• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide

  • ABOUT US
  • MEMBERS
    • MEMBER ACCESS (must be logged in)
  • SERVICES
  • RESOURCES
  • AWARDS
  • NEWS
  • JOIN
  • DONATE
  • ABOUT US
  • MEMBERS
    • MEMBER ACCESS (must be logged in)
  • SERVICES
  • RESOURCES
  • AWARDS
  • NEWS
  • JOIN
  • DONATE
You are here: Home / AAFSW / Foreign Affairs Day 2018

June 15, 2018 by AAFSW Content Manager

Foreign Affairs Day 2018

Photo courtesy of AAFSW.

Foreign Affairs Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday in May. This year, on May 4, 2018, the Foreign Service community gathered in the Department of State to discuss the state of foreign affairs with other professionals and interact with the various organizations that serve our Foreign Service community. From early in the morning, many of our AAFSW members had volunteered their time to help with our AAFSW desk and distribute information regarding all that AAFSW offers to our members. Our gratitude and special thanks go to the AAFSW volunteers: Barbara Reioux, Martine Napkil, Lucy Whitley, Sheila Switzer, Anne Kauzlarich, Anna Dworken, Mette Beecroft, Elaine Neumann, and AAFSW President Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD, for volunteering their time to help out throughout the day and for participating in the lively discussions and informative sessions.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walks towards the AAFSW Wreath and EFM Plaque with AAFSW President Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD on Foreign Affairs Day 2018. Photo: Courtesy of Mrs. Martine Aya Napkil, AAFSW Book Room Manager.

Many of the AAFSW members as well as AAFSW President Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD, attended the welcoming remarks and introduction by Deputy Under Secretary for Management William Todd, the Foreign Service Cup Award Ceremony, as well as the Plenary Question-Answer Session offered by Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon. Later, many of our AAFSW members, including AAFSW President Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD, attended the Foreign Affairs Day luncheon, which took place at the Benjamin Franklin Room. Deputy Under Secretary for Management William Todd presented the Director General’s Cup for the Civil Service to Richard Greene and the Director General’s Cup for the Foreign Service to Kristie Kenney. The luncheon concluded with the keynote remarks by Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert.

 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets and discusses with the AAFSW members present during Foreign Affairs Day 2018. Photo: Courtesy of Mrs. Martine Aya Napkil, AAFSW Book Room Manager.

 

The Foreign Affairs Day is also dedicated to those members in the Foreign Service community who have lost their lives while serving abroad. Thus, the most important part of each year’s Foreign Affairs Day is the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Memorial Ceremony at the west side of the C Street Lobby. During this year’s Memorial Ceremony, in the presence of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, AFSA President Barbara Stephenson, and Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment “The Old Guard” Wreath Bearer placed the AFSA Wreath in front of AFSA’s Memorial Plaque, where the names of over 250 fallen members of the Foreign Service have been etched. While the U.S. Air Force Band Harpist played solemn music in the background, Secretary of State Pompeo, AFSA President Stephenson, and Under Secretary Shannon gave moving dedication speeches during this year’s AFSA Memorial Ceremony honoring Michael Andrew Cameron (Andy) Jordan and Selena Nelson-Salcedo, before the U.S. Military District of Washington Armed Forces Color Guard retired the Colors.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, AAFSW President Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD, and AAFSW Members pay respect to the Foreign Service Family Members fallen abroad by the AAFSW wreath and EFM plaque. Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Michael Gross, Photographer, Department of State.

As an all-volunteer, non-profit, non-governmental DOS Employee organization, which supports the Foreign Service families, the backbone of the Department of State, AAFSW had successfully lobbied in the past to get a plaque placed on the east side of the C Street Entrance-Lobby, commemorating the EFMs who have lost their lives while being overseas (deaths not attributed to natural causes). This year, our joint AFSA-AAFSW wreath was placed by this plaque at 7:00 a.m. and “stood” there during the entire Foreign Affairs Day. In addition, etched on yet another plaque commemorating their memory are the names of the Foreign Service family members who lost their lives abroad due to terrorism.

Secretary of State Pompeo concluded this year’s Foreign Affairs Day and deeply honored the Foreign Service family members fallen abroad by spending some time together with the AAFSW members present and AAFSW President Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD, next to the EFM-dedicated plaque which reads: “In Memory of our Foreign Service Family Members who have died abroad.” The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) and its President, Dr. Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, are very appreciative of this special time for reflection with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. If possible, AAFSW would like to establish this great honor as a new annual tradition for AAFSW on Foreign Affairs Day for the years to come.

Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD
AAFSW President

More photos, by Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD AAFSW President:

Filed Under: AAFSW Tagged With: Foreign Affairs Day

Footer

CONNECT WITH US

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide
4001 North Ninth Street, Suite 214
Arlington, VA, 22203
703-820-5420

Our Vision Statement

AAFSW will continue to be a catalyst for beneficial change through advocacy and support for our Foreign Affairs Community. By providing resources, services and engaging programs through our effective network, we promote the goals and serve the needs of Foreign Service and Civil Service employees, spouses, partners, members of household and retirees.

Follow

My Tweets

Copyright © 2022 · Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide · Connecting the U.S. Foreign Affairs Community at Home and Abroad

AAFSW uses cookies to optimize your experience, analyze traffic, and personalize content. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of cookies on our site.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.