The Washington Diplomat - November 2018 by The Washington Diplomat

Education and Medical Special Sections INSIDE Education

A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat

VOLUME 25, NUMBER 11

The Treasury Department began testing a new law to strengthen a little-known government agency so as to turn the screws on a wellknown geopolitical adversary. The agency is the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, and the adversary is China, with which the Trump administration is engaged in a trade war. / PAGE 8

Europe

Drop in EU Migrant Arrivals Hasn’t Dented Populists

November 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM

Our Civic Duty

United States

U.S. Targets China By Cracking Down on Foreign Investment

•

Decline of Civics Education

PRIME REAL ESTATE A country few Americans have ever heard of is home to the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa, located just a few miles from China’s first overseas military base. In fact, Djibouti has taken advantage of its geostrategic location to become a hub of counterterrorism operations, global shipping, economic growth and regional stability. PAGE 15

The electoral successes that far-right, anti-immigrant political parties across Europe have achieved this year is paradoxical given that the flood of refugees from the Middle East and Africa has abated considerably from its peak in 2015. / PAGE 10

Means Students Less Prepared

PHOTO: BY HOWARD CHANDLER

The Founding Fathers sign

to Become Informed Citizens

hen pop star Taylor Swift just 24 hours the total number for posted on Instagram last all of August. There’s a lot that’s month her support for remarkable here, but two Tennessee Democrats one aspect in the stands out: In adding upcoming midterm elections, to the civic the discourse, she’s inspiring number of voter registrations her largeon ly young fan base to Vote.org skyrocketed, get involved, outpacing in too.

•

CHRISTY - THE INDIAN REPORTER

the U.S. Constitution on Sept.

17, 1787.

BY STEPHANIE KANOWITZ

And sparking interest in civics is no small feat. Defined as the study of citizens’ rights and duties and government workings, civics education has been languishing for years. SEE CIVICS • PAGE 26

DJIBOUTI THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

| NOVEMBER 2018 | 25

Region

headline headline headline text / PAGE 0

Culture People of World Influence

Diplomatic Spouses

Phillips Surveys Nordic Landscape

Two Presidents, Two Visions For Latin America

Tenacity Pays Off For Japan Envoy

Beauty and terror, light and darkness and other Nordic themes riff off each other to resonate in a show that revels in delighting and jarring viewers. / PAGE 32

From corruption scandals to migration crises to Venezuela’s epic meltdown, the Latin America portfolio is a tough one for anyone to tackle — let alone someone who’s worked for two bosses with opposite viewpoints. But Fernando Cutz managed to do just that, and come out on the other side relatively unscathed. / PAGE 4

He set his sights on her from the beginning and never blinked. His persistence paid off. After nearly 40 years together, Japanese Ambassador Shinsuke Sugiyama and his wife Yoko are now busy promoting the deep bonds between their homeland and the U.S. / PAGE 33

"Essential and entertaining reading." —Betty K. Koed, Historian

RISING STAR, SETTING SUN: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and the

Volume 25 "Essential and entertaining reading." —Betty K. Koed, Historian

RISING STAR, SETTING SUN: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and the Presidential Transition that Changed America

| Presidential | www.washdiplomat.com that Changed America Issue 11 | Transition November 2018

Rising Star, Setting Sun is a riveting new history that explores the complicated, poignant, Victor Shiblie Publisher/Editor-in-Chief and consequential transition of power from Dwight D. Eisenhower to John F. Kennedy.

Director of Operations

Fuad Shiblie

The exchange of leadership between the ManagingandEditor Gawel thirty-fourth thirty-fifthAnna presidents of the United States marked more than a succession of leaders. Larry Luxner News EditorIt symbolized—and triggered—a generational shift in American politics, policy, and culture. Cari Henderson Graphic Designer Drawing extensively from primary sources, Account Manager Rod Carrasco including memoirs and memos of the time, Rising Star, Setting Sun paints a vivid Photographer picture of what Time called aLawrence "turning Ruggeri point in the twentieth century."

Contributing Writers

Kåre R. Aas, Paige Aarhus,

"The presidential transition from Kennedy starkly contrasted the JohnEisenhower Brinkley,toElise Carlson-Rainer, parties, temperaments, and generations of the two leaders, yet the transfer of Crowley, Stephanie Kanowitz, power proceeded amicably inMike the national interest. John Shaw's Rising Star, Setting Sun slips behind the veil of civility to take the measure of both men and Kate Oczypok, Gail Scott, assess their personal antagonisms."

Molly McCluskey, Ryan Migeed, Aileen Torres-Bennett, Pegasus Books, hardcover, May 2018, ISBN: 9781681777320 Lisa Troshinsky, Mackenzie Weinger

—Donald A. Ritchie, Historian Emeritus of the United States Senate and author of Electing FDR: The New Deal Campaign of 1932

Editorial Interns

Rising Star, Setting Sun is a riveting new history that explores the complicated, poignant, and consequential transition of power from Dwight D. Eisenhower to John F. Kennedy. The exchange of leadership between the thirty-fourth and thirtyfifth presidents of the United States marked more than a succession of leaders. It symbolized—and triggered—a generational shift in American politics, policy, and culture. Drawing extensively from primary sources, including memoirs and memos of the time, Rising Star, Setting Sun paints a vivid picture of what Time called a "turning point in the twentieth century." Praise: "The presidential transition from Eisenhower to Kennedy starkly contrasted the parties, temperaments, and generations of the two leaders, yet the transfer of power proceeded amicably in the national interest. John Shaw's Rising Star, Setting Sun slips behind the veil of civility to take the measure of both men and assess their personal antagonisms." —Donald A. Ritchie, Historian Emeritus of the United States Senate and author of Electing FDR: The New Deal Campaign of 1932

"Shaw vividly portrays the generational clash between the upstart former lieutenant and the iconic general. Following a campaign marked by raw personal attacks, they overcame their disdain, with a passing of the torch and stirring rhetoric that became a high point in each president's career." —Richard Cohen, Chief Author of The Almanac of American Politics

Where to Buy:

Pegasus Books, hardcover, May 2018, ISBN: 9781681777320

Philip Gunn, David Jahng, Chiara Vercellone

1/4 page print

address 1921 Florida Ave. NW #53353 • Washington, DC 20009 phone 301.933.3552 • fax 301.949.0065 web www.washdiplomat.com • editorial news@washdiplomat.com advertising sales@washdiplomat.com The Washington Diplomat "Essential is published and monthly by The Washington entertaining reading." Diplomat assumes no responsibility The Washington Diplomat, Inc. The newspaper is dis- for the safe keeping or return of unsolicited manu—Betty K. Koed, Historian tributed free of charge at several locations through- scripts, photographs, artwork or other material. out the Washington, D.C. area. We do offer subscripSTAR, SETTING SUN: tions for homeRISING delivery. Subscription rates are $29 for The information contained in this publication is in no way 12 issues and $49 for 24 issues. to be construed as a recommendation by the Publisher Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and the of any kind or nature whatsoever, nor as a recommendaPresidential Transition that Changed America To receive The Washington Diplomat at your embassy tion of any industry standard, nor as an endorsement of or business or to receive past issues, please call Fuad any product or service, nor as an opinion or certification Rising Star, Setting Sun is a rivShiblie at 301-933-3552. regarding the accuracy of any such information. eting new history that explores the complicated, poignant, and If your organization employs many people from the inconsequential transition of powternational community, you may qualify for free bulk er from Dwight D. Eisenhower todelivery. To see if you qualify, please contact Fuad Shiblie. John F. Kennedy.

The exchange of leadership between the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth presidents of the United States marked more than a succession of leaders. It symbolized—and triggered— a generational shift in American politics, policy, and culture.

Drawing extensively from primary sources, including memoirs and memos of the time, Rising Star, Setting Sun paints a vivid picture of what Time called a "turning point in the twentieth century."

ON THE COVER Photo taken at the Djiboutian Residence by Lawrence Ruggeri of RuggeriPhoto.com.

"John Shaw's Rising Star, Setting Sun slips behind the veil of civility to take the measure of both men and assess their personal antagonisms." —Donald A. Ritchie, Historian Emeritus of the United States Senate and author of Electing FDR: The New Deal Campaign of 1932

1/2 page vertical print 2 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Contents

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

2018 Senate Map

,&6 3.

()

1/ $1

&7 #'

.0 ,.

/,/6

18 8!

Democrat Incumbent (24) Republican Incumbent (6) Independent Incumbent (2) Open Seat (3) * indicates two Senate races in state

25 NEWS 4

PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE A former senior adviser talks about life and Latin America under two very different presidents.

8 CHINA CRACKDOWN

NORDIC VANTAGE POINT A Viking ship sets sail to remind us of the importance of the world’s oceans.

Spain highlights the integral role it played in the American Revolution in “Recovered Memories.”

EDUCATION

Fernando de Szyszlo advanced abstraction in Latin America while preserving the past.

The U.S. is putting foreign investments under the microscope, with an eye on China.

CIVIC DUTY The decline of civics education doesn’t bode well for democracy or students’ futures.

10 EU’S POPULIST PARADOX

MEDICAL

Despite a sharp drop in migrants, Europe’s anti-immigrant fervor remains high.

COVER PROFILE: DJIBOUTI

REVOLUTIONARY BONDS

ABSTRACT DUALITY

POWER OF ATTRACTION

Loneliness is a powerful magnet that brings an unlikely couple together in “Heisenberg.”

MS PROGRESS

A new drug appears to slow brain shrinkage in progressive multiple sclerosis.

REGULARS

Tiny but strategic Djibouti angles to become an East African powerhouse.

CULTURE

40 EVENTS LISTING

NORDIC DELIGHT

MIDTERM ROADMAP This month’s midterms will shake up an already-rocky political landscape.

The wide-ranging “Nordic Impressions” delights in mesmerizing and jarring viewers.

GLOBAL VANTAGE POINT Op-Ed: Trump’s new same-sex marriage policy is a step back for gay rights.

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES

Japan’s ambassador and his wife enjoy nearly 40 years of their “happily ever after.”

CINEMA LISTING

42 DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT 46 CLASSIFIEDS 47 REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 3

WD | People of World Influence

Smooth Transition Former Senior Adviser to Obama, Trump Talks About U.S. Policy Toward Latin America BY AILEEN TORRES-BENNETT

hina, Russia, North Korea and the Middle East have consumed the Trump White House, just as they have previous presidencies. But events in Latin America are commanding the administration’s attention as well. Venezuela is on the verge of a meltdown that has sparked a regional migration crisis. Violence has rocked Nicaragua. Brazilian politics is careening toward the hard right, embracing Trumpian populism and a nostalgia for the military dictatorships of the past. Colombia’s new leadership is facing age-old problems as drug production ramps up and a rebel peace deal falters. Argentina is grappling once again with a currency crisis. Corruption scandals have engulfed entire governments. Poverty and gang violence in the Northern Triangle continue to drive people toward the United States despite the anti-immigrant climate. And Mexico’s new president will have to contend with a U.S. counterpart who still clamors for a wall between the two neighbors despite a recent détente on the trade front. It’s a tough portfolio for anyone to tackle — let alone someone who has worked for two bosses with polar-opposite views on most of these issues. Fernando Cutz managed to do just that, and still come out the other side relatively unscathed. Cutz has the distinction of working for two very different White Houses as a former senior adviser on Latin America to both Presidents Obama and Trump. He was, until recently, senior adviser to former national security adviser H.R. McMaster, who resigned in April. Now a senior associate at The Cohen Group, Cutz gave his first public remarks on Latin America policy under the Trump administration at the Wilson Center in September. At the event, he emphasized separating politics from policy. Trump is a showman who is adept at self-promotion and likes to paint himself as a fighter to the point where he antagonizes allies. Yet Cutz said those alliances still hold because of deep foundations and evolving policies that have been in need of updating. Mexico, for example, has had to distance itself from an administration that has repeatedly railed against immigration, while still working with it to preserve the vital economic relationship via the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a reincarnation of NAFTA. While the deal has calmed the contentious debate over NAFTA, the president will still face a raft of other

4 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

“

I was never put in a compromising situation of my morals or values. So it became an interesting experience and an honor to serve two presidents. FERNANDO CUTZ former South America director for the National Security Council

Latin America-related issues as he embarks on his first trip to the region this month for the G20 leaders summit in Argentina. At the Wilson Center event, Cutz mostly discussed how Colombia and the U.S. are dealing with the ever-growing problem of narcotics production, as well as the dire state of Venezuela, now a country with a collapsed economy, a dictatorship and fleeing citizens. Cutz said the administration had developed plans for a full oil embargo against Venezuela but did not implement it because of the effects it would have on ordinary citizens and the uncertain aftermath. “Can we guarantee that they will suffer for a very short period, and then we’ll fix everything and bring prosperity? No, we can’t. Will the United States be solely on the hook to fix Venezuela if we do that? Yes, absolutely, because then everybody in the region, everybody in Venezuela, will point to the United States and say, ‘This is your mess,’” Cutz said. He even revealed that the White House prepared an “escalation plan” for

”

Venezuela depending on how badly the situation deteriorated. He said a takeover of the U.S. Embassy or the killing of 1,000 Venezuelan civilians by the government, for example, could trigger U.S. military action. The remarks were all the more extraordinary in light of a bombshell New York Times report on Sept. 8 that the administration allegedly held secret meetings with Venezuelan military officers to discuss the prospect of ousting President Nicolás Maduro. Officially, the White House would only comment on the importance of engaging in “dialogue with all Venezuelans who demonstrate a desire for democracy.” Cutz echoed that line in his Wilson Center talk. “I think it would have been … irresponsible of us to have senior members of the Venezuelan military approach us saying, ‘Hey, I want to talk,’ and for us to say, ‘No, no, no, we’re not going to talk to you.’ We listen. That’s all we do,” he said, adding that the White House “never debated supporting a coup.” But the mere fact that a U.S. administration was willing to hold clandes-

tine talks with coup plotters — who have checkered human rights records themselves — was widely criticized given America’s notorious legacy of fomenting unrest in Latin America and supporting right-wing military regimes. While Cutz opposes unilateral U.S. military action in Venezuela, he doesn’t rule out a regional intervention. He says that might be the “least bloody” option to kick Maduro out compared to a coup or a revolution. Despite his hardline stance on Venezuela, Cutz seems to take a levelheaded approach to U.S. policies in Latin America, keeping an open mind as he transitioned to a starkly different White House — even when it meant rolling back policies he pushed under his former boss. The Washington Diplomat spoke with Cutz after his Wilson Center appearance to talk about life under two contrasting administrations and to glean his insights into Venezuela and U.S. relations with other countries in the region, including Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT: You served under Obama. What made you decide to serve under Trump? FERNANDO CUTZ: I had done a couple tours under the NSC [National Security Council] under Obama, and once President Trump was elected, I was surprised to be invited back SEE C U T Z • PAGE 6

NOW LE A SI NG C APITO L H I LLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S M OST SPAC IOUS T WO & TH R EE B EDROO MS

7 7 7 C S T R EE T S E, WA S H I N GTO N , D C 20 0 03 8 4 4 -26 3 -1820 L I V E E A S T E R N M A R K E T. C O M

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 5

Time has passed for a decision to be made. Nondecision is a decision. It’s what we did in Syria and Rwanda. In both of those cases, we regret our inaction as a country and the world. [Those who oppose multilateral military intervention] need to say it out loud and propose a solution. A unilateral military response from the U.S. would be a mistake. This is a regional problem, and it requires a regional solution.

Cutz CONTINUED • PAGE 4

to NSC to be director for South America. But once I got that call — the Obama team summoned me back with the blessing of the Trump transition team — I thought about it quite a bit and I thought the best thing to do would be to serve and do so for as long as I could and as long as I was comfortable and wasn’t asked to do anything I fundamentally disagree with. I served for almost a year and a half and left voluntarily at the end of my time. I was never put in a compromising situation of my morals or values. So it became an interesting experience and an honor to serve two presidents.

THE DIPLOMAT: Coca cultivation continues in Colombia. What approach do you think the U.S. should take to combat the drug problem?

THE DIPLOMAT: What did you feel you were able to accomplish under Obama? Under Trump? CUTZ: I had very different responsibilities. Under Obama, my first time was 10 months into being in the U.S. government and 10 months out of grad school, and I was very young and inexperienced. I was an assistant in the Office of Global Engagement. A very interesting series of things happened [including a] government shutdown in 2013. I ended up serving for a bit as the adviser to deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes at the time. It gave me incredible insight into the West Wing and how government operates. It was an incredible, fascinating experience. I then went back to USAID. I was called back in 2015 to work on President Obama’s remarkable, historic trip to Cuba. It was a real honor to be a part of that. I learned a lot about negotiation and interagency dialogue and rapport. Then I went back under Trump, first as director of South America, mostly focused on Venezuela. We started to go down the path of sanctions that we had been more cautious to do under Obama. We went after some really bad people. We hit Vice President Tareck El Aissami with sanctions. He had over $600 million in the U.S. alone. Meanwhile, people were dying in the streets of hunger and lack of supplies. This regime is corrupt. It was sad but gratifying that we were able to get him. My senior director was let go early on, so I became acting director for Western Hemisphere affairs. It was rapid steps up. I got to see the whole hemisphere. We began with new NAFTA negotiations [and] Cuba. I had to work on undoing some of what I had done under Obama. We did not go back to pre-Obama. We tweaked Obama’s approach to Cuba and worked on everything else in between. In September 2017, Gen. McMaster’s senior adviser left and McMaster asked me to be his senior adviser. That was my final role [at the White House]. I got a global, incredible view of things, starting from the PDB, the presidential daily briefing, and moving to a different topic every hour, going from North Korea to Syria to Venezuela to Cuba.

PHOTOS: BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER - OWN WORK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS CC0

Venezuelans protest against President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas in 2014. Maduro, who took office in 2013, has presided over a crashing economy that has sparked hyperinflation, a mass exodus and a lack of basics, including food, as seen in the empty grocery store shelves at right.

THE DIPLOMAT: On Duque, what do you think his being Colombia’s new president means for the country in the wake of the FARC peace agreement?

THE DIPLOMAT: What made you decide to leave the White House? CUTZ: I resigned the same day as Gen. McMaster did. I thought with John Bolton coming on board, who represented a very different approach on everything, I thought it would be a disservice to stay on not fully embracing his views and vision for the NSC and broader U.S. foreign policy. THE DIPLOMAT: I’d like to get your thoughts on NAFTA. It’s now been replaced with USMCA. How do you think that changes the relationship between the three countries overall and trade-wise? CUTZ: The president might have done some political showmanship there. In reality, it’s a NAFTA 2.0. It’s more a tweaked NAFTA that we’ve improved and broadened to the 21st century. There was broad agreement in all three countries that we needed to update NAFTA. The agreement was static. It pre-dates the internet. [USMCA] was able to modernize the agreement in a way that few trade agreements exist right now — digital trade, e-commerce, etc. It’s the missing piece that allows us to have this document be more representative of where the three countries are. The agreement is a 16-year agreement. That’s a good thing because having a six-year review point [allows] for it to be modernized in positive ways. Who knows six or 12 years from now what we’ll have that we can’t predict? It’s important to make this a living document. I think our relations with Mexico and Canada will hopefully improve. The president’s approach is to be publicly tough to try to get a better deal. Now we’ll hopefully have a thaw in the tensions. THE DIPLOMAT: Do you think the

6 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

CUTZ: President Trump has taken a very tough line on coca in Colombia. It’s grown to a level that is almost out of control. We’re in record-breaking numbers. There is no indication of slowing down. The Colombians realize that’s a problem. Our partnership with Colombia is very deep, thorough and honest. It is one of our closest allies in the region and the world. We need to work together on coca numbers with a sense of urgency. President [Iván] Duque has been working on that.

legislatures of the U.S., Canada and Mexico will approve this new trade agreement? CUTZ: I do. I think the Mexicans, the Canadians and the American Congress will understand that this is very much in the interest of all three economies. If you reject it, what’s your backup plan? This is way too important for all three economies — trade, jobs, the movement of goods. It is the largest interconnected economy in the world — over $3 trillion. There are strong political costs to reject it. THE DIPLOMAT: You gave a recent talk on Latin America policy under the Trump administration at the Wilson Center. I’d like to touch on some highlights. First, Venezuela is practically a failed state. How did it devolve to this point, and what can be done to turn things around? CUTZ: Unfortunately, it’s just been bad human management. There haven’t been natural disasters of any kind or unforeseen wars or economic shocks. Just bad management. It started under Hugo Chávez. He was this very strong populist socialist, believed in giving things away to anyone and everyone. He would give oil like it was free to many, many countries, including parts of the U.S., to buy goodwill among governments and people. It served its intended interests at the time, but it was never sustainable for the economy.

Populist socialism took a severe chunk of the growing capacity and the economy. Venezuela’s GDP is 90 to 92 percent reliant on oil. That’s a very dangerous place to be in. Not to realize that danger and create padding or a rainy day fund and to irresponsibly spend more than they have, that led to catastrophe. So when Chávez went and Maduro took over and the oil markets took a turn, the inevitable happened. It was not a surprise to anyone, with the situation being as horrible as it is. Maduro realized he wouldn’t win elections any more, so he took dictatorship. He won’t allow elections or the national assembly to convene. We’ve tried a few things. There’s not a whole lot left. We’ve sanctioned a lot of folks. We’re trying to get that inner circle of Maduro to fracture a bit. Early on, we were discussing off-ramps, exit strategies for Maduro — he could go to Cuba or somewhere else. We’ve always wanted democracy and free and fair elections to let the people decide. We’re past giving Maduro that luxury. The people of Venezuela will not forgive him any more. The humanitarian disaster is too grave. We have a million Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. What’s going to happen when there are 2, 3, 4, 5 million migrants in Colombia? There are severely limited options of response. A regional military response is not a good option, but it’s the best of the bad options we have left. To not do anything is a policy decision. The consequences are too drastic.

CUTZ: Generally, things will stay the same. I don’t foresee Duque pulling out of the agreement. I don’t think FARC will pull out. For the good of the country, it needs to stay in place. If new challenges appear — maybe not FARC [but] a variant of frustrated rebels who go into the wild — I think President Duque will handle it with a strong hand. I expect the peace process to hold. THE DIPLOMAT: There is a migration crisis in the U.S., according to the Trump administration. Trump thinks, for instance, that too many people from Mexico and Central America are being allowed into the U.S. What is your view of the situation? CUTZ: We need to be very cautious in how we handle this. Having mass uncontrolled migration into any country is a serious problem. We need to make sure we’re cautious about who enters our country. Folks who legitimately waited in line should get their turn. From a humanitarian perspective, we should be compassionate about those fleeing very bad situations, harsh economic situations, true violence back at home. Many of these folks were targeted or lost family. There’s gang violence. We have to understand why people are making this journey. It’s dangerous. They’re not doing it for fun. If we want to be effective, that’s going to be through investments we can make in the region. Most migrants are coming from the Northern Triangle, which is what we call El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Under President Obama, through [Vice President] Joe Biden, $1 billion in humanitarian aid was [distributed via] USAID to Central SEE C U T Z • PAGE 46

Connect to the Best Medicine – From Anywhere Children’s National uses the latest technology and medical expertise to diagnose and treat pediatric disease from anywhere in the world. This ensures that children, no matter where they live, can receive life-saving care.

Dr. Ricardo Munoz (right) is a globally-renowned expert in establishing telemedicine consultations via a centralized command center. Gifts to Children’s National enable Dr. Munoz and his partner, Dr. Alejandro Lopez-Magallon (left) to accelerate delivery of the medicine of tomorrow.

Improve the health of children everywhere.

Give today at ChildrensNational.org/giving THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 7

WD | United States

Getting Firm on China FIRRMA Beefs Up Agency that Scrutinizes Foreign Investments into U.S. BY JOHN BRINKLEY An Apple store is seen in Shanghai. One of the Trump administration’s main trade complaints against Beijing is that it forces American companies to hand over sensitive technology to access the vast Chinese consumer market.

he Treasury Department on Oct. 10 began testing a new law to strengthen a littleknown government agency so as to turn the screws on a well-known geopolitical adversary. The agency is the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, and the adversary is China, with which the Trump administration is engaged in a trade war. The law, which Congress passed and President Trump signed in August, is the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018, or FIRRMA. It doesn’t mention China or any other country, but it’s clear that China is its main target. “They [China] are the serial violator of the WTO,” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, referring to the World Trade Organization. The principal architect of FIRRMA, Hensarling recently went to China. “I left there fairly convinced that they’re probably not going to change the way they approach our technology and our intellectual property,” he said at a Sept. 25 discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. “There is a very, very strong sentiment in both parties that the spirit and the letter of the WTO are not being lived up to, that China has been particularly onerous in the expropriation by hook and crook of our technology and intellectual property.” Since coming to office, President Trump has railed against China’s unfair trade practices, namely its alleged intellectual property theft; subsidizing of state-owned enterprises; forcing foreign firms to give up technology secrets to access the vast Chinese market; and outright espionage of critical industries. U.S. officials are concerned that Beijing is ramping up efforts to acquire sensitive American technology as part of its Made in China 2025 strategy to increase the country’s dominance of the global high-tech sector. Indeed, China’s U.S. investments have increasingly targeted companies that produce goods or services that are strategically beneficial to China, according to the liberal interest group Public Citizen. “The value of investment in sectors defined by China as ‘strategic,’ including aviation, biotechnology, new energy vehicles and seven others, jumped from 25 to 56 percent from 2016 to 2017,” it said. “Such investments are crucial to China’s state-led industrial strategy and are part of a multi-pronged effort to gain competitive advantage in key sectors.”

encompassing technology, telecommunications and other cutting-edge companies. Prior to FIRRMA, only takeovers, mergers and controlling stakes fell under CFIUS’s purview. Specifically, the new law expands the agency’s jurisdiction to cover: • Real estate transactions close to sensitive government facilities; • Investments in U.S. businesses that give a foreign investor access to nonpublic, proprietary information; • Any change in a foreign investor’s rights that result in foreign control of a U.S. business, or that require a U.S. business to transfer technology to the foreign investor; • Any transaction, transfer, agreement or arrangement designed to circumvent CFIUS jurisdiction.

“

8 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTO: BELUDISE / PIXABAY

There is a very, very strong sentiment in both parties … that China has been particularly onerous in the expropriation by hook and crook of our technology and intellectual property. U.S. REP. JEB HENSARLING (R-TEXAS)

”

chairman of the House Financial Services Committee

To maintain America’s technological supremacy, the administration is beefing up a once-obscure agency whose importance has grown exponentially in recent years — but whose resources haven’t matched that growth. Chaired by the secretary of the Treasury, CFIUS consists of the heads of nine federal departments and agencies. Its mission is to examine proposed investments in the United States by foreign companies to ensure that those investments don’t threaten U.S. national security. FIRRMA marks the first reform of that screening process in over a decade. It passed Congress along bipartisan lines over the summer, but

the White House has since sped up its implementation and signaled that it would broadly interpret the law to aggressively police foreign investment in the U.S. Prior to the law, CFIUS had already blocked several major foreign deals since Trump took office, including a proposed takeover of California-based chip maker Qualcomm by a Singapore-based rival; a Chinese company’s $1.2 billion plan to buy Texas-based MoneyGram; and the sale of Oregonbased Lattice Semiconductor Corp. to a Chinese investor. FIRRMA significantly broadens the scope of foreign transactions that can be blocked, including minority stakes and joint ventures in 27 industries

When the law goes fully into effect on Nov. 10, CFIUS will have the power to block foreign investments in a wide array of U.S. firms that make sensitive technology — from semiconductors to aircraft to batteries — and those that give foreign investors substantial decision-making power over a U.S. company. Foreign investors will have to inform CFIUS of their plans. Those that don’t will be subject to fines up to the amount of the proposed investment. In the past, investors could forego a CFIUS review without any penalty. That weakened the agency’s oversight because it relies on outsiders or other government agencies to flag suspicious transactions. Neither the Trump administration nor Congress has publicly associated FIRRMA with China, but the new areas of CFIUS jurisdiction pertain to practices for which China is known. According to a report by the law firm White & Case, “‘Modernization’ [the M in FIRRMA] is a euphemism for addressing concerns about Chinese investments. While the Trump Administration has been firm in its messaging that FIRRMA is meant to ‘close gaps’ between the transactions that CFIUS is currently able to review and transactions it currently cannot review … the reality is that those ‘gaps’ largely pertain to particular Chinese investment trends.” FIRRMA’s enactment worsened an already antagonistic relationship between the U.S. and Chinese governments. So far this year, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs on

$250 billion on Chinese imports and China has retaliated in kind. Trump has threatened to go full bore and impose tariffs on all Chinese imports. The Chinese government insists that it won’t be cowed by Trump’s aggression. A result of the trade war is that China has dramatically reduced its investment in the U.S. economy. “In the first half of 2018, Chinese companies completed acquisitions and greenfield investments worth only $1.8 billion — a drop of more than 90% from [the first half of] 2017, and the lowest level in seven years,” said a June 19 report by the Rhodium Group. Foreign direct investment stimulates local economies and creates jobs. China was the 13th-largest, and fifth-largest-growing, source of FDI in the U.S. in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Despite the possible disruptions to economic growth and foreign investment in the U.S., supporters of Trump’s crackdown on China say it is necessary in light of Beijing’s ambitions and aggressive tactics. “In April 2018, U.S. intelligence agencies said that Chinese recruitment of foreign scientists, its theft of U.S. intellectual property, and its targeted acquisitions of U.S. firms constituted an ‘unprecedented threat’ to the U.S. industrial base,” wrote James McBride in an Aug. 2, 2018, report for the Council on Foreign Relations. “More broadly, policymakers worry that China’s state-led model and its ambition to control entire supply chains — for instance, the cobalt industry, which powers most modern electronics — means that entire industries could come under control of a rival geopolitical power. A June 2018 White House report warned that China’s economic moves threaten ‘not only the

PHOTO: GASTON LABORDE / PIXABAY

A new law is designed to increase scrutiny of proposed investments in the U.S. by foreign companies to ensure that they don’t threaten U.S. national security. It doesn’t mention any particular country, but it’s clear that China is the main target.

U.S. economy but also the global innovation system as a whole.’” Beijing counters that it’s not doing anything differently than what wealthy nations did to propel their own rapid industrialization, including state subsidies and tariffs to support homegrown industries. But critics say China’s state subsidies, investment barriers, IP theft and espionage are on a different level. The White House argues that many of China’s investments in the U.S. are made for the purpose of stealing technology and other intellectual property. Recently, Chinese investors

have been accused of stealing technology from companies they haven’t even invested in. A common practice among Chinese businesses is to express interest in a U.S. firm and ask to examine the firm’s sensitive and proprietary technology, which it then steals, disappearing without ever investing. “Our firm is seeing these free-look investment schemes virtually every week and we are seeing these schemes become more refined,” said Steve Dickinson, a Seattle-based trade lawyer with Harris Bricken. “The result is always the same: no investment from the Chinese side and lost time, money and confidential infor-

mation from the U.S. side. Though losing confidential information is always a disaster, the lost time and money is oftentimes even more damaging for smaller U.S. target companies, particularly for start-ups that cannot afford to wait around for magic.” Supporters of FIRRMA say CFIUS, which was established in the 1970s, needed updating to keep up with a rapidly changing business landscape, one where more and more companies, including small Silicon start-ups, hold reams of valuable data that are used in a large number of industries. “I knew what was critical in 1958 — tanks, airplanes, avionics. Now, truthfully, everything is information. The world is about information, not about things,” Paul Rosenzweig, who worked with CFIUS while at the Homeland Security Department during the George W. Bush administration, said in a May 22, 2018, Politico article titled “How China Acquires ‘the Crown Jewels’ of U.S. Technology.” “And that means everything is critical infrastructure,” Rosenzweig told Politico. “That, in some sense, means CFIUS really should be managing all global trade.” Hensarling, the architect of FIRRMA, agrees that reforms could go even further. The congressman said he had hoped the law would explicitly target China and other governments that steal U.S. intellectual property, but the finished product didn’t turn out that way. “I think a superior process would have been to have a list [of malefactor countries] and to give people the opportunity to get off that list,” he said. “I trust in a de facto fashion we’ll end up that way.” WD John Brinkley is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.



Hahns OldFashioned Cake Company 

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 9

WD | Europe

Political Paradox Despite Sharp Decrease in Migrants Coming to Europe, Anti-Immigrant Fervor Remains High BY JOHN BRINKLEY

he recent electoral successes that far-right, anti-immigrant political parties across Europe have achieved this year is paradoxical in that the flood of refugees from the Middle East and Africa has abated considerably from its peak in 2015, according to a new report by the Oxford University law school. Nearly 75,000 migrants have made their way by sea from Africa and the Middle East to Europe so far this year. In 2015, more than 1 million came. “The current European obsession with reducing migration at all costs is even less comprehensible when considering that arrivals decreased drastically prior to the most recent escalation of rhetoric and externalization of migration control,” said the report, titled “Outsourcing European Border Control: Recent Trends in Departures, Deaths and Search and Rescue Activities in the Central Mediterranean.” Nonetheless, the fallout from the 2015 refugee crisis has wrought wide political upheaval in which far-right, populist parties have won the hearts and minds of voters across Europe. The number of migrants coming from Africa and the Middle East to Europe may be down, but anti-immigrant sentiment across the continent remains high. Four countries bore the brunt of the 2015 crisis: the border states of Italy and Greece, where migrants first landed, and the wealthier nations of Germany and Sweden, where the majority of migrants traveled to. The governments that opened their doors to migrants and refugees fleeing war and poverty in nations such as Syria and Eritrea have been punished at the polls, while the parties who advocated closing their borders have been rewarded. In traditionally liberal Sweden, which initially welcomed refugees with open arms, a far-right, anti-immigrant party called the Sweden Democrats won 17.5 percent of the vote and 63 seats in Parliament in Sept. 9 elections. They are now Sweden’s third-largest political party. While the party, which has Nazi roots, is likely to be excluded from any future governing coalition, it will be a kingmaker in upcoming negotiations. In Austria, the far-right Freedom Party won 26 percent of the vote in October 2017 elections and is now in a coalition government with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s People’s Party. Together, they have proposed banning Muslim girls under 10 years old from wearing headscarves in schools. Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the Freedom Party, said the government wanted to protect young girls from political Islam. 10 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTO: © FRANCESCO MALAVOLTA / IOM 2015

Syrian refugees cross the Serbian-Croatian border in 2015 at the height of Europe’s migrant crisis, when over 1 million came to Europe by sea. Although migrant arrivals are down sharply, populist parties continue to see electoral gains, backed in large part by anti-immigrant sentiment.

“

Working out a comprehensive European migration and integration policy … is the only way to reduce the public’s fear of migration and to push the populists back to the political wilderness where they belong. JACEK KUCHARCZYK president of the Institute of Public Affairs in Poland

In Italy, two populist parties, the Five Star Movement and the League, won enough seats in March elections that they formed a coalition government. They promise mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, even though migrant arrivals to Italy in the first half of 2018 were down by 79 percent compared to the same time frame in 2017. League leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said when he took office that Italy had to stop being “the refugee camp of Europe” and that he would expel 10,000 migrants in one year. He backed away from that on Sept. 11 — not out of compassion, but because of logistics. “The way things are today, we’ll need 80 years to expel them all,” Salvini said in an interview with the northern Italian radio station RTL. That’s because despite the dramatic decline in recent migrant arrivals to Italy, the country is still home to approximately 500,000 illegal migrants. The

problem is that other EU member states don’t want these migrants either. “We used to be in the business of helping each other out,” a senior EU diplomat who asked not to be named told reporter Gabriela Baczynska in a July 8 article for Reuters. “But the spirit of consensus is gone. Everyone is going it alone.” The EU initially proposed a modest quota system to redistribute asylumseekers throughout the bloc, but the plan quickly fell apart after fierce opposition from Eastern European member states like Hungary and Poland. Hardline governments in Hungary and Austria also oppose any efforts to scrap the Dublin regulations that put the onus of reviewing asylum claims on the countries where migrants first land. That has left frontline states like Italy forced to register, detain and process the applications of tens of thousands of asylumseekers. Italy has been the point of entry for

”

a disproportionate number of African migrants because of its close proximity to Africa. It also experienced a more recent surge of migrants after the EU signed a deal with Turkey in 2016 that sharply curtailed crossings into Greece, forcing many migrants to take the deadlier Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy. Over the summer, at Italy’s urging, the EU cobbled together an agreement to create secure centers throughout the bloc to process the asylum claims of Mediterranean migrants. But the agreement is voluntary, and so far, countries such as Austria, France and Germany have balked at hosting such centers. The EU also floated the idea of setting up offshore migrant processing centers in North African nations such as Tunisia and Egypt, but that plan has met pushback as well. The right-wing governments in Italy and Austria even proSEE R EFU GEES • PAGE 12

FINE APARTMENTS ARTFULLY CRAFTED WEST END RESIDENCES

INTRODUCING 93 BRAND NEW, STRIKING RESIDENCES IN THE WEST END. Lease today and discover your canvas for urban living.

Brightly illuminated interiors in generously proportioned floorplans Natural hardwood flooring and custom louvered shades Exquisite fine finishes and spa-style bathrooms Heated, 25-meter rooftop pool and sweeping skyline views

FOR MORE INFORMATION

WestlightApts.com 833.241.6525

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 11

Refugees CONTINUED • PAGE 10

posed holding rescued migrants at sea while their claims are processed. Meanwhile, the government that did open its doors to the largest number of asylum-seekers has since paid the populist price for its generosity. German Chancellor Angela Merkel saw her political fortunes change after Germany struggled to absorb almost 1 million people in 2015, mostly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, is now the largest opposition party in the Bundestag. This has caused Merkel to change her tone about accepting migrants. She said recently that her open-door policy wouldn’t happen again and that she would increase border security and deportations. Conversely, in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán easily won a fourth term in April thanks to his policy of zero tolerance for accepting Muslim migrants. In September, the EU Parliament voted to censure Orbán for his hardline immigration stance and other illiberal policies, but any decision to strip Hungary of its voting rights would require unanimous consent among member states. So Hungary is unlikely to face any disciplinary action because it would be vetoed by

PHOTO: © FRANCESCO MALAVOLTA / IOM 2015

Migrants are rescued as they cross the Channel of Sicily to get to Italy in June 2015. After an EU deal with Turkey largely closed off the so-called Western Balkan route, migrants began using the more dangerous Mediterranean route to Italy.

allies like Poland, whose own rightwing, populist government rode to power in 2015 on a tide of anti-immigrant sentiment. These electoral successes owe in part to the European Union’s perceived weakness in dealing with the refugee crisis. Ironically, this weakness has been exacerbated by Hungary and Poland, whose refusal

to take in any refugees has all but paralyzed the bloc. In today’s political climate, the only thing member states seem to agree on now is that migrants need to be kicked out or kept out. Consequently, the EU has turned to policies that “seek to limit irregular migration regardless of the moral, legal and humanitarian consequenc-

es,” the Oxford law school report said. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced on Sept. 12 that the EU would deploy a 10,000-strong armed border force with the authority to detain and deport migrants. The EU has also asked North African countries to close their borders

to Europe-bound migrants in exchange for financial and military aid. “This resulted in a 95 percent drop in crossings through Niger, a key transition point for migrants on the way to Libya, although it cannot be excluded that migrants are taking different, more dangerous routes in order to reach Northern African countries,” the Oxford report said. Led by Italy, the EU also increased its support of the Libyan Coast Guard, which has established a huge search-and-rescue zone off its coast in the Mediterranean Sea and claimed the authority to order privately owned rescue ships that pick up shipwrecked migrants to take them back to Libya. Charities that own those ships say that the Libyans are less interested in rescuing migrants at sea than in returning people to Libya. “If you look at the assets the Libyan coast guard is using, it’s very clear that the priority is not saving lives. I have not seen a single life jacket,” said Ruben Neugebauer of the German charity Sea Watch in a June 7 interview with Euronews. “It’s not about saving human lives. It’s only about bringing people back to Libya — a war-torn country where refugees face unlawful detention, torture and even death.” EU officials have defended their decision to outsource naval searchand-rescue operations and shift their resources toward targeting the traffickers who prey on migrants. They say the prospect of being rescued at

Negotiations are for diplomacy,

not art.

the fair.

10.31 - 11.4 Dock 5 at Union Market

art by Hannah Sarfraz

1,000s of works in the $100s and $1,000s www.superﬁne.world/washington-dc 12 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

sea and brought to Europe perversely encourages more migrants to risk the deadly trek and tempts smugglers to crowd more people onto ricketier boats. Humanitarian groups say this argument is essentially a cop-out. The Oxford report says that downgrading search-and-rescue (SAR) efforts “has little or no effect on the number of arrivals, and it is rather the absence of SAR that leads to more deaths.” Indeed, while the Libya pact has dramatically reduced the number of migrants arriving in Italy, it has also resulted in more deaths along the dangerous Mediterranean crossing. For migrants who are picked up by Libyan patrols, they are sent back to a country where they are vulnerable to slave auctions, sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse — sometimes at the hands of the very people who picked them up. Under a deal brokered by Italy in 2017, for instance, Libya’s beleaguered security forces reportedly paid militias to round up migrants, even though those same militias often ran human trafficking rings. Making matters worse is that Italy closed its ports to charity-owned and EU rescue ships in June. As EU member states bickered over who should take in hundreds of stranded migrants, Spain finally agreed to take in the largest boatload of over 600 migrants. But with Spain increasingly becoming the new destination for asylum-seekers from North Afri-

PHOTO: © EUROPEAN UNION 2016 - SOURCE : EP

A Syrian woman stands behind a fence in a refugee camp in Turkey, the largest host country of Syrian refugees, with over 3.5 million having fled there.

ca, the country’s new socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, could soon face the same populist backlash that swept Germany and Sweden. And while migrant arrivals in Europe have decreased dramatically from their 2015 peak, there are reasons to suspect that they will surge again. Tripoli, Libya’s capital, has been wracked yet again by violence in

recent weeks as armed groups fight one another for control of the city. Climate change is also expected to bring huge numbers of asylum-seekers to Europe in the coming decades, according to a study by professor Wolfram Schlenker of Columbia University. Yet, the EU has been unable to form a cohesive response to migration, in part because it has been shouted

down by anti-immigration populists like Salvini and Orbán who say immigrants erode traditional European values while stealing jobs and draining social services. The rancorous debate has drowned out academics who argue that the numbers don’t back up the populists’ claims that immigrants are “invading” Europe. Even at the height of the refugee cri-

sis, many experts point out that Europe, with over 500 million people, was more than capable of absorbing what amounted to fewer than 2 million new arrivals since 2014 — a figure that has since dropped precipitously anyway. Pro-immigration advocates have also tried to dispel myths that immigrants commit more crime or use more welfare services. They concede that Europe has struggled to assimilate the waves of newcomers in recent years, but they argue that integration is still a more effective strategy than closing borders, which threatens jobs and trade. In fact, they contend that migration is a net gain for European nations, which face declining populations and need immigrants to grow their economies. But these academic arguments often fall on deaf ears amid the populist noise. “Migration is Europe’s future,” said Jacek Kucharczyk, president of the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw, Poland. “Pandering to xenophobes, as so many pundits advise, is not a way forward. Working out a comprehensive European migration and integration policy — and then its consistent implementation — is the only way to reduce the public’s fear of migration and to push the populists back to the political wilderness where they belong.” WD John Brinkley is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

Discover Two Distinguished Waterfront Estates in Annapolis

221 Scott Drive $4,500,000 4 Bedrooms

4 Bathrooms

5,667 SF

1.25 Acres

212 Norwood Road $2,995,000 4 Bedrooms

4 Bathrooms

4,312 SF 4.1 Acres

Shane Hedges shane@reishmangroup.com 202.468.9995 Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 5471 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 300, Chevy Chase MD 20815 | 301.298.1001

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 13

Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. Logan Circle: 1313 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 | 202.386.6330 | Chevy Chase: 5471 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 300, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 | 301.298.1001

Spring Valley

4608 Rockwood Parkway NW 6 Bedrooms 5F 3H Bathrooms $2,999,000

Chevy Chase Village

Peggy Ferris peggy.ferris@compass.com 202.438.1524

Chevy Chase Village

11 Hesketh Street 6 Bedrooms 4F 1H Bathrooms $2,245,000

Mary Lynn White realestatetopdog@gmail.com 202.309.1100

Chevy Chase Village

Peggy Ferris peggy.ferris@compass.com 202.438.1524

McLean

6130 Ramshorn Drive 6 Bedrooms 5F 1H Bathrooms $1,949,000

17 Hesketh Street 6 Bedrooms 5F 1H Bathrooms $2,995,000

2 Primrose Street 4 Bedrooms 4F 1H Bathrooms $1,995,000

Kcrystal Boschma Kcrystal.Boschma@compass.com 757.645.8607

Ashton

Peggy Ferris peggy.ferris@compass.com 202.438.1524

17509 Sir Galahad Way 6 Bedrooms 5F 1H Bathrooms $1,550,000

Carmen Fontecilla Group carmen.fontecilla@compass.com 301.908.6672

Chevy Chase

6401 Offutt Road 5 Bedrooms 3F 1H Bathrooms $1,150,000

Peggy Ferris peggy.ferris@compass.com 202.438.1524

14 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Guiding you home in the DC metro area

Cover Profile | WD

Location, Location, Location Tiny but Strategic Djibouti Dreams of Becoming East African Powerhouse BY LARRY LUXNER

country few Americans have ever heard of — and even fewer have visited — hosts the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa. It’s also home to China’s first overseas military base — just a few miles from America’s base — along with military outposts for France, Italy and Japan. In fact, Djibouti is home to more foreign bases than any other country, a reflection of its geostrategic value as a hub of counterterrorism operations, global shipping and regional stability. The Republic of Djibouti is a New Jersey-size desert nation of just under 1 million people that sits on a prime piece of real estate. Wedged among three much bigger countries in the troubled Horn of Africa, it is the launching pad for American drone missions against extremist groups such as al-Shabab, Boko Haram and the Islamic State. It’s also located along the Bab elMandeb Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors and a key chokepoint for Mideast oil. All of that makes the country attractive to world powers vying for influence in Africa and the Middle East, which in turn has helped Djibouti become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. And now it’s building the continent’s largest industrial free zone, with cash from China. Since declaring independence from France in 1977, Djibouti has had only three ambassadors in Washington. The first, Saleh Farah Dirir, served seven years; the second, Roble Olhaye, stayed on the job a record 28 years and was dean of the D.C. diplomatic corps until his death in 2015. The third is 49-year-old Mohamed Siad Doualeh, who assumed his duties as ambassador here in January 2016. “My priority here is to promote the strategic relationship between Djibouti and the United States, enhance people-to-people relations and highlight what Djibouti offers in terms of attractiveness for U.S. investment,” Doualeh, who also serves as Djibouti’s permanent representative to the U.N., told The Washington Diplomat in a recent phone interview. “There are big bucks to be made in our country.” Actually, billions. Djibouti, ruled since 1999 by President Ismail Omar Guelleh, reported a GDP of $2.3 billion last year; this translates into percapita income of $2,405. Its economy has grown an average 6 percent a year over the last decade, and foreign direct investment is expected to rise by

PHOTO: LAWRENCE RUGGERI

“

It’s true that Djibouti may be small, and I know that many people — and not just Americans — struggle to locate Djibouti on a map. But our country has always been recognized as being strategic. MOHAMED SIAD DOUALEH ambassador of Djibouti to the United States

11.5 percent in 2018. While Djibouti still grapples with widespread poverty, its economy stands in stark contrast to two of its neighbors, Eritrea and Somalia — not to mention Yemen, only 18 miles across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — which are among the poorest, most dysfunctional countries on Earth.

STRATEGIC MANEUVERING Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Guelleh began capitalizing on Djibouti’s strategic location and relative stability to attract foreign militaries and investment to his tiny nation, boosting its prosperity and security. Since Guelleh came to power, in fact, the economy has more than doubled in size. Djibouti has also benefited from

”

the geopolitical tug of war between the U.S. and China. The latter has poured billions of dollars into development projects in Djibouti as part its African outreach while insisting that its military base is strictly for peacekeeping and humanitarian purposes. The former accuses China of aggressively expanding its military might and using infrastructure projects and cheap loans to increase its control over indebted governments. But the Americans and Chinese aren’t the only players in town. The Saudis have eyed building a base in Djibouti to help them fight Houthi rebels in Yemen. India, too, is reportedly interested in establishing a presence in the country; Russia and Turkey are rumored to have made inquiries as well. Experts warn that with so many superpower rivals crowded into such

a small space, it wouldn’t take much to spark a major conflict. And while Djibouti touts itself as a model of stability, it’s been accused of profiting from and fomenting the armed conflicts destabilizing the region — with help from China. In a Sept. 27 opinion piece, Josh Rogin of The Washington Post wrote that “over the past five years, China’s official arms sales to Africa have increased by 55 percent and its share of the African arms market has doubled to 17 percent, surpassing the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. There is also growing evidence that Djibouti is emerging as a strategic transit node for illegal weapons smuggled between Yemen and places such as Somalia.” Rogin’s article quoted a Sept. 24 letter from Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) to Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. “Guelleh’s dictatorial reign has been largely fueled by a steady flow of Chinese cash, palaces and gifts,” Brooks wrote. “With new reports indicating his government is profiting from the burgeoning arms trade supplying Houthi rebels in Yemen and terrorist groups the U.S. is combatting across the African continent, SEE DJ IBOU T I • PAGE 16 THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 15

CREDIT: DOD PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. CHAD WARREN, U.S. AIR FORCE

Ugandan service members board a target vessel during a U.S. Navy-led exercise in the Gulf of Tadjoura off the coast of Djibouti on Nov. 14, 2013.

Djibouti CONTINUED • PAGE 15

it is time for his reckless and unscrupulous behavior to be firmly addressed by the United States.” Doualeh defends his government’s record, insisting that even though Guelleh has been president since 1999, Djibouti under the 71-yearold leader has remained an island of calm in a region known for lawlessness and failed states. “It’s true that Djibouti may be small, and I know that many people — and not just Americans — struggle to locate Djibouti on a map. But our country has always been recognized as being strategic,” he said. “It’s a maritime chokepoint, but because of our size and the fact that we don’t have much conflict taking place in our country, we have endeavored to keep Djibouti relatively stable in a volatile region. This may be why we do not grab headlines.”

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT Doualeh, who became ambassador following the death of his predecessor, Roble Olhaye, was only 20 when Olhaye took up his post in Washington back in 1988. At that time, Eritrea was still a province of Ethiopia, the Soviet Union was still intact and Djibouti itself was a backwater largely ignored by the United States and China. These days, no one’s ignoring Djibouti. In fact, Doualeh says both the Obama and Trump administrations have recognized his country’s potential for contributing to regional security. “I was very warmly welcomed in Washington and have enjoyed conversations with my counterparts, in particular those diplomats at the State Department. Through the Binational Forum, every year we hold meetings alternatively in Washington and

Djibouti,” he told us. “We always have a hefty agenda and a whole host of items to discuss.” A Djibouti trade mission was scheduled to visit the United States in late October, while in mid-December, Djibouti will host a fair organized by the Corporate Council on Africa. U.S. interests in Djibouti encompass economic, political and security considerations. France has always maintained a military base in its former colony, but after the 9/11 attacks, the Pentagon decided to establish a permanent base in Djibouti as well. “We wanted to show our solidarity with the U.S. in a time of crisis, so we opened our territory and gave them a facility from where they could combat the threat of terrorism,” Doualeh said. “We see this as Djibouti’s contribution to world peace.” Camp Lemonnier, as the U.S. naval expeditionary base is known, sits adjacent to the country’s international airport and serves as headquarters of the U.S. Africa Command’s Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTFHOA). Originally home to the French Foreign Legion, the base now houses CJTFHOA and about 2,500 military and civilian personnel as well as Pentagon contractors. It also provides jobs for 1,200 local and foreign workers. In May 2014, Guelleh and the Obama administration extended the U.S. lease on the 500-acre base until 2034, at a rent of $70 million a year. The base is to undergo a $1.4 billion upgrade over the course of that 20-year extension. But America’s military dominance is increasingly being challenged by China, which opened its own naval base a few miles from Camp Lemonnier in August 2017. Since then, tensions between the two adversaries have escalated. This past May, for example, the Pentagon formally accused the Chinese of pointing lasers at U.S. military aircraft operating out of Djibouti, disorienting pilots.

16 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTO: BY SKILLA1ST - OWN WORK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS CC BY-SA 4.0

A container terminal sits at the Port of Djibouti. The New Jersey-size desert nation has used its strategic location — at the tip of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors and a key chokepoint for Mideast oil — to become a hub of global shipping and counterterrorism operations. In fact, Djibouti is home to more foreign bases than any other country.

CREDIT: U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY TECH. SGT. JOE HARWOOD

Small but strategically located Djibouti is home to America’s only permanent military base in Africa. Above, U.S. Marines position themselves during an Alligator Dagger beach landing exercise designed to synchronize U.S. Central Command warfighting capabilities on Sept. 5, 2017. Below, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Daniel Middleton, right, coaches a member of the Djiboutian National Gendarmerie Intervention Group during a combat marksmanship training event on Aug. 30, 2012.

CREDIT: DOD PHOTO BY 1ST LT. DOMINIC PITRONE, U.S. MARINE CORPS

China denied the charges.

CONTROVERSIAL PORT SEIZURE That, in turn, came just a few months after Djibouti seized control of the

Doraleh Container Terminal from Dubai-based DP World, charging that it was terminating its 2006 contract with that company because it contained “elements that are in flagrant contravention of state sovereignty and the

higher interests of the nation.” Many have speculated that the seizure was the culmination of increasing hostility between Djibouti and the UAE, which has been making strategic inroads in the Horn

of Africa, threatening Djibouti’s competitiveness. The London Court of International Arbitration ruled the seizure illegal, delivering a legal blow to Djibouti and raising questions about its reliability as an investment option. Asked about that, Doualeh told The Diplomat that Djibouti’s contract with DP World “was the product of a corrupt deal.” “We had a concession agreement with DP World but we found out there were provisions that were not acceptable,” he said. “We quietly tried to talk to our friends at DP World to correct those provisions, but we faced an impasse, so we were left with no option but to terminate the agreement. It was infringing on our sovereignty. We were ready to offer DP World compensation, but the agreement as it stood was not acceptable.” American officials, however, worry that the seizure was less about state sovereignty and more about relinquishing control of the port to reward a generous benefactor: China. Indeed, Djibouti has since turned operations at the terminal over to firms linked to the Chinese government. Despite concerns that Beijing is using money to gain leverage over Djibouti, the ambassador says China has been a key player in President Guelleh’s plans to turn the country, which has few natural resources, into a global trading giant. The government wants to invest billions in ports, roads, airports and other infrastructure projects to reduce unemployment, attract other foreign investors and — eventually — generate enough profit to pay off its debts.

In all, said Doualeh, China has so far provided $1.4 billion in financing to Djibouti for the following projects:

Djibouti at a Glance

• The Doraleh multipurpose port, which will double the amount of cargo the country’s existing port can handle to 9 million metric tons annually.

Independence Day June 27, 1977 (from France)

• The $4.5 billion Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, which now connects Addis Ababa to Djibouti City and the Doraleh Container Port, cutting what was a three-day trip to only eight hours. This project also has financing from the African Development Bank.

Capital Djibouti

• The $340 million Ethiopia-Djibouti water pipeline; of the total, China provided $322 million and Djibouti $18 million. “This is a strategic project for us and one we really need, because this will dramatically reduce Djibouti’s water shortage. There is room for other investors to come in, particularly U.S. investors,” the ambassador said. “I cannot second-guess China’s ambitions, but we clearly aspire to be a commercial hub. They want to help African countries develop their infrastructure.”

Location Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia Flag of Djibouti

Population 865,000 (July 2017 estimate) Ethnic groups Somali 60 percent, Afar 35 percent, other 5 percent (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian and Italian) Religious groups Muslim 94 percent, Christian 6 percent

GDP growth 6.7 percent (2017 estimate)

GDP (purchasing power parity) $3.6 billion

Population below poverty line 23 percent

(2017 estimate)

GDP per-capita (PPP) $3,600 (2017 estimate)

Unemployment 40 percent (2017 estimate)

Industries Construction, agricultural processing, shipping SOURCE: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

HISTORIC RAPPROCHEMENT

AT WHAT PRICE? Djibouti has also embarked on the $3.5 billion Djibouti International Free Trade Zone, which will ultimately cover 48 square kilometers — just under one-third the size of the District of Columbia. The zone, touted as the largest of its kind in Africa, will ultimately contain hundreds of factories and is jointly managed by China and Djibouti. Reuters reports that the agreement to build the zone was signed in March 2016 as part of China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative that seeks to expand trade routes across dozens of countries. “It is … a zone of hope for thousands of young job-seekers,” Guelleh said at the July 5 inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by the presidents of Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan. Doualeh said the free zone’s inauguration coincides with an increasing interest in trade liberalization across the African continent. “Djibouti, like many other countries, just signed an African Union declaration proposing continent-wide borderless trade,” he told us. “Our economy is mainly derived from the logistics sector, but we’d like to diversify and tap into the potential for tourism. We also have some natural resources in abundance, like salt, and we want to exploit that. We see ourselves as a commercial hub based on the Singapore model. To us, this is worthy of imitation.” But Djibouti’s ambitions may come at a steep cost if it becomes too dependent on Beijing’s largesse, leaving it vulnerable to China’s own ambitions if it can’t pay up. (Sri Lanka, for example, was recently forced to give up a strategic port to China when it couldn’t pay its loans.) “The Trump administration needs to shift to an approach that places pressure on China to behave better in Djibouti and encourages the Guelleh government to reject Beijing’s scheme to turn that country into a Chinese vassal — before that instability further harms U.S. and African interests,” The Washington Post’s Rogin argued. J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council, pointed out that nearly 5 million barrels of oil flow each day through the Bab el-Mandeb. “Djibouti’s strategic importance is undeniable. However, its dependence on China has become worrisome,” Pham said in an email. “Djibouti has borrowed $1.4 billion from China in the last two years alone — an astronomical sum for a country of barely a million people, representing more than three-quarters

the infrastructure and taking a heavy toll on civilians. And the sooner we flush the Houth insurgency out of all occupied cities in Yemen and eliminate the threat, the better it will be for everyone.” Meanwhile, Djibouti — a member of the 22-nation Arab League since independence — has broken diplomatic relations with Iran. Doualeh said his country took that step because “we are most profoundly disturbed by Iran’s tendency to destabilize and interfere with the domestic affairs of other countries in the region.” He added: “Djiboutians traditionally practice a moderate form of Sunni Islam. We are also tolerant, warm, welcoming and culturally open-minded. We wouldn’t be surprised to see some of those people eyeing potentially vulnerable victims in African countries, including Djibouti, trying to propagate their extremist views. Our leaders are vigilant and watchful.”

PHOTO: JOËLLE ORTET / PIXABAY

Ras Bir beach in Djibouti sits between the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.

of Djibouti’s GDP. Altogether China owns 82 percent of the microstate’s external debt. What happens when the Djiboutians are unable to repay?”

RESOLVING REGIONAL CONFLICTS Despite its controversial embrace of China and its small size, Djibouti has played a key role in stabilizing the region. It has gone to considerable effort to help end the internal bloodshed that has ripped apart neighboring Somalia. “For a long time, our diplomacy was and still is geared toward achieving a peaceful settlement in Somalia. The first attempt to mediate between the warring parties in Somalia was a Djibouti-led effort,” Doualeh said. “After almost a decade of volatility and what some called a ‘slow genocide,’ in 1999 we launched another major initiative called the Arta conference. It was led by civil society and all were welcomed, including the warlords, but we designed the mediation efforts so that those warlords would not hold any veto power. The Arta process was innovative, and it produced the first Somali authority to fill Somalia’s seat at the United Nations and other regional bodies.” After “a year of very difficult, protracted discussions among Somalis of all walks of life,” as Doualeh put it, the talks produced “a viable basis to foster peace and reconciliation.”

While Somalia is still unstable, in Yemen the situation is much worse. Since early 2015, when Saudi Arabia led a coalition of like-minded Arab countries to intervene after Houthi rebels ousted the government, the fighting has killed 10,000 people, although one recent study put the estimate at 50,000 dead. The war has also left more than 22 million people — three quarters of Yemen’s population — in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Northern Djibouti, in fact, is home to thousands of Yemeni refugees. “Some 80 percent of the tuberculosis cases in Djibouti are found among refugees and economic migrants — and we’ve had to deal with this without any outside help,” Doualeh noted. Humanitarian groups and the United Nations have accused the Saudi-led coalition of disproportionately killing thousands of civilians in indiscriminate bombing campaigns. But Doualeh lays blame for the bloodshed squarely on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. “The fighting in Yemen was sudden, and the level of preparedness was low. We had to adjust to a crisis, and whenever we have friends in need, we open our hearts and our homes. We generously contributed with whatever resources we had,” the ambassador said. “We don’t have boots on the ground, but we are part of the Arab coalition. We enjoy historic relations with Saudi Arabia. We also support the Yemeni government in its effort to contain the Houthi insurgency, which has had a devastating impact on Yemen. It’s destroying

On the plus side, two longtime enemies, Ethiopia and Eritrea, have finally kissed and made up. On Sept. 17, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed formalized a peace agreement, ending 20 years of hostilities. The two countries have opened their long-closed border, re-established telephone links and launched commercial flights between Addis Ababa and Asmara. “A new wind of hope blowing across Africa,” was how U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described the rapprochement. A consequence of the long war was that 95 percent of Ethiopian trade flowed from Djibouti ports. With peace at hand, landlocked Ethiopia now has other options, potentially cutting off a lucrative source of income for Djibouti. Acknowledging the difficulty, Doualeh said he’s still optimistic that Djibouti will remain relevant in the long run. “Djibouti is the natural port for the 21-member COMESA [Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa]. It’s true that with the stalemate now over between Ethiopia and Eritrea, things may change a little,” he said. “We have invested in world-class facilities over the years, and we have adapted well in response to Ethiopia’s growing demands. Of course, we are open to competition. The key for us is to further improve our facilities, efficiency of the logistics sector and maximize those comparative advantages.” The rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea has also paved the way for Djibouti to normalize its ties with Eritrea after 10 years of border hostilities and a brief military clash that led to the taking of prisoners on both sides. On Sept. 6, delegates from Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea met in Djibouti with Guelleh, who told them “Djibouti is ready for reconciliation and formalization of its ties with Eritrea.” Since 2009, Eritrea had been subjected to a U.N. arms embargo for having supported militants in Somalia and occupying a small piece of Djibouti territory that it had claimed. But those hostilities now appear to be over, with Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf recently telling reporters: “With the truthful willingness demonstrated by Eritrea and Djibouti to make peace, all other pending issues will find their way to resolution.” WD Tel Aviv-based journalist Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

Follow The Diplomat Connect at www.washdiplomat.com.

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 17

WD | United States

Navigating Election Night Midterms Set to Shake Up an Already-Tumultuous Political Landscape BY COGENT STRATEGIES

Midterm Elections Roadmap

ost political observers predict that Democrats, riding a wave of anti-Trump sentiment, are on track to retake the House and possibly the Senate on Nov. 6. But predictions aren’t always on the mark — as evidenced by President Trump’s own victory less than two years ago. Regardless of who emerges as the big winners and losers of this month’s midterms, the election will undoubtedly add more fuel to the explosive partisanship that has come to define American politics. Despite this volatile voting landscape, some clear trends have emerged — among them, a re-energized Democratic base, women entering politics in record numbers and a president who continues to inspire both fierce devotion and loathing. To suss out the key races, issues and personalities that will determine the political makeup of the 116th Congress and governorships of 36 U.S. states, Cogent Strategies has created a midterm roadmap to guide us through what is sure to be another momentous political contest. Cogent Strategies is a top-ranked bipartisan team of strategic policy, communications, data and digital professionals with decades of experience crafting fully integrated, datadriven campaigns for clients large and small. WD

October 2018

LAY OF THE LAND SENATE

HOUSE

GOVERNORS

51 – 49

235 – 193

33 – 16 – 1

Republican majority

35 races

61 retirements

6 Committee Chairmen Retiring or Term-Limited

House Speaker Paul Ryan 9 Committee Chairmen 39 outright retirements 22 Running for higher office 7 Vacancies

9 Republicans 26 Democrats

TO LEARN MORE To view the Midterm Elections Roadmap in its entirety, visit www.cogent-strategies.com.

42 Republicans 19 Democrats

Republican majority

36 races

19 Incumbents 13 Republicans 5 Democrats 1 Independent

17 Open Seats 13 Republicans 4 Democrats

What We Know for Certain Regardless of election results, chairmanships will change Senate Committee Chairmen Retirements: • Bob Corker (R-TN) Committee on Foreign Relations • Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Committee on Finance • Thad Cochran (R-MS) Committee on Appropriations Senate Committee Chairmen Termed Out: • John Thune (R-SD) Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation • Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Committee on Energy and Natural Resources • Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions 18 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

House Committee Chairmen Retirements: • Diane Black (R-TN) Committee on Budget • Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Committee on Appropriations • Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) Committee on Judiciary • Trey Gowdy (R-SC) Committee on Oversight and Government Reform • Gregg Harper (R-MS) Committee on House Administration • Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) Committee on Financial Services • Ed Royce (R-CA) Committee on Foreign Affairs • Bill Shuster (R-PA) Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure • Lamar Smith (R-TX) Committee on Science, Space and Technology House Committee Chairmen Termed Out: • Michael McCaul (R-TX) Committee on Homeland Security

2018 Senate Map #" ,)

,&6

/. #+

()

.0 ,.

Democrat Incumbent (24)

/,/6

&7 #'

Republican Incumbent (6)

Independent Incumbent (2) 8!

Open Seat (3) * indicates two Senate races in state

Senate Battleground Insights ! Historically favorable map for Republicans, as Democrats must defend seats in 26 of 35 Senate races ! Ten Democratic Senators are up for re-election in states Trump won in 2016: ! Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin ! Trump won 5 of those states by 18 points or more: ! Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia ! Democratic pickup opportunities are limited: ! Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas

Senate Forecasts 1 in 5

$+#)%

Chance Democrats take control (18.5%)

4 in 5

$*#)%

$(#*%

Chance Republicans keep control (81.5%)

$)#$%

$"#)%

,#-% &#+%

&#(%

)#$%

'#$% !"#$%

"#&%

&*./ ((.0

&&./ (&.0

&(./ (*.0

$#(% &)./ (+.0

&'./ (,.0

&$./ (-.0

&"./ &".0

CONTROL

&$.0 (-./

&'.0 (,./

Source: FiveThirtyEight

&(.0 (,./

&&.0 (,./

&*.0 (,./

"#'%

&+.0 (,./

&,.0 (,./

CURRENT BREAKDOWN

!" 10% chance Democrats gain more than 2 seats

&).0 (,./

"#+%

+ 0 . 6 R E P U B L I C A N S E AT S AVG. GAIN

80% chance outcome falls in this range

10% chance Republicans gain more than 4 seats

SEE MIDT ER MS â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 20 THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 19

2018 House of Representatives

Midterms CONTINUED • PAGE 19

Democratic district (181) Democratic district carried by Trump (12) Republican district (215) Republican district carried by Clinton (23)

House Race Ratings LIKELY D

LEAN D

TOSS UP

AZ-01 O’Halleran CA-07 Bera CA-16 Costa FL-07 Murphy MN-07 Peterson NH-01 Open NJ-02 Open NJ-05 Gottheimer PA-05 Open PA-06 Open PA-08 Cartwright PA-17 Rothfus

AZ-02 Open CA-49 Open CO-06 Coffman IA-01 Blum IL-06 Roskam KS-03 Yoder MI-11 Open MN-02 Lewis MN-03 Paulsen NJ-11 Open NV-03 Open NV-04 Open PA-07 Open VA-10 Comstock

CA-10 Denham NC-09 Open CA-25 Knight NC-13 Budd CA-39 Open NJ-03 MacArthur CA-45 Walters NJ-07 Lance CA-48 Rohrabacher NM-02 Open FL-26 Curbelo NY-19 Faso FL-27 Open NY-22 Tenney IA-03 Young OH-01 Chabot IL-12 Bost PA-01 Fitzpatrick IL-14 Hultgren TX-07 Culberson KS-02 Open TX-32 Sessions KY-06 Barr UT-04 Love ME-02 Poliquin VA-02 Taylor MI-08 Bishop VA-07 Brat MN-01 Open WA-08 Open MN-08 Open

Source: Cook Political Report

LIKELY R

LEAN R AR-02 Hill CA-50 Hunter FL-15 Open FL-16 Buchanan GA-06 Handel GA-07 Woodall IL-13 Davis MO-02 Wagner MT-AL Gianforte NC-02 Holding NE-02 Bacon NY-24 Katko NY-27 Collins

OH-12 Balderson PA-10 Perry PA-16 Kelly SC-01 Open TX-23 Hurd TX-31 Carter VA-05 Open WA-03 Herrera Beutler WA-05 McMorris Rodgers WI-01 Open WV-03 Open

AK-AL Young AZ-06 Schweikert CA-04 McClintock CA-21 Valadao CO-03 Tipton FL-06 Open FL-18 Mast FL-25 Diaz-Balart IA-04 King IN-02 Walorski MI-01 Bergman MI-03 Amash MI-06 Upton MI-07 Walberg

NC-08 Hudson NY-01 Zeldin NY-02 King NY-11 Donovan NY-21 Stefanik OH-10 Turner OH-14 Joyce PA-14 Open TX-02 Open TX-21 Open TX-22 Olson TX-24 Marchant WI-06 Grothman

Of the 108 races currently rated as competitive, Republicans are defending 95 while Democrats are only defending 13

%"#

7 in 9

House Forecasts

2 in 9 Chance Republicans keep control (21.9%)

Chance Democrats win control (78.1%)

$"#

A V E R A G E

271 D 270 D 269 D 268 D 267 D 266 D 265 D 264 D 263 D 262 D 261 D 260 D 259 D 258 D 257 D 256 D 255 D 254 D 253 D 252 D 251 D 250 D 249 D 248 D 247 D 246 D 245 D 244 D 243 D 242 D 241 D 240 D 239 D 238 D 237 D 236 D 235 D 234 D 233 D 232 D 231 D 230 D 229 D 228 D 227 D 226 D 225 D 224 D 223 D 222 D 221 D 220 D 219 D 218 D 217 D 216 D 215 D 214 D 213 D 212 D 211 D 210 D 209 D 208 D 207 D 206 D 205 D 204 D 203 D 202 D 201 D 200 D 199 D 198 D 197 D 196 D 195 D 194 D 193 D 192 D 191 D

164 R 165 R 166 R 167 R 168 R 169 R 170 R 171 R 172 R 173 R 174 R 175 R 176 R 177 R 178 R 179 R 180 R 181 R 182 R 183 R 184 R 185 R 186 R 187 R 188 R 189 R 190 R 191 R 192 R 193 R 194 R 195 R 196 R 197 R 198 R 199 R 200 R 201 R 202 R 203 R 204 R 205 R 206 R 207 R 208 R 209 R 210 R 211 R 212 R 213 R 214 R 215 R 216 R 217 R 218 R 219 R 220 R 221 R 222 R 223 R 224 R 225 R 226 R 227 R 228 R 229 R 230 R 231 R 232 R 233 R 234 R 235 R 236 R 237 R 238 R 239 R 240 R 241 R 242 R 243 R 244 R

!"#

Source: FiveThirtyEight

10% chance Democrats gain more than 56 seats

20 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

MAJORITY

+16

+ 3 5 D E M O C R AT I C S E AT S ( AV G G A I N ) +56

80% chance Democrats gain 16 to 56 seats

10% chance Democrats gain fewer than 16 seats

2018 Gubernatorial Races #" ,)

&. ,&

3. #+

()

1/ $1

&7 #'

.0 ,.

Democratic Incumbent (5)

Republican Incumbent (13)

&4 ,0

Independent Incumbent (1) Open seat (17)

Gubernatorial Race Ratings Open (CA) Ige (HI) Cuomo (NY)

Rauner (IL) Open (MN) Wolf (PA)

Open (CO) Open (MI) Open (NM) Brown (OR) Raimondo (RI)

Open (CT) Open (FL) Open (GA) Reynolds (IA) Open (KS) Open (ME) Open (NV) Open (OH) Open (SD) Walker (WI)

Walker (AK) Open (OK)

Ducey (AZ) Hogan (MD) Sununu (NH) McMaster (SC) Open (TN)

Ivey (AL) Hutchinson (AR) Open (ID) Baker (MA) Ricketts (NE) Abbott (TX) Open (WY) Scott (VT)

These races have big implications for who controls congressional redistricting in 2020 Source: Cook Political Report

State Legislatures #" ,) $%

1/ $1

#' '"

,0 ," -)

&7 .0 ,.

)& ,/

&0 ()

#+ &'

/"!

Democratic Control (14)

Republican Control (32)

!" 8!

Split Control (3) Nonpartisan Legislature (1) SEE MIDT ER MS â&#x20AC;¢ PAGE 22 THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 21

Is It Still the Economy, Stupid?

Midterms CONTINUED • PAGE 21

Economic Indicators Should Favor Republicans

! Based on many leading indicators, the economy should be a major asset for Republicans: ! Unemployment below 4% for the first time since 2000 ! The US economy continues to grow, currently amid the second-longest expansion in history ! ! ! !

Middle class income rose to its highest level ever in 2017 Consumer confidence at a 17-year high GDP continues to increase at a steady rate S&P 500 has risen more than 25% since Trump took office

! On the other hand…

! Only 12% of Americans say their family has benefited “a great deal” from recent economic growth ! 53% of Americans say economic growth has helped them “not much” or “not at all” ! Adjusted for inflation, wages are up just 0.4% since last year Source: Monmouth University Poll

Presidential Approval Rating Trump’s Numbers Remain Well Underwater

60 55

52.5%

Disapprove

50 45

41.9% Approve

40 35 30 1/23/17

4/23/17

7/23/17

10/23/17

1/23/18

4/23/18

7/23/18

10/23/18

Source: FiveThirtyEight

2018: Year of the Woman? More Women are Running—and Winning ! Women have won 230 House primaries ! Women represent 43% (179/421) of Democratic House nominees. and 13% (51/387) of Republican House nominees ! Arizona will elect its first female senator and Tennessee may as well ! Kristi Noem and Stacey Abrams could become the first female governors of SD and GA 22 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Global Vantage Point | WD

Step Back for Equality Op-Ed: Trump’s New LGBTI Policy Contradicts U.S. Human Rights Diplomacy BY ELISE CARLSON-RAINER

n Oct. 1, the Trump administration began denying visas for same-sex partners of diplomats working at the United Nations in New York. In a memo to the U.N., the U.S. government informed foreign diplomats that the State Department will not issue G-4 visas for same-sex domestic partners who wish to join newly arrived U.N. officials unless they provide proof of marriage. Those already here must provide a marriage certificate by Dec. 31 or leave the country within 30 days. According to the State Department, the purpose of the policy is to promote the equal treatment of all family members and couples in light of the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. Since then, the department announced that it would change its policies to accommodate that landmark decision, extending diplomatic visas only to married spouses of U.S. diplomats. It’s now applying that rule to foreign diplomats in the U.S., estimating that the new policy will impact roughly 100 families. But this new policy does not promote equality — rather, it does the opposite. It is in direct contradiction of the State Department’s own internal policies for same-sex diplomats, and it also conflicts with broader U.S. human rights diplomacy mandates.

COUNTRIES VARY IN RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES The majority of countries globally do not recognize same-sex marriage or partnerships. While vast reforms on LGBTI rights are sweeping across many liberal democracies, the trends are moving in the opposite direction in many African, Latin American and Middle East countries. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) produces an annual map illustrating sexual orientation laws around the world. Upon publication of the 2017 report, ILGA noted that the updated map and data “starkly indicate the absence of positive law in most parts of the world.” Given the current global trends and the inability for many same-sex partners to marry, this new U.S. government policy places an undue burden on foreign diplomats appointed by their countries to work at the United Nations. It is tantamount to firing them from their jobs. For those who do opt to get married in the United States to comply with the policy, it could make them vulnerable to retribution back home if their government criminalizes homosexuality or same-sex marriage. It could be a no-win situation for many diplomats and their partners, who either face deportation from the U.S. or discrimination, the loss of their jobs or even imprisonment and death in their home countries.

STATE DEPARTMENT’S PROBLEMATIC HISTORY WITH LGBTI RIGHTS The State Department has a history of firing its own LGBTI diplomats. In 1953, President Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10450 banning homosexuals from working for the federal government or for any of its private contractors. During the McCarthy era in the 1950s, officials ac-

PHOTO: BY TED EYTAN FROM WASHINGTON, DC, USA - SCOTUS MARRIAGE EQUALITY 2015 58151, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS CC BY-SA 2.0

Revelers celebrate the Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage on June 26, 2015.

“

Given the current global trends and the inability for many same-sex partners to marry, this new U.S. government policy places an undue burden on foreign diplomats appointed by their countries to work at the United Nations. It is tantmount to firing them from their jobs. ELISE CARLSON-RAINER

”

assistant professor of international relations at American Public University

tively sought to flush out “commies and queers” from federal service, according to author David K. Johnson’s book “The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government.” Johnson documents how this Lavender Scare permeated the State Department with the “fear that homosexuals posed a threat to national security and needed to be systematically removed from the federal government.”

FEDERAL AGENCIES PUBLICLY SHAMED AND FIRED EMPLOYEES The State Department and other federal agencies publicly shamed and fired people, even if they were only suspected of being gay. Believed to be persons of “perverted morals” and even mentally ill, Johnson writes that they would be at risk for blackmail and extortion from foreign spies “outing” them. They were therefore a security risk and threat to the nation, Johnson notes. In the end, approximately 4,380 gay men and women were discharged from the military and around 500 were fired from their government jobs. Far beyond the 1970s, up until 1975, the U.S. government could

remove a federal employee for “immoral conduct” (a euphemism used primarily for homosexuality). Through the 1980s and into the 1990s, LGBTI diplomats’ careers were at risk if they dared to live openly. In fact, LGBTI individuals were prohibited from serving in the State Department until 1992. Historically, the State Department has had an overt policy of discriminating against LGBTI diplomats. Under the Obama administration, however, thenSecretary of State Hillary Clinton reversed these discriminatory policies. In a watershed moment — pivotal in the integration of LGBTI rights into U.S. foreign policy institutions — Clinton delivered a speech before the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Human Rights Day in 2011. In the most famous portion of her speech, she proclaimed “gay rights as human rights and human rights as gay rights.”

OBAMA’S PROMISE TO PROMOTE GAY RIGHTS WORLDWIDE Following Clinton’s speech, the Obama adminisSEE VAN TAGE POIN T • PAGE 47 THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 23

WD | Nordic Vantage Point

Healthy Oceans Op-Ed: U.S. Visit of Viking Ship Serves as Reminder of Importance of Oceans BY NORWEGIAN AMBASSADOR KÅRE R. AAS

The Draken Harald Hårfagre — the world’s largest Viking ship to sail in modern times — arrived at The Wharf in D.C. last month, serving as a reminder of the importance of preserving the world’s oceans.

or 10 days last month, the world’s largest sailing Viking ship was docked at The Wharf in Washington, D.C. Having crossed the Atlantic from Norway, more than 1,000 years after Norse explorer Leif Erikson became the first European to reach American shores, the Draken Harald Hårfagre served as a reminder to people in the nation’s capital of the opportunities offered by the world’s oceans. For the Vikings, the ocean did not divide. It offered a way to connect — for those who dared. The oceans cover two-thirds of our planet, produce half of the oxygen we breathe and absorb around one-third of our carbon dioxide emissions. They provide us with food, energy and a means of transportation. Hundreds of millions of people depend on the oceans for their livelihoods. Obviously, the oceans need to be treated with respect. This is not the case today. The oceans are under threat from several directions. Throughout the world, overfishing is depleting stocks. Pollution and acidification are threats to the marine habitat and to coastal communities. Marine litter and microplastics increasingly damage marine ecosystems. All of this is undermining the true potential of the oceans. If we want the oceans to continue to give us life, a joint international effort is needed — a push toward a truly sustainable ocean economy. Now, Norway is taking a lead. Prime Minister Erna Solberg has brought together a group of world leaders in a high-level panel. Together they will recommend ways to move to a truly sustainable ocean economy. The goal is to create a balance between protecting the oceans and optimizing their value to humankind. The growing population of the world needs more food, medicines, energy and minerals. If managed wisely, the oceans hold the key to meeting these needs, the prime minister said. Through the United Nations, the world’s countries have identified a set of goals — the Sustainable Development Goals — for how to secure a better and more sustainable future for all. Less than 12 years remain before 2030, the deadline for achieving these goals. With coordinated management, the oceans can help get us there. With the U.S. visit of the Draken Harald Hårfagre — the world’s largest Viking ship to sail in modern times — Norway launched a government initiative to highlight, over the next couple of years, the significance of the oceans for the well-being of our planet — and for the people who live on it. During the U.S. tour, the Draken will visit 14 harbors across the East Coast, spanning Maine to South Carolina. Through these events and other activities, we want people in the Washington area and other parts of the United States to get onboard with us and contribute to a global push toward a sustainable ocean economy. Why is Norway doing this? Because we care. And because Norway is an ocean nation. Our sea areas

24 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

“

PHOTOS: SAM KITTNER

If we want the oceans to continue to give us life, a joint international effort is needed — a push toward a truly sustainable ocean economy.

”

KÅRE R. AAS, ambassador of Norway to the United States

are vastly larger than our land areas. Around 80 percent of our population lives within six miles of the sea. Oil and gas, fisheries, aquaculture and shipping account for nearly two-thirds of Norway’s export revenues. As the world population grows, there is a need to strengthen international cooperation on management of the oceans. When planning for our com-

mon future, we cannot afford to turn away from them. WD Nordic Vantage Point is a series of columns written by Kåre R. Aas, who has served as Norway’s ambassador to the U.S. since September 2013, prior to which he was political director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo.

Education A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat

•

November 2018

PHOTO: BY HOWARD CHANDLER CHRISTY - THE INDIAN REPORTER

Our Civic Duty

The Founding Fathers sign the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

Decline of Civics Education Means Students Less Prepared to Become Informed Citizens •

hen pop star Taylor Swift posted on Instagram last month her support for two Tennessee Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections, the number of voter registrations on Vote.org skyrocketed, outpacing in

just 24 hours the total number for all of August. There’s a lot that’s remarkable here, but one aspect stands out: In adding to the civic discourse, she’s inspiring her largely young fan base to get involved, too.

BY STEPHANIE KANOWITZ

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 25

Civics CONTINUED • PAGE 25

Studies show that civic knowledge and public engagement is at an all-time low. For example, the Annenberg Public Policy Center found in a 2016 survey that only 26 percent of Americans can name all three branches of government. As Jonathan R. Cole wrote in a Nov. 8, 2016, article for The Atlantic, “It is telling, for example, that in 2009, 89 percent of those who took a test on civic knowledge expressed confidence they could pass it; in fact, 83 percent would have failed.” Apathy, meanwhile, is widespread. The U.S. has among the lowest voter turnouts among developed nations. Despite some fluctuations, only about half of the country’s voting age population tends to cast a ballot in a presidential race. The lack of knowledge about how our system of government works starts young. More than 80 percent of college seniors at 55 top-ranked schools would have earned a D or F on historical knowledge, according to a 2015 study published by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. The survey found that about half of respondents couldn’t state the length of the terms for Senate and House members. And according to a Feb. 21, 2018, report on “The State of Civics Education” by the Center for American Progress (CAP), while the 2016 presidential election sparked a renewed interest in politics among young people, only 23 percent of eighth-graders performed at or above the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress civics exam — and achievement levels have virtually stagnated since 1998. One reason for the malaise may be that an increased focus on math and reading in elementary, middle and high schools has pushed out other subjects, such as civics, according to CAP. But for schools near the nation’s capital, civics education can be tough to miss. “We’re really fortunate to teach social studies and do civic education in Washington, D.C., because there’s such a wealth of resources all around that the city can become the class-

PHOTO: DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS

DC Public Schools takes advantage of its location in the nation’s capital to teach students about civics through trips to Smithsonian museums and even to the musical “Hamilton” at the Kennedy Center.

room,” said Scott Abbott, director of social studies for DC Public Schools (DCPS). “What we try to do is set up our curriculum and professional development with teachers so that the instruction that they’re doing with students really leverages the different opportunities and resources that are locally available.” Sometimes that’s a field trip to a Smithsonian Institution museum. Other times, it’s seeing the musical “Hamilton” at the Kennedy Center, which is what about 1,200 DCPS 11thgraders did in September. It was part of the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s Hamilton Education Program, which invites Title I-eligible schools — those with high numbers of students from low-income families — to make Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Era part of classroom studies and to see the show. Additionally, as part of a unit on how a bill becomes law, high schoolers choose an issue that is important to them and craft legislation about it. Some students at Dunbar High School chose gun control, and before the March For Our Lives gun control demonstration earlier this year, they met with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to discuss their bill. Two years ago, DCPS partnered with the U.S. Holocaust

Memorial Museum on visits for 10th-graders studying World War II. About 1,500 students have participated each year. By engaging in such project-based learning, Abbott said, students learn the conceptual content. In other words, going beyond textbooks helps makes civics stick. “If they’re going to be prepared to be members of society, it’s not something that they could just learn, memorize, take the test and move on,” Abbott said. “We want them to actually know things deeply enough that they’re going to be active and engaged citizens.” DCPS does adhere to state standards laid out by grade level. For instance, it works to meet standards such as the birth, growth and decline of civilizations; the effects of interactions between humans and the environment; and the influence of economic, political, religious and cultural beliefs as human societies move beyond regional, national or geographic boundaries. The District also aligns instruction with the “Six Proven Practices for Effective Civic Learning” guidebook, including connecting past and current events, performing community service linked to curriculum and encouraging simulations of government or democratic procedures. The guidebook emphasizes that real-world lessons, not just static lectures and PowerPoint presentations, are key to helping students grasp how civics shapes their everyday lives. For example, learning not only about how government is structured, but also why it is structured the way it is — and the challenges and complexities inherent within that system — gives students a better understanding of the political polarization dividing the nation. “As academic pressures in schools intensify, many civics courses have morphed into more cursory, fly-by kinds of course requirements that students merely check off of a todo list. The disadvantage for students in courses like these is that they often do not provide the kinds of hands-on learning experiences that have a lasting impact,” according to the guidebook, written by Lisa Guilfoile, Brady Delander and Carol Kreck. Abbott agrees that teaching young people the real-world relevance of civics is essential. “Students have to learn the ideas that underpin our Constitution and our government, but I think a lot of what we’re trying to do with our approach here is bridge it to the more

CL AIM YOUR ROLE IN THE WORLD

INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAM

• High-quality instruction to improve your English quickly! • Free Cultural Activities and Conversation Club! • Convenient Fairfax locaction at Dunn Loring Metro Stop! • Meet your academic, professional, &

personal goals!

CALL TODAY ABOUT SPECIAL PRICING FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS!

Classes are enrolling now!

L ANGUAGE AND CULTURE INSTITUTE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, FAIRFAX 703-205- 2750  LCI.V T.EDU/NCR 26 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Best Value In American Boarding Schools • • • • • • •

100% College Acceptance Healthy & Safe Learning Environment Highly Diverse Student Body Our Cadets Come From No Cell Phones or Social Media Access 53 Service Academy Appointments in 15 $37,750 Boarding (7 Day Domestic) Tuition and Uniforms

Change Your Son’s

Quality of Life

www.forkunion.com

1.800.GO.2.FUMA

admissions@fuma.org

“

If you’re going to be able to be successful as an adult member of society in the United States, you have to be prepared as a citizen and prepared to be civically engaged. SCOTT ABBOTT director of social studies for DC Public Schools

practical application of civics as well,” Abbott said. The Whittle School & Studios, a new private school network that is set to open a campus in Washington, D.C., and Shenzhen, China, in fall 2019, is planning to incorporate civics into its core academic program, which will be organized around interdisciplinary, project-based classes four days a week and an Expeditionary Day (or “X-Day”) once a week when students go beyond the classroom and directly into the local community. Whittle, too, stresses the importance of hands-on learning and will take advantage of its location in the nation’s capital to expose students to civics firsthand. “Washington, D.C. is a rich crucible for not only civics education but deep learning across the curriculum. From its rich history as one of America’s leading African American metropolises, to its resources as our nation’s capitol, D.C. is uniquely positioned to provide opportunities for experiential learning,” Andrew Meyers, co-chair of Whittle’s education design team and global head of experiential learning at the school, told us via email. “Already, for our Summer Adventure Program for early applicants, we have traveled

”

down the Anacostia River to learn about Native American settlements and early industrialization; tested water quality and explored the diversity of local ecosystems at Kenilworth Gardens; heard student presentations on the National Mall; explored how communities wrestle with urban renewal with historians at the Anacostia Smithsonian; and created street art dedicated to ‘resilience’ with a renowned street artist in the Shaw neighborhood,” he said. Whittle’s mission is to give students a modern, global education. Learning about their local neighborhoods is integral to that international focus, Meyers said. “We are dedicated to teaching our students global awareness through exploring local roots. So the experience of the students — in their classroom, family, neighborhood and city — becomes an opportunity to learn how to be respectful of different identities and cultures, and thoughtful members of their community,” he explained. “When students understand how to navigate their city, they can apply what they learn to addressing global challenges. So, learning civics in a local and national context becomes the platform for navigating other cultures globally.” SEE C I V I C S • PAGE 28

STUDY WITH

PURPOSE Advance your globally focused career at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) through graduate programs in international relations, economics, languages, development, security issues, energy and environment, and more.

Serving students ages 18 months to grade 12

Admission Events

School

Friday, Nov 2 9:00am Discover Montessori 18 months-Grade 5

Monday, Nov 12 9:00 am Admission Tours 18 months - Grade 12

RSVP Today! 301-576-2800 admission@barrie.org

barrie.org

• Beautifully renovated Montessori building and new K-5 Maker Space • New STEAM courses for Middle & High School including planetary and marine science

13500 Layhill Road, Silver Spring, MD Minutes from the ICC and Glenmont Metro Bus Transportation & Extended Day Available

Build Your Career With a World-Class Graduate Education in Washington, DC Master of Arts—A two-year, full-time program focusing on interdisciplinary coursework in economics, international relations, policy, and regional studies. Master of Arts in Global Policy—A 16-month, cohort-based program that builds on the core strengths of the school; flexible weekend schedule allows students to remain employed. Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance—An 11-month program for early-career professionals to advance quantitative and econometric skills.

Master of International Public Policy—A full-time program completed over one academic year, allows experienced professionals to focus on areas of importance to their careers. Certificate Programs—Earn a four-course certificate in International Development, International Economics, or International Studies.

Learn more at sais-jhu.edu/diplomat

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 27

Civics CONTINUED • PAGE 27

For example, elementary school students will begin with urban skill-building, which includes learning how to map a city through architecture tours, transportation studies and interviews with residents. Middle schoolers will expand upon these skills by conducting archival research and environmental analysis, writing policy memos and participating in urban projects such as exploring city physics through bridge design or analyzing car velocity. “City fieldwork and deep research are integral elements of our curriculum,” Meyers said. “No matter how engaging a teacher or lesson plan may be, learning will always be more meaningful … when it is experienced beyond the classroom.” Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va., a private boarding school, also takes advantage of its location in the form of its Washington Program. For 21 Wednesdays each school year, students go off campus to explore civics and D.C. through four concentration areas: cultural awareness, entrepreneurship, public policy and sustainability. For instance, they have worked and studied at the National Museum of the American Indian; learned about economic policy decisions from Treasury Department employees; completed externships with the State Department and White House Office of the Staff Secretary; and researched environmental concerns with the Environmental Protection Agency. “We have this weekly connection to our curriculum for all of our students that allows our faculty to construct experiential learning opportunities that connect directly to what they’re working on in the classroom,” said Jeremy Goldstein, director of experiential learning at Episcopal, Sen. John McCain’s alma mater. “In theory, a student can come here for four years and have 100 academic experiential education opportunities through our program.” He puts an emphasis on making civics part of the school’s overall curriculum, rather than a standalone course. “Our students — and maybe more than other students

PHOTO: DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS

As part of their civics education, DC Public Schools students choose an issue that is important to them and craft legislation about it.

nationwide — have their finger on the pulse of Washington and that public policy, service, leadership piece than most students do,” said Goldstein. “It’s because we’re intentional about weaving it into our program and geographically. We’re right here.” Fork Union Military Academy, situated about two and a half hours southwest of D.C., takes another approach. Since 1950, the private boarding school for boys has used the One Subject Plan in which students focus exclusively on one subject for about seven weeks. The benefit to this is that students aren’t distracted by juggling multiple classes at one time. “The con to that would be that it’s not perpetual study,” said Mike Goad, a U.S. history and government instructor at the academy. “If you’re not continuously studying something like civics, you get rusty.” His approach to civics is laying a solid foundation in the classroom and building on it through experiences such as visiting the Appomattox Court House, where the 1865 surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia signaled the end of America’s Civil War — a trip Hurricane Florence interrupted this year. “Education in general doesn’t view civic education as something that needs to be foundational and built upon like math,” Goad said. “Civics education to me is no different

OUR STUDENTS DON’T JUST LOOK FOR THE ANSWERS, THEY ALSO LEARN TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.

than math education. If I don’t know how to divide, I can’t look at a fraction and see that it’s a portion of the whole number. If I don’t know Algebra I, I can’t do Algebra II. If I don’t know that the majority of both the House and the Senate need to pass a bill for it to go to the president and that the president has a veto option, I can’t talk about conference committees and joint committees.” Another factor in today’s lack of civic engagement is that people take the government setup for granted, he said. “Today, it’s here. We study how we got it, but everybody that’s alive today is so used to it that we don’t really appreciate it as much,” Goad said. Proximity to the nation’s capital may indeed play a role in how civically engaged young people are. Voter participation in Maryland and Virginia among adults ages 18 to 24 trends higher than that of other states, according to the Center for American Progress report. In Maryland, the voter participation rate for that age group is 48 percent, while Virginia has the highest in the country at 54.6 percent, followed by Kentucky at 51.1 percent and Nebraska at 50.1 percent. D.C., Maryland and Virginia are three of only 10 states that require a yearlong course in U.S. government or civics, although none requires a civics exam for graduation, according to CAP. Thirty-one states only require a half-year of civics or U.S. government education, and 10 states have no civics requirement. Without that solid foundation of understanding why government works the way it does, many experts warn that young people will lack the basic knowledge to shape that government in the future. As Founding Father James Madison wrote in an 1822 letter: “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance.” And given how much government policies affect our daily lives, from the taxes we pay to the wars we fight, political illiteracy can be just as limiting to future success as not being able to read and write. As Abbott put it: “If you’re going to be able to be successful as an adult member of society in the United States, you have to be prepared as a citizen and prepared to be civically engaged.” WD Stephanie Kanowitz is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

Georgetown University

ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTER

Request your personal tour today!

301.767.3807 • admissions@giswashington.org • GISWashington.org/info

• Intensive English Program • Business and Professional English Program • Evening and Weekend English Courses • Teaching EFL Certificate Program • Customized Teacher Training and Professional Development programs • Legal English/ Pre-LLM Program

Georgetown University-ELC

Meeting the needs of students and teachers of English as a Foreign Language Tel: 202-687-5978, 202-687-7710

http://scs.georgetown.edu

28 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

• http://efl.georgetown.edu

Medical A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat

•

November 2018

PHOTO: GOODLUZ / SHUTTERSTOCK

‘Forgotten Child’ of MS Drug Ibudilast Slows Brain Shrinkage in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis •

BY AMY NORTON

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disorder caused by a misguided immune system attack on the protective sheath around nerve fibers in the spine and brain. Symptoms include vision problems, muscle weakness, numbness and difficulty with balance and coordination.

drug that has long been used in Japan for asthma may slow down brain shrinkage in people with progressive multiple sclerosis, a preliminary trial has found.

The study, published Aug. 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine, tested an oral drug called ibudilast. It is not approved in the United States but has been used for years in Japan as a treatment for asthma and for vertigo in stroke survivors. Researchers found that the drug slowed brain shrinkage by 48 percent when compared with an inactive placebo among patients with progressive MS. Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disorder

caused by a misguided immune system attack on the protective sheath around nerve fibers in the spine and brain. Depending on where the damage occurs, symptoms include vision problems, muscle weakness, numbness and difficulty with balance and coordination. Most people with MS are initially diagnosed with the “relapsing-remitting” form, meaning that their symptoms flare up for a time and then ease.

Patients in this trial had progressive MS, where the disease steadily worsens without periods of recovery. And while more than a dozen drugs are available to manage relapsing MS, there are few options for progressive forms of the disease, said Dr. Robert Fox, lead researcher on the new study. SEE MU LTIPLE S C LER OS IS • PAGE 30

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 29

Specialists in Reproductive Health Care Dedicated to providing reproductive services and infertility health care with pleasant surroundings in a state-of-the-art facility.

One-on-One care in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere

MONTGOMERY FERTILITY CENTER Yemi Famuyiwa, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. Tower Oaks Professional Park 3202 Tower Oaks Blvd Suite • 370 Rockville, Maryland 20852

301-946-6962 www.montgomeryfertilitycenter.com

Multiple Sclerosis CONTINUED • PAGE 29

In general, the drugs for relapsing MS do not work for people with progressive forms, said Fox, a neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic. The biology of progressive MS, Fox explained, seems to be “fundamentally different.” Inflammation drives relapsing MS, while the progressive forms seem to be driven by degeneration of nerve cells in the brain, following damage from the inflammatory phase. Ibudilast can suppress inflammation, and it was first tested against relapsing MS — where it failed to prevent relapses. But, Fox said, the drug did slow brain shrinkage (atrophy). And that led researchers to suspect it might help patients with progressive MS. Fox and his colleagues recruited 255 patients with progressive MS from 28 U.S. medical centers. Patients were randomly assigned to take either ibudilast or placebo pills every day for 96 weeks. In the end, patients on the drug showed, on average, 48 percent less atrophy in their brain tissue. The big question, Fox said, is whether that will slow patients’ progression to disability. “This is a proof-of-concept,” he said. “We’ve shown that this slows brain atrophy. We haven’t shown that it slows clinical progression.” Longer-term studies are needed to prove that. For now, Fox stressed, “this drug is not available in the U.S., and it will be some time before it is.” Bruce Bebo is executive vice president of research for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which partly funded the trial. Bebo called the findings a “milestone,” but cautioned that the drug will have to show benefits against the disease’s course, and not only brain shrinkage.

“Those clinical benefits take a longer time to measure,” he said. For patients and families, though, this is one more positive step against progressive MS, he added. “This is one of a number of trials testing new therapies for progressive MS,” Bebo said. “It’s only a matter of time before we’ll have more and better treatments.” Ibudilast did have side effects: 92 percent of patients in the trial reported “adverse events,” though 88 percent of placebo patients did, too. Headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms, like abdominal pain and nausea, were the main problems tied to the drug. In addition, 9 percent of ibudilast patients developed depression, compared to 3 percent of placebo patients. Fox said, “That’s something we’ll want to watch very carefully going forward.” But overall, only 8 percent of ibudilast patients withdrew from the study because of a side effect. That suggests the drug was welltolerated, Fox said. There are two forms of progressive MS: secondary, which develops after an initial diagnosis of relapsing MS, and primary, which means it progressively worsens from the start, with no periods of remission. About half of Americans with MS have a progressive form of the disease, according to Bebo. Yet, Fox said, they’ve been “underserved” when it comes to research into new treatments. “Progressive MS has been the forgotten child,” Fox said. “I think this study can provide them with another chapter of hope.” WD Amy Norton is a reporter for HealthDay. © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. For More Information The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has more on treating MS at www.nationalmssociety.org/ Treating-MS.

The International Patient Program at the George Washington University Hospital Caring for Our Diplomats and International Community We provide a boutique concierge program that offers personalized healthcare services for diplomats, international patients, and U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. The International Patient Program can help you and your family with: • Complimentary language interpretation • Physician and hospital appointment scheduling • A complimentary personal escort to medical appointments • Medical cost estimates

To learn more, contact the program director at +1-202-715-5028 or Helen.Salazar@gwu-hospital.com

— LEARN MORE AT — gwhospital.com/IPP

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of the George Washington University Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. 180367 1/18

30 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Culture arts & entertainment art

•

diplomatic spouses

•

theater

•

photography

•

music

The Washington Diplomat

•

history

•

dining

•

November 2018

film

•

events

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES

Determined to Love Japanese Ambassador Shinsuke Sugiyama’s tenacity has helped him not only in his professional career, but also in his personal life. It may have taken him years to woo his future wife Yoko, but his persistence paid off and now, nearly four decades later, the two are busy promoting the deep bonds between Japan and the U.S. / PAGE 33

HISTORY

Spanish Support The American Revolution is often seen as a war between an upstart U.S. nation and a British superpower. But the war was a global conflict, in which countries like Spain aligned with the American colonies to get back at the Brits. / PAGE 35

Tal R’s 2014 “The Drawing Class”

ART

Peruvian Pioneer The Art Museum of the Americas honors Fernando de Szyszlo, a renowned Peruvian painter who propelled the future of abstraction in the Americas in large part by embracing the region’s past. / PAGE 36

PHOTO: COLLECTION OF HOWARD AND KATIA READ, NEW YORK

NORDIC ENERGY

Catapulting visitors from the pastoral to the sublime — with paintings of delicate water lilies juxtaposed next to grotesque, stark projections of a floating troll — the Phillips Collection’s latest exhibition, “Nordic Impressions,” crackles with energy, creativity and unexpected connections. / PAGE 32

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 31

WD | Culture | Art

Audacious Survey ‘Nordic Impressions’ Crackles with Energy, Creativity and Unlikely Connections •

BY MACKENZIE WEINGER

Nordic Impressions: Art from Åland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, 1821–2018 THROUGH JAN. 13, 2019 PHILLIPS COLLECTION 1600 21ST ST., NW

(202) 387-2151 | WWW.PHILLIPSCOLLECTION.ORG

atapulting visitors from the pastoral to the sublime — with paintings of delicate water lilies and epic landscapes suffused with the vibrant colors of golden hour juxtaposed next to grotesque, stark projections of a floating troll and a woman shivering in the bitter cold — the Phillips Collection’s latest exhibition crackles with energy and creativity. At “Nordic Impressions: Art from Åland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, 1821–2018,” the Phillips Collection has put together a magnificent show that’s perfectly suited for visitors to wander through during Washington’s cooler months. A survey show with such a broad mandate could easily have been pedantic and plodding. Instead, it’s revelatory in its display choices, PHOTO: MODERNA MUSEET, STOCKHOLM selection of artists and the surprising connections it creates across cultures, generations and media. “Nordic Impressions” is a wide-ranging show spanning works by over 50 artists from 1821 to 2018, including, Chronology is out the window here, as is separating the artwork by from top clockwise: Nils Dardel’s “The Dying Dandy” (1918); Eggert Pétursson’s “Untitled” (2012-13); Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s “The Defense of The Sampo” (1896); and Tori Wrånes’s “Ancient Baby” (2017). country — and the show is all the better for it. Audacious paintings of violent scenes and quirky contemporary videos hang comfortably next to quiet, still images of Nordic interiors and searing, pensive self-portraits. An unforgettable room features the absolute strangeness of Tori Wrånes’s 2017 “Ældgammel Baby (Ancient Baby),” a surreal, disturbing and at times hilarious projection that seems —somehow— meant to be paired with the vibrant and violent 19th-century Romantic Finnish nationalist painting “The Defense of The Sampo” by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, never before shown in the U.S. Myth creation, terror and humor flow through the two works — and PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS AND CARL FREEDMAN GALLERY as chief curator Klaus Ottmann says, “this room turned into a kind of mythological, legend type room where all of the darker parts of the Nordic soul are shown.” With pieces from every Nordic country and their associated territories, the exhibition is a remarkable showcase that lives up to its name. It’s also well worth noting that almost half of the 53 artists on display are women, and that works by two Sámi artists, Outi Pieski and Britta Marakatt-Labba, hang in the same room as prints by famed icons like Norway’s Edvard Munch. The exhibition is the culmination of the Nordic Cultural Initiative, a collaboration that began in 2014 between the Phillips and the D.C.-based embassies of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The idea for a major exhibition on Nordic art was hatched four years ago over a lunch of mackerel with embassy repPHOTO: TURKU ART MUSEUM PHOTO: COLLECTION SEÁN AND TAMARA MCCARTHY resentatives, recalled Phillips Director and CEO Dorothy Kosinski. The next year, the embassies planned a whirlwind multi-week tour and crash gestion — a tour he credited as “really helpful” in conceptualizing the exhibition. course in Nordic art for Ottmann. The embassies continued to play a critical role after that trip wrapped, speak“The most important contribution the embassies made to us and to Klaus was ing on behalf of the exhibition to help Ottmann bring “some of these really great to fund a three- or four-week intensive field trip all across the countries, meeting paintings” to Washington, providing financial assistance and helping to bring with museum colleagues and collectors and artists in their studios and galleries. It some of the contemporary artists to the Phillips for the opening and for the instalwas a really deep dive. And I feel all that knowledge and sense of discovery here,” lation of the pieces. Kosinski said. “Nordic Impressions” offers visitors a superb introduction to Nordic art from As Ottmann recalled to The Washington Diplomat, the 2015 trip “was a very the 19th century to today, as well as lively and unexpected connections for those intense itinerary. My wife was able to come with me, so we were going to probably well versed in the field. Beauty and terror, light and darkness, openness and interifive museums every day. I didn’t just go there — I looked at the entire collection, ority, nature and folklore — all of these strong Nordic themes riff off of each other I met with the director or the chief curators, asked them to show me what they to resonate in a show that revels in both delighting and jarring viewers. WD thought were the most important works in their collection.” Ottmann also took a side trip to the Momentum Nordic Biennial of Contem- Mackenzie Weinger (@mweinger) is a contributing writer porary Art in Moss, Norway, a small town outside of Oslo, at the embassies’ sug- for The Washington Diplomat.

32 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Diplomatic Spouses | Culture | WD

Persistence Pays Off Japanese Ambassador and Wife Enjoy Nearly 40 Years of ‘Happily Ever After’ •

BY GAIL SCOTT

hinsuke Sugiyama, Japan’s recently appointed ambassador to the U.S., has hit the ground running, hobnobbing at events ranging from the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebration at the Japanese Residence, where he made his official debut, to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s 40th annual Ambassadors Ball, which he co-chaired with his wife Yoko last month. Sugiyama is a straight-talking, jovial diplomat whose shoot-from-the-hip style should mesh well with President Trump’s blunt style. But whenever Yoko is by his side, the ambassador’s garrulous nature goes up a notch, as he lavishes praise on his wife while often casting admiring glances at her. Apparently, he’s had his eyes on her from the beginning, as Yoko told us during a recent interview. “We attended the same prep school. We had assigned seats — I was near the front of the room and he was near the back. One day, the boy who sat next to me was absent. Shinsuke took the opportunity to move up and sit next to me,” she recalled. “We started talking and he asked me out. Then, he started showing up at the school gate, waiting for me to come out. I guess you could say he was a pretty aggressive suitor,” joked the affable wife. “I had many boyfriends. I was very popular — but there were only 10 girls in our school of 1,000 students!” They dated regularly throughout prep PHOTO: © TONY POWELL school and off and on in college as he conto meet people from all over tinued to pursue her. “I was dating others, the world,” Yoko said. “This is but he kept asking me to marry him.” Fisuch an important post and an nally, Yoko broke up with him, saying she honor for us to represent Japan wouldn’t marry him because he was leavto the United States, our longing to study at Oxford in the U.K. and she time and indeed single-closest wanted to stay in Tokyo and attend gradually. The United States and Jaate school. “But after we stopped seeing pan have had such a beautiful, each other, I felt so lonely. I realized I was mutually beneficial relationin love with him.” ship for many, many decades. His persistence finally paid off. He con- YOKO SUGIYAMA I think we are living in a time tacted her one last time before his depar- wife of Japanese Ambassador Shinsuke Sugiyama when we have to constantly ture to Britain. They met and then, as she work together to make the simply says, “It was happily ever after.” Yoko and her husband have now been married almost 40 years and have world safe and prosperous, so I would be happy if I could remind people of two grown children together along with four grandchildren. “Our son Shun- all the wonderful things that have come out of this relationship and continue suke and his wife live in Japan with their four children and he runs his own to work to build upon that friendship and strengthen it for the future. “My husband is the official ambassador,” Yoko continued, “however, in a company in Hyogo Prefecture. Our daughter Reina is a model and fashion designer in New York,” Yoko told us. “Now that we are in Washington, she social context, I think he believes that working together as a couple will tell drives down sometimes to attend events with us, although she’s planning to more about what kind of a country Japan is.” While they’ve both worked to promote their homeland and enjoy their move to California soon.” Yoko is from Kanazawa, a picturesque city that is about eight hours away “happily ever after,” like most couples, they’ve had their hiccups along the from Tokyo by high-speed rail. She graduated from the Tokyo University of way. “I don’t normally say this in public, but I have been suffering from severe Foreign Service with a degree in Spanish studies and studied graduate-level chronic back pain for over 20 years,” Yoko revealed to us. “Thanks to treatlinguistics. ments and consultations with specialists in various medical fields, I have This is their second posting in Washington. “When we were here before, the children were 4 and 6 and we lived in learned how to manage — and managed to live with — the back pain beBethesda. I brought a babysitter with me but I was the driver,” Yoko said. “I cause I want to do what I want to do, including supporting my husband as took the children to piano, martial arts and ballet. They were 8 and 10 when ambassador of Japan as much as possible.” And she’s done exactly that. we left.” “Right after our arrival — I think it was the second day — we attended Shinsuke Sugiyama served here from 1989 to 1992 as first secretary in the Economic Section. The Sugiyamas have also been posted to South Korea the opening ceremony for the National Cherry Blossom Festival (NCBF),” and Egypt. He has held various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yoko recalled. “We also rode together in a convertible in the National Cherdealing with issues ranging Middle Eastern and African affairs to climate ry Blossom Parade … and my husband and I hosted dinners and receptions change. Most recently, he served as Japan’s vice minister for foreign affairs at our residence. The NCBF is such a beautiful example to express the large before coming to Washington for his first ambassadorial posting. “It is a unique opportunity to be here in Washington. We get the chance SEE SPOUSES • PAGE 34

“

[W]e Japanese and you Americans are totally in sync in sharing fundamental values such as democracy, freedom of speech, rule of law and the principle of free market [economics].

”

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 33

Japanese Ambassador Shinsuke Sugiyama and his wife Yoko have a daughter Reina, a fashion designer in New York, and a son, Shunsuke, seen below, who lives in Japan with his wife and four children.

Spouses CONTINUED • PAGE 33

number of people who support the friendship between our two countries and we’re happy to have the opportunity to carry on these traditions. “Coming up in 2020, we’ll be hosting the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, so there’s a lot of excitement and energy as we prepare for that. We’re looking forward to welcoming lots of people in Tokyo to enjoy the Games,” Yoko said. “We would also really like to invite more young people to visit and study abroad in Japan and experiPHOTOS: EMBASSY OF JAPAN ence our beautiful country. We have The 2018 National Cherry Blossom Princesses pose with Japanese Ambassador Shinsuke Sugiyama, a government program, the JET center, his wife Yoko, second from left, and daughter Reina, right, at the ambassador’s first official Program, where we invite college reception in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. graduates to live and work in Japan for a year or more, mainly to teach Yoko said she wants Americans to experience and attention to detail that many Japanese value English but there are other kinds of jobs, too.” all aspects of Japanese society, not just those makes Japan a very easy and convenient place to In fact, the Japan Exchange and Teaching they commonly associate with this island nation live. I would hasten to add that we Japanese and (JET) Program, founded in 1987, has sent more of nearly 130 million, which boasts the world’s you Americans are totally in sync in sharing funthan 66,000 global participants, including nearly third-largest economy. damental values such as democracy, freedom of 34,000 Americans, to work in schools, educa“My impression is that when people think of speech, rule of law and the principle of free martion boards and government offices throughout Japan, they think of advanced technology, su- ket [economics].” Japan. Over 40 countries participate in the teach- shi and maybe samurai, geisha or other aspects When asked her if there was anything else she ing exchange program, which is managed by the of our traditional culture,” Yoko told us. “And wanted people to know, she smiled and said, “SimJapanese government (also see “JET Program those things aren’t wrong, but I do want Ameri- ply to say, both of us really love America.” WD Celebrates 30 Years of Cross-Cultural Exchange” cans to meet and become friends and neighbors in the September 2017 issue of The Washington with everyday Japanese people. I believe that the Gail Scott is a contributing writer Diplomat). Japanese are kind and courteous. The politeness for The Washington Diplomat.

ENTERTAIN WITH ALL THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS Creative Cuisine, Professional Service with a Dash of Flair

SPECIAL EVENTS CORPORATE CATERING 703.519.3500 | CATERING.COM

34 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

WEDDINGS

WINDOWS@CATERING.COM

History | Culture | WD

Revolutionary Help ‘Recovered Memories’ Recalls Spain’s Key Role in America’s Fight for Independence •

BY KATE OCZYPOK

Recovered Memories: Spain and the Support for the American Revolution THROUGH NOV. 18 FORMER RESIDENCE OF THE AMBASSADORS OF SPAIN 2801 16TH ST., NW

(202) 728-2334 WWW.SPAINCULTURE.US/CITY/WASHINGTON-DC/

he American Revolution is often seen as a war between an upstart U.S. nation and a British superpower. But the war, in fact, was a global conflict, in which countries like France and Spain aligned with the American colonies to get back at the Brits. France’s contributions to the war effort are well known — the American Revolution formally ended in September 1783 with the Treaty of Paris and France’s status as a modern power was reaffirmed by the war, although it cost the country a great deal of money. Spain’s role was also integral to the U.S. victory but is perhaps less well known — which is why the Spanish Embassy, as part of its Spain arts & culture program, is highlighting the country’s involvement in the exhibition “Recovered Memories: Spain and the Support for the American Revolution.” “Little is known about Spain’s role in the American Revolution and we hope guests can learn more about Spanish contribution to the founding of the United States,” said María Molina, head of the Cultural Office at the Embassy of Spain. “Spanish figures such as Bernardo de Gálvez and Diego de Gardoqui played a crucial role in the independence of the United States.” Like France, Spain declared war on Britain and allied with the American colonies in part to weaken Great Britain, which had inflicted substantial losses on Spain during the Seven Years’ War. Spain provided supplies and munitions to American forces, notably assisting French and U.S. troops in the 1781 Siege of Yorktown, the critical and final major battle of the North America theater. The French sent a desperate appeal to raise money for the Continental Army to help in the fight at Yorktown. François Joseph Paul de Grasse, the French admiral designated to assist the Colonists, joined Spanish agent Francisco Saavedra de Sangronis to get the needed cash, over 500,000 in silver pesos, which they raised in Havana within 24 hours. “Recovered Memories” showcases Spain’s support for the American colonies both before and during the Revolutionary War. Spanish historical figures are also highlighted, as are Spanish-American relations, beginning with Spain’s Age of Enlightenment and ending with 20th-century technological advancements. The exhibit displays over 100 diverse pieces, including documents, works of art, period clothing, musical instruments, maps and even holograms. “Some of the highlights of the exhibition include ‘Gálvez’s March: Mississippi, Baton Rouge and Natchez, 1779,’ painted by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau,” said Molina, noting that the piece “shows the Spanish hero crossing the Mississippi [River] with his army.” There’s also a bust of George Washington believed to be commissioned by Spanish Prime Minister Manuel Godoy to commemorate the signing of a

PHOTOS: SPAIN ARTS & CULTURE

“Recovered Memories” features over 100 items that show how Spain helped the American colonies before and during the Revolutionary War, including, from top: naval battle miniatures by Máximo Agudo Mangas, the 2018 painting “La Marcha de Gálvez” by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau and a 1784 portrait of Lt. Gen. Bernardo de Gálvez, attributed to Mariano Salvador.

treaty that defined the borders between Spain and the U.S. in North America, Molina added. Other noteworthy additions include a model of a ship that played a part in the capture of Pensacola, Florida, and a reproduction of a portrait of Bernardo de Gálvez (the original is in the Capitol). Gálvez’s actions in the southern U.S. were key to helping the Continental Army defeat the British. The pieces hail from museums, libraries and institutions from around the world, including the Louisiana State Museum and the National Museum of Natural Sciences of Spain. While a lot of space is devoted to the military actions of Spain, a large part pays homage to the diplomatic mission of John Jay, a former president of the Continental Congress who was appointed America’s envoy to Spain and tasked with drumming up Spanish support for American’s revolution. “Spain has always served as a cultural bridge between Europe and the Americas,” Molina told us. “In an increasingly globalized world, it is important to understand how our countries are connected to understand where we are, who we are and where we are going.” Spain not only had an impact on the Americas and Europe, but also the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia as well. “As a result of this influence, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world,” Molina noted. WD Kate Oczypok (@OczyKate) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat. THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 35

WD | Culture | Art

Enduring ‘Memory’ AMA Honors Late Peruvian Master Who Advanced Abstraction While Preserving Past •

BY CHIARA VERCELLONE

Fernando de Szyszlo: A Memory THROUGH NOV. 13 ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS 201 18TH ST., NW

(202) 370-0147 | WWW.MUSEUM.OAS.ORG

he Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) stands as the home, and launching pad, of many Latin American contemporary artists, giving them a prime perch in the nation’s capital to expose their work to U.S. audiences. In fact, the AMA is America’s oldest museum of Latin American and Caribbean art, with a permanent collection of over 2,000 works (also see stories in the November 2017 issue and September 2018 issues of The Washington Diplomat). For its latest exhibition, the AMA continues its tradition of spotlighting those who have influenced the Latin arts scene with its focus on Fernando de Szyszlo, a renowned Peruvian painter who was a key figure in bringing abstract art to Latin America. Ironically, Szyszlo — who died last year at the age of 92 — propelled the future of abstraction in the Americas in large part by embracing the region’s PHOTO: FABIAN GONCALVES BORREGA / COLLECTION OAS ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS past. After graduation, a young Szyszlo traveled to The Art Museum of the Americas looks back at the legacy of Peruvian Europe to study masters such as Rembrandt and movements painter Fernando de Szyszlo with works such as “Paracas Landscape,” such as cubism and surrealism. While there, he met with Latin above, and an untitled mixograph, at left. expats such as poet Octavio Paz and began to formulate an approach that would fuse modern art with Latin American his“Szyszlo actually said that before Gómez Sicre and this museum, tory and cultural identity. people would talk about Cuban art, Mexican art or Peruvian art, His work reinvented Peruvian art, blending modern techbut they wouldn’t talk about Latin American art,” said Zúñiga. niques and styles with depictions of ancient cultures and in“This is really what the museum does, being a meeting place for digenous mysticism, particularly from pre-Columbian times. people, and Szyszlo was very much a part of this coming to reality.” The AMA exhibit, “Fernando de Szyszlo: A Memory,” coThe current display encompasses seven of his best-known paintincides with the one-year anniversary of the artist’s death in ings, clippings from his time working with Gómez Sicre, a docuLima. But rather than being a tribute dedicated “in memory” mentary film and other archival material that will “shine a light of Szyszlo, the exhibition is intended to highlight the memoonto nuances of the artist’s life and career,” according to the muries captured by the artist’s groundbreaking work and career. seum. That includes his contributions to the AMA itself. One of the thought-provoking paintings in the exhibit is SzyszThe museum was founded by José Gómez Sicre in the midlo’s “Untitled” mixograph (art on printed paper that emphasizes PHOTO: COLLECTION OAS ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS 20th century as the principal instrument of cultural diplomacy texture and depth). The piece represents the painter’s evocative alfor the Organization of American States (OAS). Since its inception, it has played a lusions of the mythology, religions and customs found among pre-Columbian civilispecial role in promoting free expression, dialogue and innovation, part of the larger zations. Through the use of triangles and darker colors, Szyszlo embodied the desert OAS mission to advance democracy, development and human rights in the Western and parched landscape of Lima as well as the creatures that thrived in it, emphasizing Hemisphere. the natural beauty of his home country. After Gómez Sicre started inviting young, unknown Latin American artists to Another striking piece is “Cajamarca,” one of Szyszlo’s best-known paintings. showcase their work in the U.S., a movement started — one that allowed people from “Cajamarca,” with its strong lines and sharp edges in red undertones, recalls the death the Americas to talk about and share their cultures, history, struggles and achieve- of Inca ruler Atahualpa in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca. By using traces of black ments. and different shades of red, he hints at the violent encounter between the Incas and “This isn’t art, it’s diplomacy. Artists are always at the vanguard of what’s happen- the Spanish colonial forces that ultimately brought down the largest empire in preing in their country, and you can see what’s happening anywhere in the world without Columbian history. any historical background by just looking at their work,” Pablo Zúñiga, director of the In the future, some of Szyszlo’s paintings, like the triptych “Paracas Landscape,” museum, told The Diplomat. will return to their home in Peru to keep the memory of the painter alive. Others, Szyszlo was instrumental in the museum’s evolution from the start. His first solo like “Cajamarca,” will travel the world as part of an ongoing effort to introduce other exhibition at the OAS art gallery was in 1953. He subsequently worked at the OAS audiences to his pioneering work. as a consultant for the Visual Art Unit in 1958, and today, 10 of his works — murals, Meanwhile, back in Washington, D.C., the AMA continues its own work to draw mixografias and easel paintings — have found a home in the AMA art collection. attention to artists from the Americas through its regular exhibits, including two His paintings, which often depict the struggles and richness of pre-Columbian cul- recent shows that reflected on the historical and cultural legacy of Latin and Caribtures in Peru like the Inca or the Chancay, are very much in line with the AMA’s tradi- bean art through a comprehensive catalogue of the AMA’s permanent collection that tion of highlighting the struggles of indigenous people throughout Latin American debuted in 2017. history. Those struggles continued in the postwar era and still exist today, as counThat ever-growing collection is mostly due to the donations of foreign governtries — and artists — grapple with notions of national identity and cultural expres- ments — such as a recent contribution from the Canadian government — but is also sion in a globalized world. The museum brings this examination of the ancient past thanks to individual contributions and the artists whose work continues to define the and the present day cohesively together with its varied exhibitions and with the help region and keep the AMA’s mission relevant for future generations. WD of visionaries such as Szyszlo. Zúñiga credits the Peruvian master with helping brand the museum as an early catalyst of modern art in Latin America. Chiara Vercellone is an editorial intern for The Washington Diplomat.

36 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Theater | Culture | WD

Love’s Uncertainties Pair of Lonely Opposites Find Love in Quirky but Contrived ‘Heisenberg’ •

BY LISA TROSHINSKY

Heisenberg THROUGH NOV. 11 SIGNATURE THEATRE 4200 CAMPBELL AVE., ARLINGTON, VA.

(703) 820-9771

| WWW.SIGTHEATRE.ORG

erman quantum mechanics physicist Werner Heisenberg proposed in the beginning of the 20th century what is known as the “uncertainty principle.” This states that at the subatomic level, one cannot simultaneously measure the position and velocity of a particle accurately. The play “Heisenberg,” now showing at Signature Theatre, has adopted its name as an analogy to the uncertainties of human existence. To be specific, playwright Simon Stephens’s title suggests that the play’s personalities and fates are possibly random and unpredictable, and require a leap of faith. In theory, this is correct. The play consists of only two characters: Georgie Burns, played by Rachel Zampelli, and Alex Priest, played by Michael Russotto. The unlikely pair meet randomly at a London Underground station and, over a matter of a few weeks, fall in love. Georgie is a 40-something single American woman who is struggling to find peace with past personal tragedies while Alex is a lonely 75-year-old Irishman, stressed over his failing butcher shop with little to distract him from his troubles. Indeed, although they are a match in terms of loneliness, their love affair appears accidental and wayward. Ironically, though, the plot seems too predictable and (not to sound too curmudgeon) a bit corny. Perhaps the narrative is guilty of trying too hard to prove to the audience that, yes, opposites really do attract. Whatever the cause, from the start it is apparent that these two will end up filling each other’s emotional gaps, which robs the audience of the ideal element of surprise. The only thing that is uncertain is just how they will end up together. The two are almost stereotypical opposites. Georgie’s outward appearance is frenzied and chaotic. At first meeting she greets Alex with an unsuspecting kiss on the neck, thinking he is someone else, and then launches into an uncontrolled speech that she considers flirting. Alex’s actions and words, on the other hand, are carefully measured, slow to respond and succinct when he does on rare occasion find room to react in between Georgie’s outbursts. Georgie makes up stories about her life, then retracts them, so one is never sure of her truth, while Alex is as honest and straightforward as a shiny new nickel. Maybe they are so contradictory that one can’t fathom anything other than their eventual pairing, however awkward and bumpy that union may be. It feels, however, that their unlikely relationship is at times forced. Still, their romance is filled with touching moments, which makes the audience invest in their fates, individually and as a couple. As it turns out, Georgie uses her annoying outpourings to hide a painful falling out with her son. He has left to live in the United States and has severed all contact with her. Meanwhile, Alex has his own secrets and frailties. He still pines after a lost love that happened decades before and laments losing a sister when he was a child. He admits that he has “a crying problem” but is disgusted with people’s preoccupation with feelings. Yet, his only outlet is to take long walks alone. It’s hard not to feel for these two damaged souls. Just like it is hard to pull off a one-person show, it is almost just as difficult to do justice to a two-person script. Zampelli and Russotto do a fine job over-

PHOTOS: CAMERON WHITMAN

Rachel Zampelli stars as Georgie, above left, a quirky 40-something single American who befriends a lonely older man named Alex, played by Michael Russotto, in “Heisenberg” at Signature Theatre.

all but sometimes struggle with believability. For example, numerous times, Zampelli’s character says she’s going to leave and then theatrically stops herself, which feels staged as opposed to genuine. On the flip side, Russotto’s Irish drawl appears flawless. Director Joe Calarco has staged the play in a black box theater in the round, with few props and a minimalist set, which puts even more pressure on the acting. Pamela Weiner’s set consists of only a square floor and a pair of tables with folding panels that serve as a subway platform, Alex’s bed and pub furniture. The actors configure the tables, in character, when the setting changes. The minimalism effectively puts most of the focus on the characters’ interactions without any distraction, but minus stellar, consistent acting, it makes it that much more difficult to sustain the audience’s suspension of belief. At the end of the day, “Heisenberg” is a quirky, tender love affair that is engaging and unique. The challenge is to make the audience as much in love with the script as the characters are with each other. WD Lisa Troshinsky is the theater reviewer for The Washington Diplomat. THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 37

WD | Culture | Film

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

CZECH Daisies (Sedmirkrasky) Directed by Věra Chytilová (Czechoslovakia, 1966, 76 min.) An absurdist, anarchic farce, this is probably the single boldest film to emerge from the Czech New Wave during the Prague Spring moment of the late 1960s. Two young women, both named Marie, decide that the state of society is beneath contempt, and stage a series of pranks to signal their refusal to take any of its institutions seriously (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Nov. 4 to 7

Those Wonderful Years That Sucked (Bájecná léta pod psa) Directed by Petr Nikolaev (Czech Republic, 1997, 109 min.) The bittersweet comedy, adapted from a novel by Michal Viewegh, chronicles the life of a Czech family from the 1960s to just after the Velvet Revolution. At the forefront are Milena, a lawyer who acts on stage in her spare time, her husband Ales, a government worker, and their son Kvido. Bistro Bohem Tue., Nov. 20, 7 p.m.

DANISH Becoming Astrid (Unga Astrid) Directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen (Sweden/Denmark, 2-18, 123 min.) Astrid Lindgren, the author of numerous children’s books and creator of Pippi Longstocking, struggles for independence in 1920s Sweden. Dying of boredom on her strict family’s farm, she entertains her many siblings with tall tales, roaming the forests and fields instead of doing her chores. She jumps at the chance to work at the local newspaper office, where she is romanced by the handsome, married, but soon-to-be-divorced editor Blomberg. Learning some hard life lessons, Astrid nevertheless finds within herself the courage to carry on, creating new worlds through her empathy and talent for storytelling (Danish and Swedish). Landmark’s Theatres Opens Fri., Nov. 30

The Guilty (Den skyldige) Directed by Gustav Möller (Denmark, 2018, 85 min.) Disgraced former street cop Asger is manning the emergency call center, where he expects a sleepy beat. That all changes when he answers a panicked phone call from a woman kidnapped by

her troubled ex-husband. The woman disconnects abruptly, but Asger springs into action. Confined to the call center, forced to use others as his eyes and ears as the severity of the crime slowly becomes more clear, he uses every bit of his intuition and skill to try to find and save her. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

ENGLISH 22 July Directed by Paul Greengrass (Norway/Iceland/U.S., 2018, 143 min.) In Norway on July 22, 2011, right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik murdered 77 young people attending a Labour Party Youth Camp on Utøya Island outside of Oslo. This three-part story looks at the disaster itself, the survivors, Norway’s political system and the lawyers who worked on this horrific case. Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

Bohemian Rhapsody Directed by Bryan Singer (U.K./U.S., 2018, 134 min.) “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a footstomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, who defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. Angelika Mosaic Angelika Pop-Up Opens Fri., Nov. 2

Colette Directed by Wash Westmoreland (U.K./Hungary/U.S., 2019, 111 min.) After marrying a successful Parisian writer Willy, Colette (Keira Knightley) is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. Colette’s fight over creative ownership and gender roles drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionizing literature, fashion and sexual expression. Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema Landmark’s E Street Cinema

At Eternity’s Gate Directed by Julian Schnabel (U.K./France/U.S., 2018, 110 min.) This film looks at the life of painter Vincent van Gogh during the time he lived in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France (English and French). Angelika Mosaic Opens Fri., Nov. 21

Wed., Nov. 18, 8 p.m.

The Happy Prince

Directed by Michael Moore (U.S., 2018, 128 min.) Filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics, particularly the Donald J. Trump presidency and gun violence, while highlighting the power of grassroots democratic movements. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Directed by Rupert Everett (U.K./Belgium/Italy/Germany, 2018, 105 min.) The last days of Oscar Wilde — and the ghosts that haunted them — are vividly evoked in Rupert Everett’s directorial debut. Everett gives a career defining performance as Wilde, physically and emotionally embodying the literary genius as he lives out his last days in exile in Europe. As the film travels through Wilde’s final act and journeys through England, France and Italy, desire and loyalty face off, the transience of lust is laid bare and the true riches of love are revealed. Angelika Mosaic Landmark’s E Street Cinema

The Favourite

Maria by Callas

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (Ireland/U.K./U.S., 2018, 119 min.) In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Opens Fri., Nov. 30

Directed by Tom Volf (France, 2018, 113 min.) See the life of famed Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas in this documentary as she tells it in her own words. Tom Volf creates a portrait of the late performer through archival footage, recordings, photos and personal films (English, French and Italian). The Avalon Theatre Opens Fri., Nov. 9

Fahrenheit 11/9

First Man Directed by Damien Chazelle (U.S., 2018, 141 min.) This biopic looks at the life of the astronaut Neil Armstrong and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Angelika Mosaic Angelika Pop-Up Atlantic Plumbing Cinema Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

Free Solo Directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (U.S., 2018, 100 min.) Follow Alex Honnold as he becomes the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite’s 3,000ft high El Capitan Wall. With no ropes or safety gear, he completed arguably the greatest feat in rock climbing history. Angelika Mosaic

Crazy Rich Asians

Gavagai

Directed by Jon M. Chu (U.S., 2018, 120 min.) New Yorker Rachel accompanies her longtime boyfriend Nick to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors (English, Mandarin and Cantonese). Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

Directed by Rob Tregenza (Norway/Canada/Germany, 2018, 90 min.) German businessman Carsten travels to Norway to translate poems by his late wife. He hires Niko, a down-onhis-luck tour guide, to drive him to the poet’s home. On the road, the ghost of Carsten’s wife appears to him, while Niko struggles with the sudden consequences of his girlfriend’s pregnancy as the two men realize the transforming power of love, the limits of language and the human need for friendship. The Avalon Theatre

38 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | November 2018

My Brilliant Career Directed by Gillian Armstrong (Australia, 1979, 100 min.) This period piece played a key role in popularizing the Australian New Wave around the world. Viewers were enchanted with its breathtaking views of the Australian landscape while feminists found a new heroine in the fiercely independent Sybylla, who rejects marriage to find work she considers more meaningful (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Nov. 9 to 15

On Her Shoulders Directed by Alexandria Bombach (U.S., 2018, 95 min.) Twenty-three-year-old human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad’s life is a dizzying array of exhausting undertakings — from giving testimony before the U.N. to visiting refugee camps to soul-bearing media interviews. Filmmaker Alexandria Bombach follows this strong-willed young woman, who survived the 2014 genocide of the Yazidis in Northern Iraq and escaped the hands of the Islamic State to become a relentless beacon of hope for her people, even when at times she longs to lay aside this monumental burden and simply have an ordinary life (English and Arabic). West End Cinema Opens Fri., Nov. 2

Private Life Directed by Tamara Jenkins (U.S., 2018, 127 min.)

Richard and Rachel, a couple in the throes of infertility, try to maintain their marriage as they descend deeper and deeper into the weird world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. When their doctor suggests third party reproduction, they bristle. But when Sadie, a recent college drop out, reenters their life, they reconsider. West End Cinema

Scarlet Diva Directed by Asia Argento (Italy, 2000, 91 min.) Actress-turned-filmmaker Asia Argento made her directorial debut with this semi-autobiographical portrait of a young actress who, despite her popularity and success, experiences despair and degradation at the hands of an abusive industry. Her harrowing journey toward redemption leads her on a sordid spree of excess across America and Europe while trying to recapture her innocence and find true love (English, Italian and French; part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Nov. 17, 10:30 p.m., Tue., Nov. 20, 9:20 p.m.

Sir Directed by Rohena Gera (India/France, 2018, 99 min.) Recently widowed Ratna decides to move from her small rural village to take a job in the big city as a live-in housekeeper for Ashwin, an architect from an upper-crust Mumbai family. When Ashwin is jilted by his equally upper-crust fiancé, he slowly builds a connection with Ratna, who has big dreams and an infectious sense of optimism. As the pair connect, however, unspoken — and spoken — class and gender barriers come into play (English and Hindi; part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Mon., Nov. 19, 7 p.m., Wed., Nov. 21, 7 p.m.

The Sisters Brothers Directed by Jacques Audiard (France/Spain/Romania/U.S., 2018, 121 min.) In 1850s Oregon, a gold prospector is chased by the infamous duo of assassins, the Sisters Brothers. Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Studio 54 Directed by Matt Tyrnauer (U.S., 2018, 98 min.) Studio 54 was the epicenter of 70s hedonism — a place that not only redefined the nightclub, but also came to symbolize an entire era. Now, 39 years after the velvet rope was first slung across the club’s hallowed threshold, a feature documentary tells the real story behind the greatest club of all time. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Tea with the Dames Directed by Roger Michell (U.K., 2018, 84 min.) Dames Eileen Atkins, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith have let the cameras in on a friendship that goes back more than half a century. The four acting greats discuss their careers and reminisce about their humble beginnings in the theater. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Viper Club Directed by Maryam Keshavarz (U.S., 2018, 109 min.) A war correspondent gets taken hostage while on assignment, prompting his mother, impatient with the government’s lack of concern, to take matters into her own hands. Angelika Mosaic Opens Fri., Nov. 2

The Wife Directed by Björn Runge (Sweden/U.S./U.K., 2018, 100 min.) After nearly 40 years of marriage, Joan and Joe Castleman (Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce) are complements. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as Great American Novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm and diplomacy into the private role of Great Man’s Wife. As Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize, this film interweaves the story of the couple’s youthful passion and ambition with a portrait of a marriage, 30-plus years later, filled with shared compromises, secrets, betrayals and mutual love. Angelika Pop-Up Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema West End Cinema

Wildlife Directed by Paul Dano (U.S., 2018, 104 min.) In 1960s Montana, an unemployed father decides to join the cause of fighting a nearby wildfire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, 14-year-old Joe witnesses his mother’s struggle as she tries to keep her head above water. Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema Landmark’s E Street Cinema

FRENCH Fatma 75 Directed by Selma Baccar (Tunisia, 1976, 60 min.) Both a feminist essay-film and the first in a series of powerful stories about strong female figures in the country, this documentary was made to mark the U.N. International Year of the Woman in 1975. Recounting the evolution of the status of women in Tunisia from 1930 onward, “Fatma 75” explores both the fight for female emancipation and Tunisia’s wider struggle for independence (French and Arabic; (part of the

Film | Culture | WD

“Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Nov. 8, 7:15 p.m.

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels Directed by Chantal Akerman (Belgium/France, 1975, 201 min.) A singular work in film history, Chantal Akerman’s film meticulously details, with a sense of impending doom, the daily routine of a middle-aged widow — whose chores include making the beds, cooking dinner for her son and turning the occasional trick (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Sun., Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m.

One Sings, The Other Doesn’t (L’une chante, l’autre pas) Directed by Agnès Varda (France, 1977, 120 min.) When 17-year-old Pauline helps struggling mother of two Suzanne procure the money for an abortion, a deep bond forms between the two, one that endures over the course of more than a decade as each searches for her place in the world (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Nov. 4 to 8

Peppermint Soda Directed by Diane Kurys (France, 1977, 101 min.) Anne and Frederique are sisters entering their teen years in 1963 France, torn between divorced parents and struggling with the confines of their strict school. Along the way, they undergo an awakening, both political and romantic (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Sat., Nov. 10, 11 a.m., Sun., Nov. 11, 11 a.m.

Raw Directed by Julia Ducournau (France/Belgium, 2016, 99 min.) Sixteen-year-old Justine is a shy, vegetarian student at a veterinary college, where she finds herself in the shadow of her distant older sister. When Justine develops an insatiable lust for flesh as the result of a gruesome hazing ritual, this grisly and gory tale of a cannibalistic coming-of-age quickly turns into a bold and bloody exploration of womanhood (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Nov. 2, 9:45 p.m., Tue., Nov. 6, 10 p.m.

Sofia Directed by Meryem Benm’Barek-Aloïsi (France/Qatar, 2018, 80 min.) When a post-dinner stomach pain turns out to be the onset of labor, 20-year-old Sofia unexpectedly bears a child out of wedlock, which is illegal in Morocco, and is thrown into an impossible position where, with the help of her cousin, she must track down her

baby’s father, dodge arrest and placate her family — all against the clock, and with a newborn child in tow (French and Arabic; part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Nov. 16 to 21

GERMAN 3 Days in Quiberon (3 Tage in Quiberon) Directed by Emily Atef (Germany/Austria/France, 2018, 115 min.) Deeply private and in precarious health, enigmatic and elusive actress Romy Schneider grants an interview and portrait session to a journalist and a photographer, despite her misgivings about the press. What unfolds over three days at a French seaside health retreat is a fascinating portrait of the legendary actress (part of the GoetheInstitut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Thu., Nov. 1, 7 p.m.

Back for Good Directed by Mia Spengler (Germany, 2018) After a publicity stunt that involved a stay in rehab, former reality TV star Angie must move back in with her mother and take care of her sister, who is going through the struggles of adolescence. As she reconnects with her family, Angie must decide whether to stay with them or return to the cutthroat world of reality television (part of the Goethe-Institut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Fri., Nov. 2, 8:30 p.m.

A Dysfunctional Cat (Die defekte Katze) Directed by Susan Gordanshekan (Germany, 2018, 93 min.) It wasn’t fate that brought Mina and Kian together, but a professional matchmaker. After their wedding, Mina moves from Iran to Germany, where Kian works as a surgeon. What ensues is the newlyweds’ attempt to make their traditional Iranian marriage work in German society (German, Farsi and English; part of the Goethe-Institut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Sun., Nov. 4, 2 p.m.

In the Aisles (In den Gängen) Directed by Thomas Stuber (Germany, 2018, 125 min.) After losing his job, shy and introverted Christian discovers love, friendship and a whole new mysterious world between the surprisingly intriguing aisles of a wholesale market (part of the Goethe-Institut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Sun., Nov. 4, 3:45 p.m.

Mademoiselle Paradis (Licht) Directed by Barbara Albert (Austria/Germany, 2018, 97 min.) Set in 18th-century Vienna, this stunning period piece centers on 18-year-old Maria, a pianist of exceptional talent who has been blind since the age of 3. After countless failed attempts to restore her sight, her overbearing parents decide to pursue a controversial “miracle doctor.” But when her treatments begin to succeed, Maria notices that as her sight is returning, her musical virtuosity is declining (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Thu., Nov. 15, 7:15 p.m.

Magical Mystery Directed by Arne Feldhusen (Germany, 2017, 111 min.) Ex-artist Karl Schmidt lives a quiet life after suffering a nervous breakdown. When his old friends from the Berlin techno scene ask him to join them on their tour, he suddenly finds himself on a whirlwind techno journey through 1990s Germany that triggers old anxieties and fosters new personal growth (part of the Goethe-Institut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Sat., Nov. 3, 8:30 p.m.

The Silent Revolution (Das schweigende Klassenzimmer) Directed by Lars Kraume (Germany, 2018, 111 min.) A classroom in 1956 East Germany holds a minute of silence for the victims of a violently suppressed uprising in Budapest. The consequences of this act will affect their school, the community, and the children themselves more than they can ever imagine (German and Russian; part of the Goethe-Institut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Sun., Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

INDONESIAN Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (Marlina si pembunuh dalam empat babak) Directed by Mouly Surya (Indonesia/France/Malaysia/Thailand, 2017, 93 min.) Marlina is a young widow living alone in a remote farmhouse with the embalmed corpse of her husband. When a band of robbers, entitled by centuries of male domination, arrives to steal her livestock, seize her possessions and rape her, Marlina thinks fast and acts even faster — and the next day sees her hitting the road on a journey of empowerment and redemption (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Fri., Nov. 9, 9:45 p.m., Sun., Nov. 11, 9:15 p.m.

JAPANESE Harakiri Directed by Masaki Kobayashi (Japan, 1962, 133 min.) After his clan collapses, an unemployed samurai arrives at Lord Iyi’s manor, begging for permission to commit ritual suicide on the property. Iyi’s clansmen, believing the desperate ronin is merely angling for a new position, try to force his hand— but they have underestimated his beliefs. Freer Gallery of Art Wed., Nov. 7, 2 p.m.

Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku) Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan, 2018, 121 min.) A Japanese couple stuck with part-time jobs and hence inadequate incomes avail themselves of the fruits of shoplifting to make ends meet. The unusual routine is about to change from carefree and matter-of-fact to something more dramatic, however, as the couple open their doors to a beleaguered teenage girl. The Avalon Theatre Opens Fri., Nov. 30

RUSSIAN

A Family Tour Directed by Ying Liang (Taiwan/Hong Kong/Singapore/ Malaysia, 2018, 108 min.) (Mandarin, Taiwanese and Cantonese). In Ying Liang’s semiautobiographical feature, a Chinese filmmaker living in exile with her husband and young son in Hong Kong after her last film ran afoul of the mainland authorities. When she is invited to a film festival in Taiwan, she books her ailing mother on a guided tour of the island so she can see her grandson for the first time and her daughter for perhaps the last. Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Nov. 11, 2 p.m.

Long Day’s Journey into Night Directed by Bi Gan (China, 2018, 133 min.) Mysterious drifter Hongwu journeys back to Kaili, China, in search of his long-lost lover. As she proves elusive, Hongwu retreats into the past, which impinges on the present through fragmentary flashbacks and enigmatic reveries delivered in voiceover. Freer Gallery of Art Fri., Nov. 2, 7 p.m.

The Swim

Directed by Chang-dong Lee (South Korea, 2018, 148 min.) A part-time worker is asked by his girlfriend to look after her cat while she’s on a trip to Africa. She returns with a mysterious, rich man, only to vanish shortly afterward. Angelika Mosaic Opens Fri., Nov. 9

Directed by He Xiangyu (China, 2017, 96 min.) The bucolic landscapes in the Chinese town of Kuandian are haunted by a hidden history. This past is brought to light through interviews with Chinese veterans of the Korean war and North Korean defectors who have sought a better life in China, including women who were deceived by human traffickers and sold as wives to Chinese men. Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Nov. 4, 3:30 p.m.

MANDARIN

The Widowed Witch

KOREAN Burning

Girls Always Happy Directed by Yang Mingming (China, 2018, 117 min.) Wu, a writer in her late 20s, elegantly yet playfully riding a scooter through the maze of Beijing alleys crammed with lower-class courtyard houses. She also glides over the equally winding paths of her ambivalent relationship with her mother as the two women bicker, take care of a grandfather who has not yet written his will and argue about how to deal with useless, pompous, cowardly or “disgusting” men. Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Nov. 4, 1 p.m.

An Elephant Sitting Still Directed by Hu Bo (China, 2018, 230 min.) In a zoo in the northern Chinese city of Manzhouli sits an equable elephant, solemnly oblivious to every happening in the world around it. Reports of the creature’s defiant indifference pass between the four central characters like secret knowledge, a possible clue for escaping their own enclosing fates. Freer Gallery of Art Sun., Nov. 18, 1 p.m.

Directed by Cai Chengjie (China, 2018, 120 min.) After being violently revived by a shaman and raped by her uncle, widowed Erhao decides enough is enough and leaves town in a dilapidated camper van. In the course of her travels, she meets a bedridden old shaman whose ability to walk is restored after Erhao accidentally leaves him in a bath overnight. His miraculous recovery convinces the locals that Erhao is a witch, inspiring both awe and revulsion. While Erhao does seem to possess magical powers, perhaps her greatest ability is to manipulate the distrust, greed and superstition that seem to infect everyone she meets. Freer Gallery of Art Fri., Nov. 9, 7 p.m.

Road Not Taken After 40 Years in Hospitality Industry, Hector Torres Pursues His Other Passion: Art •

SPANISH El Angel Directed by Luis Ortega (Argentina/Spain, 2018, 118 min.) In 1971 Buenos Aires, Carlitos is an angelic-looking seventeen-year-old with movie star swagger, blond curls and a baby face, who discovers his true calling as a thief. When he meets the handsome, slightly older Ramón, the two embark on a journey of discovery, love and crime, which randomly escalates to murder. Landmark’s Theatres Opens Fri., Nov. 16

Júlia Ist Directed by Marta Cruañas (Spain, 2017, 90 min.) Júlia is an architecture student from Barcelona who decides to embark on a student exchange year in Berlin. Full of expectations and lacking life experience, Júlia finds herself lost in a cold and grey Berlin. Little by little, however, she builds up her life in Berlin and gets to know who she is in this new context (Spanish, English, Catalan and German; part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Tue., Nov. 6, 7:15 p.m.

SWISS-GERMAN Blue My Mind Directed by Lisa Brühlmann (Switzerland, 2018, 97 min.) After her family’s big move to Zürich, 15-year-old Mia is facing an overwhelming transformation that calls her entire existence into question (part of the Goethe-Institut’s 26th annual Film|Neu festival showcasing films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Landmark’s E Street Cinema Fri., Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m.

BY STEPHANIE KANOWITZ

Transitions: Coloring My World THROUGH OCT. 26 THE GALLERIES AT CHILDREN’S NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM 111 MICHIGAN AVE., NW CHILDRENSNATIONAL.ORG/CHOOSE-CHILDRENS/DECIDING-ONCARE/SUPPORT-FOR-FAMILIES/CREATIVE-AND-THERAPEUTICARTS/ART-AND-THE-GALLERIES

34 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | OCTOBER 2018

Directed by Larisa Shepitko (U.S.S.R., 1966, 85 min.) For her first feature after graduating from the All-Russian State Institute for Cinematography, Ukrainian filmmaker Larisa Shepitko trained her lens on the fascinating Russian character actress Maya Bulgakova, who gives a marvelous performance as a once-heroic Russian fighter-pilot now living a quiet, disappointingly ordinary life as a school principal (part of the “Films Across Borders: Stories of Women” festival). AFI Silver Theatre Nov. 2 to 8

CORRECTION

WD | Culture | Art

ector Torres spent 40 years in the D.C. hospitality industry making people happy. Now that he’s retired, that hasn’t changed. He just goes about it differently. After about 20 years with Capital & and Suites, five of them as general manager of the Beacon Hotel, Torres retired as of June 1, three months after Boston-based Rockpoint Group bought the hotel. Now, he’s focusing on his first love: art. “I happen to love the hotel industry and I happen to love what I ended up doing, but it wasn’t my very first choice,” Torres said. “You live in two worlds. One is a business world that you have to perform and another that is a very private world where you want so badly to be an artist.” The New York native never gave up on his artwork — mostly painting and a few sculptures – but now he’s devoted to it full time. And he’s got his first exhibit titled “Transitions: Coloring My World” on display at the The Galleries at Children’s National Health System through Oct. 26. It features 69 of his works. “While some of the pieces may be signed 2018, the fact is some of these pieces I had been working on since 2015. I had never resolved them” until the retirement, Torres said. He became interested in art as a child living in New York’s West Village. After watching a woman put cans on the road that she would then collect after cars had crushed them, he asked her why. She took him to her studio and showed him the art she was making out of them. Then she gave him watercolors and paper and told him to make something, too. Torres went on to make and sell kites at school. His classmates also paid him to do their drawings in science class and teachers hired him to create friezes over their chalkboards. He earned a degree in secondary art education at St. John’s University in New York, but the city froze licensing for such teachers and funding for art programs overall soon after he graduated. He had been working part time at a hotel, so he stuck with that. “Because of my being bicultural and bilingual, I was offered to teach English as a second language, and I said, ‘That’s not what I prepared for,’ so I really didn’t want to do that,” said Torres, who had also lived in Puerto Rico. “I continued working in the hotel business, and I guess the rest is history.” He’s worked for several hotel companies since then and can draw parallels between his accidental and first-choice careers. “There’s also an art form to hospitality and you try to make your mark anywhere you can,” Torres said. “And sometimes that’s making people feel good and working with your team. The teacher in me still prevailed in working with my staff.” What’s more, he got to travel, especially during his eight years with the Grand Heritage Hotel Group, and study art on his own time at museums and galleries in places like London, Milan and Paris. “I would do my work and then run to a museum,” he said. He also brought art materials to make linocuts and watercolors with him on the road, always keeping one foot in the art world. In fact, he found creative freedom in having a separate career because he wasn’t worried about whether a piece was going to sell. “You can jump from one style to another to another

Wings

PHOTOS: HECTOR TORRES

Hector Torres, who worked in the hotel industry for 40 years, recently retired and is pursuing his original passion: art.

just in the same night if you wish,” Torres said. “You’re not interested in anything than the actual process of creating art.” Although much of his work is colorful abstracts, he has done some figurations, most recently with the theme of migration. He largely keeps politics out of his art, but recent world events have found their way onto his canvas, Torres said. “In recent months, I have taken a darker perspective of what’s happening so I’m currently working on a piece that is all based on gray tones,” he said. It will lack the quirky, funny-looking expressions of most of his work, and “I may not even show it ever,” he added. Sometimes, art is his version of a therapist. The art at the Children’s National exhibit — part of the medical system’s creative and therapeutic arts services — will be on sale, and part of the proceeds will go toward education programs for children at the hospital. Torres’s pieces sell for about $195 to $1,400, but he says he’s more interested in sending his art to places where it will make people happy than in turning a profit. It’s a lesson he learned years ago at an art show, where he fell in love with a $3,000 piece he couldn’t afford. The artist saw what it meant to him and sold it for what he could spend: $700. That piece still hangs in his home in Southwest D.C. today. For 10 years, he and his partner, Jay Haddock, hosted annual fundraisers at which they’d sell Torres’s art and donate the proceeds – totaling $1 million – to Whitman-Walker Health’s Latino programs. What’s more, when friends admire his work, he often wraps it up and gives it to them at the holidays. Now, Torres is working to set up a website at hectorjtorres.com and looking to show his work locally at the Torpedo Factory and at the Art League in Delaware, where he has a 1,400-square-foot studio for churning out his work. “I have sketchbook after sketchbook after sketchbook of ideas,” he said. WD Mackenzie Weinger (@mweinger) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

In the October 2018 issue, Mackenzie Weinger was misidentified as the author of “Career Transitions - After 40 Years in Hospitality Industry, Hector Torres Pursues His Other Passion: Art.” The author is Stephanie Kanowitz.

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 39

WD | Culture | Events

Events Listings *Unless specific times are listed, please check the venue for times. Venue locations are subject to change.

ART Through Nov. 2

Jose Gurvich Artworks The Uruguayan Embassy presents the first solo show of Jose Gurvich in its art space in Washington, D.C. Gurvich, one of the best-known Uruguayan artists, was born in a small village in Lithuania in 1927 to a Jewish family. In the early 1930s, his moved and settled in Montevideo. During Gurvich’s formative years, he painted hundreds of still lives, portraits, landscapes and works based on the style of constructive universalism. But from 1964 until his death in 1974, he developed his own artistic language and maturity. The exhibition consists of 160 works on paper and several oil paintings that illustrate the many facets of his repertoire, including his focus on cityscapes, landscapes, couples, Israel, Europe and New York. Embassy of Uruguay Through Nov. 4

Día de Muertos: Cultural Perspectives A new generation of Latinx artists explore the Day of the Dead through a new context as they discern, contemplate, mourn and remember in order to process, heal and express their truth. “Día de Muertos” creates a space for viewers to contemplate and share their relationship with death and dying, taboo in America but freely embraced in Latin American cultures. The exhibition simultaneously provides a platform for 12 artists to engage in their own social anthropology, stripping away the commercialism and appropriation that dilutes the significance of the holiday. Music Center at Strathmore Nov. 4 to Feb. 18

Gordon Parks: New Tide, Early Work 1940-1950 During the 1940s American photographer Gordon Parks (1912–2006) grew from a self-taught photographer making portraits and documenting everyday life in Saint Paul and Chicago to a visionary professional shooting for Ebony, Vogue, Fortune and Life. For the first time, the formative decade of Parks’s 60-year career is the focus of an exhibition, which brings together 150 photographs and ephemera. National Gallery of Art Through Nov. 9

Parallel Universes: Paintings by Nora Cherñajovsky Argentinean artist Nora Cherñajovsky contrasts her paintings with elements of the neoclassical architecture of the Embassy of Argentina’s art gallery space, with its oval shape and decorative boiserie on the walls. She investigates the polarities and contradictions between the order of the architecture and the chaos of the organic. The

result is seven pictorial universes that break classical order with fragmented, geometric forms. Embassy of Argentina Nov. 10 to Dec. 16

Tribe: Contemporary Photography from the Arab World This display highlights a selection of artists published in Tribe, a magazine founded in Dubai that covers developments in photography and new media from the Arab world. By expanding our appreciation and understanding of the variety of photographic practices creatively deployed by artists from throughout the Arab world, Tribe aims to place these accomplished artists on a global stage within the larger sphere of contemporary photography. American University Museum Nov. 10 to Feb. 10

Rodarte The celebrated American luxury fashion house Rodarte, founded by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, are featured in the first fashion exhibition organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The display explores the distinctive design principles, material concerns and reoccurring themes that position the Mulleavys’ work within the landscape of contemporary art and fashion. Spanning the first 13 years of Rodarte, nearly 100 complete looks, presented as they were shown on the runway, will highlight selections from their most pivotal collections. National Museum of Women in the Arts Through Dec. 16

Studio 54 Forever Studio 54 was and arguably remains the world’s most iconic discotheque. It opened in 1977 in New York City as disco music was reaching its peak. The establishment attracted celebrities, politicians, artists and the cultural avant garde. On the Studio 54 dance floor, everyone was a star. Take a journey back in time through the lens of acclaimed Swedish photographer Hasse Persson, whose images provide an intimate, sometimes provocative look at the cultural moment that would become the stuff of legend. House of Sweden Through Dec. 16

Without Provenance: The Making of Contemporary Antiquity Artist Jim Sanborn provides a critique of the contemporary art market that sells stolen or forged antiquities. The artist’s imagined world, which would make complete sense to an ancient Roman, is one wherein the skilled artist-craftsmen of contemporary Cambodia (who we now call forgers and who muddle the art market) would be understood to be what they are: gifted copyists. Their works

40 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

would be bought for what they are — copies — and valued for what they offer: powerful evocations of the artistic genius of Khmer art of the distant past. American University Museum Through Dec. 25

Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa’s Arts More than 300 works of art from the museum’s permanent collection are on view within this exhibition. Working in media as diverse as wood, ceramics, drawing, jewelry, mixed media, sculpture, painting, photography, printmaking, and video, these works of art reflect the visionary ideas and styles developed by men and women from more than half of Africa’s 55 nations. The installation is organized around seven viewpoints, each of which serve to frame and affect the manner in which African art is experienced. National Museum of African Art Through Dec. 31

Corot: Women Camille Corot is best known as the great master of landscape painting in the 19th century. His figure paintings constitute a much smaller, less well-known portion of his oeuvre, but arguably are of equal importance to the history of art. Dressed in rustic Italian costume or stretched nude on a grassy plain, Corot’s women read, dream, and gaze, conveying a mysterious sense of inner life. His sophisticated use of color and his deft, delicate touch applied to the female form resulted in pictures of quiet majesty. National Gallery of Art Through Jan. 13

Fabergé Rediscovered Designed to delight and surprise, the treasures created by the firm of Carl Fabergé have inspired admiration and intrigue for over a century, both for their remarkable craftsmanship and the captivating stories that surround them. The fascination with Fabergé continues to uncover new discoveries about the storied jeweler to the tsars and his remarkable creations. This exhibit unveils recent research and explore how the 2014 discovery of a long-lost imperial Easter egg prompted new findings about Hillwood’s own collection. Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens Through Jan. 13

Rachel Whiteread As the first comprehensive survey of the work of British sculptor Rachel Whiteread, this exhibition brings together some 100 objects from the course of the artist’s 30-year career, including drawings, photographs, architecture-scaled sculptures, archival materials, documentary materials on public projects and several new works on view for the first time.

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | November 2018 Throughout her celebrated career, Whiteread has effectively recast the memories of these locations and objects to chart the seismic changes in how we live, from the late 20th century and into the 21st. National Gallery of Art Through Jan. 20

The Chiaroscuro Woodcut in Renaissance Italy Chiaroscuro woodcuts — color prints made from the successive printing of multiple blocks — flourished in 16th-century Italy, interpreting designs by leading masters such as Raphael, Parmigianino and Titian, while boasting extraordinary craft and their own often striking palette. National Gallery of Art Through Jan. 21

Japan Modern: Photography from the Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck Collection Celebrating the Freer|Sackler’s recent acquisition of a major Japanese photography collection, this exhibition features a selection of works by groundbreaking 20th-century photographers. Whether capturing evocative landscapes or the gritty realities of postwar Japan, this presentation focuses on Japanese artists’ search for a sense of place in a rapidly changing country. The images highlight destinations both rural and urban, in styles ranging from powerful social documentary to intensely personal. Freer Gallery of Art Through Jan. 21

Japan Modern: Prints in the Age of Photography When photography arrived in Japan in the mid-19th century, traditional woodblock printmakers were forced to adapt their craft to keep pace with the new medium. This exhibition explores Japanese artists’ reactions to the challenges of modernity, examining the collapse of the traditional woodblock-printmaking industry in the face of the printing press and photography, and then tracing the medium’s resurrection as an art form, through which printmakers recorded scenes of their changing country in striking new ways. Freer Gallery of Art Through Jan. 21

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man Each year in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, a city of more than 70,000 people rises out of the dust for a single week. During that time, enormous experimental art installations are erected and many are ritually burned to the ground. Cutting-edge artwork created at Burning Man, the annual desert gathering that is one of the most influential events in contemporary art and culture, will be exhibited in the nation’s capital for

the first time this spring. Renwick Gallery Through Jan. 29

Vested Values “Vested Values,” a selection comprising more than 40 works of various Mexican contemporary artists, explores the representation of nature and its sociocultural environment. Each of the works reveals how particular methods of production, implementation and execution of contemporary art can offer a complex impression of the diverse elements that define a society, which in turn promotes a continuous dialogue on both experience and perception. Each of the works originates through an arrangement with Mexico’s Tax Administration Service that allows Mexican artists to pay their taxes with their artwork. Today, artists can pay their income tax using media that ranges from digital art to photography. Mexican Cultural Institute Through Feb. 3

Sean Scully: Landline Sean Scully’s “Landline” series, which first captivated international audiences at the 56th Venice Biennale, will make its museum debut at the Hirshhorn, featuring never-before-seen artworks from the renowned series. With thick, gestural brushstrokes and loose bands of color, the works look toward the land, sea, and sky (and the indistinct lines between them) to navigate the elemental relationships that compose our world. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Through Feb. 8

Roberto Fernandez Ibañez: Visions and Reflections Curated by Fabián Goncalves Borrega, this exhibition features four of Uruguayan artist Roberto Fernandez Ibañez’s photographic series addressing the human impact on the environment: Earthy Resilience, Melting Point, The Hand and Rara Avis. His photographic material not only changes when it is exposed to light, but it can also be transformed, tuned and textured by techniques and laboratory processes. Fernandez Ibañez says he harnesses the environment’s capabilities to transform to shape his own artwork. OAS Art Museum of the Americas F Street Gallery Through May 20, 2020

Waterfall The Hirshhorn presents the largest site-specific exhibition to date by the acclaimed abstract painter Pat Steir. An expansive new suite of the artist’s signature “Waterfall” paintings spans the entire perimeter of the museum’s second-floor inner-circle galleries, extending nearly 400 linear feet. The 28 large-scale paintings, when

presented together as a group, will create an immense color wheel that shifts hues with each painting, with the pours on each canvas often appearing in the complementary hue of the monochrome background. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Through Sept. 29, 2019

Good as Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women In the cities of the West African nation of Senegal, stylish women have often used jewelry as part of an overall strategy of exhibiting their elegance and prestige. Rooted in the Wolof concept of sañse (dressing up, looking and feeling good), “Good as Gold” examines the production, display, and circulation of gold in Senegal as it celebrates a significant gift of gold jewelry to the National Museum of African Art’s collection. National Museum of African Art Through September 2019

Shaping Clay in Ancient Iran Potters in ancient Iran were fascinated by the long-beaked waterfowl and rams with curled horns around them. This exhibition of ceramics produced in northwestern Iran highlights animal-shaped vessels as well as jars and bowls decorated with animal figures. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

DANCE Nov. 2 to 3

Ragamala Dance Company: Written in Water Acclaimed as one of the diaspora’s leading Bharatanatyam ensembles, Ragamala Dance Company returns to the Kennedy Center with its latest work, “Written in Water,” a large-scale multi-disciplinary work with dance, music, text and painting that provides an allegory of human’s constant search for transcendence. Tickets are $39. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater Through Nov. 4

Contemporary Masters The Washington Ballet will showcase its range of ability and depth of versatility in a program that pays tribute to the 20th century’s most accomplished American modern choreographers: Mark Morris, Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor. Tickets are $25 to $125. Harman Center for the Arts Fri., Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.

The New Chinese Acrobats Get ready for stunning feats of strength and flexibility from this amazing company, created in collaboration with the world-famous Cirque Eloize. Representing the evolution of Chinese acrobats, this

Events | Culture | WD

group mixes new techniques and ancient Chinese folk art traditions for one awe-inspiring act after another. Tickets are $24 to $54. Music Center at Strathmore Nov. 9 to 10

Malavika Sarukkai: Thari – The Loom Last seen at the Kennedy Center in 2013, Malavika Sarukkai presents her latest production, which delves into the history and legacy of the sari, the hand-woven “unstitched garment” from India. Tickets are $49. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

DISCUSSIONS Sat., Nov. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

The Magnificent Cities of Russia Four great cities — Kiev, Novgorod, Moscow and St. Petersburg — have given the country that became Russia much of its character. Historian George E. Munro explores their history, culture and signature sites. Tickets are $140; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center Nov. 7 to Dec. 5

The Art of India: From the Indus Valley to Independence From its origins in the ancient civilization along the Indus River to the present, the complex culture of South Asia has given rise to some of the world’s most remarkable artistic creations. In four sessions, Robert DeCaroli of George Mason University highlights the artistic traditions and historical changes within the Indian subcontinent from the earliest archaeological evidence to the onset of colonialism. Tickets are $140; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center Thu., Nov. 29, 6:45 p.m.

sented by the member states of the European Union, together with more than 20 local and national cultural institutions,” says EU Ambassador David O’Sullivan. Highlights this year include the 60th anniversary celebration of the Smurfs presented by Belgium; “United in Music,” a performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage by a Latvian youth choir composed of both students with and without hearing impairments; a performance of “Angelina, a Contemporary Cinderella,” with Italian opera singers at the Shakespeare Theatre; and KEEN Day featuring a full day of events for children with disabilities. With programs both for the general public and for school groups, more than 10,000 D.C.-area children and their families enjoy Kids Euro Festival programs each year. For information, visit www.kidseurofestival.org. Various locations Oct. 31 to Nov. 4

Superfine! Art Fair Fun, approachable and chock full of art by local and global emerging artists, Superfine! DC descends on the capital for a fall art spectacular the likes of which the District has never before seen. The art fair that’s built its chops in New York and Miami by serving up a clear, transparent new art market friendly to both longtime collectors and newbies is bringing its unique formula to D.C. with over 300 visual artists, who will present new contemporary artwork throughout 74 curated booths, and with price points beginning below $100 and 75 percent of works available below $5,000. Tickets are $12 to $55; for information visit https://superfine. world/. Union Market Dock 5

MUSIC Fri., Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Ricardo Cobo, Classical Colombian Guitarist

FESTIVALS

Colombia guitarist Ricardo Cobo’s versatility can be heard in his awardwinning solo recordings of classical and children’s music, as well as his orchestral and crossover recordings in collaboration with jazz and classical musicians. His “Guitar Lullaby,” currently on its third printing, was awarded the American Library Association’s highest recognition for children’s music and is widely regarded as one of the finest classical guitar audio experiences on CD. Tickets are $150, including buffet reception and valet parking; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org. Colombian Ambassador’s Residence

Through Nov. 4

Mon., Nov. 12, 8 p.m.

Kids Euro Festival

Danish String Quartet

Now in its 11th year, the Kids Euro Festival is one of the largest performing arts festivals for children in America, bringing Europe’s most talented children’s entertainers to the D.C. metro area each fall for two weeks of free performances, concerts, workshops, movies, storytelling, puppetry, dance, magic and cinema. “Over more than 80 fun kids’ activities will be pre-

Already well-known as masters of traditional classical repertoire — as a rapt Washington Performing Arts audience experienced in an unforgettable 2017 performance — the Danish String Quartet are passionately committed to sharing folk music from their home country, as heard on two highly popular albums of old Nordic melodies and dances, “Wood Works”

Magical Prague: The Crown of Bohemia Lose yourself in Prague, city of a hundred spires, as cultural historian Ursula Wolfman takes you on a virtual tour along its medieval cobblestone lanes and dark passageways, past its many churches and synagogues, into the heart of a city dominated by the magnificent Hradcany, the 1,100-year-old castle complex. Tickets are $45; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center

and “Last Leaf.” Tickets are $35. Sixth & I Thu., Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Yi-Yang Chen, Piano Taiwanese pianist Yi-Yang Chen, the 2017 winner of the Washington International Piano Competition, will perform a program of Haydn, Villa Lobos, Chopin, Granados, Dehn, Alwyn and Hsiao at the Arts Club of Washington, a national treasure that is the former home of President James Monroe. Tickets are $65, including buffet and wine; for information, visit www. embassyseries.org. Arts Club of Washington Sun., Nov. 18, 2 p.m.

The Washington Chorus: Brahm and Britten The Washington Chorus begins its 58th season with Johannes Brahms’s magnificent “A German Requiem, Op. 45” and Benjamin Britten’s “Ballad of Heroes.” Tickets are $18 to $72. Kennedy Center Concert Hall Mon., Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Miriam Rodriguez Brüllová, Guitar Dalibor Karvay, Violin Guitarist Miriam Rodriguez Brüllová and violinist Dalibor Karvay — 2009 winner of the Slovak Minister of Culture prize for his international interpretation of Slovak interpretative arts — have both performed with orchestras in countries around the world. Tickets are $95, including buffet and wine; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org. Embassy of Slovakia

performed internationally. Now he’s studying piano performance at Hunter College. Tickets are $125, including an Afghan buffet; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org. Afghan Ambassador’s Residence

THEATER Nov. 2 to Dec. 23

Anything Goes Cole Porter’s madcap seafaring musical features some of musical theater’s most memorable standards, such as “I Get a Kick Out of You” and the title song, “Anything Goes.” Tickets are $51 to $105. Arena Stage Through Nov. 4

Aida

Through Nov. 4

Sleepy Hollow

Nov. 5 to 25

Elham Fanoos is 21 years old and a native of Kabul. He has been playing music from the age of 5, when he began to study the tabla. In seventh grade, he enrolled in the Afghan National Institute of Music, where he learned to play the piano. Fanoos is also an aspiring composer and has composed five pieces of his own, including four preludes and a sonata, which he and his teachers have

This provocative new play that explores the timely subject of sexual consent between young people. Tom, a black first-year Princeton student, and Amber, a Jewish first-year Princeton student, seem to be on the same page about where their relationship is heading, until suddenly they aren’t. What begins as a casual hook up turns into a Title IX hearing in which both students have everything to lose. Tickets are $34 to $64. Theater J Through Nov. 18

Malta Philharmonic Orchestra

Elham Fanoos, Piano

Actually

Performed in complete collaboration with the audience, “The Fever” begins as a simple story about an ordinary party and evolves into a spellbinding examination of how we assemble, organize, and care for the bodies around us. Please call for ticket information. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Thu., Nov. 29, 8 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.

Through Nov. 18

The Fever

Synetic Theater’s adaptation of “Sleepy Hollow” pulls together all the elements that made Synetic famous: Gothic horror, iconic characters and imagery, an emphasis on surreal, wordless storytelling that transcends spoken language and makes our productions something akin to live-action dreams (or nightmares, depending on the story). Tickets start at $35. Synetic Theater

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) will be embarking on its first U.S. tour, the MPO Valletta 2018 Tour, celebrating both its 50th anniversary and the World Heritage UNESCO site of Valletta, the European Capital of Culture 2018. The MPO will be led by the famous conductor Sergey Smbatyan, and the concert opens with a performance of “Rebbieħa,” a symphonic poem penned by Gozitan composer Joseph Vella. The MPO will also perform the work of famous modern American-Maltese composer Alexey Shor, with Austrian pianist Ingolf Wunder, before wrapping up with Dmitri Shostakovich’s famous Fifth Symphony. Tickets are $55 to $85. The Music Center at Strathmore

strike up a fast friendship. Tickets are $20 to $80. The Studio Theatre

A Woman of No Importance Scena’s Theatre’s take on Oscar Wilde’s classic battle of the sexes includes an all-female cast. This timeless power struggle between men and women is set against the backdrop of 1930s Hollywood — when Tinsel Town was both American and British. Tickets are $35 to $45. Atlas Performing Arts Center Nov. 10 to 25

Washington National Opera: Silent Night As Christmas Eve falls on a World War I battlefield, enemy soldiers step into no-man’s land for one miraculous night of peace. Based on the true story and 2005 film, “Silent Night” features Pulitzer Prize-winning music in multiple languages, capturing humanity and hope amidst a devastating war. Tickets are $35 to $199. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater Nov. 14 to Dec. 16

Cry It Out Jessie is a corporate lawyer in a Manhattan firm. Lina is a communitycollege dropout and born-and-bred Long Islander. They don’t seem to have anything in common, but marooned at home with infants, they

Brilliantly brought to life by the legendary musical duo behind “The Lion King,”“Aida” is a timeless story of star-crossed lovers set in ancient Egypt. The handsome but arrogant Radames and his soldiers return to Egypt following a successful conquest of the nation’s longtime enemy, Nubia. Having unwittingly captured the Nubian princess Aida, they force her into slavery in the royal palace. Though Radames is reluctantly engaged to the Pharaoh’s vain and materialistic daughter, he and Aida find themselves passionately drawn to each other. As their forbidden love intensifies, Aida must choose between her heart’s desire and her responsibility to her people in this production presented by Constellation Theatre Company. Tickets are $25 to $55. Source Theater Through Nov. 18

The Fall As the statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes was dismantled at the University of Cape Town, seven students wrote “The Fall,” charting their experiences as activists who brought down a statue and then grappled with decolonizing what was left standing in its wake: the legacies of race, class, gender, history and power 24 years after the official end of Apartheid. Please call for ticket information. Studio Theatre Through Nov. 18

Sing to Me Now Calliope is the last surviving Muse. Drowning in the demands of a world desperate for inspiration, she resorts to what any self-respecting Greek Goddess would do: She hires an intern. Soon it becomes clear that Calliope is burying a deeper pain, and the fate of the universe may lie in this human intern’s unlikely ability to save her. Tickets are $30. Atlas Performing Arts Center Nov. 20 to Dec. 23

An Inspector Calls Winner of 19 major accolades, the award-winning production of J.B. Priestley’s classic thriller “An Inspec-

tor Calls” will kick off a four-city U.S. tour at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Set simultaneously in 1912, post-war society and modern day at the home of the Birlings, a well-heeled British family, the story follows a festive celebration that is suddenly punctured by a mysterious visitor: a grim inspector investigating the death of a young woman. As questions multiply and guilt mounts, the Birlings’s entanglement in the affair shatters the foundations of their comfortable lives. Please call for ticket information. The Shakespeare Theatre Nov. 23 to Dec. 30

Indecent Inspired by the 1923 Broadway debut of Sholem Asch’s Yiddish drama “The God of Vengeance,” and the controversy that surrounded its themes of censorship, immigration and anti-Semitism, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Vogel explores the behind-the-scenes story of the courageous artists who risked their careers and lives to perform this piece of theater under the most challenging circumstances. Tickets are $41 to $95. Arena Stage Through Nov. 25

Anastasia Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical “Anastasia” finally comes to Washington. From the Tony Awardwinning creators of the Broadway classic “Ragtime,” this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. Tickets are $49 to $175. Kennedy Center Opera House Nov. 28 to Dec. 1

World Stages: Barber Shop Chronicles Set in barbershops in Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos, Accra and London, “Barber Shop Chronicles” welcomes you into this unique, intimate community where African men gather to discuss the world and their lives. Tickets are $29 to $99. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater Through Dec. 2

King John Secret deals. Threats of mass destruction. Shifting loyalties. Folger Theatre follows its sold-out run of “Macbeth” with “King John,” Shakespeare’s rarely performed history play chronicling King John’s turbulent reign from 1199 to 1216. Tickets are $30 to $85. Folger Theatre Through Jan. 6

Billy Elliot the Musical Based on the powerful and acclaimed film, all 11-year-old Billy wants to do is dance. Initially facing opposition from society and his father, Billy’s passion instead unites the community and changes his life in extraordinary ways. Please call for ticket information. Signature Theatre

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 41

WD | Culture | Spotlight

Diplomatic Spotlight

November 2018

Tunisia Ambassador Insider Series For its latest Ambassador Insider Series (AIS) on Sept. 13, The Diplomat talked to Tunisia’s Fayçal Gouia about his nation’s pivotal role in the Arab Spring. Tunisia is often hailed as the rare success story of the uprisings that felled autocratic governments from Egypt to Yemen. While its achievements have indeed been impressive, the North African nation of 11.4 million is still finding its post-revolutionary footing as it works to revive an ailing economy while balancing the rise in Islamist political forces with its secular roots. Ambassador Gouia, who previously served in D.C. in the 1990s, said that Tunisia is still working to fully implement political, economic and security reforms. But he said it had a leg up on its Arab neighbors because of a highly educated population, respect for women’s rights and generally progressive leanings, all of which have helped make Tunisia an exception to the turmoil engulfing the region. “I feel very bad to say that because I wanted this Arab Spring to bring freedom, dignity and liberty not only to one country or to two countries, but to the whole region,” he told the audience gathered at his elegant D.C. residence. “But revolutions take a long time,” he cautioned, noting that the French Revolution alone took nearly a century to come to fruition. “In modern times, we are impatient. We count not years but sometimes months and weeks and days … but it’s a process,” Gouia said, adding that he hopes Tunisia’s progress can still serve as an example for those nations grappling with civil strife. Tunisia marks The Diplomat’s 15th Ambassador Insider Series discussion. Upcoming AIS events will feature ambassadors from Peru (Oct. 30) and Moldova (Nov. 20). — Anna Gawel

— Photos: Jessica Knox Photography —

Ambassador of Malta Keith Azzopardi, Cassandra Campbell of Progress Humanity and Fuad Sahouri, founder and president of Sahouri Insurance.

Ambassador of Tunisia Fayçal Gouia.

Thomas Coleman of the Department of Homeland Security joins staff from The Washington Diplomat: operations director Fuad Shiblie, sales manager Rod Carrasco and publisher Victor Shiblie.

Mary Catherine Cook of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Lara Bangs of the Initiative for Global Development.

Ambassador of Tunisia Fayçal Gouia talks to moderator Anna Gawel, managing editor of The Washington Diplomat.

Barbara Plett Usher, State Department correspondent for the BBC, and Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit of the Embassy of Egypt.

Victor Shiblie, publisher of The Washington Diplomat.

42 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Executive Director of Global Investment Facilitator ILP Becky Stockhausen, Ambassador of Tunisia Fayçal Gouia and Ambassador of Jamaica Audrey Marks.

Heather Campbell, legislative aide for Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Sydnee Urick, correspondence manager for Sen. Steven Daines (R-Montana).

Moderator Anna Gawel shares a laugh with Tunisian Ambassador Fayçal Gouia.

Leo Ayala of the Department of Commerce, Omar Reyes and Luis Chang, both of the Peru Trade, Tourism and Investment Office.

Sandy Taylor, diplomatic liaison at the Welcome to Washington Club; Patrick Taylor; and Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber.

Amanda Herman, senior manager of leadership events at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and Debbie Beard, senior event planner at Windows Catering.

Spotlight | Culture | WD

Nam Nguyen, president of International Geriatric Radiotherapy Group; Erica Jackson, program management associate at Chemonics International Development; and Patrick Shanahan of The Wink Hotel D.C.

Ambassador of Tunisia Fayรงal Gouia.

American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow Shae Allen and Ursula McNamara, area director of sales and marketing for Kimpton Hotels.

Traditional Tunisian cuisine was served.

Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit of the Embassy of Egypt asks a question.

Traditional Tunisian cuisine was served.

Fitore Vula of The George Washington University, Ali Khan and Edona Dervisholli of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

Ambassador of Malta Keith Azzopardi listens to the discussion.

Daniel Karanja, vice president of the Initiative for Global Development; Leila Ndiaye, president and CEO of the Initiative for Global Development; and Eric Thompson of Sundry Partners.

Ambassador of Tunisia Fayรงal Gouia, The Washington Diplomat managing editor Anna Gawel and The Washington Diplomat publisher Victor Shiblie.

Lynne Weil and Victoria Hellmann of the Dupont Circle Hotel.

Ambassador of Jamaica Audrey Marks listens to the discussion.

Neringa Miliauskaite of the Embassy of Lithuania.

Ambassador Fayรงal Gouia of Tunisia and Lamia Rezgui of the Middle East Broadcasting Network.

President of the Global Language Center Eugenia Nesterenko, Ambassador of Tunisia Fayรงal Gouia and Leticia Larancuent, director of business development at the Global Language Center.

Eric Ham of SiriusXM POTUS Channel and Anna Gawel, managing editor of The Washington Diplomat.

Kristin Chapman, medical librarian at Howard University; Heather Campbell, legislative aide for Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah); and Sydnee Urick, correspondence manager for Sen. Steven Daines (R-Montana). THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018 | 43

WD | Culture | Spotlight

Diplomatic Spotlight

November 2018

40th Annual Ambassadors Ball The National Multiple Sclerosis Society held its 40th annual Ambassadors Ball on Oct. 2 at The Anthem in D.C.’s Wharf. The premier fall event regularly attracts diplomats, members of Congress, and business and philanthropic leaders, raising over $20 million since its inception to support the National MS Society. This year, Japanese Ambassador Shinsuke Sugiyama and his wife Yoko served as diplomatic co-chairs, with the ambassador lamenting the “cruelty on the body” of a debilitating disease that knows no boundaries. Over 2.3 million people worldwide, in fact, are afflicted with MS. Chartese Berry, the Greater D.C.-Maryland Chapter president of the National MS Society, applauded the gains that have been made in MS research and treatments. “Quite frankly, we didn’t see the first FDA-approved treatment for MS until 1994 — almost 25 years ago — and now we have 15 disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis. Before that time, anyone diagnosed with MS was told there was nothing that would help them,” she said, noting that “knowledge, research and treatment of multiple sclerosis has drastically changed.” “I am so proud to be able to say that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has been a catalyst for much of the progress we’ve seen, relentlessly driving research and clinical advances and feeding the intellectual pipeline,” she added. “We have much more to do to fully understand and cure MS, but we’re in a vastly better place for our patients than we were 40 years ago.”

The Wharf’s Anthem concert hall hosted the 40th annual Ambassadors Ball.

Ambassador of Oman Hunaina Sultan Ahmed Al-Mughairy and Shaista Mahmood.

Lexi Bendyna talks about her mother, Bernice McDowel, who has been battling progressive MS for 24 years. “My days visiting with my mom are spent feeding her, bathing her, dressing her, brushing her teeth, changing her diapers, draining her catheter — doing whatever it takes to ensure that all her needs are met,” Bendyna said. “However, regardless of what this disease has caused, my mom and my family remain hopeful…. Hopeful because of all of the efforts of the MS Society to raise awareness, influence policy and help those with MS live their best lives.”

Gala co-chair Sarah Rogers of Navigators Global; Greater D.C.-Maryland Chapter President of the National MS Society Chartese Berry; Ambassador of Japan Shinsuke Sugiyama; Rear Adm. Susan Blumenthal, who was given the Champions Award; Yoko Sugiyama; Sen. Maggie Hassan (DN.H.); and co-chair Cristina Antelo, founder and CEO of Ferox Strategies.

Ambassador of Iceland Geir H. Haarde, Inga Jona Thordardottir, Lauritta Jaeger and Ambassador of Liechtenstein Kurt Jaeger.

Dr. Ivonn Szeverényi and her husband Ambassador of Hungary László Szabó.

U.S. Protocol Chief Sean Lawler and Ambassador of Jordan Dina Kawar.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and European Union Ambassador David O’Sullivan.

Guests sample Japanese sake.

Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Yousef Al Otaiba and Greater D.C.Maryland Chapter President of the National MS Society Chartese Berry.

At right, Mike Manatos and emcee Laura Evans Manatos.

Embassy liaison Jan Du Plain and Michelle Kosinski, State Department correspondent for CNN.

Suzanne Spaulding and her husband Gary Slaiman of Morgan Lewis LLP.

Kiyomi Buker, social secretary for the Japanese Embassy, center, talks to guests as they sample Japanese sake.

Ambassador of Tunisia Fayçal Gouia, Ray Mahmood and Jake Perry.

Greater D.C.Maryland Chapter National MS Society Board Vice Chair David Smith and Board Chair Greg Schuckman join J.R. Paterakis and Emily Paterakis. PHOTO: © TONY POWELL

Lubka Stoytcheva dances with her husband, Ambassador of Bulgaria Tihomir Stoytchev.

The taiko group Nen Daiko from Japan performs.

Brian Barkley and Martha Hemingway.

Bonny Snider, Dan Snider of Myland Corp., the presenting sponsor, and Nate Roos.

Ambassador of Japan Shinsuke Sugiyama, Greater D.C.Maryland Chapter President of the National MS Society Chartese Berry, co-chair Cristina Antelo, co-chair Sarah Rogers and U.S. PHOTO: © TONY POWELL Protocol Chief Sean Lawler share a toast.

44 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVEMBER 2018

Ambassador of Moldova Cristina Balan.

Dr. Seth Morgan; Karen Jackson; Joan Ohayon of the National MS Society Greater DC-Maryland Chapter Board of Trustees; and Joe Ohayon of Wells Fargo.

The U.S. Marine Band performs outside The Anthem.

Spotlight | Culture | WD

40th Annual Ambassadors Ball Jane and Calvin Cafritz, Board of Trustees Chairman for the National MS Society Greater DC-Maryland Chapter Greg Schuckman and honoree Dr. Susan Blumenthal, former assistant surgeon general of the U.S.

Priyanthi Kanakaratna, center, of the Embassy of Bangladesh and her daughters.

Farewell to Amanda Downes

Taiwanese ‘Rebirth’

After 20,000 events, 400,000 guests — including one queen — and nearly 30 years, Amanda Downes, longtime social secretary for the British Embassy, has hung up her hat. At a VIP-filled reception in September at the British Residence to celebrate her retirement, Downes was fêted by some of the many Washingtonians she’s worked with over the years. British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch said that Downes arrived in D.C. in October 1989 for what was supposed to be a two-year term. Twenty-nine years later, the affable Downes has hosted five presidents, six prime ministers and — “perhaps most testing of all” — eight ambassadors, Darroch quipped. Reading a letter from former British Ambassador David Manning, Darroch said that he, like Manning, quickly “found out who counted in this town.” He noted that Downes helped Manning write a speech composed entirely of lyrics from songs by the Rolling Stones for the rock group’s visit to the residence. Downes has also hosted a surprise birthday party for then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the cast of “Downton Abbey” and countless charities and fundraisers, including those for wounded British soldiers. Darroch also noted that long before the advent of Evites and Paperless Posts, Downes used to handwrite invitations and lick all of the envelopes. “She was used as the go-to person on etiquette by the White House,” he said, calling her the “embodiment of efficiency and attention to detail” over her “10,500 days of dedicated service in D.C.” “Sometimes I think she is a better diplomat than all of us,” Darroch said of Downes, who has been decorated twice by Queen Elizabeth and was given the Union Jack flag outside the residence as a parting gift. “You own Washington,” he added. “It’s been one hell of a party.” Downes took all of the praise in her usual gracious stride, although she became visibly choked up when thanking her colleagues, including the chauffeur who picked her up 29 years ago and still works at the embassy. A chef by training, Downes also received a chef’s coat from the culinary team at the residence. Her successor is Caitlin O’Connor, who previously worked at the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies. Downes is retiring in the scenic Cotswolds back in Britain, but not before embarking on a transatlantic cruise aboard the Queen of Mary with some friends. “I’ve been dreading this day for 29 years,” an emotional Downes said. “It has been a great ride.”

Stanley Kao, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office to the U.S. (TECRO), and his wife Sherry welcomed famed Taiwanese sculptor Kang Muxiang to Twin Oaks Estate to display his installation “Rebirth.” Seven giant embryonic sculptures placed in the garden of Twin Oaks were created from recycled elevator cables from Taipei 101, at one time the tallest building in the world and now the landmark skyscraper in Taiwan. Kang explained to guests that prisoners in Taiwan helped him craft the sculptures by cleaning the bronze and stainless steel cables — hence why he calls his work “Rebirth.”

A cake shows the front page of a Washington Post featuring Amanda Downes.