International artists participate in two week long leadership exchange.
The State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program has brought together musicians and artists from 22 nations for the Global Diplomacy Initiative in Washington, D.C. The State Department said the event builds on President Biden’s Promoting Peace, Education, and Cultural Exchange (PEACE) Through Music Diplomacy Act, signed in 2022.
The hip-hop music diplomacy exchange explores how musical artists can facilitate global stability and cross-cultural connections. The initiative spans multiple cities from April 14 to 26, and dozens of experts will explore the relationship between hip-hop and diplomacy.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken played and sang at the launch of the event in Washington, D.C. The National Geographic, Smithsonian, and other organizations were involved in events in Washington, D.C. Attendees then headed to New York City, where they learned about the roots of hip-hop and how to preserve the genre’s history. The program will finish in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where participants will learn about hip-hop’s academic implications and applications.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For State Department officials as they engage in the Global Diplomacy Initiative.
- For Secretary of State Blinken to be led by the Lord as he heads the State Department.
Sources: State Department, UPI
