of what became known as “ping pong diplomacy” and helped lay the groundwork for establishing official diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Connie Sweeris,…

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    Commemorative Fulbright Briefcase

    Named after a freshman U.S. senator from Arkansas, the Fulbright Program is a prestigious international educational exchange program supported both by Congress and partner foreign nations. More than 1,000 Nigerians have participated in the Fulbright program over the years. This commemorative briefcase is from a Fulbright Alumni Association of Nigeria conference in…