Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy is an American

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...

by the

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...

which recognizes individuals, foundations, associations, and corporations that actively contribute to advancing America's ideals around the globe through public diplomacy. The award is named in honor of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

because, as the nation's first envoy, he was "known for his creative ways of using culture, business and science to attract the attention of foreign audiences". The establishment of the award was announced by US Secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza "Condi" Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist serving since 2020 as the 8th director of Stanford University's Hoover Institution. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served ...

in January 2007, as the most prestigious honor that the Department of State can bestow on U.S. citizens and non-governmental organizations, giving special emphasis to activities that: #provide hope and opportunities in the core areas of education, culture, and information #empower, educate, and inspire key audiences such as women, students, and educators #engage under-served communities and grassroots organizations.US Department of State: Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy
/ref> The awards are presented in four categories: *Individuals *Corporations *Academic institutions (schools, universities, etc.) *Not-for-profit organizations (non-governmental organizations, foundations, associations, etc.)

Benjamin Franklin Award for Outstanding Diplomatic Service

Prior to the establishment of The Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy in 2007, The Benjamin Franklin Award for Outstanding Diplomatic Service was established in 1992, with recipients as follows. 2016 * Individual Category Winner: Eric Treene,

Ehsan Zaffar Ehsan Zaffar is a civil rights advocate, educator and policymaker and the founder of the Los Angeles Mobile Legal Aid Clinic ( LAMLAC), which helped to pioneer the delivery of mobile legal care to vulnerable populations in California and across ...

, Catherine Newcombe – for their work on advancing religious freedom issues under

United Nations Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a United Nations Regional Gro ...

Resolution 16/18. ;2008 *Non-Profit Category Award Winner:

Search for Common Ground Search for Common Ground (or Search) is an international non-governmental organization that works to end violent conflict and build healthy, safe, and just societies. It is the largest such organization dedicated to peacebuilding, with offices in ...

*Academic Category Award Winner:

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

*Corporate Category Award Winner:

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its common stock is a c ...

*Individual Category Award Winner:

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

References

{{reflist Awards and decorations of the United States Foreign Service

Benjamin Franklin Award for Outstanding Diplomatic Service

See also

References