CHESTERTOWN, MD—Two noted career diplomats with expertise on the Middle East, South Asian, and African affairs—Great Britain’s Sir Richard J. Dalton and U.S. Ambassador Frank G. Wisner—will share their insights about current international affairs during classroom discussions with students and in a public conversation slated for Tuesday, December 8, on the Washington College campus. The program, Perspectives on Global Diplomacy, begins at 4:30 p.m. in Hotchkiss Recital Hall. 

Sir Richard Dalton

Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees will be conferred on both ambassadors as part of the program, which will be moderated by Tahir Shad, associate professor of political science and international studies. Sponsoring organizations include the Louis L. Goldstein ’35 Program in Public Affairs, the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, and the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture. 

Sir Richard J. Dalton, a British diplomat from 1970 to 2006, had early diplomatic experience as an Arabic speaker in Lebanon, Jordan, and Oman. From 1991-1992 he was a visiting research fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, publishing a study on regional security architecture for the Persian Gulf region. As Consul General in Jerusalem from 1993-1997, he was responsible for dealings with the Palestinian Authority after the Oslo Accords. In 1999, he re-established diplomatic relations with Libya as the first Ambassador to Tripoli in 17 years. In 2002, he was appointed Ambassador to Iran, playing a vital role in European negotiations with Iran, including the 2003-2006 diplomatic initiatives to prevent the development of an Iranian military nuclear capability.

Ambassador WisnerIn addition to his role as U.S. Ambassador to four countries—Zambia, Egypt, the Philippines, and India—Frank G. Wisner served as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy from 1993 to 1994 and as Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs from 1992 to 1993. He was Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs during a time of intense diplomatic engagement in Southern Africa. As Director of the Office of South African Affairs, Wisner worked closely with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to launch negotiations with Zimbabwe and Namibia. In 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appointed him as the nation’s special representative to the Kosovo Status Talks, where he played a crucial role in negotiating Kosovo’s independence. He also served as a Special Envoy to Egypt under President Obama.