Jawad Al Baghdadi joined the San Diego Diplomacy Council team as Program Director at the start of May. Amidst the many responsibilities he is already embracing (including planning for the Global Leadership Youth Program and managing our program team), we sat down with Jawad to ask him some questions about what he’s looking forward to in this role, and what he thinks about the future of citizen diplomacy.
What got you interested in the world of diplomacy and international relations?
As a first generation American, former refugee, my life has been informed by the conflicts my parents left behind. I remember when I was growing up, at the beginning, my parents discouraged me from pursuing political science and international relations, because of the trauma that they had endured. I was fortunate enough to have a good retort that convinced them to let me follow my passion.
The basic premise being, that if I didn’t do it, who would? Who would stand up for the millions of people around the world like me, but who never received the opportunities I did. I feel a great sense of responsibility working in international diplomacy, hopefully giving a seat at the table to those who have been voiceless for so long. I’m really humbled by the opportunity.
What are some life and professional experiences and opportunities that have helped to shape the person that you are today?
Sometimes, life has a funny way of making sure that you end up where you are supposed to be. Throughout my career, I’ve found that no matter how far I go, I could never escape the influence of the San Diego Diplomacy Council and international diplomacy.
When I finished my internship at the SDDC after college and had no idea what to do after, my mentor Heidi Knuff, the Custom Programs Director at the time, now the Executive Director, helped me land a summer internship working on international conferences in nuclear nonproliferation and technology races. When I didn’t know where to go from there, Heidi suggested I become a temporary employee at a local university. A few years later, during lunch with an SDDC board member, I was persuaded to apply for a position in a Congressional Office.
Now, 5 years later, I find myself back at the Diplomacy Council, ready to give back all that it has invested in me. I have been so fortunate to have people looking out for me and guiding me along my path. I want to make sure I use my unique perspective and their guidance to lead our organization to new heights and work on projects that will uplift all of our communities.
What do you enjoy most about your role as Program Director?
Now that I’m one month in, I feel like I can better answer this question. First and foremost, we have such an incredible staff that are so skilled in the professional services that we offer. I feel so lucky that I get to lead a team that is so proficient in programming, outreach, and communication, among so many other things.
The greatest thing is that we are all drawn to this because we are so passionate about our work; to connect people and improve the world, one citizen diplomacy program at a time. As the Program Director, I get to support and watch this incredible team put together programs that have political, economic, and cultural impacts on San Diego, and the world.
What excites you about the future of the San Diego Diplomacy Council?
I’m so excited about the growth that we are planning, for the SDDC organization to be reflective of the size and importance of the San Diego region within the United States, and California, specifically. While historically, we have been primarily involved in the Department of State’s premier foreign exchange program, the International Visitor Leadership Program, over the past few years, we have honed our expertise working on many custom programs.
For example, we just completed a project on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and the U.S. Consulate in Sapporo, in collaboration with the University of San Diego, bringing Japanese government and industry leaders to California to learn about and exchange information on green energy innovation and regulation. This is just one of the many custom programs we work on; our other notable programs being Department of State fellowships such as the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative.
We are always looking for partnerships at the local and international level to make these connections and use our expertise to craft professional exchange programs. If anyone has any questions, they can reach me at Jawad@SanDiegoDiplomacy.org.
What excites you about the future of diplomacy more broadly?
This may seem silly, but diplomacy has never been so democratized. What I mean by that, is that never has so much power been in the hands of so many ordinary citizens like you and I. Through the use of technology, we have become a more global world, with international trade and diplomatic links.
Anyone can be an agent of change, and it often starts right here, in your own city. The SDDC’s mission is to empower citizen diplomacy, to build the bridges that lead us to a more peaceful world. We hope you’ll join us!
What is an issue that you think deserves more attention, and why do you think it’s important?
One issue that I think about a lot is how we can engage our youth in global affairs and international diplomacy early. I look at the opportunities available today and really wish I had a chance to participate when I was younger. That’s one of the reasons why we started our summer Global Youth Leadership Program!
GLYP is our response to that challenge, starting high school kids on a journey of learning and exploration with former ambassadors and experts every summer. We also have need-based scholarships available! We are trying to make the world of international affairs accessible to everyone.
What is some advice you would give to someone interested in a career in international relations?
I would say, follow the opportunities where they lay. One of my favorite words is serendipity. I could not imagine being in the position I am today, 5 years ago. However, to get to this point, I realized that I had to be open to opportunities and free to say yes when they came, even though the path was not always clear. I would also say, lean on your mentors! I definitely would not be here today if not for the giants on whose shoulders I stand; Heidi Knuff, our Executive Director, George Hardy, our outgoing chair of the Advisory Board, Natalie Maroun, my former Program Director, and so many others.
Interested in collaborating with Jawad and the SDDC team to curate an international opportunity? Learn more about our custom program opportunities, and email jawad@sandiegodiplomacy.org to connect.
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