(Updated 17 January 2017) The program is now completed.
PDAA is taking reservations for a program at the Turquoise Mountain: Artists Transforming Afghanistan exhibit at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C. on January 17 at 2:15 pm. The exhibit, which closes January 29, 2017 features Afghan woodworking, carpets, jewelry, and calligraphy, complemented by videos and photographs. Exhibition director Thomas Wide has agreed to discuss with PDAA members how this project transformed a district of old Kabul from a ruined section of the city into a bustling and vibrant cultural and economic center, a model of cultural heritage preservation.
Following the Turquoise Mountain program, FSO David Mees has agreed to lead a talk about the relationship between the Smithsonian and State Department and his role as the current State Department officer on detail at the Smithsonian. David, a public diplomacy officer with previous assignments in India, Italy, Jordan, Iceland, Pakistan, Tanzania, and the former Yugoslavia, has served as Senior International Advisor since 2015. This session will take place in room 3035 in the Ripley Center, on the same level as the Turquoise Mountain exhibit, starting about 3:15 pm.
The Turquoise Mountain tour is limited to 40 participants; if you want to attend, please provide your name and email address to rsvp@publicdiplomacy.org. You may also sign up one guest; please provide the name and email address for the guest as well. We will take RSVPs in the order in which they arrive.
The follow-on program with David Mees is in an auditorium that seats 50; no reservation is necessary but indications of interest are welcome. The following video tells more about the exhibit.
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