The Washington Diplomat - February 2020 by The Washington Diplomat

VOLUME 27, NUMBER 02 ASIA

Taiwan Sends Clear Message To China: Back Off On Jan. 11, voters in Taiwan overwhelmingly re-elected their independence-leaning president in what was seen as a rebuke to China’s attempts to assert greater control over the self-ruled island, particularly in the wake of Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong. PAGE 4

EUROPE

Northern Ireland Still Hostage to Britain’s EU Divorce

While the U.K. has finally exited the European Union, beginning a year of tough negotiations on a future trade deal with the bloc, the future of post-Brexit Northern Ireland is anything but resolved. PAGE 6

Culture

Winternational Breaks Records

Winternational 2019 broke records, with over 60 embassies participating and 5,000 visitors experiencing this unique midday journey into cultures from around the world. PAGE 24

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FEBRUARY 2020

ALBANIA ON THE

REBOUND In 1979, the last time a major earthquake struck Albania, it was ruled by a paranoid Marxist dictatorship that considered the U.S. its greatest enemy. Today, after a recent temblor killed over 50 people, Albanian Ambassador Floreta Faber says her country will “do whatever it takes” to overcome a legacy of communism and corruption so it can not only rebuild stronger, but also continue to grow closer to the U.S. and EU. PAGE 13

Special Report

U.S.-China 5G Race Heats Up 5G, the fastest internet speed achieved to date, is set to revolutionize our lives — and the world as we know it — so the development and deployment of this fifth-generation of super-fast connectivity has become a hotly contested geopolitical race between China and the U.S. PAGE 9

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ON THE COVER

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Contents

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

27 9

16 NEWS 4

CHINA REBUKE

TIME TO PARTY!

Hundreds turned out to celebrate The Washington Diplomat’s 25th anniversary.

Taiwanese voters send a strong message to China not to interfere with the island’s sovereignty.

CULTURE

6 MESSY BREAK

WINTER SOJOURN

With the Irish backstop gone, how will Northern Ireland move forward from the Brexit breakup?

Over 60 embassies and 5,000 visitors traveled the world for the eighth edition of Winternational.

9 5G GEOPOLITICS

The U.S. hammers Huawei but struggles to catch up to China in the race to dominate 5G.

COVER PROFILE: ALBANIA

Albania faces two long roads: one to rebuild after the recent earthquake, and the other to overcome decades of communism and corruption.

FROM DAMASCUS TO D.C.

Syrian-Born clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh mixes sounds to create a universal language.

REGULARS 30

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27 DIPLOMATIC DEFENDERS DACOR, an organization for retired U.S. Foreign Service Officers, works to both preserve and defend American diplomacy.

EVENTS LISTING

DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT

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28 BEAUTY AND IMPERFECTION Chiura Obata broadened our view of America, capturing both its beauty and its uglier sides.

CLASSIFIEDS

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WD | Asia

Loud and Clear Taiwan Voters Send Strong Message to China Not to Interfere with Island’s Sovereignty BY DERYL DAVIS

n Jan. 11, voters in Taiwan overwhelmingly re-elected independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen to a second term in what was seen as a rebuke to mainland China’s attempts to assert greater control over the self-ruled island of 23 million people. It was a stunning turnaround for Tsai, who had been lagging far behind her Beijing-friendly rival in the polls until the unrest in Hong Kong scrambled the political dynamics. Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) also retained control of the Legislative Yuan, or parliament, sending a strong message to Beijing not to interfere in the island’s domestic affairs. Whether China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province that it could take by force, gets that message remains to be seen, but Tsai insists her people have spoken. “Democratic Taiwan and our democratically elected government will not concede to threats and intimidation,” Tsai declared at a post-election rally, making a direct reference to alleged disinformation and coercion campaigns orchestrated by Beijing ahead of the election. In her acceptance speech, Tsai asserted that her party’s win carried “added significance” by demonstrating that “when our sovereignty and democracy are threatened, the Taiwanese people will shout our determination even more loudly back.” Throughout the campaign, Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party pointed to China’s crackdown on democracy protests in Hong Kong as a harbinger of what could happen to Taiwan if it did not resist Beijing’s advances. “Hong Kong today, Taiwan tomorrow” became a popular mantra and warning that helped the DPP mobilize a high turnout, especially among younger voters, and overcome the party’s more accommodationist rival, the Kuomintang (KMT), and its once-popular candidate, Han Kuo-yu. In November 2018, Han surprised observers by becoming the first KMT politician to be elected mayor of Kaohsiung, a DPP stronghold. The victory sparked predictions that the outspoken populist mayor would go on to win the presidential race. In recent months, however, Han was dogged by allegations of covert Chinese support, and his warnings that hostility toward Beijing would hurt Taiwan economically rang hollow in the wake of relative prosperity and low unemployment on the island. But it was his pledge to restore closer relations with the mainland, against the backdrop of Chinese suppression in Hong Kong, that sealed his fate. Tsai hammered her opponent on Hong Kong every chance she could. At

PHOTO: BY 總統府 - 總統出席「陸軍官校92校慶典禮」, CC BY 2.0

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who was recently re-elected to a second term, speaks to the island’s military academy on June 16, 2016. Over the years, mainland China has said it could take the self-ruled island by force, threats that escalated when independence-leaning Tsai took office in 2016.

“

[W]hen our sovereignty and democracy are threatened, the Taiwanese people will shout our determination even more loudly back.

her victory party, black Hong Kong democracy flags could be seen flying the slogan, “Free Hong Kong – Revolution Now,” a testament both to the international significance of the DPP’s win and to the challenge it presents China. Beijing’s reaction to Tsai’s win has vacillated between indifference, with state-run media dismissing her victory as a “fluke”; recriminations against the West for supposedly colluding with Tsai; threats of military force; and a strident refusal to budge on its “one country, two systems” policy. Likewise, Tsai is adamant that Taiwan will not change its course. In remarks addressing Taiwan’s relationship with its giant neighbor, she reaffirmed her commitment to peaceful coexistence but rejected China’s “one country, two systems” governance model and insisted that Taiwanese sovereignty was non-negotiable. Likewise, Tsai insists that Taiwan will not change its course. In remarks addressing Taiwan’s relationship with its giant neighbor, she reaffirmed her commitment to peaceful coexistence but rejected China’s “one country, two

4 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

”

TSAI ING-WEN, president of Taiwan

systems” governance model and insisted that Taiwanese sovereignty was nonnegotiable. “Today, I want to once again call upon the Beijing authorities to remind them that peace, parity, democracy and dialogue are the key to positive cross-strait interactions and long-term stable development,” Tsai said. She explained that “peace” meant China must abandon the option of military force against Taiwan. “Parity” meant Beijing must accept Taiwan’s de facto sovereignty. “Democracy” meant that decisions about Taiwan’s future must rest only with its 23 million inhabitants. And “dialogue” meant that representatives from both Beijing and Taipei must be able to sit down together and discuss the future of their relationship, something China has so far refused to do. Instead, Beijing has relied on an array of pressure tactics since Tsai came to power in 2016. It has tried to squeeze the island economically (for instance, by barring Chinese tourists from traveling there alone); intimidate it with shows of military force; and isolate it diplomati-

cally (Taiwan is now only officially recognized by 15 small states) — all in an effort to tarnish Tsai’s administration. Against this backdrop of Chinese pressure, months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and a long-term trade war between China and the United States, the Taiwanese election was widely viewed as a test of Beijing’s international clout and the viability, if not legitimacy, of its “one country, two systems” governance model. While that model was created with Taiwan in mind, it has only been implemented in Hong Kong and Macau. The ongoing protests in Hong Kong have been primarily driven by China’s perceived failure to honor the terms of that “two systems” agreement, which was meant to guarantee Hong Kong certain democratic and economic rights for 50 years after the former British colony’s reunification with China in 1997. Following the historic Taiwanese election, the island’s chief representative to the United States, Stanley Kao, joined scholars and U.S. officials at the conservative Heritage Foundation to discuss what the results of the election

might mean. In a short address to attendees, Kao, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), the island’s de facto embassy in the U.S., asserted that the election proved that the 23 million people of Taiwan were “holding course” and “standing strong” against the “800-pound colossus, distant cousin across the street.” Moreover, Kao declared that the landslide DPP win reaffirmed that “democracy works, and works well” in a Chinese society, and that human rights and freedom of speech are not just “Western” values. But, Kao cautioned, “[We] never take democracy or Taiwan’s success for granted.” American support, he said, particularly that of Congress and the administration, is vital to Taiwan’s democratic future and to stability in the region. Other speakers at the Heritage forum echoed this sentiment. Heritage Asian Studies Center Director Walter Lohman suggested that the DPP win made clear that China needed to take “a new approach” to its relationship with Taiwan and that the moment offered a unique opportunity for the U.S. to move forward with a bilateral free trade agreement with Taiwan — something Beijing adamantly opposes. “That should be our number-one priority,” Lohman argued, emphasizing Taiwan’s importance as a democratic partner in the region that shares U.S. economic and political values. Keynote speaker Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, suggested that “China has much to lose by trying to tie Taiwan to the mainland,” just as it has attempted to do with Hong Kong. “You see it in what has happened in Hong Kong,” Yoho said of the chaos and violence there over the last six months. “Now, companies want to divest from China…. You hear people talk about ‘‘ABC’ — manufacture ‘any-

PHOTO: BY MINE - HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/SFMINE79/22116261150/, CC BY 2.0

Throngs of people gather outside Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s campaign headquarters in 2016.

where but China.’” The congressman predicted that, in the wake of Tsai’s re-election and her commitment to democracy and reform, more nations would engage in diplomacy with the island and more international businesses would seek to expand there. Yoho’s predictions may be a stretch, however, given China’s enormous economic clout, which it has recently wielded to punish businesses like Apple and even the NBA that spoke out against Chinese authoritarianism. Nevertheless, Yoho, who said he would continue to press for dual recognition of both

China and Taiwan in Congress, insisted that Chinese President Xi Jinping can “save face by changing policies.” “In the 21st century, we don’t need to conquer nations. We need to expand engagement and expand trade,” he said. However, Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that Xi would never accept Tsai’s preconditions for dialogue, “especially the idea of parity between both sides.” At the same time, she said “the Chinese are unlikely to conclude that this is the time for military force. The risks are too high. They

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could face a massive insurgency in Taiwan … and people would fight for their sovereignty.” Glaser pointed to the ongoing, often violent protests in Hong Kong as an example of what the Chinese could be up against with Taiwan. While most scholars agree that China is likely to take a tougher stance toward Taiwan following the election, Glaser argued that Xi has not discounted the possibility of peaceful crossstrait relations. “China believes that the peaceful development of cross-strait relations is the right path. That’s the policy that Xi has inherited from his predecessors,” she said. “But the tactics have gotten tougher.” The big question, according to Glaser, is whether this policy of strained, but nonviolent, relations is “just a placeholder” for the time being or a more permanent policy. She cited a speech Xi gave over a year ago in which he insisted that unification must be the goal of any discussions about the future of Taiwan and that China could use force if Taiwan ever attempted to formally declare independence. “President Tsai won’t push for independence, and China probably understands this,” Glaser said. Instead, China is likely to “rachet up the pressure” on Taiwan. She suggested this could be done by “going after” the 15 small nations with which Taiwan still has formal diplomatic ties, increasing Chinese naval incursions into the Taiwan Straits, and attempting to undermine Taiwan’s economy with moves like last year’s freezing of Chinese tourist visas to the island. On the whole, Glaser said she is “pessimistic” that Beijing will enact any significant policy changes toward Taiwan because the island’s status is so closely tied to the legitimacy of Xi and the Communist Party at home. SEE TAIWAN • PAGE 8

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Messy Divorce With Irish Backstop Gone, How Will Northern Ireland Move Forward After Brexit Breakup? BY JONATHAN GORVETT AND ANNA GAWEL

hile the U.K. finally exited the European Union on Jan. 31, beginning a year of tough negotiations on a future trade deal with the bloc, the future of postBrexit Northern Ireland is still up in the air. It was the fate of Northern Ireland that held up Britain’s divorce from the EU for nearly three years. Last year, after months of maneuvering among Britain’s various political factions that made American politics seem quaint by comparison, Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a resounding victory in snap December elections, ensuring that he had a solid parliamentary majority to finally do what his predecessor, Theresa May, could not: get a Brexit withdrawal agreement passed. Johnson’s Brexit breakup blueprint is, in fact, not all that different from May’s plan — with the exception of the nownotorious Irish backstop, a contingency demanded by EU officials to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland (also see “Irish Backstop Threatens U.K.’s Divorce from EU, and Northern Ireland’s Fragile Peace” in our March 2019 issue). An open border between Northern Ireland and Ireland was a key part of the 1998 Good Friday peace accord that ended 30 years of violence known as the Troubles, which pitted Britishidentifying, largely Protestant unionists against predominantly Catholic Irish nationalists seeking to end British rule over Northern Ireland. “The Belfast Agreement made the border invisible,” Peter Sheridan, CEO of the peace-building charity Co-operation Ireland, told us last March. “It also said to people in Northern Ireland, you have the right to choose your birth right — Irish or British or both — and we will uphold that. One of the great things, too, was that it also created a Northern Irish identity. Both Catholics and Protestants in the north became settled in the idea of an identity within the EU.” It also accelerated economic development throughout the British Isles. Today, the open border allows goods to flow seamlessly between Ireland, an EU member state, and Northern Ireland, which is still a part of the U.K. but shares an island with Ireland. After Brexit, however, the U.K. can no longer enjoy the frictionless trade that comes with EU membership and will be subject to the same border checks and tariffs that all non-EU countries face. To implement these checks, a physical border crossing would need to come down between Northern Ireland and Ireland, erecting what would become the new 6 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

PHOTO: JACQUELINE MACOU / PIXABAY

The Titanic Belfast museum, which opened in 2012, has become a popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland, whose economic development has benefited greatly from European Union membership, which is partly why more voters in Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU than leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

“

If there is a proposal ... to run a border down the Irish Sea, we would have no option but to take to the streets. JAMIE BRYSON

loyalist activist in Northern Ireland

dividing line between the U.K. and EU. Critics of a hard border say it would significantly slow down trade, damaging both the Irish and British economies, and potentially reignite violence between nationalists and unionists. But U.K. “Leave” supporters argue that an open border via the Irish backstop essentially subverts Brexit because Northern Ireland would still have to abide by EU customs regulations — which, by extension, would force the rest of the U.K. to be tied to the very of the EU customs union and single market that it voted to leave. This was the conundrum that derailed May’s plan. Johnson’s version ditches the backstop and creates a highly complex system of customs declarations and duties that would keep Northern Ireland — and therefore the U.K. — out of the EU customs union (although his plan would allow Northern Ireland lawmakers to vote on how closely they want to stay aligned with the EU after four years).

IF NOT BY LAND, THEN BY SEA

To absorb Northern Ireland into the U.K.’s own customs regime and include it in any future trade agreements London negotiates, Johnson’s deal states that goods going from Great Britain into Northern Ireland will not be subject to tariffs — “unless that good is at risk of subsequently being moved into the [European] Union” via Ireland. The EU and U.K. would need to determine which goods are “at risk” of being transported to Ireland and therefore subject to tariffs, a process many say would essentially create a de facto customs border — right down the middle of the Irish Sea. While this arrangement, which would involve checks taking place at ports and airports, assuages Irish nationalist concerns over a revived land border, it is anathema to unionists who oppose any kind of barrier — whether

”

by land or sea — that divides Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. Unionists are also angry because under Johnson’s plan, Northern Ireland would still be aligned with certain EU rules, including the bloc’s value-added tax (VAT) on goods. Jim Shannon of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party told CNBC last October that any separate regulatory framework for the province would make unionists feel like “second-class citizens” and “less British.” Unionist fears of becoming economically separated from Britain are well-founded. Even though Johnson repeatedly denied the possibility of creating a border down the Irish Sea, he has reversed course. And in mid-January, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, told reporters that, “The implementation of [the U.K.’s EU withdrawal agreement] foresees checks and controls entering the island of Ireland.” That has some unionists, particularly the more militant, “loyalist” groups, up in arms. “If there is a proposal ... to run a bor-

der down the Irish Sea,” leading loyalist activist Jamie Bryson recently told the Belfast Telegraph newspaper, “we would have no option but to take to the streets.”

DUP’S DECLINING FORTUNES

REFERENDUM ON IRISH UNITY

This militancy derives from fears that such a customs frontier would weaken the link between Northern Ireland and the U.K. and might be a move toward a united Ireland — a fear recently stoked by increasing talk, both north and south of the border, of a future referendum on Irish unity. The economic fallout of Brexit has fueled increasing calls for a referendum in Northern Ireland because unification with Ireland would allow the province — which has benefited from unfettered trade with the EU and received significant funding from the bloc to spur economic growth and foster peace — to remain in the EU. Indeed, the benefits of EU membership are a big reason why 56% of the electorate in Northern Ireland voted Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Yet any future referendum on Irish unity is a distant, uncertain prospect. First, no one knows yet how exactly Brexit will affect Northern Ireland or what Johnson will be able to negotiate with the EU over the critical coming months. Second, any unity referendum, known as a “border poll,” would need to be approved by both Ireland and North-

PHOTO: BEN KERCKX / PIXABAY

Murals in Belfast stand as a reminder of the 30 years of violence known as the Troubles, which pitted British-identifying, largely Protestant unionists against predominantly Catholic Irish nationalists seeking unity with Ireland and an end to British rule.

ern Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. While surveys have shown increasing support for a unified Ireland in the wake of Brexit, public opinion on the issue remains mixed. Even Ireland, which has long supported unity, has questioned how much it would cost to absorb its neighbor to the north. And any referendum would still be met with fierce resistance by the unionist community, which constitutes a majority of Northern Ireland’s 1.8 million people.

So for any referendum to pass, Irish nationalists would need to convince a good number of unionists that their British and Protestant identities would be preserved in a unified Ireland — a tall order considering the decades of sectarian bloodshed between the two groups. At the same time, recent years of relative peace between Northern Ireland’s unionist and Irish nationalist communities — combined with disillusionment among both with the province’s established politicians —

have shifted the political landscape. These changes — visible in the December U.K. general election and in previous votes for the Northern Ireland Assembly — leave it by no means certain how Brexit will play out. Indeed, for many in Northern Ireland, old certainties are crumbling across the board, with a discussion on the province’s future now taking place that is far wider than what would have been possible just a few years ago.

If a week is a long time in politics, as British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once famously said, a month can be an eternity. By this measure, Northern Ireland’s largest proBritish grouping, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), must have felt like it’s already gone through a lifetime of eternities over the past several months. Just last year, this largely Protestant, fiercely anti-Irish nationalist party — founded by that great symbol of Free Presbyterian, biblical sectarianism, the Rev. Ian Paisley — held the balance of power in the U.K. Parliament, wielding great influence over the then-minority Conservative government led by Theresa May. May’s decision to hold a 2017 general election severely backfired on her Conservative party, which lost its parliamentary majority and was forced to rely on 10 DUP votes to get anything passed — including Brexit. As such, this small, stridently antiBrexit contingent of politicians were able to bring the entire withdrawal process to a halt because of their objections to the Irish backstop. Given their outsize influence, DUP’s leaders were regularly consulted by EU chiefs, anxious to find a way out of the Brexit quagmire. But after the bruising general election that returned Johnson to power and ended the DUP’s grip on SEE B R EX IT • PAGE 8

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Taiwan CONTINUED • PAGE 5

She suggested that, among the things to watch going forward, were the rising power of the youth vote in Taiwan — polls show more young people in Taiwan favoring independence — and the emergence of third political parties that could offer Beijing more options in its attempt to influence domestic politics on the island. The forum’s remaining two panelists, Robert Sutter, professor of international affairs at The George Washington University, and Mark Stokes, executive director of the Project 2049 Institute, a nonprofit research think tank focused on American interests in the Indo-Pacific region, both addressed what Taiwan’s election means for U.S.-Taiwanese relations. Sutter suggested that Tsai’s re-election almost guarantees the continuity, if not expansion of, the positive relations in recent years. “We’ve never seen a period like this, the most positive period in U.S.-Taiwan relations,” Sutter said. Referring to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s congratulatory message to Tsai, Sutter said that today, the State Department “is in the forefront of pushing for new rhetoric and public support for Taiwan.” Sutter cited four reasons for renewed U.S. engagement with the island, including ongoing Chinese political pressure on Taiwan, Taiwan’s importance for U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, its status as a Chinese-speaking democracy with a free market economy, and the

PHOTO: BY 中岑范姜 FROM 台北, 台灣 - 20160115-21-51-51-20160115-21-51-51-P1150734-2, CC BY-SA 2.0

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party won a landslide victory in elections last month, buoyed in large part by Beijing’s harsh crackdown in Hong Kong and fears that China would interfere in the island’s sovereignty.

role Taiwan can play in U.S. foreign policy as a “check” on China. “The result is we have a more active relationship with Taiwan. There’s not so much concern about upsetting Beijing as under previous [U.S.] governments,” he said. “The relationship will just get stronger going forward,” Sutter predicted, as the U.S. and Taiwan continue to work together on important defense and economic issues. The uncertainties, he said, have largely to do with domestic U.S. politics,

Brexit CONTINUED • PAGE 7

parliament, the party is now largely ignored in Brussels and irrelevant in Westminster. At the same time, while the party once enjoyed the loyalty of the overwhelming majority of Northern Ireland’s unionist voters, the December election saw their support among unionists slashed. The key constituency of North Belfast switched to Sinn Féin, the main Irish nationalist party, while the neutral Alliance Party, which sees itself as neither unionist nor nationalist, won in North Down. As a result, for the first time in history, only a minority of members elected to the U.K. Parliament from Northern Ireland were unionists. But behind these changing political fortunes lie longer-term trends that go beyond Brexit and point to major shifts in attitudes, both in traditionally nationalist and unionist communities. In fact, neither the unionists nor nationalists came out looking particularly rosy in the recent elections. “Both the DUP and Sinn Féin did badly in the elections,” professor Rory O’Connell, director of the Transitional Justice Institute at Ulster University, told The Washington Diplomat, noting that Sinn Féin was ousted from its Foyle stronghold by the anti-sectarian and moderate nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).

particularly the 2020 presidential election, and with how far the administration is willing to go to accommodate Beijing in an effort to resolve President Trump’s trade war with China. Sutter noted that “a lot of think tanks are talking about the danger of the current situation increasing rivalry between the U.S. and China,” but he says that China has tried to avoid conflict with the U.S., and he believes this policy will continue. Stokes took a much stronger

Voter frustration with Sinn Féin and the DUP stems from health care strikes that crippled the province and political gridlock that led to the closure of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Dominated by the DUP and Sinn Féin, this power-sharing body, created by the Good Friday Agreement, collapsed in 2017 when the two parties walked out. The dispute initially centered around allegations of corruption but expanded to other disagreements, such as Sinn Féin’s demands to recognize Irish (i.e. Gaelic) as an official language of Northern Ireland — and the DUP’s counter demand that this be balanced by equal recognition for the Ulster Scots dialect. “There was a sense of people being fed up that they hadn’t had a government for three years,” O’Connell said. “So, at the general elections, they punished both parties.” This was not lost on the DUP or Sinn Féin, which faced a British ultimatum to overcome their differences and reopen the Northern Ireland Assembly, or else Westminster would call fresh elections for Northern Ireland. In mid-January, the two parties agreed to a deal that led to the assembly’s first session in three years.

EVOLVING UNION

While the old tribal lines that divided Northern Ireland — British versus Irish, Protestant versus Catholic, north versus south — still exist, the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) erased many of them. The recent elections in particular showed that the unionist community — never monolithic — is not what it once was.

8 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

stance in support of Taiwan, arguing that the U.S. needed to realign its policy toward the island by accepting the “objective reality” that Taiwan is a de facto independent nation. “Taiwan has evolved into a vibrant liberal democracy,” he said. “You could argue that Taiwan has more legitimacy [than China] because of popular sovereignty.” “We give legitimacy to the PRC [the People’s Republic of China] every day,” he pointed out, arguing that the same should be true for a more

“It’s clear unionism is undergoing a transformation,” professor Peter Shirlow, director of Irish studies at the University of Liverpool, told The Washington Diplomat. “The GFA produced a growing group of people who were no longer infused with the traditional, biblical, circle-the-wagons mentality.” Now, many in the Northern Ireland’s Protestant community — the traditional heartland of unionism — would “describe themselves as pro-British, but not unionist, voted to remain in the EU, have liberal social attitudes and don’t have any particular anger or frustration,” Shirlow said. Also long gone is the traditional organizational base of working-class unionism: Northern Ireland’s trade unions in places such as the Harland and Wolff shipyards, where the Titanic was built. “They’ve never been able to energize the loyalist, working-class community like they used to,” according to Shirlow. Meanwhile, hard-core unionist paramilitary groups known as loyalists, such as the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), have so far taken a cautious approach to recent events. “Once the IRA stopped, how could they legitimize violence?” said Shirlow. “So now, you’re more likely to see the UDA running community groups and organizing anti-racism and anti-homophobia events in the heart of loyalist districts like the Shankill.” At the same time, while the IRA gave up its weapons as part of the peace accords, a radical offshoot known as the New Irish Republican Army has emerged and was linked to a string of attacks in 2019, including a car bombing and a shooting that killed a journalist. In recent

natural partner like Taiwan. Since 1979, when it formally switched ties from Taiwan to China, the U.S. has abided by an ambiguously worded “One China” policy, whereby it recognizes that the People’s Republic of China is “the sole legal government of China,” but only acknowledges Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China, without explicitly agreeing to it — leaving the dispute for the two sides to work out. Thus, the United States has been able to maintain formal relations with China and unofficial relations with Taiwan. Stokes suggested that the U.S. could develop a new joint statement or diplomatic communique with Taiwan that “allows us to align policy and communicate to our constituencies.” He noted that U.S. relations with Beijing began with the Shanghai Communique in 1972 and led to full recognition of the country seven years later. He also said that Congress should set up new committees to strengthen ties with Taiwan. “Taiwan is already independent,” Stokes argued. “This should inform U.S. policy.” Given the range of views on the complex dynamics among the U.S., China, and Taiwan, it is impossible to know with certainty what everyone’s next moves might be. What is certain — and what was reiterated at the Heritage forum — is that Taiwan will continue to be a strategic player in the relationship and rivalry between the U.S. and China. What’s more, Tsai’s resounding win suggests that neither side can take the island and its 23 million inhabitants for granted. WD Deryl Davis is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

years, Irish republican militias have gained a foothold in Catholic areas frustrated by ongoing poverty and political paralysis. Now, some fear they will take advantage of Brexit to restart the type of guerilla warfare that once tore Northern Ireland apart. “Serious people are talking about this now, when they wouldn’t have been a few years ago,” said O’Connell. “This could also make the loyalist groups nervous, which clearly isn’t desirable.” Bryson, the loyalist activist, was more blunt, telling Foreign Policy in early January that, “I would imagine there would probably be civil war first before unionists and loyalists would ever walk into a united Ireland.” But after three decades of bloodshed and two decades of relative peace and prosperity, there may be little appetite for civil war. Yet it’s clear there will be some kind of shift as Brexit irrevocably redefines Northern Ireland’s relationship with the U.K. — whether it be via a new customs border down the Irish Sea or a push toward Irish reunification. For now, though, as Johnson tries to hammer out a trade deal with the Brussels by the end of the 2020, all of the players in the Brexit saga — the U.K., Northern Ireland, EU and Ireland — have one thing in common: They’ll have to wait and see what the next act has in store for them. WD Jonathan Gorvett (jpgorvett.com) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat and a freelance journalist specializing in Near and Middle Eastern affairs. Anna Gawel (@diplomatnews) is managing editor of The Washington Diplomat.

Technolog y | WD

5G Geopolitics U.S. Hammers Huawei, But Struggles to Catch Up to China in ‘Race’ to Dominate 5G BY RYAN R. MIGEED AND ANNA GAWEL

will be the fastest internet speed achieved to date, delivering data such as video content up to 100 times faster than any technology available today and enabling wireless devices to communicate with each other instantaneously. This fifth generation of wireless networks is set to revolutionize our daily lives — and the world as we know it — so the development and deployment of 5G has become a hotly contested geopolitical race. The low “latency,” or lag time, of 5G will boost burgeoning industries such as the “internet of things,” artificial intelligence and virtual reality. It will allow autonomous vehicles to traverse roads more safely, enable a surgeon to perform life-saving work remotely, transform factories through improved automation and even help build entire smart cities. “The advent of 5G could contribute trillions to the world economy over the next couple of decades, setting the stage for new advances in productivity and innovation,” according to a Nov. 7, 2019, report by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). The darker side of 5G are the security and privacy concerns it poses, potentially leaving governments, militaries, businesses and individuals exposed to spying and hacking. So whoever controls 5G’s super-fast connectivity — and the information that flows from it — will inevitably become a dominant global power for decades to come. But the U.S. — and much of the West — lag behind China in building the network infrastructure necessary to implement the next stage of internet speed. While the U.S. has been at the forefront of technological innovation for decades, from the space race to the advent of the internet, it stands to lose its tech supremacy to China — much like it lost its manufacturing edge to China years ago. Unlike China, which has mobilized a massive, whole-of-government effort to invest in 5G technology — to the tune of $400 billion over five years — the U.S. lacks any such nationwide campaign. Instead, the U.S. is largely relying on the four major wireless carriers — AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile — to build the infrastructure necessary to deploy 5G service, as well as the private sector to develop 5G technology.

AMERICA’S SPOTTY 5G RECORD

Reed Hundt, former chairman of the

CREDIT: OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY TIA DUFOUR

President Donald Trump, joined by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, delivers remarks on 5G deployment technology on April 12, 2019, at the White House. While the FCC has announced plans to invest in expanding 5G coverage to parts of the country, China is outpacing the U.S. in deploying the next generation of wireless networks, having rolled out nationwide 5G commercial service last November — the only country other than South Korea to do so.

“

As a rising power, China has prioritized efforts to challenge American leadership in innovation. If successful in realizing its 5G ambitions, China could be poised to reshape the international technological ecosystem and … enhance its global power and influence. ELSA B. KANIA

”

adjunct senior fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security

Federal Communications Commission, recently told CNBC that catching up to China in deploying 5G technology is a “national imperative.” Hundt, who chaired the FCC from 1993 to 1997, suggested that the agency should cut red tape and free up additional 5G spectrum that wireless companies need to purchase so they build out their networks. He also said federal lawsuits are preventing larger U.S. telecom companies from establishing a nationwide 5G broadband network,

arguing that the potential merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, currently held up by a federal trial brought on by 14 state attorneys general, should be approved. The Department of Justice and the FCC approved the merger, but some state leaders are concerned that another merger in the telecom industry could severely reduce consumers’ service options. On the other hand, a bigger company with such a large service area could have better capacity to implement the upgrades needed to reach 5G speed.

U.S. cities pose another hurdle for wireless companies, which must negotiate with municipalities “for permission to install antennas on buildings, street lights, lamp posts and bus shelters,” wrote Mike Allen in a December 2018 report for Axios. To make this patchwork of laws more consistent, the FCC voted to limit how much local governments can charge wireless carriers to attach small radios to utility poles that are used to deploy 5G service. But local officials, who are likely to challenge the FCC rule in court, have complained that the federal government is trying to apply a one-sizefits-all approach that will weaken their power to negotiate with the big carriers. Meanwhile, the FCC is pursuing what it calls a “5G FAST Plan” that, among other things, would auction off more high-band 5G spectrum and invest billions in expanding high-speed wireless service to rural areas. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) praised the FCC’s “focus on ensuring rural connectivity,” he wrote in a recent tweet. “We must focus on narrowing the digital divide that hinders rural communities and win the race to 5G with China.” But China appears to be leading SEE 5G • PAGE 10

FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 9

5G CONTINUED • PAGE 9

that race, launching its 5G commercial service plans ahead of schedule in November 2019. Besides China, South Korea is now the only other country to have a nationwide rollout of 5G. In the U.S., 5G service is only available in a few select cities. Experts say that China has an inherent advantage over other countries because its government can devote massive state resources to support industry in developing 5G on a large scale. “The Chinese government has been actively mobilizing to contest global leadership in 5G … while the U.S. government has only recently started to concentrate on 5G,” wrote Elsa B. Kania in the CNAS report, which noted that, among other things, the Chinese government has invested heavily in building 5G infrastructure such as fiber optic networks; reallocated spectrum to prepare for widespread 5G deployment; and directed universities, companies and the military to spearhead 5G research and development. “There are [no] comparable efforts in the United States,” Kania wrote. “As a rising power, China has prioritized efforts to challenge American leadership in innovation. If successful in realizing its 5G ambitions, China could be poised to reshape the international technological ecosystem and capture major strategic dividends that will enhance its global power and influence.” This was likely the reasoning behind a plan floated in the first year of the Trump presidency to nationalize a portion of the country’s mobile network to better compete against China. Ac-

PHOTO: BY MATTI BLUME - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 4.0

Visitors tour a Huawei expo in Berlin in 2018. The Trump administration has been pressuring allies such as Germany to drop the Chinese telecom equipment giant as they build their 5G networks because of security concerns, although Huawei remains one of the best-positioned companies to lay the groundwork for 5G service.

cording to documents obtained by Axios in early 2018, the administration debated whether the U.S. government should pay for and build a single, centralized network — “which would be an unprecedented nationalization of a historically private infrastructure.” The plan, widely seen as unrealistic, was quickly shelved after it was leaked and drew pushback from the wireless industry, which is already investing heavily in 5G. In April 2019, President Trump dismissed the notion that the government would nationalize its 5G network, instead calling on private

industry to lead the way. Yet the original impetus behind the White House’s idea — to counter a rising China — is still an urgent priority. So the administration has shifted gears, launching a global campaign to prevent China from deploying the telecommunications equipment that will lay the groundwork for 5G.

TRUMP’S HARD LINE ON HUAWEI

Despite the pressure to implement 5G as

quickly as possible, the U.S. and its allies are wary of partnering with one of the world’s bestpositioned companies to build the infrastructure that underpins 5G: China’s Huawei. Over the last year, the Trump administration has zeroed in on the Chinese telecom equipment giant as a national security threat, arguing that it could serve as a Trojan horse for Beijing to monitor and spy on communications not only in the U.S., but around the world. Those fears stem from Huawei’s alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party and its intelligence apparatus. Huawei’s founder and CEO, Ren Zhengfei, joined the People’s Liberation Army’s research institute after college as a military technologist and later founded Huawei in 1987. The tiny startup has since gone on to become the world’s biggest seller of telecommunications equipment — a feat some in Washington say was made possible not by entrepreneurship, but by government funding and Ren’s ties to Chinese intelligence, according to an April, 10, 2019, report in the Los Angeles Times. “The United States has been attacking Huawei for over 10 years, no matter how minor the issue,” Ren told the LA Times, arguing that the U.S. has failed to produce any tangible evidence to back up its claims and that Huawei is being used as a pawn in Trump’s broader trade war against China. But the administration says the battle is about both preserving national security and preventing China from gaining an unfair economic edge. To that end, the administration has severely restricted the ability of U.S. companies to trade with Huawei (a ban that some reports speculate may be tightened even further in the coming weeks). Last May, Trump signed an executive order that prohibited U.S. companies from doing business with technology companies supplied

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Indeed, despite the political turmoil, Hua- Huawei into Canada or other Western counor controlled by foreign adversaries. As part of that order, the Commerce Department added wei ended 2019 with a record $122 billion in tries, they’re going to know every health reHuawei, Chinese-owned ZTE and a number revenue. Nevertheless, the U.S. ban is expected cord, every banking record, every social media Life Is No Longer One Dimensional of other companies to a blacklist that banned to take a toll on the company in 2020. Per- post; they’re going to know everything about You’re invited to visit our NEWLY renovated space them from acquiring component parts from haps with that in mind, Ren made a surprise every single Canadian,” O’Brien warned at the U.S. companies without obtaining approval announcement last September that Huawei Halifax International Security Forum in Nofrom the U.S. government. (Full implementa- would be willing to sell its 5G technology to a vember. He even suggested that U.S.-Canadian tion of the ban, however, has been repeatedly Western buyer to assuage fears about the secuintelligence sharing could be jeopardized if delayed and the Commerce Department re- rity risks posed by the company. Under the deal, described by The Econo- Canada moves forward with the arrangement. cently said it would grant some U.S. compamist in a Sept. 12, 2019, article, a one-time (Canada also became ensnared in the U.S.nies licenses to sell goods to Huawei.) The perceived threat from Huawei is, in purchase of Huawei’s 5G technology, includ- Huawei showdown when it arrested Meng fact, one of the few policy areas on which ing patents, licenses and code, would allow the Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and both parties agree. In November, a bipartisan purchaser to change the source code — mean- Ren’s daughter, at the request of the United group of top-ranking senators sent a letter to ing it could remove any bugs Western security States, which accused her of violating U.S. sanctions by trading with Iran. Meng is curWhite House national security adviser Robert officials fear it might contain. But market analysts do not expect any ma- rently fighting extradition to the U.S.; China O’Brien urging the administration to appoint jor company, such as Ericsson, Nokia or Sam- has since detained two Canadians and sena czar to coordinate on 5G policy. And on Dec. 16, the Democratic-controlled sung, to actually take Ren up on his offer, ac- tenced a third to death.) House passed a bill that bars the U.S. govern- cording to The Economist. The Canada warning is not the first time the Still, Ren’s olive branch was the cap on U.S. has implied that a member of Five Eyes ment from using subsidies to help U.S. telecom companies buy equipment from Huawei. his year-long charm offensive that included — the intelligence-sharing alliance among the (The company is challenging the legislation in hours-long sit-down interviews with media U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zeaoutlets including The Economist, LA Times land — could be removed from the group if U.S. federal court.) · American small plates and cocktail-centric menu · Dinner served 5PM to 10PM. Bar open to Midit uses Huawei equipment to build its 5G netThe U.S. offensive has had a “pretty big im- and The Washington Post. night. work. Besides the U.S., Australia is the only pact” on Huawei, Ren told The Washington · Sign up at www.thesallydc.com Five Eyes member to enact a complete ban of Post in a Dec. 12, 2019, article. For example, Huawei technology. the component ban stopped Google from sell- U.S. PRESSURE CAMPAIGN Most recently, however, British Prime Mining its Android apps to Huawei — meaning But the U.S. has countered with its own ofthat the latest Huawei smartphones were miss- fensive — one that relies less on charm and ister Boris Johnson said that adopting Hua· Grab & Go or Sit & Sip for breakfast, lunch, or lite ing popular apps like Gmail, Google Maps and more on coercion, as it warns allies against wei technology might “prejudice” the Five fare and beverages in the evening YouTube. partnering with the Chinese equipment pro- Eyes intelligence relationship, suggesting that · Breakfast and/or Swing’s coffee 6AM. Lunch at the U.K. may bow to U.S. pressure and shut Ren told The Post that Huawei has had vider to construct their 5G networks. 11AM. Service until 10PM of content its 5G network (the governto scramble to Although redesign itsevery telecom network National adviser O’Brien recently inHuawei NOTE: effort is made to assuresecurity your ad is free of mistakes spellingoutand it is ultimately up to the customer to make the final proof. without U.S. chips or components and that his criticized Canada’s consideration of a deal ment previously said it might allow Chinese The first two faxed changes made at nowith costHuawei to thetoadvertiser, subsequent will be billed at a rate of $75 per5Gfaxed alteration. Signed ads are considered approved. in “non-essential” parts of its company may need two towill threebeyears to redeploy high-speed internetchanges to involvement · Relax by the fireplace and unwind, read a book, cover from the U.S. trade ban. the country’s remote regions, announced in infrastructure). work on your computer, play a game Please check this ad carefully. InMark any changes addition, Secretarytoofyour Statead.Michael Yet Ren sounded optimistic, telling the July. Pompeo warned his NATO counterparts last newspaper that if U.S. companies won’t supply “The technology allows China to put toIf the ad is correct sign and fax to: (301) 949-0065 needs changes Join us where Classic Elegance Meets Modern Huawei, “I’m sure suppliers in other countries gether profiles of the most intimate details, April that the U.S. may stop sharing some inwill gladly offer their own products to fill that intimate personal details, of every single man, The Washington Diplomat (301) 933-3552 Approved __________________________________________________ 2100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW | Washington, D.C. 20008 (202) 293-2100 | www.fairfaxwashingtondc.com SEE 5G • PAGE 12 void.” woman and child in China. When they get Changes ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ E M B A S S Y R O W, D. C .

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son, Finland’s Nokia and South Korea’s Samsung have yet to take over Huawei’s market share, and the U.S. doesn’t even have any major cellular network equipment makers (chipmakCONTINUED • PAGE 11 er Qualcomm is the biggest American player in 5G tech). In fact, roughly half the world’s networks are still expected to rely on Huawei technology. formation with NATO allies if they incorporate Huawei’s market dominance “owes as much Chinese technology into their networks, as reto technology as its low prices and the speed ported by Nick Wadhams in Bloomberg. at which it can roll products out,” according to U.S. tech experts believe that the risks of the September 2019 Economist’s report. It has allowing Chinese telecommunications equipalso invested $2 billion over the last decade in ment anywhere in the 5G networks of key alresearch and development, which has given it lies “cannot be mitigated, a State Department Video ”production, equipment rentals and live event arguably the most advanced 5G technology in spokesperson toldstaging The Washington Diplomat. is all we do at AV Actions. We have been serving the industry. “Given how interconnected we are and how Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland for years. The magazine also notes that Huawei is much we depend upon each other, if our allies’ Sound Services Video unique among techServices companies in that it has networks are vulnerable, those vulnerabilities served some of the most remote digital marpose a security threat to the United States as kets in the world. For example, the company well. 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In mid-December, Norwegian telecom idly MORE by,” Wu Ken, China’s ambassador 5G speeds WANT TO KNOW ABOUT AVA? in Berlin, pressure by their publics to deploy WANT The Huawei Innovation Research Procompany Telenor chose Ericsson, a Swedish said in response to the development. “Could as soon as possible — are likely to prevent some gramme once served company, over Huawei to build its 5G network we say one day that these German cars are no countries from abandoning the Chinese firm. Contact Us! as a pipeline for Huawei infrastructure — despite having partnered with longer safe because we’re in a position to manAnd Huawei, a dominant player in the tele- to engage with U.S. universities as well. But, PHONE (703) ufacture our751-1010 own cars?” Wu added in an appar- com equipment market, is still key to realizing as previously reported by The Washington Huawei to build its 4G network. ent info@avactions.com threat to the German automobile industry the 5G revolution. The firm has invested heav- Diplomat in May 2019, U.S. universities have EMAIL In Germany, members of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition have introduced a (China is the biggest single market for German ily over the years to become a center of inno- increasingly terminated joint research projects bill that would impose its own U.S.-style block- automakers Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler). vation that produces high-quality, lower-cost with Huawei and ZTE in response to threats from U.S. -policymakers ade on “untrustworthy” 5G vendors. Passing technology, and many countries simply cannot halfpage pouch to withhold governTOO BIG TO IGNORE such a ban would mark a significant break from afford to shun Huawei if they want to possess 1/4 page print Merkel’s previously cautious approach to upOn that note, while the Trump administra- 5G technology. Rivals such as Sweden’s EricsSEE 5G • PAGE 39

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Cover Profile | WD

Rattled, but Recovering Albania Has Come Far Since Communism, But Now Begins Long Post-Quake Journey BY LARRY LUXNER

ack in 1979, the last time a major earthquake struck Albania, the little Balkan country was ruled by a paranoid Marxist dictatorship that considered the United States its greatest enemy. Floreta Faber, who was only 11 then, remembers how the 6.9-magnitude temblor — centered between her town, Shkodra, and the Adriatic Sea — roused her out of bed that Sunday morning. By the time it was over, the quake had killed 35 people in Albania and 101 in neighboring Montenegro, while flattening many nearby villages. Forty years later, Albania got hit again — only this time it was much more frightening. On Nov. 26, the ground shook for nearly 40 seconds near the coastal city of Durres and surrounding towns. While the Albanian earthquake of 2019 wasn’t the year’s strongest (at least 10 others around the world were more intense), the 6.4 quake easily ranked as the deadliest — killing 51 people, injuring 2,000 others, leaving an estimated 13,000 homeless and causing at least $500 million in damage, according to preliminary estimates. Faber, Albania’s ambassador to the United States, first learned of the disaster at 10 p.m. Washington time; shortly after turning on her TV, she watched a four-story house in Durres collapse on camera, killing eight of the nine people inside. The ambassador faced an immediate dilemma: whether to cancel or go ahead with Albania’s annual National Day reception, scheduled to take place at noon the next day. “We met first thing in the morning and had to take a decision,” she said. “It was a very difficult moment, even before we knew how many people had lost their lives.” Recalling an ancient Albanian tradition that when someone dies, windows and doors are opened so that the dead person’s spirit might fly away, Faber said she and her staff ultimately decided “we would leave the doors of the embassy open, and that the best way to overcome such a tragedy is to let your friends in.” Some 120 people showed up for the event, including the ambassadors of Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Serbia and two dozen other nations. Also attending were officials from the European Union, the Pentagon, the State Department and even the New Jersey National Guard. “That was my most difficult speech ever,” Faber, 51, recently told The Washington Diplomat. “This year, our National Day coincided with Thanks-

PHOTO: JESSICA KNOX PHOTOGRAPHY

“

We were taught in school how to fight the Americans. I never thought, 30 years ago, that there would come a time I’d be Albania’s ambassador to the United States. FLORETA FABER

ambassador of Albania to the United States

giving, so my original speech was going to offer thanks to the United States for supporting us over the past 30 years of democracy. Instead, I had to appeal for help.” She didn’t have to wait long. Help quickly poured in from neighboring countries and beyond. All told, the earthquake affected two-thirds of Albania’s 2.8 million inhabitants, according to the Tirana office of the European Union, which immediately pledged €15 million ($16.6 million) in disaster relief. “I have great respect for the Albanian people who’ve remained calm despite the circumstances. I want them to know that the EU is on their side with compassion AND with action,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted from Brussels. Albania, which has been negotiating for years to join the EU, has already received massive assistance from Greece, Italy, Serbia, Switzer-

land, Turkey and the United States. Its Balkan neighbors were also among the first to help. “The response from Kosovo was immense,” Faber said of her country’s predominantly Albanian-speaking neighbor to the east. “So many people there opened their homes to those from Durres who lost everything.” More than $1.8 million in donations came from the Albanian-American diaspora, while Azerbaijan contributed $500,000, and both Italy and Turkey sent trucks loaded with tents, blankets, clothes and toys for children. Turkey also committed to building 500 houses. In addition, the Israel Defense Forces sent a 10-member specialized team to extract survivors and survey buildings to determine whether they remained structurally sound after the quake. In all, 780 rescuers — including teams from the Fairfax County, Vir-

”

ginia, and Los Angeles County fire departments — rushed to Albania after the disaster to prevent more deaths, even as aftershocks continued to rattle the country. “This was a moment of unity, and we all understand that earthquakes are a force of nature that we cannot overcome alone,” Faber said, noting that the death toll could have been much higher. “Our hotel infrastructure suffered a lot, especially in Durres. It was our luck that this happened during the slow season and not many people were there.” Yet several of those hotels had been built illegally, including two that collapsed after the quake. The owners of both were among nine people who have since been arrested on charges of murder and abuse. Another eight suspects — builders, engineers and officials believed to have breached SEE AL BANIA • PAGE 14 FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 13

At right, a search and rescue team from Romania sifts through the wreckage of a collapsed building following the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Albania on Nov. 26, killing over 50 people and causing at least $500 million in damages.

PHOTO: BY DIPARTIMENTO PROTEZIONE CIVILE FROM ITALIA - TERREMOTO IN ALBANIA, CC BY 2.0

PHOTO: NICOLINE MAES / PIXABAY

An Albanian flag flies alongside a makeshift European Union flag. The country has worked to join the EU for years but its efforts were recently derailed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who blocked accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia until further reforms were made.

Albania CONTINUED • PAGE 13

safety standards — are still being sought. The arrests represent just a tiny fraction of the human negligence that exacerbated the destruction. Albania, like many of its Balkan neighbors, is especially vulnerable to quakes because of its aging structures, endemic corruption and a shoddy postcommunist building boom in which profits often came at the expense of safety.

FROM WORST ENEMIES TO BEST FRIENDS

The Nov. 26 earthquake is the latest setback for Albania, which for years ranked as Europe’s poorest country — a dubious title that now belongs to Moldova. For almost five centuries, Albania was part of the Ottoman Empire. That ended on Nov. 28, 1912, when Ismail Qemali, a leading figure of the Albanian renaissance to establish an independent cultural and political identity, raised the national flag in Vlora. Albania’s long, convoluted history of relations with the United States dates back to 1920, when President Woodrow Wilson recognized its status as a sovereign nation. Eight years later, it became a kingdom under the rule of King Zog. But in 1946 — in the aftermath of World War II and the rise of Enver Hoxha’s communist dictatorship

— relations were broken and the U.S. Embassy in Tirana was shuttered. Hoxha’s nightmarish rule was considered the harshest in Europe, and second in the world only to North Korea. Religion was banned, and in 1967, Hoxha declared Muslim-majority Albania to be the world’s first and only officially atheist state. Churches, monasteries and mosques were destroyed, and clerics publicly humiliated; some were even executed. Under the paranoid Hoxha, who died in 1985, Albania built an estimated 700,000 concrete bunkers, fearing an invasion by Yugoslav, Soviet or American forces. “Albania used to be a closed country. People couldn’t travel abroad. They were not allowed to listen to foreign radio broadcasts, believe in any religion, or write or speak their minds,” Faber said. “Everything had to be according to the ideology of the party. We often say Albania was like North Korea without the nuclear weapons. We believed democracy would change things overnight, but the changes did not occur overnight.” The communist regime began cracking in 1990 — the same year Faber finished her economic studies at the University of Tirana — and collapsed completely the following year. Relations with the U.S. were restored, and Faber went on to earn a master’s degree in international marketing from the Norwegian School of Management in Oslo. She later did graduate work at Washington State University as part of an exchange program. “I was really lucky to study

14 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

PHOTO: BY ELIAN STEFA, GYLER MYDYTI - CONCRETE MUSHROOMS PROJECT, CC BY-SA 3.0

Above, a bunker overlooks the Albanian Alps. Under Enver Hoxha’s paranoid dictatorship, Albania built an estimated 700,000 concrete bunkers, fearing an invasion by Yugoslav, Soviet or American forces. Today, Albanian troops fight alongside U.S. troops in places like Kandahar, Afghanistan, seen below, as a member of NATO.

PHOTO: DOD / BY STAFF SGT. SHANE HAMANN

abroad for two years. For me, it was a game-changer. It not only gave me the perspective of the big world outside, but also that of differences between Europe and the United States,” said the ambassador,

who in 1995 helped to open the Deloitte & Touche office in Tirana, working with the firm for five years. Then, for 15 years, Faber was executive director of the American Chamber of Com-

merce in Tirana — a job that prepared her well for an even bigger role: Albania’s first female ambassador to the U.S. In fact, when it comes to women in government, Albania has done well;

at present, the country has eight female cabinet-level ministers. Key ambassadors besides Faber include Besiana Kadare (United Nations); Donika Hoxha (Bulgaria); Ardiana Hobdari (Greece); Albana Dautllari (Council of Europe); Suela Janina (EU); Adia Sakiqi (Netherlands); Anila Bitri (Italy); Shpresa Kureta (Poland); and Enkeleda Merkuri (Slovakia). Faber and her cardiologist husband, Edmond, have two children: 20-year-old daughter Kesli and 16-year-old son Klint. In the past five years, she’s managed to visit 31 of the 50 U.S. states. In April 2015, three months after Faber presented her ambassadorial credentials to President Obama, the United States and Albania signed a strategic partnership document. In addition, thenSecretary of State John Kerry visited Tirana, and both nations work closely together in the global coalition against terrorism. Faber, who recently shared an iftar table with President Trump, didn’t comment directly on the current occupant of the White House — other than to say “we had an absolutely great year of cooperation with the U.S., especially on the issue of security.” She referred to a Dec. 14, 2018, letter from Trump thanking Albania for its “steadfast efforts to stand up to Iran … by expelling Iran’s ambassador to your country” for planning terrorist attacks on Albanian soil. An unconfirmed report suggested the expulsion was linked to a 2016 plot to attack a World Cup qualifying match in Tirana between Albania and Israel. “We were taught in school how to fight the Americans,” she told us. “I never thought, 30 years ago, that there would come a time I’d be Albania’s ambassador to the United States.”

‘WE’LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES’

A relatively tiny market, Albania (which under communism was one of the world’s only countries where Coca-Cola had no presence) today has only minimal U.S. investment, with about 150 U.S. companies present. Besides its small population, one of Albania’s enduring problems is corruption. In its 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, Transparency International gave Albania 36 out of 100 points — a two-point drop from the 2017 rating and down three points from 2016. “The negative trend in Albania is all the more worrying as it is a reversal of a notable improvement in corruption perceptions between 2013 and 2016,” said Bernd Borchardt, a top official with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). “The results of this index show that Albania still has to reform its system of public institutions, which is perceived as more corrupt than in the last two years.” Faber said Albania is in the midst of enacting major reforms, “including over 40 laws that will make sure everyone in the whole judicial system is properly vetted” — a process that will be monitored by European and U.S. experts. The country has also established SPAK (an Albanian acronym for Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Unit) to keep tabs on public officials, and it has opened its border police to external European vetting. On Jan. 1, Albania assumed the OSCE’s rotating presidency from Slovakia, which Faber says is “our biggest multilateral engagement since joining NATO” in 2009. “Even though Albania is economically behind, we have stood up for democracy and our values,” she said. “Imagine, in the 1960s we were one of the first members of the Warsaw Pact. Now, a member of NATO for the last 10 years, we have commitments and troops in a number of countries including Afghanistan, Latvia, Kosovo, Mali and Sudan.” But one of Albania’s longstanding goals, joining the 28-member (soon to be 27) EU, has yet to be realized, even though the bloc was finally supposed to give Albania and North Macedonia the green light for accession talks last year. But the road to Brussels has been filled with obstacles, and the latest one came in mid-October when French President Emmanuel Macron effectively blocked both countries from starting membership talks on the grounds that neither country had done enough with regard to economic policy, human rights, anti-corruption measures and the rule of law. He also said that the EU itself needs to undergo reforms before it should expand and absorb Balkan nations still scarred by war. “This is a dispute about vision…. The enlargement rules need reform,” Macron said, adding that while Albania and North Macedonia have made progress in some areas, much more needs to be done. It was a big blow to Western Balkan nations, which had been told since 2003 that if they undertook reforms, they could one day join the EU. While Macron’s concerns about corruption, organized crime and democratic backsliding are valid, some argue that the prospect of EU membership talks — which has now dimmed significantly — is precisely what incentivizes countries to enact tough reforms. There’s also the fear that if the EU turns its back on the Balkans, Russia and China could step in to fill the void. Macron’s veto was particularly seen as a slap in the face to North Macedonia, which made tremendous sacrifices to resolve a longstanding row with Greece over its name in order to open formal accession negotiations with the EU. As such, the French president’s anti-enlargement stance generated widespread anger

Albania at a Glance Independence Day Nov. 28, 1912

(from Ottoman Empire)

Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north Capital Tirana

GDP per-capita (PPP) $12.500 (2017 estimate) GDP growth 3.8 percent (2017 estimate) Unemployment 13.8 percent (2012 estimate) Population below poverty line 14.3 percent (2012 estimate)

Industries Cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism

Population 3 million (July 2018 estimate) Ethnic groups Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 estimate)

Religious groups Muslim 56.7%, Roman

Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 estimate)

GDP (purchasing power parity) $36 billion (2017 estimate)

Flag of Albania SOURCE: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

PHOTO: BY COLIN SKIDMORE - HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/133497397@N02/30522505456/IN/ALBUM-72157675682024195/, CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake Koman in the Albanian Alps features narrow gorges and dramatic rocks. One of Albania’s growth industries has been tourism, with arrivals jumping by 20% annually over the last four or five years.

throughout Europe. “We’ve been taking recommendations to open these negotiations since 2018. We were told we fulfilled our requirements and we have made many changes, so this was a bit frustrating,” said Faber. Others were more blunt. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said his country is “collateral damage” in an intra-EU power struggle, while Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, called Macron’s opposition “a historic error.” Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, went further. “It is not a failure, it is a mistake. I feel really embarrassed,” he said. “Both countries passed their exams; I can’t say this about our member states.” But Tusk also sounded an optimistic note when he tweeted that he had “absolutely no doubt” that Albania and North Macedonia would become full EU members. Croatia, which assumed the rotating presidency of the EU for the first time in January, has said it will work to revive negotiations by addressing Macron’s objections, and Ursula von der Leyen, who recently took over as head of the European Commission from Juncker, said in a statement that the commission “remains confident” that accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia will happen this spring. But it remains to be seen if the push for further EU expansion will encounter French

resistance — or general apathy for that matter, as the bloc focuses on a litany of pressing problems such as Brexit, populism, migration and the troubled transatlantic alliance under Trump. Christopher Hill, a former U.S. ambassador to Albania, South Korea, Macedonia and Poland, and former U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said Macron’s rejection of further expansion “has brought a symbolic end to the post-1989 era.” “Since the fall of the Berlin Wall 30 years ago, Western leaders have consistently maintained that there are no problems on the European continent that cannot be addressed through engagement with the European Union or an expansion of the European project. But that longstanding outlook seems to be changing, owing to a combination of internal EU woes and American indifference,” he wrote in a scathing op-ed piece for Project Syndicate titled “Emmanuel Macron’s Balkan Betrayal.” Hill said that in the past, one might have expected Washington to step in — but in the Trump era, “the plight of small, distant countries like North Macedonia and Albania barely matters.” While it’s true that North Macedonia and Albania aren’t exactly priorities for Trump — who once questioned why NATO would come to the defense of a small member state like Montenegro — government-to-government

relations between the U.S. and Albania continue to move forward. (Last month, for example, Yuri Kim, a career diplomat who has served in Iraq and Turkey, officially became the U.S. ambassador to Albania.) One notable success story is the AlbanianAmerican Enterprise Fund (AAEF), created in 1995 with $30 million in initial capital; today, it’s worth more than $245 million. The fund, one of several set up by the U.S. government to catalyze private-sector investment in the former communist countries of Eastern Europe, has contributed $2 billion to Albania’s GDP and attracted some $300 million in foreign direct investment. A subsidiary of the AAEF, the Albanian-American Development Foundation, is today the largest nonprofit entity in Albania, with an endowment of over $180 million. One of Albania’s growth industries has been tourism, with arrivals jumping by 20% annually over the last four or five years; the biggest increases have come from other European countries (particularly Poland) and Israel. Yet American tourists are still a rarity. In 2019, fewer than 2,000 visited Albania, even though visas are no longer necessary for U.S. citizens. Albania is also looking to the wider region to ensure its economic future. Less than a month after the earthquake, Prime Minister Rama invited three other heads of state to Tirana — Montenegro’s Milo Djukanovic, North Macedonia’s Zoran Zaev and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić — to discuss the eventual formation of a six-nation free trade zone that would also include Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. But Kosovo’s president, Hashim Thaçi, refused to join the Dec. 21 summit, arguing that the meetings were “meaningless” as long as the Serbs and Bosnians refuse to recognize Kosovo’s independence. While the logjam is reflective of the mistrust and ethnic grievances that still run deep in the region, Albania has more pressing problems at home — and, according to Faber, a much more immediate goal at hand: to erase all signs of last year’s earthquake by the end of 2020. To that end, the country has appointed a “minister of reconstruction” — Arben Ahmetaj — to oversee all earthquake recovery efforts. In its draft budget for 2020, the government has also allocated $63 million (equivalent to 0.4% of Albania’s GDP) to build houses for those made homeless by the disaster. “The rebuilding will be one more tool to help the economy grow, not one to kick it off balance and hurt it,” said Rama, whose government projects 4.1% GDP growth in 2020, up from 3.4% in 2019. In late February, during Rama’s planned visit to Washington, Faber will organize a “Friends of Albania” fundraiser at the Italian Embassy. She’s aiming for $1 million in pledges at the event to be chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kansas), with an appearance by former President Clinton. An international donors conference is also scheduled to take place Feb. 17 in Brussels. Above all, Faber said, past mistakes will not be repeated. “We will now take extra measures so that all new construction in earthquake-prone zones can stand up to these disasters,” she said. “In the long run, people’s lives are more important than saving money. We will do whatever it takes.” WD Tel Aviv-based journalist and photographer Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat. He has visited Albania five times.

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FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 15

Anniversary

RECEPTION

Hundreds turned out to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Washington Diplomat and ring in the holidays at the residence of Colombian Ambassador Francisco Santos on Dec. 17, including ambassadors, U.S. officials, media, members of the business community and many more. “From its timely analysis to its culture section to its Diplomatic Pouch newsletter, The Washington Diplomat has been a very trusted source for the diplomatic community for 25 years,” said Santos. “Thank you very much for this amazing job that you do.” “Some of you may not know that Ambassador Santos is not only a politician, but he is also a journalist and a strong advocate for free press,” said publisher Victor Shiblie. “That passion in fact led to his kidnapping by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar for eight months. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what movies are made of — but it’s also the reality of journalism that makes a difference, something we have always strived to do.” Listing some of the memorable historical events the newspaper has witnessed, Shiblie said that since it began, President Bill Clinton was in the midst of an impeachment trial; former Soviet bloc states were embracing their newfound freedom; China was emerging as a superpower; 9/11 shook America; conflicts broke out in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, Gaza and many other places; America elected its first black president, as well as its first reality TV star; “and we’ve actually come full circle — back to impeachment trials,” he quipped. “But obviously times have changed — as has our own industry, which, it’s no secret, has struggled to adapt to these many changes,” Shiblie added. “We’ve been no exception but we continue to pride ourselves on providing the kind of quality, unbiased, vital news that has a real impact on this city’s diplomatic, U.S. government and business communities. In other words, the #RealNews that still exists today.”

The Washington Diplomat team poses with Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos, second from right. From left are sales director Rod Carrasco, publisher Victor Shiblie and managing editor Anna Gawel.

Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos and his wife María Victoria García.

Corporate sponsors of the event included Qorvis Communications, Jet Aviation, 1331 Maryland Luxury Residences, Sahouri Insurance, Conrad Washington, DC Hotel, Foley Hoag LLP, AARP, AV Action, Pampas Distributors and Voga Italian Wines. To view all the photos, visit our Facebook page!

Photos by Ben Droz Photography Craig Gordon and Margaret Carlson, both of Bloomberg News.

Rie Schaffer takes a selfie.

16 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

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Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos and his wife María Victoria García.

Publisher Victor Shiblie shares a laugh with the audience.

DIPLOMAT 25TH ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer; Matt Lauer, executive vice president of Qorvis Communications; his wife author Samantha Sault; Qorvis Managing Director Michael Petruzzello; Rich Masters of BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization; and Mollie Turner.

Matt Lauer, executive vice president of Qorvis Communications, and his wife author Samantha Sault.

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Photographer Jessica Latos.

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The Washington Diplomat’s operations director Fuad Shiblie and graphic designer Cari Henderson.

Beef from Pampas Distributors.

Filippo Lapides of Enovation Brands – VOGA Italia.

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, now with “Dancing with the Stars,” talks with Erin Como of Fox 5 DC and Rod Carrasco of The Washington Diplomat.

Lauren Blanchard of Fox News and attorney Timothy Cloud.

Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Argentina Gerardo Diaz Bartolomé, Shaundra Allen and Marcos Stancanelli, head of political affairs at the Embassy of Argentina.

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Tatiana Espina and Steven Phillips.

At left, author Maureen Orth and Kathleen Shriver.

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Hazami Barmada of the World Bank Group and Rwaida Gharib of USAID.

Eric Ham of SiriusXM POTUS Channel, Anna Gawel of The Washington Diplomat and her husband Thomas Coleman of the Department of Homeland Security.

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Bridget Dotson of the U.S. Senate, Haley Britzky of Axios, Alayna Treene of Axios and Nick Iacovella, national press secretary for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

Above, Vera Matkovic, fomer Ambassador of Iceland Geir H. Haarde, Ambassador of Serbia Djerdj Matkovic and Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos.

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WD | DIPLOMAT 25TH ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION

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Scott Cunningham, deputy chief of staff for Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas), and Liz Brailsford, chief operating officer of the World Affairs Councils of America.

Above, Bernie Haspels and Ambassador of the Netherlands André Haspels.

Mary Owens and Nick Owens of Qorvis Communications.

Jill Kelley, Christina Perrone of the Embassy of Bahrain and Ashlee Brady of The Ritz Carlton, Tysons Corner. Jan Du Plain of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, photographer Ben Droz and Christine Warnke of Capitol Hill Consulting Group.

At right, Jasmine Wyatt of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and Maggie Angel.

At right, architect Ricardo Ramos and Ryan Migeed, contributor to The Washington Diplomat.

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Josué Ambriz, legislative aide for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Pedro Chadid and Adriana Martinez of the Colombian Embassy.

Mike Manatos and Laura Evans.

Josh Rogin of The Washington Post, Suzanne Kianpour of BBC and Jake Cusack of the CrossBoundary Group.

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Guests take selfies.

Puru Trivedi of the Meridian International Center; Kriti Doval of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum; Sahra English, vice president of global public policy at MasterCard; Megan Devlin of the Meridian International Center; Nobar Golhar, product director at Challenger Inc.; and Shawn Golhar of Barclays New York.

Liliana Bedoya of the Colombian Embassy, Mauri Earl of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Adriana Carvajalino of the Colombian Embassy.

18 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

Colombian Ambassador Francisco Santos.

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Gonzalo Pacanins, Rosario Londono and Luis Alonso.

Congressional Legislative Director Steve Gilleland, Michael Petruzzello, managing director of Qorvis Communications, and Kara Hauck, vice president of public affairs for Qorvis.

Luis Chang of PromPerú Houston.

Gail Scott of The Washington Diplomat, Hosai Rashid of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC), publisher Victor Shiblie, Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos, Jan Du Plain of RRB/ITC and Anna Gawel of The Washington Diplomat.

Ardy Shahriari of Palo Alto Networks and Erinda Aliaj of Booking.com.

DIPLOMAT 25TH ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION

At right, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and Alan Behar of Ike Behar Apparel and Design.

Chriselle Aquio of Trump International Hotel, Alina Obgolts of Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Diana Hopartean, Sloane Carter and Jamaal Simington of Conrad Hotels & Resorts.

Managing editor Anna Gawel, Ambassador of Kosovo Vlora Çitaku, Erinda Aliaj of Booking.com and Cari Henderson, graphic designer of The Washington Diplomat.

Secretary of the District of Columbia Kimberly A. Bassett and Ambassador of Bulgaria Tihomir Stoytchev.

Gabe Gough of Deloitte Consulting, Anna Gawel of The Washington Diplomat, Erinda Aliaj of Booking.com and counselor William McVey.

At left, Lawrence Dunham of Protocol Partners, Thomas Coleman of the Homeland Security Department and Ambassador of Cabo Verde Carlos Wahnon Veiga.

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Nobar Golhar, product director at Challenger Inc.; Sahra English, vice president of global public policy at MasterCard; Bart W. Édes, North America representative for the Asian Development Bank; and Puru Trivedi of the Meridian International Center.

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The Washington Diplomat sales director Rod Carrasco and Karla Castro of Jet Aviation.

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Kenny Day and Richard Scully of Rock-Hurst Astor. Sloane Carter and Jamaal Simington of Conrad Hotels & Resorts.

Military attachés from the Colombian Embassy.

Alejandra Giraldo, Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos and Hugo Cartagena, CEO at Mega Home.

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Michael Petruzzello, founder and managing director of Qorvis Communications.

Andrew Gelfuso, vice president of TCMA (A Drew Company), which manages the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Anniversary

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Jay Haddock, Hector J. Torres, Margarita Arroyave-Wessel of Children’s National, David Wessel, Jessica Miley of Children’s National and Alejandro Brubaker of Sugar Skull Creative. Rabih Chamas of Green Line Real Estate and Courtney Radsch, advocacy director for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The Washington Diplomat publisher Victor Shiblie, Elena Lopez, Jemily Figueroa, Michael Sahouri and Diana Sahouri, all of Sahouri Insurance, and Hazami Barmada of the World Bank Group.

Katherine MercuriSojka and David Raley. Christina Perrone of the Embassy of Bahrain, Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos and Ursula McNamara of the InterContinental Washington, DC – The Wharf.

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Ambassador of Azerbaijan Elin Suleymanov and his wife Lala Abdurahimova.

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Maricel Nickle and Steven Schrammel of Jet Aviation.

Photographer Jessica Latos, operations director Fuad Shiblie and graphic designer Cari Henderson, all with The Washington Diplomat.

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Ariel Bashi of CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” and Susan Sloan of AJC Global Jewish Advocacy.

Alejandro Brubaker of Sugar Skull Creative, Jessica Miley of Children’s National, Wayne Fortune, senior client advisor at PNC, and Brandon Clay of Tiffany & Co.

At left, Paul Angelo and David Gevarter, both of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Washington Diplomat’s Rod Carrasco, Victor Shiblie and Anna Gawel and Thomas Coleman of the Department of Homeland Security.

Alexander Kormachev of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Publisher Victor Shiblie, center, shares a laugh with Michael Sahouri and Diana Sahouri of Sahouri Insurance.

Hosai Rashid of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center takes a photo with Colombian Ambassador Francisco Santos.

Evelyn DiBona and Charles DiBona.

Sanna Kangasharju of the EU Parliament Liaison Office, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Small Business Christina Sevilla and her husband Steve Rochlin of Impact ROI.

Liu Chen and Jennyfer Wong of the State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Sophie Mestas, Oliver Corbishley and William Weiss of Qorvis Communications.

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Culture arts & entertainment art

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diplomatic spouses

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theater

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photography

BREAKING

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music

The Washington Diplomat | February 2020

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history

dining

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film

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events

This year’s Winternational broke records, with over 60 embassies

RECORDS

offering 5,000 visitors everything from colorful carved Ugandan

animal sculptures to Belgian pralines during this unique midday journey into cultures

from every corner of the globe. PAGE 24

ART

MUSIC

Vision of America

Human Virtuoso

A transcendent exhibition at the Smithson-

Syrian-born clarinetist and composer Kinan

the beauty of the American West and the

distinct sound with universal resonance,

ian American Art Museum celebrates both

powerful story of the immigrant artist who captured these dramatic landscapes with his singular vision. PAGE 28

Azmeh mixes musical genres to create a while also using his international back-

ground to pursue his other passion: human rights advocacy. PAGE 29

FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 23

WD | Culture | Festivals

Worldly Winternational Over 60 Embassies, 5,000 Visitors on Hand for Eighth Edition of Winternational •

BY JONAS MEULEMAN

olorful Ugandan carved animal sculptures, mung bean cakes from Vietnam, Moroccan henna painting and Belgian pralines were among the myriad foods, handicrafts, art and activities on display from around the world at the eighth annual Winternational embassy showcase on Dec. 5 held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC). This year’s Winternational broke records, with over 61 embassies participating and more than 5,000 visitors experiencing this unique midday journey into traditions and cultures from every corner of the globe. “The reason this event has grown is because the embassies really enjoy this initiative. It has picked up tremendous momentum. We started with only five embassies with an audience of around 50 people and now we are here with over 60 embassies with thousands of attendees,” said Andrew Gelfuso, vice president of TCMA (A Drew Company), which manages RRB/ITC and organizes the annual event. “The theme of cultural diplomacy is alive with countries from all over the world exhibiting side by side that don’t necessarily have diplomatic bilateral relations. We wanted to organize a cultural festival to bring people from different areas in the world together to promote international culture, diplomacy and build global ties.” Since its early days, the embassy showcase has grown exponentially. “Today we have convened [61] embassies to showcase the arts, cuisine, trade, travel and tourism of these diverse countries,” said John P. Drew, president and CEO of TCMA. “Together, we have developed the Reagan Building into a hub for government, business, global commerce and cultural exchange.” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce opened this year’s festivities by stressing that cultural diplomacy “provides vivid, compelling examples of openness, tolerance and creative expression, as is so vibrantly displayed among today’s exhibitors.” Those exhibitors included the embassies of Afghanistan, the African Union Mission, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, European Union, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. This diverse spectrum of countries was reflected in the eclectic offerings on display, which ranged from handcrafted sculptures and paintings, to silk scarves and skin care products, to the perennial crowd favorite: a global sampling of food and drink. The Turkish Embassy, for example, energized visitors with its signature strong Turkish coffee. El Dorado Rum was on hand at the Guyanese booth. The South African Embassy offered different types of beef jerky, each with its own distinct spices. While Winternational offers Washingtonians a respite from the daily political grind that conSEE WI N TE R NATIONA L • PAGE 26

24 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

Photography by Kaveh Sardari

Above, diplomatic representatives gather for a group photo in the atrium. Seated front row from left are: John P. Drew, president and CEO of TCMA (A Drew Company); Andrew Gelfuso, vice president of TCMA (A Drew Company) and director of the World Trade Center Washington, DC; Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce; Secretary of State of the District of Columbia Kimberly A. Bassett; and Susan Carmel, president of Carmel Cultural Endowment of the Arts.

Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce; Ambassador of Nicaragua Francisco Campbell; Andrew Gelfuso, vice president of TCMA (A Drew Company); and Ambassador of Egypt Yasser Reda.

The Embassy of Botswana brought baskets and crafts.

Secretary of State of the District of Columbia Kimberly A. Bassett; Ambassador of Grenada Yolande Y. Smith; John P. Drew, president and CEO of TCMA (A Drew Company); and Ambassador of Saint Kitts and Nevis Thelma Phillip-Browne.

Russian Matryoshka dolls were on display at the Russian Embassy booth.

The Embassy of Barbados featured brass sculptures.

Festivals

Culture | WD

Children were dressed in native attire at the Moldovan Embassy booth.

A live painting demonstration is performed at the Embassy of Eritrea booth.

Representatives from the Embassy of El Salvador.

PHOTO: KATE OCZYPOK

Ukrainian spirits were on hand at the Embassy of Ukraine booth.

Representatives from the Embassy of Malaysia don their traditional dress.

Ambassador of Cameroon Henri Etoundi Essomba.

Colorful crafts were exhibited by the Embassy of Mexico.

Handcreated silk fiber art was showcased at the Embassy of Belgium booth. A representative hands out Moldovan cookies and treats.

PHOTO: KATE OCZYPOK

FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 25

WD | Culture | Festivals

Winternational CONTINUED • PAGE 24

sumes the capital, in a city like Washington, D.C., politics is hard to escape. The Ukrainian Embassy, for example, rejoined this year’s showcase after having to miss it last year because of tensions back home with Russia. Taras Moskalenko, the embassy’s first secretary of cultural affairs and public diplomacy, said he was pleased to see so many people flock to his embassy’s booth to learn about his country — outside of the daily news headlines. “Apparently we became very popular all of a sudden,” he said wryly. “We gave away more brochures and sold a lot more than we thought we would.” The delegation also brought traditional Ukrainian spirits called horilka, made of grains and pepper, that no doubt contributed to the popularity. While Ukraine has generally been a fixture at Winternational, for other embassies, it was their first time participating. The Embassy of Grenada promoted its country with the slogan “Spices of the Caribbean,” providing visitors with samples of cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, mace, turmeric, cloves, pimento and ginger, while explaining their various culinary and medicinal uses. In addition, embassy staffers discussed the country’s efforts to become the chocolate capital of the Caribbean and one of the finest chocolate-producing countries in the world. “I think Winternational is a good medium to sell our beautiful, pure Grenada,” counselor Rosemarie Welsh said. “It is an incredible opportunity for us as a small island nation, and we are already looking forward to participating in [other initiatives] to display our culture even more.” Meanwhile, the Lithuanian Embassy, a third-time participant, used the occasion to both highlight its culture and celebrate the season by displaying festive ornaments alongside Baltic amber jewelry. A children’s author was also on hand to talk about her award-winning book, “The Fox on the Swing,” whose message, she said, resonates with children and adults alike and encapsulates what the day is all about. “The book is about friendship between a boy and a fox, but its main message is about finding happiness in small things. It is now available in 11 countries and translated into each of their languages,” author Evelina Daciuté told us. “I am extremely grateful to have the ability to show it at Winternational surrounded by so many different cultures and languages because this is the perfect event to bring the stuff that is unique and national to our countries and at the same time make it universal.” Gelfuso said the popularity of the event has led to an ever-greater diversity of offerings each year. “We’ve got about 1,000 more attendees [than last year], and we have about 10 more embassies than we’ve ever had. But the greatest thing that’s different is that they’re all trying to outdo each other. There’s friendly competition, which motivates embassies to WD stay display more items, which then makes the public longer to enjoy new and exotic experiences.” Jonas Meuleman is an editorial assistant for The Washington Diplomat. 26 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

Above, the Embassy of Uzbekistan showcased traditional Uzbek art and fashion. A woman is dressed in traditional attire from Panama. PHOTO: KATE OCZYPOK

The Embassy of Peru highlighted its jewelry. At left, specialty beverages were on display at the Embassy of Guyana booth. At right, representatives from the Russian Embassy wore festive native dress.

The Embassy of Nigeria displayed its unique sculptures.

The Embassy of Kenya showcased hand-carved wood sculptures.

Diplomacy | Culture | WD

DACOR’s Mission Organization for Foreign Affairs Professionals Worries About State of U.S. Diplomacy •

BY LARRY LUXNER

ACOR, an organization for retired U.S. Foreign Service Officers, operates out of an elegant mansion only two blocks from the White House. Yet in the wake of the Ukraine scandal, the prestigious club — possibly for the first time in its 67 years of existence — is clearly unnerved by the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. “I am worried, and I think many of our members are worried,” said DACOR’s executive director, John Bradshaw. “We talk about it a lot.” The “it” Bradshaw refers to is, of course, President Trump’s unabashed hostility toward the U.S. ambassadors who came forward during his House impeachment inquiry. Their testimony largely supported claims by Democrats that the president withheld crucial military aid to Ukraine and an Oval Office meeting with the country’s newly elected president unless Kiev launched a corruption probe into Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden, Trump’s political rival. The president’s ire was specifically directed at Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine whom Trump removed from her post in May 2019, along with William Taylor, the veteran diplomat sent to replace her in Kiev. Yovanovitch testified during the impeachment hearing that she was dismissed after “unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives,” alluding to Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, who took over the Ukraine portfolio and, critics say, waged a shadow foreign policy campaign to advance the president’s personal political agenda. Taylor, along with other U.S. diplomats, accused Giuliani of a smear campaign to get Yovanovitch fired, possibly because she would have stood in the way of business dealings by two of Giuliani’s clients (one of whom recently said she was under surveillance by people linked to Giuliani). Yovanovitch’s colleagues lamented that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not do more to protect a respected diplomat from false attacks (also see “Foreign Policy in an Age of Impeachment: A Former U.S. Ambassador Speaks Out” in our December 2019 issue). Yet even before Pompeo’s leadership became inextricably linked with the battle over whether to impeach Trump following his fateful July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, longtime diplomats felt their futures on the line. “We already saw the State Department Inspector General’s report about political targeting of career employees,” Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Foreign Policy magazine in late October. “While I can’t comment on what’s been discussed by witnesses, any sort of improper retaliation against State Department personnel is utterly unacceptable. Yet, sadly, it has become typical under this administration. The Foreign Affairs Committee will continue to make it a top priority to protect our diplomats from abuse and harassment.” Bradshaw is reluctant to criticize any president directly, given the nonpolitical nature of the organization he heads. “Our mission is to support a strong bipartisan diplomacy,” he said in a recent interview at Bacon House, the 200-year-old brick mansion at 1801 F Street where DACOR is headquartered. “We have members from both political parties, but the importance of diplomacy and the need to have a strong State Department and Foreign Service is what really unites us.” Yet right now, Bradshaw warned, morale at the State Department — which was already besieged by vacancies and proposed budget cuts ever since Trump came to office — “is low” and the diplomats working there don’t feel that top officials have their backs. “The Trump administration has made our mission more necessary. We don’t have a real constituency to support the U.S. Foreign Service, like there is to support the military,” he said. “A lot of career diplomats have resigned; some were forced out at the beginning of this administration. So what we do is very important now, because diplomacy itself is under fire.”

PHOTO: BY JONATHUNDER - OWN WORK, GFDL 1.2

DACOR is headquartered in Bacon House, above, and is home to an array of historic books on U.S. diplomacy and the Foreign Service.

‘JUST TRYING TO SUPPORT OUR DIPLOMACY’

Founded in 1952 as Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired, DACOR — which uses only the acronym now — employs 20 people and operates on an annual budget of $1.7 million. Bradshaw became its executive director in February 2019, replacing Susan Cimburek. Its stated goal is to foster “frank dialogue about PHOTO: LARRY LUXNER current foreign policy matters,” in part through various events such as weekly discussion groups on issues of the day. Recent events explored timely topics such as “The Taiwan Elections and What the Results Mean for China and the U.S.”; “Survival of the Small Gulf States: Between Iran and Saudi Arabia”; and “The State of the Foreign Service and Its Future” — a particularly relevant topic given the ongoing turmoil and politicization at Foggy Bottom. “We have members here, including myself, who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations. I came in when Reagan was president, and also served under George H.W. Bush and Clinton,” Bradshaw said. “Everyone tries to do their job, and now we see a lot of attacks on our career Foreign Service Officers, claiming that they’re partisan and doing things for political motives, when really they’re just trying to support our diplomacy.” For example, former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns spoke at a DACOR event in late October in which he warned of the “hollowing out” of the U.S. Foreign Service. It’s a subject that comes up frequently these days. “People are very unhappy about what happened to Marie Yovanovitch,” said Bradshaw. “I served with her many years ago, in the early ’90s. I know her to be a by-the-book, serious career diplomat.” Bradshaw, a former Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, was stationed at U.S. missions in Maracaibo, Venezuela (1986-88), São Paulo, Brazil (1989-90), and Rangoon, Burma (1995-98). Back in Washington, he served mostly in the State Department’s East Asia and human rights bureaus, and after leaving the Foreign Service, he ran the National Security Network, a foreign policy think tank, SEE DACOR • PAGE 31 FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 27

WD | Culture | Art

American Odyssey Chiura Obata Broadened Our View of America, Capturing Both Its Wonder and Shame •

BY MACKENZIE WEINGER

Chiura Obata: American Modern THROUGH MAY 25

SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM 8TH AND F STREETS, NW

(202) 633-7970

| WWW.AMERICANART.SI.EDU

transcendent exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum celebrates both the beauty of the American West and the powerful story of the immigrant artist who captured these dramatic landscapes with his distinct vision. “Chiura Obata: American Modern” is a massive survey of Obata’s extraordinary and expansive career, encompassing grade school works, magazine covers, watercolors, sketchbooks, inks on paper and traditional Japanese sumi-e ink brush painting. The exhibition mixes beautiful images with documentary history, iconic American landscapes with incredible American failure. It highlights immigrants’ important contributions while not shying away from the rePHOTO: SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM, GIFT OF THE OBATA FAMILY, 2000.76.10, © 1989, LILLIAN YURI KODANI alities of the experience. And it contests the no“Chiura Obata: America Modern” features works such tion of the American canon of art even as it seeks as, from top: “Great Nature, Storm on Mount Lyell to broaden it. from Johnson Peak”; “Dust Storm, Topaz”; and “What exactly is the American canon? And “Evening Glow at Mono Lak, from Mono Mills.” who gets to define that canon? And then we’re looking at Obata and trying to say, how does he muted red as dust dominates the scene, with people fit in? But it’s the other way around — how his trying to stand firm in a churning scene within one productive career challenges and also expands the of the camps the U.S. government forcibly removed definition of American art,” ShiPu Wang, profeshim to. sor of art history at the University of California, Before and after the war, Obata sought to capture Merced, and the guest curator for the exhibition, what he called “Great Nature” and sketched iconic told The Washington Diplomat. views of Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra during Obata, born in 1885 in Japan, immigrated to hiking trips. His most well-known images stem San Francisco in 1903, becoming a significant from a six-week visit to Yosemite in the summer of artist of the American West who used his signa1927 with artist friends, where he produced around ture trans-Pacific style to produce bold landscape 150 paintings. He later called the trip “the greatest paintings of wonders such as the Grand Canyon. The retrospecharvest for my whole life and future in painting.” tive also nods to the work of Obata’s wife, Haruko, an artist in her This exhibition radiates with Obata’s passion for California’s landown right who specialized in Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower scapes. In one exquisite work, “Evening Glow at Mono Lake, from arrangement, and whose designs inspired many of his paintings. Mono Mills,” a color woodcut on paper, the artist paints a delicate “In terms of immigrants’ contributions … how do we look at scene infused with light, color and calm. The layers of rich pinks them and fit them into a box? But, in fact, what they’re doing is and purples of the sky ripple over the spectacular blues of the othereither expanding the box or taking down the borders of the box. worldly lake. Through this picture, Obata captures in color what he So putting Obata into the Smithsonian, really the biggest Ameriwrote about the scene: “When we reached Mono Lake the tranquil can art museum, the most important one, is [asking] to not only lake did not even ripple. A mysterious feeling overwhelmed us. It expand that wall, but also asking the nation to think about these iswas beyond description.” sues,” Wang said, noting that this is the exhibition’s only East Coast This wonderful, comprehensive exhibition showcases an incredvenue as well as the final stop of a five-museum tour that started ible talent. The beauty of the work is matched by the remarkable life at UC Santa Barbara before going on to Salt Lake City, Sacramento he lived, a powerful American and particularly Californian story. and Okayama, Japan. “Chiura Obata: American Modern” is a must-see exhibition for PHOTO: SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM, GIFT OF THE OBATA FAMILY, 2000.76.10, © 1989, During World War II, Obata and his family were forcibly reWashington this year, by turns moving, calming and infuriating. LILLIAN YURI KODANI moved by the U.S. government from their home in Berkeley, Calif., “The exhibition title is also asking people to think about these iswhere he had been an instructor in the university’s art department, and placed into sues — we’re calling his Chiura Obata, ‘American Modern.’ Anybody who has done one of the incarceration camps that housed roughly 120,000 West Coast Japanese Asian American studies would realize that Asian Americans have not traditionally Americans, simply owing to their Japanese ancestry. While Obata was interred, he been in those discussions, especially art…. We are with the title, in a way, inserting created art schools to help his fellow prisoners while also painting, drawing and him into the discourse — asking people to think about why when they see an Asian sketching what he saw in precise, vivid detail. name, they don’t, say, equate that with American or modernism,” Wang explained. These fascinating, unforgettable images are a powerful part of the exhibition, re“In Asian art, people tend to think about the traditional ink painting and all that vealing how he used art not only to document the beauty and promise of the United right from before 1900. But even though he does also do ink painting, his ink paintStates, but also its stark realities. What’s most striking is the way he approaches the ing is a kind of modern expression,” Wang added. “So what do we mean by moderninternment experience equally as an artist and reporter, working in a documentary ism? Is it just bias from one perspective and excluding the other perspective? So the fashion to capture the trauma and mundane aspects of daily life that he and other title is sort of a caution, as well as a larger question.” WD Japanese Americans lived through while remaining true to his artistry of brushMackenzie Weinger (@mweinger) is a contributing writer strokes and washes of color. In “Dust Storm, Topaz,” for instance, Obata creates a stunning swirl of grey and for The Washington Diplomat.

28 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

Music | Culture | WD

Unbound Sound From Damascus to D.C., Syrian-Born Clarinetist and Composer Knocks Down Borders •

BY NICHOLAS MORGAN

Kinan Azmeh’s CityBand SAT., FEB. 8, AT 8 P.M. SIXTH & I

600 I ST., NW TICKETS ARE $35.

WWW.SIXTHANDI.ORG/EVENT/KINAN-AZMEHS-CITYBAND/

illy Joel once described music as an explosive expression of humanity. “It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” On Feb. 8, another artist who shares Billy’s belief in the universal power of music is coming to the nation’s capital — an artist who himself embodies music’s crosscultural resonance. Kinan Azmeh, a 43-year-old clarinetist and composer who was born in Damascus, is arriving in D.C. with his entourage CityBand, a New York-based “Arabic-jazz quartet, as part of a Washington Performing Arts concert. A member of Yo-Yo Ma’s acclaimed Silk Road Ensemble, Azmeh mixes musical genres including jazz, folk, contemporary and classical melodies that also incorporate sounds from his birthplace of Syria and the wider Arab world. With several albums under his belt, Azmeh’s biography reflects his diverse international influences. He has performed all over the world in places such as the Opera Bastille in Paris; the Tchaikovsky Grand Hall in Moscow; Carnegie Hall and the U.N. General Assembly in New York; London’s Royal Albert Hall; and in his native Syria at the opening concert of the Damascus Opera House. He is also known for his human rights advocacy and for raising awareness about the civil war that has ravaged his homeland for the last nine years. But Azmeh does not want his music to be viewed within geographical or cultural constraints. He uses his training to illustrate his belief that regardless of where it comes from, music is borderless. “I don’t believe in the geographical categorization of music. Music for me forms a continuum,” he told us. “I understand that there are some musical vocabularies that are specific to a place or a historical background, but at the end of the day, it is all human heritage.” He added: “If you spend your life learning a tradition, it becomes equally yours. I was born and raised in Damascus; however, Beethoven for me was not foreign at all because I spent my life learning it. He is no longer only a German composer — he is a composer that transcends borders.” Azmeh’s journey as a composer and clarinetist in many ways embodies this philosophy. Born in Damascus to parents who were themselves amateur musicians, he traveled to New York to study at the renowned Juilliard School and went on to earn his doctorate from the City University of New York. It was in New York where Azmeh put together CityBand, which began with his friend Kyle Sanna, the group’s guitarist. Later they would recruit bassist Josh Myers and percussionist John Hadfield. The band has played globally for the last 14 years across Europe, the Middle East and the United States. A quintessential American melting pot, New York provided Azmeh with ample room to grow as a versatile artist whose compositions include works for solo, chamber and orchestral music, as well as music for film, live illustration and electronics. “New York is a place that is so culturally diverse and dynamic. It is a place where your tools and artistic expression gets challenged to the maximum,” he said. “These challenges are necessary in one’s growth as an individual and as an artist as well.” While Azmeh does not want to be solely defined by his birthplace, Syria continues to play a large role in his life — both professionally and personally. He still

PHOTO: CONNIE TSANG

Syrian-born clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh, a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and his quartet CityBand will perform at Sixth & I synagogue on Feb. 8.

goes on tour with his Damascus band Hewar, and he fondly recalls how his hometown in many ways resembled New York through its dynamic and diverse music scene. Syria’s uprising-turned-civil war — and the millions of refugees it has produced — also drives Azmeh outside of his musical career. He has partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Refugee Youth Summer Academy in the United States to help refugee children, PHOTO: MARTINA NOVAK including many from Syria. The turmoil and divisiveness shaking American politics has also personally affected Azmeh. He was almost barred from returning home to New York when President Donald Trump issued an executive order that banned entry into the U.S. from several Muslim-majority countries, including Syria. He remains modest about this experience as well as his human rights work, downplaying his advocacy. His philosophy on human rights mirrors his belief in music: Both defy boundaries, limits or preconceived notions, and people can advocate for human rights regardless of their profession or background. “All of us can and should be activists and advocates for human rights in everything we do. Making music is an act of freedom and freedom is a basic human right. By practicing this freedom, you hope that it will encourage others to practice that right as well,” said Azmeh. “I am a human first and a musician last. Music for me is a tool to dig deeper into the human condition and to contribute more to the wellbeing of my ever-expanding surroundings.” Azmeh and CityBand’s show on Feb. 8 in D.C is supported by Washington Performing Arts and will be held at the Sixth & I synagogue. It is in many ways a fitting venue that matches Azmeh’s own beliefs in music’s ability to transcend cultures. While Sixth & I serves as a historic synagogue, it brands itself as an institution where ideas cross over and a sense of community is fostered. Azmeh said he is looking forward to sharing with listeners the same pleasure he takes in creating his music. “I would also like ‘pleasure’ as a noble sentiment to be centerpiece in my concerts — not in the shallow intertwinement sense, but rather the deep and moving feeling we get when we experience art,” he said. “The music I play reflects my sense of the world around me, and it pleases me to be sharing it with the world around me. I do think pleasure is contagious and so is optimism, and I try to hold on to both.” WD Nicholas Morgan (@NikMorgan10) is a freelance writer based in New York City who focuses on Russia and the Middle East. FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 29

WD | Culture | Film

Cinema Listings *Unless specific times are listed, please check the theater for times. Theater locations are subject to change.

CZECH Women on the Run

Directed by Martin Horsky (Czech Republic, 2019, 93 min.) A woman is determined to fulfill the last wish of her husband: running a marathon. The spirited mother of three never even ran a mile in her life, but she believes she can accomplish her goal. Together with her daughters, she will divide the route into four parts to overcome the 26.2-mile run as a family relay. THE AVALON THEATRE WED., FEB. 12, 8 P.M.

ENGLISH 1917

Directed by Sam Mendes (U.K./U.S., 2020, 119 min.) Two young British soldiers during the First World War are given an impossible mission: deliver a message deep in enemy territory that will stop 1,600 men, and one of the soldiers’ brothers, from walking straight into a deadly trap (English, French and German). ANGELIKA MOSAIC ANGELIKA POP-UP

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

The Assistant

Directed by Kitty Green (U.S., 2020, 85 min.)

In this searing look at a day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive, as Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position. ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 7

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Directed by Marielle Heller (China/U.S., 2019) Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in this timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of the real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Bombshell

Directed by Jay Roach (Canada/U.S., 2019, 108 min.)

A group of women decide to take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network. LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA

Certified Copy

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami

(France/Italy/Belgium/Iran, 2010, 106 min.) British intellectual James (meets French shopkeeper Elle (Juliette Binoche) after he gives a reading in a Tuscan town. Walking and talking their way through the beautiful surroundings, the pair begin to playact as lovers, a charade they carry to surprisingly great lengths (English, French and Italian). AFI SILVER THEATRE SUN., FEB. 23, 7 P.M., TUE., FEB. 25, 7:15 P.M.

Citizen K

Directed by Alex Gibney (U.K./U.S., 2019, 126 min.) This intimate yet sweeping look at post-Soviet Russia is seen from the perspective of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oligarch turned political dissident. Benefitting from the chaos that ensued after the dissolution of the U.S.S.R., Khodorkovsky was able became the richest man in Russia. But when he accused the new Putin regime of corruption, Khodorkovsky was arrested and following a series of show trials, he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Today, as an exile living in London, he continues to speak out against Putin’s two-decade stranglehold on power (English and Russian). LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Color Out of Space

Directed by Richard Stanley (Portugal/U.S./Malaysia, 2020, 111 min.) After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner (Nicolas Cage) and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism as it infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a living nightmare. LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Emma

Directed by Autumn de Wilde (U.K., 2020)

Handsome, clever and rich, Emma Woodhouse is a restless queen bee without rivals in her sleepy little town. In this glittering satire of social class and the pain of growing up, Emma must adventure through misguided matches and romantic missteps to find the love that has been there all along. ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 28

Dark Waters

Directed by Todd Haynes (U.S., 2019, 126 min.) Inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due to one of the world’s largest corporations. In the process, he risks everything — his future, his family and his own life — to expose the truth. WEST END CINEMA

Downhill

Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash

30 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

The Washington Diplomat

ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 14

(U.S., 2019, 130 min.) When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate (English and Spanish).

The Gentlemen

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA

(U.S., 2020, 86 min.) Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other.

Directed by Guy Ritchie (U.S., 2020, 113 min.) This star-studded sophisticated action comedy follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail. ANGELIKA MOSAIC ANGELIKA POP-UP

ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

Little Women

Directed by Greta Gerwig (U.S., 2019, 134 min.) Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. ANGELIKA MOSAIC ANGELIKA POP-UP

THE AVALON THEATRE

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

Gholam

Ordinary Love

Directed by Mitra Tabrizian (UK/Iran, 2018, color, 94 min.) Set in Londo’’s Iranian exile community during the 2011 Arab Spring, a taxi driver with a mysterious past is drawn into Iran’s political turmoil, no matter how hard he tries to resist (English and Farsi). AFI SILVER THEATRE TUE., FEB. 4, 7 P.M.

A Hidden Life

Directed by Terrence Malick (Germany/U.S., 2019, 173 min.) Based on real events, Franz Jägerstätter refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his love for his wife and children that keeps his spirit alive (English, German and Italian). LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Jojo Rabbit

Directed by Taika Waititi (Germany/U.S., 2019, 108 min.) This World War II satire follows a lonely German boy named Jojo whose worldview is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Just Mercy

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (U.S., 2020, 137 min.) World-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson works to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner. ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA THE AVALON THEATRE

Knives Out

Directed by Rian Johnson

Directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn (U.K., 2020, 92 min.) Joan and Tom have been married for many years. There is an ease to their relationship that only comes from spending a life time together and a depth of love that expresses itself through tenderness and humor in equal part. When Joan is unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer, the course of her treatment shines a light on their relationship as they are faced with the challenges that lie ahead and the prospect of what might happen if something were to happen to Joan. ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 21

Seberg

Directed by Benedict Andrews (U.K./U.S., 2019, 102 min.) Inspired by real events, in the late 1960s, Hoover’s FBI targets French New Wave icon Jean Seberg because of her political and romantic involvement with civil rights activist Hakim Jamal (English and French). ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 28

Uncut Gems

Directed by Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie (U.S., 2019, 135 min.) A charismatic New York City jeweler, always on the lookout for the next big score, makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA

What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael

Directed by Rob Garver (U.S., 2019, 98 min.) The New Yorker’s film critic Pauline Kael (1919-2001), often considered the most influential of all time, battled to make her mark — fueled by brilliance,

unshakable self-confidence, a complicated past and a deep love of the arts.

LANDMARK’S THEATRES OPENS FRI., FEB. 14

The Woman Who Loves Giraffes

Directed by Alison Reid (Canada, 2020; 83 min.) In 1956, four years before Jane Goodall ventured into the world of chimpanzees and seven years before Dian Fossey left to work with mountain gorillas, 23-yearold biologist Anne Innis Dagg made an unprecedented solo journey to South Africa to study giraffes in the wild, becoming one of the first people to ever observe and report on animal behavior. WEST END CINEMA OPENS FRI., FEB. 14

FARSI 24 Frames

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 2017, 114 min.) Setting out to reconstruct the moments immediately before and after a photograph is taken, Abbas Kiarostami selected 24 still images — most of them stark landscapes inhabited only by foraging birds and other wildlife — and digitally animated each one into its own subtly evolving four-and-a-half-minute vignette, creating a series of poignant studies in movement, perception and time. FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 23, 1 P.M.

And Life Goes On aka Life, And Nothing More

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 1992, 95 min.) In 1990, the Koker region where Abbas Kiarostami filmed a 1987 movie was devastated by a massive earthquake. In this meta-fictional investigation of truth and representation, actors playing Kiarostami and his son return to Koker to track down the boys who starred in the previous film. AFI SILVER THEATRE FEB. 9 TO 11

Close-up

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 1990, 98 min.) This fiction-documentary hybrid uses a sensational real-life event — the arrest of a young man on charges that he fraudulently impersonated the well-known filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf — as the basis for a stunning, multilayered investigation into movies, identity, artistic creation and existence. FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 9, 3:30 P.M.

Homework

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 1989, 86 min.) In Abbas Kiarostami’s second documentary feature about education, the filmmaker interviews a succession of invariably cute first- and second-graders about

February 2020

their home situations and the schoolwork they must do there. It emerges that numerous parents are illiterate. Tellingly, many kids can define punishment (the corporal variety seems common) but not encouragement.

FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 9, 1:30 P.M.

Just 6.5

Directed by Saeed Roustayi (Iran, 2019, 135 min.) Payman Maadi plays a detective determined to nab a notorious drug kingpin in a caper that dominated Iran’s box office and won the audience award at the Fajr Film Festival in Tehran. It’s easy to see why: “Just 6.5” is a nonstop thrill ride with a sincere social message at its heart. AFI SILVER THEATRE THU., FEB. 6, 7 P.M.

FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 2, 2 P.M.

Like Someone in Love

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Japan/France, 2012, 109 min.) With this simple story of the growing bond between a young student and part-time call girl and a grandfatherly client, Abbas Kiarostami constructs an enigmatic but crystalline investigation of affection and desire. AFI SILVER THEATRE MON., FEB. 24, 7:15 P.M., WED., FEB. 26, 7:15 P.M. FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 23, 3:30 P.M.

Shirin

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 2008, 92 min.)

Set entirely in a movie theater showing an adaptation of a 12-century poem by Nezami Ganjavi — never actually glimpsed but heard throughout — “Shirin” surveys in a succession of closeups the reactions of those raptly watching the tragic love story, an audience made up of more than 110 actresses, including Juliette Binoche. FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 16, 1:30 P.M.

Taste of Cherry

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 1997, 95 min.)

Mr. Badii, a middle-age man, drives through a barren landscape, looking for someone to agree to bury him after he commits suicide the following morning. Badii is eerily calm about his decision to end his life, despite the entreaties of each of the three candidates he tries to persuade. Their conversations become an evolving philosophical argument about the value of life in the face of death. AFI SILVER THEATRE TUE., FEB. 18, 7:15 P.M., THU., FEB. 20, 7:15 P.M.

Ten

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 2002, 94 min.) As she roams the streets of Tehran in her car, a recently divorced woman chauffeurs a rotating cast of passengers, from

Film | Culture | WD her combative young son to a heartbroken wife abandoned by her husband to a defiant young sex worker going about her job. FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., FEB. 16, 3:30 P.M.

Through the Olive Trees

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (France/Iran, 1994, 103 min.) An actor, playing director Abbas Kiarostami, is looking for amateur actors to star in a film. The couple he chooses, however, has a history that repeatedly and humorously thwarts the filmmaker’s ambitions: The woman recently spurned the man’s marriage proposal and is forbidden by family and tradition from speaking to him, except within the fictional world of the film. AFI SILVER THEATRE MON., FEB. 17, 7:15 P.M., WED., FEB. 19, 7:15 P.M.

Where Is the Friend’s House?

act with the town’s inhabitants (Farsi and Kurdish).

AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., FEB. 22, 2 P.M., SUN., FEB. 23, 2 P.M.

LA MAISON FRANÇAISE – EMBASSY OF FRANCE

FRENCH

Séraphine

Les Misérables

Directed by Ladj Ly (France, 2019, 102 min.) A cop from the provinces moves Paris to join the Anti-Crime Brigade of Montfermeil, discovering an underworld where the tensions between different groups mark the rhythm (in French and Bambara). ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 1987, 83 min.) Ahmed, a young boy, is on a mission to return a notebook to his classmate after he takes it home by mistake. The students’ fiery teacher has decreed that homework must always be done in the same book, and Ahmed is desperate to save his friend from being expelled.

Directed by Céline Sciamma (France, 2020, 121 min.) In 18th-century France, a young painter, Marianne, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse without her knowing. Therefore, Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Héloïse’s last moments of freedom before the impending wedding (in French and Italian).

The Wind Will Carry Us

Sagan

AFI SILVER THEATRE FEB. 8 TO 12

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran/France, 1999, 118 min.) A journalist posing as an engineer travels to a remote Kurdish village with a secret aim: to record an ancient mourning ritual for a dying, century-old woman. When the woman stubbornly refuses to die, the “engineer” is forced to slow down and inter-

alcoholism to her gambling and complex love affairs.

ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 14

Directed by Dianne Kurys (France, 2008, 117 min.) In 1958, renowned French author Françoise Sagan was 28 years when her debut novel “Bonjour Tristesse” made her rich and famous. Starting from the writer’s road to fame, the movie explores Sagan’s hedonistic lifestyle, from her drug use and

DARCOR CONTINUED • PAGE 27

from 2013 to 2016. “One of our missions here is to educate the public about what diplomats do. We have a lot of events here — mostly for members — but we also do educational outreach for college and graduate students,” he said. To that end, DACOR awards $250,000 worth of scholarships every year; since 2000, it’s given out 650 scholarships. Among its programs are fellowships for graduate students working toward master’s degrees in international affairs, scholarships for area undergrad students in disciplines related to foreign affairs, with a particular focus on minority candidates, as well as financial aid grants for high school seniors and college students. DACOR currently has 1,700 members, most of whom are retired Foreign Service Officers. Its roster also includes former Peace Corps volunteers and USAID officials. Membership costs $350 a year for residents and $175 for non-resi-

TUE., FEB. 25, 7 P.M.

Directed by Martin Provost (France/Belgium, 2008, 125 min.) Winner of the 2009 César Award for Best Film, “Séraphine” by Martin Provost dips in and out in the chaotic life of the littleknown yet incredibly brilliant French painter, Séraphine Louis (1864-1942), who is masterfully interpreted by Yolande Moreau. LA MAISON FRANÇAISE – EMBASSY OF FRANCE TUE., FEB. 11, 7 P.M.

GERMAN Balloon

Directed by Michael Herbig (Germany, 2020, 125 min.) This thriller is based on the true events of one of the most daring escapes of the Cold War. In the summer of 1979, the Strelzyk and Wetzel families try to flee East Germany in a self-made hot-air balloon. But after the balloon crash-lands just before the West German border, the Stasi find traces of the attempted escape and immediately launch an investigation. In a nerve-wracking race against the clock, the two families attempt to build a new escape balloon as the Stasi get closer and closer each (German and English). LANDMARK’S THEATRES OPENS FRI., FEB. 28

HINDI Sholay

FREER GALLERY OF ART SAT., FEB. 15, 2 P.M.

ITALIAN The Traitor

Directed by Marco Bellocchio (Italy/France/Germany/Brazil, 2020, 145 min.) “The Traitor” chronicles the real life of Tommaso Buscetta, the so-called “boss of the two worlds” and the first mafia informant in 1980s Sicily (Italian, Sicilian, Portuguese and English). ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., FEB. 7

JAPANESE Kuroneko

Directed by Kaneto Shindo (Japan, 1968, 99 min.)

In this poetic and atmospheric horror fable, set in a village in war-torn medieval Japan, a malevolent spirit has been ripping out the throats of itinerant samurai. When a military hero is sent to dispatch the unseen force, he finds that he must struggle with his own personal demons as well. FREER GALLERY OF ART WED., FEB. 5, 2 P.M.

KOREAN

Directed by G.P. Shippy (India, 1975, 204 min.) Amitabh Bachchan and Dhar-

“

mendra star as a pair of criminals hired by a retired cop to capture a ruthless bandit. This landmark film injected themes from Hollywood westerns and action movies into Bollywood’s already irresistible mix of overthe-top drama, infectious songs and spectacular dance numbers.

Parasite

Directed by Joon-ho Bong (South Korea, 2019, 132 min.)

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Masterminded by collegeaged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. But when a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

RUSSIAN

”

JOHN BRADSHAW, executive director of DACOR

Directed by Kantemir Balagov (Russia, 2020, 130 min.)

In 1945 Leningrad, World War II has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and spiritually. Although the siege — one of the worst in history — is finally over, life and death continue their battle in the wreckage that remains. Two women, intensely bonded after fighting side by side as antiaircraft gunners, attempt to readjust to a haunted world. LANDMARK’S THEATRES OPENS FRI., FEB. 21

The Color of Pomegranates

Directed by Sergei Parajanov (Soviet Union, 1969, 75 min.) Mingling tableaux, ritual, metaphor, music and poetry, the film attempts to recount the inner life of 18th-century Armenian poet and troubadour Sayat Nova while following his story from childhood through death. Preceding the feature is the American premiere of “Kiev

dents. The only requirement is that all members must be U.S. citizens. “That’s the founding DNA of the organization,” Bradshaw said, adding that “every time a new Foreign Service class comes in, we invite them here for a reception. All of them are eligible for a complimentary membership.”

HOME TO U.S. HISTORY DACOR is headquartered in Bacon House, which celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2025 and boasts an illustrious history. John Marshall, chief justice of the Supreme Court, lived in the 24room house in the early 1830s as a boarder. Whenever he was in town, world-famous pianist Arthur Rubinstein played the Steinway grand

piano that sits in the North Drawing Room. In the 1920s, Robert Low Bacon, a congressman from New York, moved here with his wife, Virginia. After his death in 1938, his widow continued to live in the house, where she hosted many ambassadors and diplomats for various events. Following her death in 1980, ownership of the mansion passed to the Bacon House Foundation, which merged with DACOR. Eight presidents — including Abraham Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush — have visited Bacon House. The 14,500-squarefoot structure, which cost $6,000 to construct in 1824, boasts 24 rooms on four floors as well as a half-acre garden for receptions and other

PHOTO: LARRY LUXNER

events. The property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a two-time recipient of the American Institute of Architects’s Excellence in Historic Preservation and Architecture Award. DACOR offers three guest rooms on the fourth floor for non-resident members visiting Washington, and it maintains reciprocal relationships with similar diplomatic clubs in New York, London and other major cities around the world. “We also serve as a venue for discreet diplomatic negotiations. We encourage that,” Bradshaw said, noting that DACOR recently hosted a meeting between the ambassadors of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have been fighting sporadically for years over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. “But there are

FREER GALLERY OF ART SAT., FEB. 29, 1 P.M.

SPANISH Pain & Glory

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Spain, 2019, 113 min.) Antonio Banderas plays Salvador Mallo, a film director in physical decline who reflects on his past as his present comes crashing down around him. WEST END CINEMA

Beanpole

We don’t have a real constituency to support the U.S. Foreign Service, like there is to support the military…. So what we do is very important now, because diplomacy itself is under fire.

Frescoes” (1966, 13 minutes), a restored short film by Parajanov is composed of outtakes from an uncompleted film project. (Special thanks go to PostClassical Ensemble and the Embassy of Armenia.)

TURKISH Honeyland

Directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov (North Macedonia, 2019, 86 min.)

Hatidze lives with her ailing mother in the mountains of Macedonia, making a living cultivating honey using ancient beekeeping traditions. When an unruly family moves in next door, what at first seems like a balm for her solitude becomes a source of tension as they, too, want to practice beekeeping, while disregarding her advice (Turkish, Macedonian and Serbo-Croatian).

THE AVALON THEATRE WED., FEB. 5, 8 P.M.

Culture

arts & entertainment

Plan Your Entire Weekend. www.washdiplomat.com

some things we can’t talk about.” In the space of one recent week alone, DACOR hosted Ricklef Beutin, deputy chief of mission at the German Embassy, who spoke on the fall of the Berlin Wall. Middle East expert Aaron David Miller talked about his new book, “Gulliver’s Troubles,” and Washington Post foreign correspondent Pamela Constable gave a lecture on Afghanistan. Every year during the last week of September, DACOR hosts a conference that usually attracts 80 to 90 participants; the most recent one was on “Rethinking the U.S. National Interest.” Perhaps it’s that very national interest which now seems to be at stake, Bradshaw seems to suggest — without identifying Secretary of State Pompeo by name. “There’s a great concern among our members about the failure of the top leadership of the State Department to fully protect career Foreign Service Officers,” he said. “There’s a lack of recognition by both the American public and by this administration of what diplomats really do.” WD Tel Aviv-based journalist Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 31

WD | Culture | Events

Events Listings *Please check the venue for times. Venue locations are subject to change.

ART

wide range and immediate influence of Raphael’s art shaped the standard of aesthetic excellence for later artists. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

FEB. 2 TO MAY 3

THROUGH FEB. 17

An integral part of art education in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, painting en plein air was a core practice for avantgarde artists in Europe. Intrepid artists — highly skilled at quickly capturing effects of light and atmosphere — made sometimes arduous journeys to paint their landscapes in person at breathtaking sites, ranging from the Baltic coast and Swiss Alps to the streets of Paris and ruins of Rome. Drawing on new scholarship, this exhibition of some 100 oil sketches made outdoors across Europe during that time includes several recently discovered works and explores issues such as attribution, chronology and technique.

This is the first major exhibition held outside Spain to celebrate the expressive art of the most important sculptor active on the Iberian Peninsula during the first half of the 16th century, Alonso Berruguete, featuring an impressive range of more than 40 works from across his career, including examples of his earliest paintings from his time in Italy, where he trained.

True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780-1870

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

THROUGH FEB. 7

In Between and Beyond

In this comprehensive suite of works by Jorge Caligiuri, the artist explores dramatic and engaging compositions, detaching the image from the two-dimensional aspect of the wooden panel to create three-dimensional assemblages that draw the viewer into his world. That world is filled with expressive fearlessness, taking mediums to the edge to change our perspectives on subject, line, color and ideas. EMBASSY OF ARGENTINA ART GALLERY

FEB. 7 TO 25

The Moment: Nature, Life, and Re-creation

The year’s first exhibition for the Korean Cultural Center and the first drawn from the center’s 2020 Open Call for Artists, “The Moment” showcases more than 25 works by three contemporary Korean artists who reflect on the inherent connection between creation and destruction in the natural world: Leeah Joo, Youn-kyung Cho and Kyoung-Hye Han. Employing diverse artistic media and stylistic approaches — including oil painting, fiber craft and traditional ink brushwork on Korean Hanji paper — Joo, Cho and Han bring their unique stories and ideas to the central themes of regeneration, life as a cycle, and the perspective shifts that understanding these ongoing processes can bring about. KOREAN CULTURAL CENTER

FEB. 16 TO JUNE 14

Raphael and His Circle

Raphael (1483-1520) was one of the greatest artistic figures working in the Western classical tradition. In celebration of the 500th anniversary of his death, the gallery presents 25 prints and drawings in an intimate installation that illustrates how the combination of artistic traditions,

Alonso Berruguete: First Sculptor of Renaissance Spain

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

FEB. 28 TO MAY 25

Graciela Iturbide’s Mexico

For the past 50 years, Graciela Iturbide has produced majestic, powerful and sometimes visceral photographs. She is considered one of the greatest contemporary photographers in Latin America. This monumental survey of photographs of Mexico spans Iturbide’s career with images from 1969 through 2007. It encompasses compelling portrayals of indigenous and urban women, explorations of symbolism in nature and rituals, and haunting photographs of personal items left after the death of Frida Kahlo. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS

FEB. 29 TO MAY 24

Riffs and Relations: African American Artists and the European Modernist Tradition

This exhibition presents works by African American artists of the 20th and 21st centuries together with examples by the early 20th-century European artists with whom they engaged. European modernist art has been an important, yet complicated influence on black artists for more than a century. The powerful push and pull of this relationship constitutes a distinct tradition for many African American artists who have mined the narratives of art history, whether to find inspiration, mount a critique or claim their own space. THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION

THROUGH MARCH 8

Visual Memory: Home + Place

This mid-career survey of multimedia artists Scherezade García and Iliana Emilia García explores how each artist reflects upon constructed notions of human geography and history in a creative multidisciplinary approach. Generating a provocative and incisive rethinking about the possibilities of visual memory, they engage with timeless universal concerns about global migration, settlement and the spaces we occupy. ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS

32 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

THROUGH MARCH 15

Heroes & Losers: The Edification of Luis Lorenzana

Luis Lorenzana (b. 1979) is a selftaught Filipino artist whose background in politics has infused his work with a cynicism that belies his longing for a kinder, more equitable world. The exhibition thus touches on the themes of a desperate kind of selfless heroism — and the all-too familiar failure of a democratic political system. These are works that will have relevance to the current American landscape; indeed, to anywhere in the world. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

THORUGH MARCH 15

Landscape in an Eroded Field: Carol Barsha, Heather Theresa Clark, Artemis Herber

Depicting nature and the environment is one of the most ancient and elemental expressions of art. From cave painting to Dutch still lifes to social practice incorporating life forms, artists have always been attentive and responsive to the world around them. This exhibition spans landscape painting that takes no social or political stance to multimedia painting and sculpture but puts climate change at the center of its meaning. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

THROUGH APRIL 19

Delita Martin: Calling Down the Spirits

Multimedia artist Delita Martin (b. 1972) makes large-scale prints onto which she draws, sews, collages and paints. Martin’s meticulous, multilayered works create a powerful presence for her subjects: black women and men depicted on a monumental scale. Through her imagery, Martin forges a new iconography that is rooted in African tradition, personal recollections and physical materials. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS

THROUGH APRIL 26

Dialog: Landscape and Abstraction – Freya Grand and AMA’s Permanent Collection

This exhibition pairs important 20th-century abstract works by artists in the OAS Art Museum of the Americas’s permanent collection with works by contemporary landscape painter Freya Grand. The pairings of Grand and artists living and working in the Americas (1960-73) convey a common dialogue through their shared forms, textures, symbols, color and composition. Here, Grand’s immersive landscapes derived from her experiences in remote regions of Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands intermingle with those of such stalwarts of the OAS AMA’s art collection as Maria Luisa Pacheco (Bolivia), Angel Hurtado (Venezuela) and Anibal Villacis (Ecuador). ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS

The Washington Diplomat

February 2020

THROUGH MAY 1

THROUGH JULY 5

THROUGH OCT. 12

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the U.S. constitutional amendment confirming women’s right to vote, this powerful new exhibition and book from National Geographic showcases iconic women around the world. The exhibition’s stunning photographs, drawn from National Geographic’s unparalleled image collection, span nine decades and feature a myriad of countries.

Taking its name from a 1970’s feminist anthem, “I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa” draws upon a selection of artworks by women artists from the National Museum of African Art’s permanent collection to reveal a more contemporary feminism that recognizes the contributions of women to the most pressing issues of their times. With experimental and sophisticated use of diverse media, the 27 featured artists offer insightful and visually stunning approaches to matters of community, faith, the environment, politics, colonial encounters, racism, identity and more.

“Portraits of the World: Denmark” will feature the painting “Kunstdommere (Art Judges)” by Michael Ancher (1849-1927), on loan from the Museum of National History in Hillerød, Denmark. The monumental group portrait pays tribute to a tightly knit artists’ community in northern Denmark, which served as the incubator for the Modern Breakthrough in Danish painting. A complementary display of American portraits will highlight the proliferation of artists’ communities in New York City during the first half of the 20th century, which likewise accelerated the development of modern art in the United States.

Women: A Century of Change

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MUSEUM

THROUGH MAY 24

Robert Franklin Gates: Paint What You See

“Robert Franklin Gates: Paint What You See” showcases an adventurous artist who greatly influenced the course of Washington art from his arrival from Detroit in 1930, at the age of 24, until his death in 1982 as an AU Professor Emeritus. He was a muralist, painter, printmaker, draftsman, and professor at the Phillips Gallery School and then American University for over 40 years.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

THROUGH MAY 24

Volkmar Wentzel

Volkmar Kurt Wentzel (b. Dresden, 1915-2006) arrived in Washington, D.C., in the early 1930s. When the Great Depression led to prohibitive housing costs in D.C., he moved to West Virginia to join a community with Robert Gates and several other artists who had become close friends. In 1937, back in Washington, purchased a new camera and began photographing the series “Washington by Night.” First lady Eleanor Roosevelt, out for a stroll one evening, encountered Volkmar and purchased several of his pictures. Volkmar completed his Washington photographs and brought them to National Geographic. The event led to his 48-year photographic career as a National Geographic photographer.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

THROUGH MAY 25

Chiura Obata: American Modern

Chiura Obata (1885-1975) ranks among the most significant Japanese American cultural artists and figures of the 20th century. Best known for his majestic views of the American West, Obata brought a distinctive trans-Pacific style to the arts community of California as an artist and teacher. This major traveling retrospective presents the most comprehensive survey to date of his acclaimed and varied body of work, from bold landscape paintings of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park to intimate drawings of his experiences of the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART

THROUGH SEPT. 7

Pat Steir: Color Wheel

The Hirshhorn will host the largest painting installation to date by the acclaimed abstract painter Pat Steir. The exhibition is an expansive new suite of paintings by the artist, spanning the entire perimeter of the Museum’s second-floor inner-circle galleries, extending nearly 400 linear feet. HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

THROUGH SEPT. 13

Lee Ufan: Open Dimension

“Lee Ufan: Open Dimension” is an ambitious site-specific commission by the celebrated Korean artist Lee Ufan. The expansive installation, featuring 10 new sculptures from the artist’s signature and continuing “Relatum” series, marks Lee Ufan’s largest single outdoor sculpture project in the US, the first exhibition of his work in the nation’s capital, and the first time in the Hirshhorn’s 45-year history that its 4.3-acre outdoor plaza has been devoted, almost in its entirety, to the work of a single artist. HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

THROUGH OCT. 12, 2020

Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection

Featuring the recent gift of over 50 major historical works, including more than 35 seminal works by Marcel Duchamp, this exhibition comprises an unparalleled selection of art, thoughtfully acquired over the course of two decades and offering a rarely seen view of the entire arc of Duchamp’s career. This is the first stage of a twopart exhibition on the life and legacy of Duchamp. The second stage, opening spring 2020, will examine Duchamp’s lasting impact through the lens of the Hirshhorn’s permanent collection, including significant works by a diverse roster of modern and contemporary artists. HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

Portraits of the World: Denmark

NATIONAL PORTRAIT MUSEUM

DANCE THROUGH FEB. 2

The National Ballet of Canada

Canada’s esteemed ballet company returns with two programs: On Jan. 28 and 29, experience two works by William Forsythe: Jiří Kylián’s “Petite Mort” and Alexei Ratmansky’s “Piano Concerto #1.” Then on Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, “The Sleeping Beauty” is the romantic tale of a princess cursed to sleep for 100 years, danced to Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous music. Tickets are $29 to $149. KENNEDY CENTER OPERA HOUSE

THU., FEB. 6, 8 P.M.

Bereishit Dance Company

Bereishit Dance Company is a groundbreaking Seoul-based company that approaches Korean traditional culture from a contemporary view. “Judo” and “Balance & Imbalance,” two of the company’s acclaimed works, are stunning examples of their style that merges the control and full-body excitement of break dance with sleek artistry and urban cool. Tickets are $35 to $75. MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

FEB. 11 TO 16

American Ballet Theatre: Giselle

An exciting new generation of ABT’s international stars comes to D.C. for one of the world’s most cherished ballets. Considered a quintessential tale of unrequited love, heartbreaking loss, and triumphant forgiveness, “Giselle” remains a timeless favorite. Tickets are $49 to $295. KENNEDY CENTER OPERA HOUSE

FEB. 19 TO 23

Balanchine + Ashton

From a lively and jazzy Broadway production to divine elegance, witness bellwether ballets by 20th-century dance titans George Balanchine and Sir Frederick Ashton presented by The Washington Ballet. Tickets are $25 to $170. KENNEDY CENTER EISENHOWER THEATER

Events | Culture | WD TUE., FEB. 25, 8 P.M., WED., FEB. 26, 8 P.M.

FRI., FEB. 7, 10 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.

Irish-American super-group Cherish The Ladies creates an evening that includes a spectacular blend of virtuoso instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing. Tickets start at $27.

Spanish art’s golden age — as exemplified by the works of artists such as El Greco and Velázquez — reflects a complex set of forces that combined humanist ideas originating in Renaissance Italy with an emphasis on spirituality rooted in the middle ages and the Catholic CounterReformation. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine provides an overview of the era and the enduring achievements of Spanish artists who shaped its visual culture. Tickets are $140; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org.

Cherish The Ladies

WOLF TRAP

DISCUSSIONS TUE., FEB. 4, 6:30 P.M.

When Time Stopped: A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains

The Embassy of the Czech Republic, in collaboration with Scribner, presents the book launch and discussion of “When Time Stopped: A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains,” with author Ariana Neumann. Of 34 Neumann family members taken by the Nazis in World War II, 25 were murdered. One of the survivors was Hans Neumann, who went on to build an industrial empire in Venezuela, although he never spoke of his past to his daughter Ariana. When he died, he left Ariana a small box filled with letters, diary entries and other memorabilia, launching her on a worldwide search that would deliver indelible portraits of a family loving, finding meaning and trying to survive amid the worst that can be imagined. To RSVP, visit https://whentimestopped. eventbrite.com. EMBASSY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

TUE., FEB. 4, 6:45 P.M.

A Clear Distinction: Muslim Cultures and the Islamic Faith

For many non-Muslims, it can be difficult to distinguish Islamic religious practices from cultural practices in Muslim-majority countries. Farhana N. Shah of the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring will examine the differences between the faith of Islam and the cultures found in the Muslim world. Tickets are $30; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org. S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

FEB. 4 AND 5

Boundless: Africa

As part of the 2019-20 “World Stages” season, the Kennedy Center presents the literary mini-series “Boundless: Africa,” a program that combines performances, panel discussions and readings, with most events held at the REACH at the Kennedy Center. Featuring playwrights, poets and writers of African heritage living in Africa and the diaspora, including the U.S., the series brings to the forefront relevant issues that inform the boundaries separating genres, art forms, geography and time. While highlighting visionary artists at the forefront of international discourse, each performance dives into topical themes — such as forgiveness, survival, identity and community — revealing a vision of the world like you may never have seen. KENNEDY CENTER / GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

The Golden Age of Spanish Art

S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

SAT., FEB. 8, 9:30 A.M. - 4:15 P.M.

Ancient Egypt Through Its Art, Architecture and Archaeology

The secret to understanding the daily life and culture of ancient Egypt under its great rulers and pharaohs is right before our eyes: in its art and architecture. Using evidence from the most recent archaeological discoveries, Egyptologist Jacquelyn Williamson surveys the social and historical realities of this civilization from its early pyramids through the art created under King Akhenaten, who upended centuries of tradition to created new artistic conventions. Tickets are $140; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org. S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

SAT., FEB. 22, 9:30 A.M. TO 4:15 P.M.

Religious Crises in the Western World: Triumphs and Traumas

When the fabric of religion is altered, or a new religion begins to grow, the social, cultural and political consequences are often significant. Ori Z. Soltes, professor of Jewish civilization at Georgetown University, examines some of the key transitional moments in the religious history of the West such as the rise of Christianity, the Muslim golden age, the crises of the papacy and the onset of the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation, concluding with a look at the diaspora of Jews and Judaism. Tickets are $140; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org. S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

MON., FEB. 24, 7 P.M.

Reading: Defending Democracy

After the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the victory parade of democracy seemed unstoppable. Twenty years later, the initial euphoria of basic democratic thinking has given way to disillusionment. Globalization, rising unemployment, retrenchment in social programs, marginalization of large societal groups and the bank and sovereign debt crisis of 2008 have all led to shrinking trust in democracy and its institutions. To discuss these trends, Gregorij H. von Leïtis and Michael Lahr from the New York-based nonprofit Elysium - Between Two Continents/The Lahr von Leitis Academy & Archive will present the program “Defending Democracy. A Meditation on Basic Democratic Values in Times

of Political and Economic Insecurity,” a literary collage with texts by Mahatma Gandhi, Robert F. Kennedy, Hermynia zur Mühlen, Erich Mühsam, Alfred Polgar, Carl von Ossietzky and others. Admission is free but registration is required; for information, visit https://acfdc.org/events-2020/ reading-defending-democracy. EMBASSY OF AUSTRIA

FESTIVALS FRI., FEB. 21, 6:30 P.M.

Inka Road Food Fiesta

Visitors can explore the foods found in communities that live along the Inka Road of South America. Freddie Bitsoie, executive chef of the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, and other guest chefs will share the stories and food traditions that sustained and continue to support the diverse peoples of the intricate road system. Visitors can enjoy Andean music between tastings and take part in cultural interpreters’ tours of the museum’s “The Great Inka Road” exhibition. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

MUSIC FRI., FEB. 7, 8 P.M.

Drum Tao

“DRUM TAO 2020” is the latest production from TAO, internationally-acclaimed percussion artists. TAO’s modern, high-energy performances showcasing the ancient art of Japanese drumming have transfixed audiences worldwide. Combining highly physical, large-scale drumming with contemporary costumes, precise choreography and innovative visuals, TAO creates an energetic and unforgettable experience. Tickets are $29 to $69. MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

TUE., FEB. 11, 7 P.M.

Trio Artio

Trio Artrio is a young and dynamic classical music ensemble founded in Vienna in 2017 by Austrian violinist Judith Fliedl, Austrian pianist Johanna Estermann and German cellist Christine Roider. Each member of the trio already had an extensive list of chamber music experience, and thanks to joint concerts in New York, Berlin and Graz, they decided to embark on a musical future together in the form of a piano trio. Admission is free but registration is required; for information, visit https://acfdc.org/ events-2020/concert-trio-artio. EMBASSY OF AUSTRIA

FRI., FEB. 14, 7 P.M.

Concert: Michal Hrůza and his band

Michal Hrůza and his band Hrůzy For Valentine’s Day, bring a friend, a loved one or rock it solo for an unforgettable evening of music with pop singer/songwriter Michal Hrůza and his band Hrůzy, making their D.C. debut. Hrůza wrote the song “Za100let (In 100 Years),” which has 17 million views on YouTube, as well as songs for popular Czech films. Come dance the night away with Hrůza and his band at the Czech Embassy. Admission free; to RSVP, visit https://michalhruza. eventbrite.com. EMBASSY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

SAT., FEB. 29, 8 P.M.

Kiran Ahluwalia

Kiran Ahluwalia is a modern exponent of the vocal traditions of India and Pakistan whose original compositions embody Indian, West African blues, contemporary jazz, rock and R&B influences. She has collaborated with the legendary Malian group Tinariwen as well as fiddler Natalie McMasters and renowned fado masters. Tickets start at $24. WOLF TRAP

THEATER THROUGH FEB. 1

World Stages – Grey Rock

A Palestinian man decides to build a rocket to the moon in a shed. “This show is about people, about relationships between a father and a daughter, a mentor and an apprentice, a woman and her suitors,” says writer and director Amir Nizar Zuabi. Tickets are $15 to $35. KENNEDY CENTER TERRACE THEATER

FEB. 6 TO MARCH 8

The 39 Steps

One evening in 1930s London, Richard Hannay attends a vaudeville performance at the London Palladium when a fight breaks out in the theater and shots are fired. In the ensuing panic, a frightened young woman named Annabella persuades Hannay to take her back to his flat. There, she claims to be a spy who has uncovered a plot to steal British military secrets implemented by a mysterious espionage organization known as “The 39 Steps.” The next morning, Hannay wakes up to find Annabella stabbed to death. Now a suspect in her murder, Hannay must careen across Europe to evade the police and expose the killer’s true identity in this fast-paced and riotously funny adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller film presented by Constellation Theatre Company. Tickets are $25 to $45. SOURCE AT 1835 14TH ST., NW

FEB. 10 TO MARCH 8

Shipwreck: A History Play About 2017

A group of well-meaning liberals gather at a farmhouse in upstate New York for a relaxing weekend. A son adopted from Kenya struggles to feel connected to his new family and country. And the 45th U.S. president sends a history-altering dinner invitation. There is plenty of blame to spare as snow piles high, mountains crumble and the wounds of the 2016 election break open. The mythology of America is rewritten in real time as we are forced to grapple with the legend of a frightening New York man made from gold. Tickets start at $34. WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE COMPANY

FEB. 11 TO MARCH 15

The Amen Corner

Margaret, a zealous church pastor of a storefront church in Harlem, must confront the past she left behind when her estranged husband Luke returns. Trying to find his own identity outside of the confines of the church, their son David bonds with his ailing

father over their shared love of jazz music. Margaret’s misguided but fervent beliefs cause further disunity both within their fragile family union and in her congregation as her past comes to light. Tickets are $35 to $120. THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE

FEB. 11 TO 16

The King’s Speech

King George VI (Bertie) is thrust onto the world stage after the abdication of his older brother, Edward. Shy, fragile and afflicted with a profound stammer, Bertie is ill-equipped to lead a nation on the brink of world war. When traditional medical interventions fail, Bertie’s wife Elizabeth convinces her husband to seek help from an unconventional Harley Street speech therapist. Please call for ticket information. NATIONAL THEATRE

FEB. 13 TO 15

The Clemency of Titus

After stand-out performances at the Kennedy Center’s Artes de Cuba Festival in 2018, the multi-award-winning Havana Lyceum Orchestra and one of Latin America’s most cuttingedge theater directors Carlos Diaz join forces for a Cuban adaptation of Mozart’s opera “La Clemenza di Tito.” Tickets are $39 to $149.

KENNEDY CENTER OPERA HOUSE

FEB. 15, 22 AND 29

Hear Me Say My Name

“I am not your mascot, and I don’t live in a tipi. See me for who I am, hear me say my name.” This original multimedia play, created in collaboration with Smithsonian Associates Discovery Theater, tackles America’s assumptions about American Indians and starts a conversation with audiences reclaiming rich history, challenges, hopes and dreams. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

THROUGH FEB. 16

Pipeline

Nya is a single mom and dedicated teacher at a high-poverty city school, determined to give her teenaged son Omari opportunities that her students will never have. When an altercation with a teacher at his private school threatens Omari’s future, Nya has to fight a system that’s against him in any environment. A searing, eloquent, and deeply compassionate look at a broken education system, the moments we are pushed to our limits, and the ferocity of one parent’s love. Tickets are $60 to $90. STUDIO THEATRE

FEB. 19 TO MARCH 15

The Wanderers

Esther and Schmuli are Satmar Hasidic Jews embarking on an arranged marriage, despite barely knowing each other. Abe and Julia are high-profile celebrities embarking on a dangerously flirtatious correspondence, despite being married to other people. On the surface, the lives of these two couples couldn’t be more different. The play explores the hidden connections between these seemingly disparate people, drawing audiences into an intriguing puzzle and a deeply sympathetic look at modern love.

Tickets are $39 to $69.

EDLAVITCH DCJCC THEATER J

THROUGH FEB. 23

Gun & Powder

Inspired by a true story, make way for the sisters Clarke in a dynamic, moving and inspiring world premiere musical of notorious outlaws who ruled the Wild West. To help their mother settle a sharecropper debt, Mary and Martha Clarke — light-skinned African American twins — pass themselves as White to seize the funds by any means necessary. However, their bond of sisterhood is tested when they fall in love with two very different men, one black, the other white. Please call for ticket information. SIGNATURE THEATRE

THROUGH FEB. 23

Silent Sky

A decade before women gained the right to vote, Henrietta Leavitt and her fellow women “computers” transformed the science of astronomy. In the Harvard Observatory, Leavitt found 2,400 new variable stars and made important discoveries about their fluctuating brightness, enabling fellow scientists to map the Milky Way and beyond. This inspiring drama explores the determination, passion and sacrifice of the women who redefined our understanding of the cosmos. Tickets are $22 to $72. FORD’S THEATRE

FEB. 28 TO APRIL 12

Celia and Fidel

Can one woman change the mind of a man and the fate of a nation? Fidel Castro’s most trusted confidant and political partner, Celia Sánchez, is never far from his side as he grapples with how to move his country forward. It’s 1980 and a failing economy has led 10,000 Cuban citizens to seek asylum at the Peruvian Embassy in Cuba. Castro must decide what kind of a leader he wants to be: merciful or mighty. Imbued with magical realism, “Celia and Fidel” is the dynamic story of radical change in Cuba featuring the country’s most notorious political figure and Cuba’s most influential female revolutionary. Tickets are $40 to $95. ARENA STAGE

THROUGH MARCH 1

The Merry Wives of Windsor The boisterous Falstaff hatches a dubious plan to woo the wealthy wives of Windsor, pilfer their fortunes and make their husbands green with jealousy. The scheming plot is met with fun-filled retaliation when the ladies devise a plot to teach Falstaff a lesson he won’t soon forget. Tickets are $42 to $85. FOLGER THEATRE

THROUGH MARCH 1

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Set in 1992 in war-torn Afghanistan, this gripping story centers around a friendship that develops between two Afghan women following a tragedy. While facing insurmountable odds of a brutal and oppressive way of life, the two form an unlikely bond in a heart-rending fight for survival. Tickets are $41 to $95. ARENA STAGE

FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 33

WD | Culture | Spotlight

Diplomatic Spotlight

February 2020

Ambassador Insider Series: Women in Diplomacy On Dec. 5, the ambassadors of Albania, Honduras and Iceland gathered for a special Ambassador Insider Series (AIS) on women in diplomacy held at 1331 Maryland luxury apartment residences, where they reflected on the strides women have made, the obstacles that remain and their own personal career experiences. While the #MeToo movement has thrust the issue of gender equality into the global spotlight, the record on women’s rights is still mixed. Today, a record number of women — 102 — now serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. By comparison, in 1992, which was dubbed the so-called “Year of the Woman,” only 27 women were elected to the House and the Senate. At the same time in Washington, D.C., the number of female ambassadors has never budged past 30, out of nearly 180 posts. It reached a high when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state but has since dropped to the usual figure of roughly two dozen. Ambassadors Floreta Faber of Albania, María Dolores Agüero Lara of Honduras and Bergdís Ellertsdóttir of Iceland offered their perspectives on gender equality, both here and at home. Faber also praised the U.S. for its support following the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck her country on Nov. 26, killing over 50 people, injuring 2,000 others and leaving an estimated 13,000 homeless (also see cover profile on page 13). Photos: Jessica Knox Photography

Ambassadors Bergdís Ellertsdóttir of Iceland, María Dolores Agüero Lara of Honduras and Floreta Faber of Albania talk to moderator Anna Gawel, managing editor of The Washington Diplomat. Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber talks about the recent earthquake that struck her nation.

Rod Carrasco, sales director for The Washington Diplomat; Ambassador of Kosovo Vlora Çitaku; Ambassador of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle; Ambassador of Iceland Bergdís Ellertsdóttir; Ambassador of Honduras María Dolores Agüero Lara; Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber; Anna Gawel, managing editor of The Washington Diplomat; Victor Shiblie, publisher of The Washington Diplomat; and Ambassador of the Arab League Salah Sarhan.

Ambassador of Honduras María Dolores Agüero Lara speaks to guests.

A guest, Thomas McCarthy of the W Washington DC and Tony Culley-Foster of CFCO International.

Publisher Victor Shiblie, center, shares a laugh with the panelists.

Ambassador of the Arab League Salah Sarhan listens to the discussion.

Author Saladin Ambar of Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Kelsey Leck of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Managing editor Anna Gawel, Jan Du Plain of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and Susan Sloan of AJC Global, who is releasing the forthcoming book “At the Table: Diverse Female Voices in the Next Era of Diplomacy.”

Luis Chang of PromPerú Houston, associate lawyer Michael Ragan, Steve Mukherjee of the State Department and Brandi Dunn of the Cato Institute.

Laura Hernandez-Rosario of the office of Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.); Madison Van Every of the U.S. House of Representatives and Yifat Alon Perel of the Embassy of Israel.

Chenoa Lee of Georgetown University, Derrick Wayland of the Department of Homeland Security and Alyssa Booker of Dynamis.

34 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

Devon Harris of Georgetown University, Holly Hull of Republic Properties Corp. and Gabe Gough of Deloitte Consulting.

Political analyst Eric Ham.

The ambassadors of Monaco, Iceland, Kosovo and Honduras pose with students from Georgetown University.

Ambassadors Bergdís Ellertsdóttir of Iceland, María Dolores Agüero Lara of Honduras, Floreta Faber of Albania and moderator Anna Gawel share a laugh.

Sofia Machado of the Embassy of Argentina asks a question.

Courtney Radsch of the Committee to Protect Journalists asks a question.

Teresa Tindal and Tamim Khallaf of the Embassy of Egypt.

Spotlight | Culture | WD

Ambassador Insider Series: Women in Diplomacy

Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber and Leila Beale.

Ambassador of Honduras María Dolores Agüero Lara, second from left, poses with members of her embassy staff. From left are Pamela Handal, Andrea Palma and Alejandra Sandoval Taixes.

Guests relax on the top floor of 1331 Maryland luxury apartment residences, which offers sweeping views of the Tidal Basin and other D.C. landmarks.

Ambassadors Bergdís Ellertsdóttir of Iceland, María Dolores Agüero Lara of Honduras, Floreta Faber of Albania and moderator Anna Gawel. Counselor Una Johannsdottír of the Embassy of Iceland and Ambassador of Iceland Bergdís Ellertsdóttir.

Ambassador of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle and James Connelly of Summit Commercial Real Estate.

Caroline Briscoe of the office of Rep. Van Taylor (R-Texas) and Fatima Azhar of the office of Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas).

Stefan Gudjohnsen of Globescope and Una Johannsdottír of the Embassy of Iceland.

Kallie Aultman of the National Immigration Forum and Pamela Marquez of USA for IOM.

Thomas Coleman of the Department of Homeland Security, Roseann Pinkney and Gary Pinkney.

Deputy Chief of Mission of the Philippine Embassy Patrick Chuasoto, The Washington Diplomat publisher Victor Shiblie and Shirley Flores of the Embassy of the Philippines.

Omani National Day

Qatari National Day

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin greets Ambassador of Qatar Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al Thani at the Qatari National Day reception held at the Library of Congress.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gives remarks.

Fuad Shiblie and Rod Carrasco of The Washington Diplomat.

Ambassador of Qatar Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al Thani welcomes guests to the Qatari National Day reception held at the Library of Congress.

Ambassador of Armenia Varuzhan Nersesyan talks with Ambassador of Kuwait Salem Al-Sabah.

Rima Al-Sabah, wife of the Kuwaiti ambassador, and Rita Cosby of Inside Edition.

Narine Malkhasyan, Ambassador of Armenia Varuzhan Nersesyan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar attend the Qatari National Day reception.

PHOTOS: NESHAN H. NALTCHAYAN

U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Ambassador of Oman Hunaina Sultan Ahmed Al-Mughairy and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar cut a cake to celebrate Oman’s National Day at the Four Seasons Hotel.

PHOTO: EMBASSY OF OMAN

FEBRUARY 2020 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 35

WD | Culture | Spotlight

Diplomatic Spotlight

February 2020

Princess Grace of Monaco Celebration

Oneness-Family School’s United Nations Day

To mark the 90th anniversary of the birth of Princess Grace of Monaco, the Embassy of Monaco held a private screening of her classic 1955 film “To Catch A Thief” at the Motion Picture Association (MPA) Theater followed by an evening reception for more than 100 guests at the ambassador’s residence.

Ambassador of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce.

Over 80 embassies were represented at the Oneness-Family School’s annual United Nations Day celebrations. Diplomats participated in a flag procession and interacted with students from Oneness-Family, an independent, coeducation day school in Chevy Chase, Md., that provides private schooling rooted in the tradition of Montessori philosophy.

Michael Olding of the GW Cosmetic Surgery Center, Executive Director of The Washington Ballet Michael Pastreich, Isabel de la Cruz Ernst and Ricardo Ernst.

Mamotebang Nkeane of the Embassy of Lesotho; Abratha Doe, deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of Liberia; Ambassador of Lesotho Sankatana Gabriel Maja; Andrew Kutt, founder and head of school for Oneness-Family School; and Fadwa Manea of the Embassy of Iraq.

“As a Princess of Monaco, we have fond memories of her and how generous she was of spirit and heart and how she relentlessly worked for Mediterranean causes,” Ambassador of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle told guests at the Motion Picture Association screening, which she co-hosted with Charles Rivkin, MPA chairman and former U.S. ambassador to France. “She continued to support and love the arts, and that is why after her passing, Prince Rainier and his chilCEO Brisa Trinchero and Developdren launched this ment Director Patricia Leonard, foundation which both of the Princess Grace Foundacontinued artistic tion USA, which supports emerging legacy.” talent in theater, dance and film.

Ambassadors and diplomats participate in the flag procession.

PHOTOS: JOWAN GAUTHIER

Samer Alkharashi, deputy chief of mission of the Saudi Embassy.

Viacom’s DeDe Lea and Julie Kent, artistic director of The Washington Ballet Ambassador of Oman Hunaina Sultan Ahmed Al-Mughairy, Chairman of Oceana Energy Co. William A. Nitze, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Monaco Karine Médecin and Karen Shepherd of The Washington Ballet.

Joan Carl, Amra Fazlic, Ambassador of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle, Debra Therit and Jayne Visser.

PHOTOS: ZAID HAMID PHOTOGRAPHY/ EMBASSY OF MONACO

Chairman of the Princess Grace Foundation John Lehman and Barbara Lehman.

Narine Malkhasyan, wife of the Armenian ambassador.

From right, Ambassador of Lesotho Sankatana Gabriel Maja; Ambassador of Malaysia Dato’ Azmil Zabidi; Ambassador of the Bahamas Sidney Collie; Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Benin Gafari Dango; and Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Chad Oumar Noury Abdelkerim.

Isabelle Tilghman of the Embassy of Belgium, Jan Du Plain of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and Łukasz Czekierda of the Embassy of Poland.

Taras Moskalenko of the Embassy of Ukraine, Merritt Corrigan of the Embassy of Hungary, Porchuathao Paxong of the Embassy of Laos and Andrew Kutt of Oneness-Family School.

IFE Welcomes Friends and Neighbors Coach Kathy Kemper and her husband Jim Valentine, founders of the Institute for Education (IFE), along with their daughters Kelsey and Christina, welcomed neighbors and friends to their home for the sixth annual champagne holiday kickoff on Thanksgiving. Children played corn hole, ping pong, basketball and with indoor drones, while attendees toasted with Veuve Clicquot before heading off for afternoon celebrations with family. Ambassador of Luxembourg Gaston Stronck, coach Kathy Kemper, Tatjana Tanjasan and her husband Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bojan Vujic.

36 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | FEBRUARY 2020

Ambassador of Kazakhstan Erzhan Kazykhanov and Ambassador of Iceland Bergdís Ellertsdóttir.

PHOTOS: INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION

Coach Kathy Kemper, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bojan Vujic, Ambassador of Iceland Bergdís Ellertsdóttir, Inga Thordardottir, Jim Valentine and Christina Kemper Valentine.

Former Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), Narine Malkhasyan and her husband Ambassador of Armenia Varuzhan Nersesyan.

Spotlight | Culture | WD

Uzbek Independence Day

Debra Annalise Pacheli, Armis Sadri, Mallem Samia and Laurel Gray.

At left, Secretary of the District of Columbia Kimberly A. Basset and Ambassador of Uzbekistan Javlon Vakhabov.

Uzbek Javlon Vakhabov and first lady Shakhnoza Vakhabova invited guests to Uzbekistan’s Independence Day reception held at the atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, where traditional attire, arts and crafts were on display. PHOTOS: KATE OCZYPOK

Farogat Eshbekova and Dilyora Rahimova.

Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan Bolot Otunbaev, Zhanna Otunbaeva and Dmitry Basik of the Embassy of Belarus.

Bruce Baganz, president of the Textile Museum Board of Trustees, and Maggie McDonald.

Olga Chevac and Col. Vitalie Micov, defense attaché at the Embassy of Moldova.

Diplomatic Appointments Austria Martin Weiss became ambassador of Austria to the United States on Jan. 6, 2020. He previously Ambassador served as AusMartin Weiss tria’s ambassador to Israel (2015-19), director of the Press and Information Department of the Foreign Ministry (2012-15) and ambassador to Cyprus (2009-12). Throughout his career, he has also held several postings in the United States: He started as a human rights attaché for the Austrian Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1991; held the positions of political counselor, counselor for congressional affairs and public diplomacy and later director of the Austrian Press and Information Service at the Austrian Embassy in Washington; and most recently served as Austrian consul general in Los Angeles from 2004 to 2009. Ambassador Weiss, who was born Dec. 31, 1962, in Innsbruck, Austria, holds a law degree from the University of Vienna and a master’s of law from the University of Virginia. He is married and the father of two.

Thailand Thani Thongphakdi became ambassador of Thailand to the United States on Jan. 6, 2020. A career foreign service officer

who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1987, Ambassador Thongphakdi most recently served as deputy permanent secretary for foreign affairs of Thailand (2017-19) and permanent representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva (2012-17). Prior to that, he was director-general of the Department of Information and spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, having served as deputy director-general and deputy spokesman before that. He has also served as chief of staff to the minister of foreign affairs; director for North America; head of the Policy and Planning Division’s Policy Section; and liaison officer and assistant permanent representative of Thailand to Ambassador UNESCAP in Thani Thongphakdi Bangkok. From 2001 to 2004, Ambassador Thongphakdi was posted to Washington, D.C., as counselor and then minister counselor responsible for political and economic affairs. From 1995 to 2000, he was seconded to the Secretariat of the Prime Minister, working as a foreign affairs coordinator and speechwriter for the prime minister. Ambassador Thongphakdi is a graduate of the Australian National University in Canberra, where he received a combined bachelor’s of economics and bachelor’s of

science degree in 1985. He continued his studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., receiving a master’s in foreign service with honors in international business diplomacy in 1987.

Ukraine Volodymyr Yelchenko became ambassador of Ukraine to the United States on Jan. 6, 2020. Ambassador He most Volodymyr recently served Yelchenko as permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations in New York (2015-19), including as Ukraine’s representative to the U.N. Security Council (2016-17). Prior to that, he was Ukraine’s ambassador to Russia (2010-15) and ambassador to Austria (2005-08) and permanent representative to the international organizations in Vienna (2008-10). Ambassador Yelchenko also served at the United Nations during a previous stint as permanent representative from 1997 to 2000, representative to the U.N. Security Council from 2000 to 2001 and president of the U.N. Security Council in March 2001. In addition, he was the deputy minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine (2000-01); deputy secretary of state for foreign affairs (2001-03); secretary of state for foreign affairs (March-May 2003); first deputy minister for foreign affairs (2003-05); and chairman of the National Commis-

sion of Ukraine for UNESCO (2004-05). Other postings include deputy director (1993-95) and later director (1995-97) of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as an international civil affairs officer with the United Nations Protection Force

February 2020

in Croatia (1993). Ambassador Yelchenko, who was born June 27, 1959, holds a master’s degree in international relations and international law from Kyiv State University and is married to Iryna Yelchenko, with whom he has one daughter.

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OVERBLOWN THREAT? Some experts warn that this zero-sum mindset could stifle the international collaboration needed to advance innovations like 5G. Companies like Verizon, for instance, worry that a technological “cold war” might create a fractured global network that prevents standardization and ultimately hinders growth in the very industries that 5G will make possible. Some experts also say claims that Huawei is a vehicle for malign Chinese activities are exaggerated. Many British and German officials,

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ment contracts from universities that collaborate with Chinese tech companies. The growing global divide over 5G between the U.S. and China is likely to splinter countries into two camps, according to a November 2018 white paper by the Eurasia Group. The report said that efforts by the U.S. and its allies to exclude Chinese equipment suppliers from Western 5G networks will create a “bifurcated 5G ecosystem” that will give way to two tech spheres of influence — “one led by the U.S. and supported by technology developed in Silicon Valley; another led by China and supported by its cadre of highly capable digital platform companies.” “In a bifurcated world, third countries wishing to gain access to this virtuous cycle will face difficult choices about whose 5G network technologies and related application ecosystems to adopt,” according to the report, titled “The Geopolitics of 5G.” “Governments are likely to come under pressure from the U.S. and allies to avoid dependence on China for 5G,” it said. “At the same time, developing countries that are more sensitive to cost will find Chinese technology and related enticements — for example, infrastructure and project financing available through the Belt and Road Initiative — hard to pass up, particularly if China gains an edge in related technology applications.”

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5G will be the fastest internet speed achieved to date, delivering data such as video content up to 100 times faster than any technology available today and enabling wireless devices to communicate with each other instantaneously.

in fact, have said the threats aren’t nearly as dire as the U.S. claims. And, as The New York Times pointed out in a Jan. 26, 2019, article, “So far, the fear swirling around Huawei is almost entirely theoretical. Current and former American officials whisper that classified reports implicate the company in possible Chinese espionage but have produced none publicly. Others familiar with the secret case against the company say there is no smoking gun — just a heightened concern about the firm’s rising technological dominance and the new Chinese laws that require Huawei to submit to requests from Beijing,” wrote David E. Sanger, Julian E. Barnes, Raymond Zhong and Marc Santora. Others say all the heated rhetoric around the 5G “race” is advancing more rapidly than the race itself. While U.S. carriers expect to roll out some 5G services this year, for example, this won’t dramatically reinvent your smartphone overnight because the technology is still being developed. Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC from 2013 to 2017, wrote in a January 2019 brief for the Brookings Institution that 5G implemen-

tation is not so much a race as a long-term, “piece-by-piece, area-by-area” effort to expand high-speed internet coverage to as much of a country’s population as possible. He argues that the debate — and hyperbole — over 5G is being shaped by different actors with different agendas, whether it be politicians like Trump looking to “gin up” nationalism or telecom companies looking to expand business. (He has criticized merger efforts by telecom giants like Sprint and T-Mobile, writing that blocking such mergers generally benefits consumers by preserving competition and lowering prices.) Wheeler says the real crux of the issue comes down to securing America’s cyber network and expanding access to the country’s underserved rural communities. “Rural America was the last to see 4G wireless; unless something proactive occurs, the same fate will be true for 5G,” he wrote. Huawei, in fact, has been key to expanding phone and internet service in these traditionally overlooked American communities by offering lower-cost equipment to rural carriers, which have purchased them with “U.S.

government subsidies intended to help bring internet service to sparsely populated areas that larger telecom companies deemed unprofitable,” wrote Jeanne Whalen in an Oct. 10, 2019, article for The Washington Post. Now that those subsidies are gone, so might be this expanded wireless service. To tackle the problem, in December the FCC announced a $9 billion fund to to expand 5G coverage into rural areas. But the plan, which would scrap an ongoing $4.5 billion program to expand 4G cell service to areas that still have spotty reception, has been criticized by state officials who say it makes little economic and technological sense to leapfrog to 5G without even having 4G in place, according to a Dec. 5, 2019, article in StateScoop by Ryan Johnston. The question of how fast the U.S. should move to achieve the lightening-fast speed of 5G is one that now hangs over policymakers at both the local and national levels. Kania of the Center for a New American Security argues that the need for speed should not come at the expense of security, and that the U.S. should focus more on “establishing a durable foundation for 5G’s future.” “Although there are encouraging indications the U.S. government is starting to concentrate more on 5G, the policies to date have not yet proved commensurate with what is at stake. The Trump administration must also reframe and reorient its approach to competition in 5G, because the notion of ‘America first in the race to 5G’ is not a winning strategy, nor should the aim of the United States be to deploy 5G as quickly as possible,” she wrote in the “Securing Our 5G Future” report. “U.S. policy should focus on promoting the security, collaboration and healthy competition that are so vital to the future of 5G, in close collaboration with allies and partners,” she recommended. “Such a strategy should recognize that the U.S. government can and must play a critical role in promoting innovation through investing in 5G as a new foundation for American competitiveness in the fourth industrial revolution.” WD Ryan R. Migeed (@RyanMigeed) is a freelance writer based in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Anna Gawel (@diplomatnews) is managing editor of The Washington Diplomat.

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