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    Ping-Pong Paddle

    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 China. Connie Sweeris was one of the nine…

  • Public Program

    Diplomacy After Hours: The Power of Olympians, Paralympians, and Sports Diplomacy

    July 28, 2021

    Virtual

    ​​What role do the Olympics play in American diplomacy? NMAD discusses the diplomatic impact of our nation’s athletes and the power of sports diplomacy. The discussion will feature NMAD’s Public Historian Alison Mann, Paralympian and U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy and ECA exchange sports alumnus John Register, Dr. Damion Thomas, Curator…

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    Commemorative Ping-Pong Paddle

    This inscribed ping-pong paddle was given to former Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger by Chinese table tennis champion Zhuang Zedong in the fall of 2007. It was Zhuang’s chance encounter with a member of the U.S. table tennis team in 1971 that led to the “ping-pong diplomacy” with China of the…

  • Story of Diplomacy

    Claudia Anyaso: Connecting People

    As a member of both the U.S. Department of State’s Civil Service and Foreign Service, Claudia Anyaso connected people across the globe as a public diplomacy officer and expert on exchange programs for over 40 years. These connections not only increased the diversity of program participants, but also assisted greatly in breaking…

  • Story of Diplomacy

    Ambassador Jean Wilkowski: Leadership, Vision, and Courage

    Throughout her many years of diplomatic service, Ambassador Jean Wilkowski demonstrated leadership, vision, and courage, whether serving in a temporary position that opened opportunities for women during World War II, to being at the highest levels of American diplomatic representation in Central America and Africa. Her career is an inspiring story.