San Diego Diplomacy Council

San Diego Diplomacy Council Promoting global understanding through dialogue. In cooperation with the U.S.

Department of State, Library of Congress, USAID, and other local and global partners, the San Diego Diplomacy Council brings in over 900 international visitors to San Diego each year. Our visitors are current and emerging leaders and changemakers from across sectors and from over 130 countries. The San Diego Diplomacy Council also arranges professional exchange programs for private clients, includ

ing protocol training sessions, events, and other experiences, offers outbound citizen diplomacy trips, and offers youth leadership programs. Support us in connecting San Diego with the world by donating or joining us as a member today: http://sandiegodiplomacy.org/donate/.

What a night! Thank you to everyone who joined us for SDDC’s 45th Anniversary Fundraiser! 🎉 A huge shoutout to Ambassado...
02/06/2025

What a night! Thank you to everyone who joined us for SDDC’s 45th Anniversary Fundraiser! 🎉 A huge shoutout to Ambassador (ret) Nina Hachigian, Marco Werman, Mayor Todd Gloria, our incredible staff, board, and all of you for making this night so special. 💙

Thanks to your generosity, we’re so close to reaching our incredibly ambitious goal of raising $100K to support citizen diplomacy. Will you help us reach our six figure goal? Every bit helps, and shows your commitment to world peace and global connectivity.

We are so proud of this community! Donate here: https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/donate😄

We are blessed to have such great partners in ! Not only do they provide our international visitors with stellar service...
01/29/2025

We are blessed to have such great partners in ! Not only do they provide our international visitors with stellar service, but they truly believe in the impact of our work at the San Diego Diplomacy Council.

Thank you, SureRide, for helping us celebrate 45 years! Here's to many more years of introducing global leaders to San Diego together 💖

6 days left to join our 45th anniversary fundraiser!✨ Tickets include heavy appetizers and an open bar😄 Keynote speakers...
01/24/2025

6 days left to join our 45th anniversary fundraiser!

✨ Tickets include heavy appetizers and an open bar
😄 Keynote speakers including Marco Werman and Amb. (ret) Nina Hachigian
🎉Silent auction
🖼️ Entertainment and interactive activities with M A L U and Pom Pom Project

We are SOLD OUT of VIP tables - but if you're interested in joining us as a VIP, we still have a few sponsorship options available:https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FY25-SDDC-Fundraiser-Sponsorship-Menu-condensed.pdf

Get your tickets now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-next-45-building-a-sustainable-legacy-tickets-1048979494907?

We’ve got a stellar lineup of speakers and entertainment joining our 45th Anniversary Fundraiser on January 30!Mayor Tod...
01/19/2025

We’ve got a stellar lineup of speakers and entertainment joining our 45th Anniversary Fundraiser on January 30!

Mayor Todd Gloria will open the event, followed by a keynote discussion with Ambassador Nina Hachigian and Marco Werman, moderated by Ben Moore.

Electronic and classical musician M A L U will provide live entertainment throughout the evening, plus, get crafty and participate in an interactive art installation led by Katie Ruiz at PomPom Project.

All this in addition to delicious food, an open bar, gorgeous views, and San Diego’s premier gathering of international relations professionals and enthusiasts.

Need we say more?!

We expect tickets to sell out over the next few days - be sure to secure your spot before it’s too late!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT!The talented Marco Werman will be speaking at our 45th Anniversary Celebration on January 3...
01/17/2025

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT!

The talented Marco Werman will be speaking at our 45th Anniversary Celebration on January 30!

Marco Werman is co-host and executive editor of the WGBH- PRX program The World which he helped create in 1995. Previously he covered West Africa as a foreign correspondent for the BBC and other outlets. He is currently UC San Diego's first Journalist in Residence. Werman is a two-time Emmy nominee and a winner for his 2006 FRONTLINE | PBS documentary about Libya opening up to the world during a total solar eclipse.

We are thrilled to have Marco's support, and to give you the opportunity to hear his thoughts on international relations, subnational diplomacy, the role of media, and more.

Tickets are selling fast, but are available: https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/event/thenext45/ 🎫

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT!Ambassador Nina Hachigian will be joining our 45th Anniversary Fundraiser on January 30 ✨Am...
01/16/2025

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT!

Ambassador Nina Hachigian will be joining our 45th Anniversary Fundraiser on January 30 ✨

Amb. Hachigian is the Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy Subnational Diplomacy Unit with U.S. Department of State. In this role she seeks to bring benefits to, and learn from, local leaders in the United States, and connect them to counterparts around the world.

Join us on January 30 at Great Hall at UC San Diego for a discussion with Ambassador Hachigian as we celebrate 45 years of the San Diego Diplomacy Council 🥳

Secure your tickets before it's too late:
https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/event/thenext45/

We are thrilled to announce that the Port of San Diego is an official sponsor of the San Diego Diplomacy Council’s 45th ...
01/06/2025

We are thrilled to announce that the Port of San Diego is an official sponsor of the San Diego Diplomacy Council’s 45th Anniversary Fundraiser, The Next 45: Building a Sustainable Legacy! 🌍✨

This milestone event celebrates 45 years of fostering global connections and promoting mutual understanding while looking forward to the future. The theme of sustainability aligns with the Port’s commitment to environmental stewardship and community impact. ⚓

The Port has been a longtime support of SDDC’s values and programs, hosting dozens of our visitors to learn more about the many facets of their work. Together, we aim to build a legacy that empowers San Diego and strengthens its global ties for generations to come.

Join us as we celebrate this momentous occasion and honor the importance of sustainability, diplomacy, and community collaboration. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙

Registration for our March 30 trip to Cuba closes in 10 days! While we are almost at capacity for this trip, we do have ...
01/04/2025

Registration for our March 30 trip to Cuba closes in 10 days! While we are almost at capacity for this trip, we do have space for a couple more eager travelers 💝 This is your very last chance to register for what is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

You do NOT want to miss this one.

https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/2025-trip-to-cuba/
✈️

Flashback to five years ago when we turned 40! In honor of our birthday (1979), we threw an 80’s party to honor the deca...
01/03/2025

Flashback to five years ago when we turned 40! In honor of our birthday (1979), we threw an 80’s party to honor the decade of our youth 🤪

Since then, we’ve aged another five years (we think 45 looks good on us), and grown in a multitude of ways. New programs, more visitors, and an incredible community of citizen diplomats, in San Diego and around the world.

Who else remembers this fantastic event?! 🎤 📺🎸🛼☎️🕹️🌈✨

While we believe that every season is giving season, there are some incentives for being particularly generous at this t...
12/29/2024

While we believe that every season is giving season, there are some incentives for being particularly generous at this time of year.

When making your year-end donations, please consider adding the San Diego Diplomacy Council to your list of go-to charitable organizations 💘

Remember - we currently have a MATCHING GIFT of $45,000 in support of our 45th anniversary! Every dollar that you give will go twice as far thanks to our generous sponsors.

Visit https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/thenext45 to find out more about buying tickets and sponsoring our 45th anniversary event on January 30, 2025, and to make a donation directly to the San Diego Diplomacy Council ☺️

We also accept stock gifts! The details for our Fidelity Charitable account can be found using the “Donate” button on our website - or reach out to us here with your questions 💫

This year, we had 661 people in San Diego participate in a professional meeting or interaction with some of our 673 inte...
12/28/2024

This year, we had 661 people in San Diego participate in a professional meeting or interaction with some of our 673 international visitors.

Whether it be:
☕enjoying a casual coffee in North Park
🖊️participating in a workshop at the Westgate Hotel
🤝conducting a presentation at the SDDC offices
🏢or giving a tour of their own workplace
the San Diego workforce has shown up to share knowledge, ideas, and best practices!

Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to this two-way professional exchange with SDDC this year. We might bring these delegates to San Diego, but without your support and expertise, the educational component of their visit would be sorely lacking!

Thank you to everyone for all of your support in 2024!The San Diego Diplomacy Council offices are closed for the holiday...
12/24/2024

Thank you to everyone for all of your support in 2024!

The San Diego Diplomacy Council offices are closed for the holidays. We'll be back on Thursday, January 2 ✨

Feeling like giving one last holiday gift? We've got some tickets still available for our cocktail-style fundraiser event on January 30 and would love to see you there 😍 https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/event/thenext45/

Over the years, Joe Passaretti has supported the San Diego Diplomacy Council through countless hours of volunteering, di...
12/24/2024

Over the years, Joe Passaretti has supported the San Diego Diplomacy Council through countless hours of volunteering, dinner hospitality, attending events, and supporting his wife Yen Tu, formerly on the SDDC Board of Directors and now on the Advisory Board.

2024 has been the year that we made Joe’s support and involvement official - we are thrilled and honored to have Joe Passaretti on the San Diego Diplomacy Council Board of Directors!

Joe is retired after more than 40 years serving in a variety of non-profit philanthropy positions. Most recently, he was the Director of Estate and Gift Planning for San Diego Humane Society.

We welcome Joe’s expertise, warmth, and embodiment of everything it means to be a citizen diplomat!

🌍✨ We're looking for Resident Volunteers to join us from January 11–February 7, 2024, for a unique opportunity to mentor...
12/16/2024

🌍✨ We're looking for Resident Volunteers to join us from January 11–February 7, 2024, for a unique opportunity to mentor high school students from Kiribati, a Pacific island nation facing the frontlines of climate change. Complimentary hotel stay, meal stipends, and unforgettable connections included!

📍Location: Sheraton Hotel, La Jolla, CA + UCSD Extended Studies

⏰ Hours: 5 PM–9 AM on-call shifts

This is a volunteer position. Complimentary hotel accommodations, parking (if needed), and a meal stipend will be provided to support your stay and participation.

🌎💙 Apply now at [email protected]. Visit our website to find out more about the opportunity: https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/get-involved/volunteer-internship-opportunities/

Somehow… we are halfway through December!A few friendly reminders 😄1️⃣Don’t forget to buy holiday gifts for loved ones2️...
12/15/2024

Somehow… we are halfway through December!

A few friendly reminders 😄

1️⃣Don’t forget to buy holiday gifts for loved ones

2️⃣Order your tickets for our January 30 fundraiser - better yet, buy tickets as a gift for someone. That’s holiday gifting sorted 🥳

3️⃣If you need to wash your tablecloth, get the good plates out of storage, change the bedding in the spare room… get to it this weekend!

4️⃣Scrambling to get through your charitable contributions for the year, or looking to reduce your taxable income? Make a donation to the San Diego Diplomacy Council by December 31, and we both win 💫 We accept check, Venmo, and stock, as well as donations directly through our website.

Happy Sunday! 🔔

Not only does the San Diego Diplomacy Council have impact on the community by way of cultivating global relationships, m...
12/14/2024

Not only does the San Diego Diplomacy Council have impact on the community by way of cultivating global relationships, mutual understanding, and peacebuilding - we also leave a rather sizeable economic footprint.

When we welcome 673 visitors to San Diego in a year (not to mention the liaisons that travel with them throughout the U.S.), they stay at hotels, eat meals, buy souvenirs, go shopping and sight seeing - they spend money! 🌴

This year, our visitors added over $2.5 million to the local economy. ✈️

The benefits of citizen diplomacy really are wide spread!

Help us increase our capacity and continue welcoming a high volume of global leaders to San Diego in 2025 - please consider making a donation to the San Diego Diplomacy Council. https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/donate

You will, inadvertently, be helping to fuel local businesses and San Diego’s tourism industry 😄

# Sometimes, an opportunity too good to pass up falls directly into your lap…💫Such was the case when sports journalist ...
12/13/2024

#
Sometimes, an opportunity too good to pass up falls directly into your lap…

💫Such was the case when sports journalist Drake Hills reached out to us earlier this year, looking to connect with the San Diego Diplomacy Council. Drake is returning to his home town to teach at 's School of Journalism and Media Studies - but his lifelong passion lies in sports diplomacy.

Upon learning about the sports diplomacy work that we are facilitating here at SDDC, Drake was eager to get involved - and we were thrilled to have him!

On top of his teaching responsibilities at SDSU, Drake will be supporting the San Diego Diplomacy Council as our inaugural Sports Diplomacy Fellow.

With some exciting sports diplomacy programs slated for 2025 (watch this space - details coming soon!) and a plethora of his own ideas, we are thrilled to welcome Drake Hills to our team! 🏀

A big thank you to UC San Diego Global Initiatives for supporting our 45th Anniversary Fundraiser!UCSD Global Initiative...
12/12/2024

A big thank you to UC San Diego Global Initiatives for supporting our 45th Anniversary Fundraiser!

UCSD Global Initiatives works to provide communities of all sizes with opportunities to participate in accessible global engagement.

With the focus of our January 30 event encompassing sustainable legacy, global cooperation, and future-readiness, we could not think of a more apt partner. 🕊️

Thank you UCSD Global Initiatives for the support!

📃Interested in joining the SDDC as a sponsor? Check out the sponsorship menu:https://sandiegodiplomacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FY25-SDDC-Fundraiser-Sponsorship-Menu-condensed.pdf

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4305 University Avenue, Ste 510
San Diego, CA
92105

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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Last week, SDDC team members Adrianna, Briana, and Carmelina attended the @sdsu and #UniversidadAutonomadeBajaCalifornia Re:Border conference in Tijuana! This year’s theme was “Designing Opportunidades” inspired by the upcoming @wdcsandiegotijuana2024 designation. Check out what they got up to! 🇺🇸 🇲🇽 IAmAGlobalLeader #SanDiego #Tijuana #baja #SDSU #sandiegodiplomacy #worlddesigncapital

Thank you to SDDC friends for supporting our 45th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration! Amount raised thanks to donors, sponsors, and attendees: $45,000 💫 🎉 ❤️ Value of the laughter, connections, and dance moves we saw throughout the night: priceless 🤪 🕺 This fundraiser is the official launch of our 45th year, and we plan to celebrate all year long! #thankyou #celebration #45years #sandiegodiplomacy #iamagloballeader #fundraiser #sandiego

Gil Tower will be performing at our event on October 7!!! 🎺🎤🎸🎶 Use the link in our bio to secure your tickets now. For the past 25 years, #GilTower has worked for prestige entertainment agencies in Los Angeles as a flutist, arranger, and singer in the Latin genre. His repertoire includes Spanish Rock, Latin Pop, Boleros, Salsa, Bachata, Cumbias, Reggaeton, Latin Jazz, and traditional Cuban music. 💃 Gil Tower has performed with many notable artists, including: Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Oscar de León, Talía, Álvaro Torres, Luis Henrique, Dr. Dre and many more. ⭐ He has sung at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, for the Kennedy family, Sidney Poitier, Glodean White, Cuban festivals, Puerto Rican festivals, and the Long Beach Festival, and performed at international festivals in Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil, and many more. With the amazing acoustics in @ucsdparkandmarket and the smooth moves of our SDDC members (who remembers our July 2022 event?!), this is a night you won't want to miss. #SanDiego #Event #IAmAGlobalLeader #SanDiegoDiplomacy #Travel #October #UCSD #DowntownSanDiego #GilTower

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Our Story

In cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, Library of Congress, USAID, Fulbright Exchange Programs, the work we do brings over 600 emerging leaders from over 145 countries to San Diego each year. Our visitors are high-level professionals and leaders working in the areas of Youth Leadership, Foreign Policy, Freedom of the Press, Human Trafficking, AIDS/HIV, Women as Leaders, Grassroots Activism, Arts and Culture, Education, and many other fields. Our Diplomacy Council arranges professional appointments and the ‘American experience’ for our visitors through home hospitality and public receptions Support our mission of global diplomacy by donating today: http://sandiegodiplomacy.org/donate/