Connections to Today: The Department of State and the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Exhibition

Also visit the official site for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Exhibition.

Q: What is the work of a diplomat like in the 21^st century?

A: In many ways, our job today is very much like the job of diplomats during the time of Lewis and Clark. We still try to take advantage of opportunities to advance our national interests, we still try to meet challenges creatively, and we still talk with other nations. Patient negotiation is one of the most important parts of our job.

Of course the stakes are even higher now than they were in the 19^th century. Globalization means that everyone—everywhere in the country—has links to the global economy. We sell our goods overseas and the items that we use every day, from clothes to computers, come from well over a hundred different countries. Diplomats are involved in many of those interactions.

Diplomats also spend more and more time on global issues—problems that affect the entire world—such as AIDS, pollution, endangered species, global warming, terrorism, and human rights. It’s a real challenge to get more than 100 countries to work together on anything!

Q: How do diplomats get other countries to agree with the United States?

A: First of all, we start out with an attitude of respect for other countries and their customs and traditions. Diplomats spend a lot of time learning about other countries, their history and culture, and what types of behavior are appropriate. For example, in some countries there are elaborate rules for presenting business cards, or for special forms of speech or body language, which can show courtesy and respect. If we don’t know what they are, we could offend our counterparts terribly before we even start talking about the issues.

The next step is to find areas of common interest and build on them. We certainly don’t agree with all countries on all issues, but we have to find a way to work together. Diplomats don’t ignore the differences between the United States and other countries. As Secretary of State Powell has said, we explore those differences, discuss them, sometimes argue about them, and then find ways to move forward.

Q: What impact does modern technology have on diplomacy?

A: The world certainly moves at a much faster pace. When Thomas Jefferson became our first Secretary of State in 1790, he ordered our embassies to send a report to Washington once or twice per month. That was a real innovation! Today, several hundred thousand messages pass through the Department of State worldwide every day. Today, we’re better informed and diplomats can better coordinate our policies with those of our allies.

But better communication also means that the public is better informed because so many people watch 24-hour news networks and see live feeds from around the world. It definitely makes the work of diplomats a lot tougher because there’s pressure to solve problems quickly—and often they’re very, very complicated problems. The pressure on the Secretary of State is enormous.

I think that modern technology makes the role of diplomats—who are trained to handle crises—even more important. No matter how much we think we know from watching TV, we still rely heavily on the observations, expertise, and recommendations of our diplomats. And I think we always will.