Washington, May 7, 2018—On April 28, the International Career Advancement Program Alumni Association (ICAPAA), honored Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II, Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs of The George Washington University, with the 2018 Diversity Award for his commitment to diversifying senior leadership in foreign affairs. The award was given during the ICAP Mid-Year Reunion and Awards Ceremony hosted at the UN Foundation in Washington, DC.
Ambassador Brigety formerly served as the U.S. Ambassador to the African Union and the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. He is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
In his acceptance remarks, Ambassador Brigety underscored the importance of diversity in American leadership in bringing our nation closer to realizing the goals of the U.S. Constitution, “not as the our Founders practiced but as they articulated.” He implored the ICAP Fellows and senior advisors gathered to continually work toward building the America that reflects all of our ideals, commenting that progress is not guaranteed and historical biases and prejudices can reemerge without deliberate efforts.
Ambassador Brigety emphasized the importance of building strong relationships based on trust with those with different backgrounds, speaking multiple languages, making strategic decisions, and creating personal opportunities to share diverse experiences. He added that the majority must be engaged to play a critical role in social solutions, noting that “just because an injustice is not happening to us, it does not mean it is not happening.”
Dr. Tom Rowe, Founder & Director of ICAP said, “We are thrilled that ICAPAA is honoring Ambassador Brigety, a man who has illustrated through his career a commitment to promote diversity in his work and open doors and mentor all people, including people of color.”
“We are privileged to commemorate Ambassador Brigety. During this challenging political climate, ICAPAA wants to lock arms with a man who stands for his principles and values, not just when it is popular, but when it is most necessary,” stated Chandrima Das, President of ICAPAA.
Ambassador Brigety’s award was presented by Ambassador Ruth A. Davis, the highest-ranking African-American Foreign Service Officer and the first African-American woman to be named Career Ambassador when she retired in 2009. In attendance were ICAP Fellows, supporters and ICAP senior advisors, including Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the Distinguished Resident Fellow at Georgetown University and former Assistant Secretary for the State Department Bureau of African Affairs and Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez, the current Executive Director at the Una Chapman Cox Foundation.
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Website: www.icapaa.org/
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About ICAPAA:
The ICAP Alumni Association (ICAPAA) is a non-profit organization which represents the Fellows who attended the ICAP Aspen Seminar for future U.S. leaders in foreign affairs. Since 1997, more than 500 foreign affairs experts, reflecting diverse demographics of the United States, have participated in the Seminar. The Alumni Association offers its members opportunities to network, mentor, build skills, and engage in community outreach. In addition, the Association is an important catalyst for increasing diversity in senior management and policymaking roles.
About ICAP (International Career Advancement Program):
Created in 1997, ICAP is a professional development and leadership program for highly promising mid-career professionals in international affairs in the United States. ICAP is sponsored by the University of Denver, Aspen Institute, United Nations Foundation, U.S. State Department, USAID, USDA, and many additional partners. With over 500 ICAP Fellows and counting, ICAP has helped its participants advance to senior position in all employment sectors. Fellows have risen to the ranks of U.S. Ambassadors, executive directors of nonprofits, and chief executive officers in the private sector.
In 2016, Congress recognized ICAP in law as a means to promote traditionally underrepresented groups. A 2017 Congressional resolution commended ICAP for “bringing greater quality and diversity to the staffing of senior management and policy-making positions in international affairs.” ICAP was chosen by the Economist Global Diversity List in 2015, as one of the Top Ten Ethnicity Employee Networks, a category which recognizes the achievements of employee network groups established to work on ethnic and racial diversity within organizations.
Media Contact: Chandrima Das, President of ICAP AA, chandrimagrdas@gmail.com, 781-640-2248.
