Event Registration

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte as we host Ambassador Robert Pearson, former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Director General of the Foreign Service on Thursday, March 18, 2021.

A Democracy for the American People

During his career, Ambassador Pearson was an innovative diplomat, leader, and crisis manager at the top levels of the U.S. government. He served under six U.S. presidents and 11 secretaries of state, and strongly believes that a spirit of collaboration is the most constructive way to approach diplomacy. In 2021, the U.S. Department of State is working to build back the ranks of policy experts and diplomats that work to shape our foreign policy - but how can that best serve and inform the American people? 

Ambassador Pearson thinks the challenge for the next generation of diplomats will be to reconcile anti-intellectual trends in society. “In today’s world, as we know, all science is also politics,” he said. “Knowing what is right to do is not enough to solve a problem. It’s knowing how to take what is right to do and convince a public, a government, a citizenry that this is what they would like to do. That is the challenge.”

After the program, WACC members are invited to stay online in the Zoom meeting for a reception. We will enable your microphone and camera for half an hour of networking and dialogue.