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Tag: Ambassador Christopher Hill

LEAP Ambassadors Meet Ambassador Christopher Hill

While the LEAP Ambassadors enjoy representing SHSU and the LEAP Center, they also enjoy having the opportunity to learn from and meet some of the leading public officials of the 20th and 21st century.  And it was especially true this week, when they met Christopher Hill, who has served as the U.S.’s Ambassador to Iraq, Poland, Macedonia, and South Korea as well as being named the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

The LEAP Ambassadors joined the World Affairs Council‘s event, entitled, “North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, & the Options for the U.S.,” which involved Hill outlining his experience being the representative for America at the famous six-party talks; a delegation of diplomats from China, Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and the U.S. to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

After an introduction by WAC CEO Maryanne Maldonado…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea, Maryanne Maldonado

Ambassador Hill took the stage to much applause.

He began his speech by contextualizing America’s foreign relations leading up to the North Korean nuclear crisis as well as detailing the current administration’s direction of action.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

The path to the current situation, however, was full of negotiating ups-and-downs–with the primary setback occurring when North Korea reneged on their 1994 agreement to halt nuclear production.  Their lack of compliance was made public in 2003, when it was discovered that N. Korea was producing and processing enriched uranium.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

What followed was the “six-party talks,” in which the a multi-country coalition–led by Hill–tried to convince North Korea to abandon its Weapons of Mass Destruction program.  While progress was made on this objective–particularly in 2005–North Korea pulled out of the talks in 2009 and, shortly thereafter, tested a nuclear device underground, a clear violation of the 1994 agreement and the six-party talks.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

While past negotiations have not been productive, Hill was not impressed by the current administrations’ approach to diplomacy, which the former Ambassador described as being a deviation from normal diplomatic processes.  He also commented on the high-rate of turnover under the current administration, noting that he couldn’t keep up with which diplomatic officials were currently in place.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

Following Ambassador Hill’s formal talk, WAC’s Director of Programming, Ronan O’Malley, facilitated a short Q & A, and Ambassador Hill did a masterful job–befitting a former diplomat–of responding to audience questions.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

After the event, we had a chance to meet Ambassador Hill…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

…and we left with an appreciation of Hill’s non-partisan approach to international diplomacy.  Ambassador Hill served four presidents during his time in the State Department, two Democrats and two Republicans, and that spirit animates the LEAP Ambassadors in its endeavors.

Following the event, we set out for dinner that would provide a culinary exploration of the Asian continent about which we had just learned.  The result was “Auntie Chang’s Dumpling House.” It goes without saying that the assorted dumplings we had as an appetizer were delicious, but the real treat was the spread that lay before us for the main course. There was fried duck in black pepper sauce,

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…lo mein…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…mu shu pancakes…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…which were prepared at the table…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

… hunan-style eggplant…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…and seafood stir fry.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

The dinner as a whole was spectacular

Knowing that we were near the infamous “Cupcake ATM”, we decided to head over to Westheimer to enjoy a quick dessert.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cupcake ATM

It was a unique experience in which we chose our flavor and watched as the machine picked them out one-by-one until all of them were served at once on the platter behind a sliding door. Everyone was delighted with their choices.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cupcake ATM

Then, after a very long day of political enrichment and culinary embellishment, we drove back to SHSU to prepare for our next event.

Author mikeyawnPosted on February 16, 2019February 16, 2019Format AsideCategories Civic Engagement, Food, Law, Politics, TravelTags Ambassador Christopher Hill, Aunti Chang's Dumpling House, Cupcake ATM, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Maryanne Maldonado, Ronan O'Malley, SHSU, World Affairs CouncilLeave a comment on LEAP Ambassadors Meet Ambassador Christopher Hill

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