WASHINGTON, DC: The Council of American Ambassadors (CAA) announced today that it had received a grant in the amount of $500,000 from the Annenberg Foundation as a Leadership Gift in the name of Ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The grant will be dedicated exclusively to the Council's Fellowship Program, which provides high-level mentoring and training to undergraduate students for careers in international affairs in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State. Former U.S. Ambassador Bruce S. Gelb, President of the Council of American Ambassadors, said, “This generous gift will enable our Fellowship Program to continue and expand its work in developing young leaders for service to the Nation in the field of international affairs. It is consistent with the Annenbergs' tremendous contributions to American education and their distinguished diplomatic service representing the United States of America.”
The fellowships funded by the grant will carry the name of Ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg and will enable six students to receive mentoring from former U.S. Ambassadors, who are members of the Council, internships at the U.S. Department of State, and academic studies in international affairs at Georgetown University. Former U.S. Ambassador Abelardo L. Valdez, Vice Chair of the CAA and Co-Chair of the Fellowship Program, said, “The Council's members are committed to transferring their knowledge and experience in international affairs and diplomacy to the next generation of American leaders. We are deeply grateful for the support of Ambassador Leonore Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation in this endeavor.”
The Annenberg Foundation was established by the late Walter Annenberg, a former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, and his wife, Leonore Annenberg, a former U.S. Chief of Protocol. The Foundation's mission is to advance the public well-being through improved communication. As the principal means of achieving its goal, the Foundation encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge.
The Council of American Ambassadors, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, is comprised of more than 200 former U.S. Ambassadors who have served presidents of both political parties. The Council endeavors to educate the public on policy issues affecting the national interest. It also supports the role of the ambassador and the embassy team in carrying out U.S. foreign policy in countries around the world. In addition to the Fellowship Program, the Council holds conferences on international issues throughout the United States, conducts overseas fact-finding missions and publishes a semi-annual journal, The Ambassadors REVIEW.
