Meridian Welcomes Newly Arrived Chiefs of Mission

BY MARY BIRD

Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement hosted a “Welcome to Washington” reception for newly arrived diplomats at its headquarters on Feb. 15 in the historic Meridian House and White-Meyer House. As they enjoyed cocktails and an elegant buffet by Well Dunn Catering, the reception afforded newly arrived Chiefs of Mission an opportunity to meet and engage with a cross section of Washington leaders from the government, business and policy communities. Meridian CEO Stuart Holliday, welcomed 14 newly arrived ambassadors and acknowledged other special guests. He noted that since 1960 Meridian has been a “home away from home” for the diplomatic community as diplomats must be necessarily well-versed in economic, cultural and other fields. He told the honorees that we are “looking forward to working with you on issues that are the fabric of diplomacy.”

Gershwin for Joni Mitchell

“You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone,” Joni Mitchell famously once wrote. On March 1 at Constitution Hall, Mitchell showed that she’s definitely still got it. The 79-year-old Mitchell, who has performed sparingly since suffering a brain aneurysm in 2015, closed a concert staged in her honor in dramatic fashion, delivering a slow and sultry rendition of the Gershwin standard

“Summertime” — the highlight of an evening filled with them. The Library of Congress bestowed its Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on Mitchell, the singer-songwriter best known for such 1970s classics as “Both Sides Now,” “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Help Me.” The cast of admiring musicians on hand to celebrate the Mitchell legacy spanned generations and genres.